Lincoln only needed it for revenue for the Civil War, but Progressives took it up again, and in 1913 gave us both the 16th amendment and the Federal Reserve.
“...but Progressives took it up again, and in 1913 gave us both the 16th amendment and the Federal Reserve.”
You are correct, except I would say:
..but our fellow American voters put Progressives into power and they voted for their state representatives who gave us both the 16th amendment and the Federal Reserve.
[pgr88, this is not directed at you. just feel like venting]
Now, as then, our fellow American voters put Progressives into power (Reid, Boxer, Kennedy, Pelosi, Obama ad nauseum) and therefore are THE problem.
We gripe, groan and moan about the elected representatives and if they didn’t get enough votes to gain power, they would be back in their respective communities where they belong. The problem is that our neighbors have pulled the lever for Progressives (and loudly expressed their support for Progressive policies) time and time again.
This applies mainly to the “Democrats”, but in some key instances also applies to the liberal faction of the Republican Party as well.
In November, there will be possibly one more chance for the voters to get it right. If history is any indicator, literally tens of millions of our fellow Americans will vote for the Progressives yet again. Hopefully, they won’t prevail, but I’m not holding my breath.
I know one thing. My (our) grandchildren don’t deserve what those people have done and are doing to our country.
There. I feel better (but not much)
They had the decency to actually collect the tax for a specific constitutional purpose, which hardly anyone paid, and to also end it when the war was over.
Not so today.
Of course Lincoln’s federal government didn’t use phony baseline budgeting tactics and wasn’t giving 40-some percent of the population cash to buy their food, or pay any other legion of entitlements we have today.