LOL. There is an amendment to the constitution specifically barring what you propose.
AMENDMENT [XXIV.] 16
SECTION. 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
I thought Robert Heinlein also had a good idea, only those who served in the armed forces deserved the right to vote (Starship Troopers).
Seriously, unless the people have a vested interest in the operation of their government, why should they go what is in the best interest of said government?
Someone in ancient Rome once said something to the effect that once the people can vote to redistribute wealth, the republic is lost.
Set the rules (whatever they are) and make it so that no elected body can change them unless agreed to by a super-majority (75%?) which would cover us in time of war.
The system, as it exists, actually would allow for a huge influx of foreigners to come to this country and, because of lax voting requirements, actually vote themselves the money of those already here. It would actually be a very effective way for a foreign power to take over and/or weaken the United States.
But such a thing couldn’t actually happen...
Of course, the intent was to make sure that the southern states did not deny the sufferage of former slaves. There are always unintended consequences though. So instead of a new balance brought to the southern electorate we get a populace that is voting themselves benefits at the expense of the minority that actually pay an income tax.
That said, the graduated income tax is based on the amount of “extra” money people have. It would be nice to have some kind of measure of cost of living being factored into the income tax though. Someone who makes $60k is doing well in many parts of the U.S., but is just getting by on the coastal regions.