[justshutupandtakeit]

That is an even bigger loser. Slavery is not the condition of Americans even if they pay income taxes. Pure silliness.

[tomakaze]

re:That is an even bigger loser. Slavery is not the condition of Americans even if they pay income taxes. Pure silliness
 
Well it's obvious we aint gonna agree on that. While i acknowledge that there's no way in hell anythings gonna change, mostly due to fedgov getting away with it for so long, The words do mean what they say, unless read by someone who subscribes to the "living breathing document" view of the constitution (like say, a supreme court justice or any graduate of harvard).
so you're right it is a pretty pointless arguement.
 
that said, what's wrong with apportionment? feds set a yearly budget, and in addition to what the feds collect in tarrifs and excise taxes, the states pony their share based on % population. the state collect this by whatever means the states constitutions allow (myself, i favor a poll tax and nothing else)