Ron Paul on the Income Tax

ViRedd · #1 01-17-2007, 07:07 PM

Cough Up
by Ron Paul
by Ron Paul

April 15th, our national tax day, comes this year just as Congress prepares to pass the 2007 federal budget. If you think paying taxes was painful this year, I’ve got some bad news: the new budget is a grotesque illustration of everything wrong with the federal government. At $2.7 trillion, it’s the largest budget in U.S. history by a long shot. Like it or not, the pressure to raise your taxes will be enormous in coming years no matter who controls Congress. The amount of money government spends, borrows, and prints simply cannot be sustained.

For most people, their income tax return represents their most meaningful interaction with the federal government. It requires them to confess their actions over the past year to the IRS in excruciating detail. It's an annual ritual guaranteed to elicit strong feelings of disgust. Thanks to the deception of income tax withholding, however, some people actually look forward to tax time and a much-anticipated refund. Imagine how quickly Americans would demand lower taxes and spending if they had to write the federal government a check each month.

Most people understandably want a simpler income tax system, but it’s useless to discuss tax reform without spending reform. Who wants a 40% flat tax? Who wants a national sales tax if it adds 50% to the retail price of everything we buy? In other words, why change the tax structure if spending stays the same? Once we accept that Congress needs $2.7 trillion from us, the only question is how it will be collected. The current answer is the labyrinthine tax code, which pits taxpayers against each other in a political scramble to make sure the other guy pays. The truth is that Congress does not need $2.7 trillion, or anything close to it, to fund the proper constitutional functions of the federal government.

The only tax reform needed is to lower or abolish existing taxes. When reform proposals seem complicated, the reason is simple: they obscure their true nature as schemes to shift the tax burden around. It’s not who pays or how we pay; it’s how much we pay.

The real enemy of tax reform is the spending culture in Washington. Let me repeat: we will never have tax reform in this country until Congress changes its spending habits. The reform rhetoric, regardless of which party it comes from, never changes the reality that federal spending grows every year. Congress spent $2.4 trillion in the last Bush budget; the new budget proposes to spend $2.7 trillion. The same unconstitutional agencies are funded, the same unwise programs are perpetuated, but at higher levels than last year. The previous budget serves merely as a baseline; the only question in any given year is how much spending will increase. Once created, no spending program is ever eliminated. The cycle goes on and on, with different administrations and different people in Congress.

But could America exist without an income tax? The idea seems radical, yet in truth America did just fine without a federal income tax for the first 126 years of her history. Prior to 1913, the government operated with revenues raised through tariffs, excise taxes, and property taxes, without ever touching a worker's paycheck. Even today, individual income taxes account for only approximately one-third of federal revenue. Eliminating one-third of the proposed 2007 budget would still leave federal spending at roughly $1.8 trillion – a sum greater than the budget just 6 years ago in 2000! Does anyone seriously believe we could not find ways to cut spending back to 2000 levels? Perhaps the idea of an America without an income tax is not so radical after all. It’s something to think about this week as we approach April 15th.

April 11, 2006

Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.

medicineman · #2 01-17-2007, 08:04 PM

But could America exist without an income tax? The idea seems radical, yet in truth America did just fine without a federal income tax for the first 126 years of her history Yeah, it was just fine if you were a rich land owner or a rich anything. The poor had no plan to help them at all. There were no safety nets for the less fortunate among us and the poor had 2 choices, be dirt poor or rob banks, which would you choose? Now tell me about all the peons that became millionaires, But that leaves out the millions of poor that had squat! Taxation is here to stay. the plutocrats want to slice the pie in their favor, thats all!

ViRedd · #3 01-18-2007, 09:49 AM

Med ...

You are a devout, classic, class envy warrior. In spite of all the evidence of history and the failures of socialism, you stand strong against freedom. Gotta hand it to ya Bro.

Vi

medicineman · #4 01-18-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRedd

Med ...

You are a devout, classic, class envy warrior. In spite of all the evidence of history and the failures of socialism, you stand strong against freedom. Gotta hand it to ya Bro.

Vi

Well thanks Vi, I'm glad you noticed. I'll probably be with the mob that takes down your town, I'll be sure to grab your stereo equipment for myself as I've heard it's the Dank!

ViRedd · #5 01-19-2007, 02:26 PM

Yer right ... it is the Dank! *lol* The problem is, I have the secret code. Unless you throw the correct switch, you'll be blown to smithereens.

Vi

medicineman · #6 01-19-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRedd

Yer right ... it is the Dank! *lol* The problem is, I have the secret code. Unless you throw the correct switch, you'll be blown to smithereens.

Vi

No problem, I'd just as soon torch your house and move on!~LOL~

ViRedd · #7 01-19-2007, 04:21 PM

I'd say fuck you ... but that would be rude.

Vi

medicineman · #8 01-19-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRedd

I'd say fuck you ... but that would be rude.

Vi

Have I tapped a nerve mr. Vi, I'm sorry, but was it not you that called me rude. Tch.Tch. Was it not you that called me a class warrior. I guess the revealing of the warriors tendicies seemed to annoy you. If I were a "warrior" I think you would find me a formidable one. I can play head games with the best, but try not to on these sites, as that is the sure sign of Ego at work. I'll not abide insults without questioning the reason!

ViRedd · #9 01-20-2007, 11:15 AM

Med ... the "fuck you" comment was meant in jest. And no ... you don't annoy me, nor have you struck a nerve. And yes ... I have an ego that is still undamaged by the totalitarians who would abuse it, curse it and destroy it. And yes ... I view you as a class warrior based upon your posts.

Vi

medicineman · #10 01-20-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ViRedd

Med ... the "fuck you" comment was meant in jest. And no ... you don't annoy me, nor have you struck a nerve. And yes ... I have an ego that is still undamaged by the totalitarians who would abuse it, curse it and destroy it. And yes ... I view you as a class warrior based upon your posts.

Vi

Well you may be right, and a noble profession it is, Class warrior. If it werent for class warriors, we'd still be under feudel rule. still be controlled by the likes of any dictator that could strongarm his way into power, (Sort of a G.W. Bush on steroids). In fact I know you are right, class warrior, I like the sound of that, Kill a rich man for Christ, or Budda, or Allah, it doesn't matter, just kill a rich asshole. I'll be getting my arsenal in order, and be prepared for the big battle, lets see there about 3 million rich assholes and 300 million of us, seems the odds are tilted in our favor, in fact I've enough guns to arm a squad and then some. Since I know the general area you live in, when the shit comes down I'll head for your neighborhood and reek havoc, Be super fun to watch those expensive stereo components go up in smoke. Now is that what you wanted to hear? Class Warrior indeed! If it werent for class warriors you'd be paying homage to Queen Elizabeth. Since you happen to be in the rich category, i'm sure you're shakin in your boots, thinking we might show up at any time, well not yet my friend, the proletariate aren't pissed off enough yet, so you'll probably live out your life without attack, but it's coming. As the rich continue to make more poor people and increase their wealth, the odds go up that there will be insurection.. We'll probably not live that long, but my grandkids will probably see it!

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