In fact, the Founders, and the American leaders of the 1800s, disdained the income tax. In 1872, President Grant rid the nation of the Civil War income tax; two decades later, the Supreme Court struck down another attempt at an income tax. If we must have taxes, the Founders urged, let them be consumption taxes—a luxury tax on imports, for example, or a vice tax on whiskey. As Alexander Hamilton said in Federalist 21 of such taxes: “The amount to be contributed by each citizen will in a degree be at his own option, and can be regulated by an attention to his resources.” He added, “If duties are too high, they lessen the consumption; the collection is eluded; and the product in the treasury is not so great.…This forms a complete barrier against any material oppression of the citizens by taxes of this class, and is itself a natural limitation of the power of imposing them.” spectator.org/archives/2011/12/08/fdrs-class-warfare-a-tutorial/print
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 05:18:05 +0000
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