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"Isn't my income a private matter?"

Not really, unless you're able to generate income without interacting with anyone else. Say, for example, that I buy a product for resale from you for $XX.XX. Since I don't have a problem with paying taxes, I report that purchase as cost of goods sold to the IRS, and have your receipt as proof that I bought it. Your privacy is gone, you see, in that instance, since I have a record of the purchase.

If you work for an employer, your wages or salary is also a business expense that is reported as a cost of doing business. Again, no privacy.

But...if you can manage without interacting with anyone else, then I suppose your privacy should be respected. You won't make much money, though, since each exchange involved an interaction.

Indeed, who does the money belong to in the first place. I think Jesus about covered it when he looked at the money of the day and saw Caesar's picture on it. It was, apparently, Caesar's money, so he just told folks to render it back to Caesar.

Same thing here.

I'd also point out that if there is a right to privacy, how can the government institute am progressive income tax based on how much money I make. Isn't my income a private matter?

I'd point out that some would argue whether income taxes are even Constitutional to begin with, lol.

Many times we all think back and wish we were much younger, but could you imagine being 20 years old right, what the country will look like when your much older, and how much less privacy/freedom you would have as you get older? I'm not talking about the TIA/Pentagon's little project to compile data on all Americans either, just in general.

Would not suprise me to see the government try and phase out cash as much as possible over the next few decades, be much easier to track our finances, etc.

I'd also point out that if there is a right to privacy, how can the government institute am progressive income tax based on how much money I make. Isn't my income a private matter?

Honestly, in the long run, your personal finances are much more a matter of privacy than who/what you roll around in bed with. And yet, our vaunted Supreme Court has not deigned to find a right to privacy to protect us from the depredations of the IRS, have they?

The whole subject is so juvenile. I feel like I'm arguing with high schoolers here.