Taxes

[bolverk]

Here is an interesting bit of history:

In spite of the politicians' best efforts, though, the new tax wasn't exactly a great hit with the public. The Washington Post, a more sensible publication in those days, called it "an abhorrent and calamitous monstrosity ... [which] punishes everyone who rises above the rank of mediocrity," adding "The fewer additional yokes put around the necks of the people, the better."

Source Document

You might find this exchange interesting:

Mr. McLean: Do you think there is anything inherently wrong in going too far in compulsory deductions from wages?

Mr. Friedman: I can only come back to this, we have got to do it gradually.

Mr. McLean: Whether you do it gradually or rapidly, I am asking you whether there is anything inherently wrong in taking money out of a fellow's pay envelope without giving him the right to say you are privileged to do it.

Mr. Friedman: Is it wrong for a democratic form of government to do anything? You are the people's elected Representatives. When you decide to do something, it means the people have decided it. What do you mean, wrong?

Source Document

[bolverk]

“…it may be the pleasure and the pride of an American to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what laborer ever sees a tax gatherer of the United States?” Thomas Jefferson.

[bolverk]

Source Data

The Tax Foundation estimates that we spend $200 billion [3] a year to measure, track, shelter, document, defend and file our taxes. $203 billion a year is enough to feed clothe, house and educate all the starving people in the entire world! We also spend over 5.8 billion hours [4] a year complying with the tax code and more than 300,000 trees are sacrificed to make IRS forms.

Incidentally, that $203 billion does not include the expense of calculating tax implications. An additional $200 billion dollars lost in GDP (gross domestic product) due to making decisions based on minimizing tax consequences rather than making sound business decisions. Total compliance cost is really more like $500 billion dollars a year!!