Replies

In the United States, the top 1% of taxpayers typically pay about 30% of income taxes. The top 10% pay about 60%, and the top 25% about 80%. The bottom 50% pay less than 5%.

As noted by Paul Craig Roberts in his 1997 column, The Poor Have Enslaved The Rich, “Once we perverted our democracy in 1913 with a constitutional amendment permitting an income tax, we set about enslaving our most productive citizens.”

Harrison, George:
(a commentary on England’s 95% tax rate on upper incomes)
Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you nineteen for me
Cause I’m the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
Cause I’m the taxman

Jefferson, Thomas:
To take from one, because it is thought that his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, “the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry, and the fruits acquired by it.”

Lincoln, Abraham:
That one man can labor more productively than another no more entitles him to the lesser man’s little than the lesser man is entitled to the greater one’s much.

Plato:
When there is an income tax, the just will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.

Sobran, Joseph:
The flat tax is less unjust than the graduated tax, but it is still unjust. It causes some people to pay more than others for the same goods. . . . The fairest method would be for everyone to pay the same amount for government services. . . . Just take the government budget, divide by the adult population, and you’ve got everyone’s fair share of taxes.

Reagan, Ronald:
Republicans believe that every day is the fourth of July, but Democrats believe every day is April 15.

Luke 19:26
For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

On the other hand:

Luke 12:48
...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

However, one should check the differing contexts.

“Once we perverted our democracy in 1913 with a constitutional amendment permitting an income tax, we set about enslaving our most productive citizens.”

In the interest of accuracy the original Constitution had already granted the Congress the power to levy an income tax.

Article 1 Section 8 - The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

However, the Constitution forbid the congress from directly taxing the citizen.

Article 1 Section 9 - No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

The 16th Amendment in 1913 added the power to tax the citizen directly.

Article. XVI. [Proposed 1909; Questionably Ratified 1913]

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

With that added power and the ensuing 17th Amendment the Constitutional experiment as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution had no chance of succeeding.