I missed this hideous anniversary yesterday, July 1st. But, better late than never.
July 1, 1943 was the day the modern era of income tax withholding began. The politicians told the American people that the withholding program would only last until the end of World War II. After the war we would go back to the tried-and-true system of Americans figuring out how much tax they owed at the end of every year and writing a check.
So … Fifty-nine years ago Americans stopped knowing how much they earned. They started knowing what they “took home.”
Fifty-nine years ago Americans stopped knowing how much they paid in federal income taxes, they only knew how much they were “getting back.”
The withholding system has been the magic enabler that has allowed politicians to raise taxes and spending year after year after year without any repercussions from the electorate. When the final history of the destruction of freedom is written, July 1, 1943 will be much-lamented date.
If one were temerarious
And wanted to live precarious
They'd send in their tax
All in one batch
Instead of this scheme neferious.
A+