Sunday, February 3, 2013

Pernicious: The centennial of the Federal Income Tax

Imagine, for just a moment, America if we had not enacted the 16th Amendment, allowing Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results.

Today is the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the 16th Amendment, allowing just that.   The original income tax was steeply progressive (i.e., levied on only the most wealthy) and the maximum rate was 7%.  It was enacted interestingly, to replace many of the trade tariffs that were impeding the national economy in other ways.

So, happy birthday, to the greatest tool of modern USA tyrants presently in use. 

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