"What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your skin."
--Mark Twain
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Editor's Note: The idea that the federal government owns the fruit of your labor, and then can decide what percentage you're allowed to keep is at odds with the principles of freedom for which we stand. What do you think? Please stop by the blog to let us know.
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How Freedom Was Lost
by Paul Craig Roberts
Americans no longer know what freedom is. Historically, the definition of a free person is one who owns his own labor. Serfs and slaves were not free, because they do not own all of their own labor.
An income tax is inconsistent with the historical definition of freedom. Today in America government has a claim on every person's labor, just as feudal lords, the government of that time, had claims on the labor of serfs and nineteenth century plantation owners had on slaves.
Understanding that an income tax was serfdom, our Founding Fathers wrote the US Constitution in a way that prevented an income tax. This was altered in 1913 with a constitutional amendment that some claim was not properly carried out.
This first step in the enserfment of the American people was taken in envy. The rich were the targets of the income tax. Once in place, the income tax was extended by law and by inflation until ordinary people were being taxed at rates several times as high as the original top rate for the rich.
After almost 100 years of income tax, generations have been born into serfdom and accept the government's claim on their labor as normal, even just. Some say they don't mind paying taxes to help the poor. They should look to see what share goes to the poor and what share to war, armaments, and the bailout of the Treasury Secretary's rich friends.
The problem with a tax on a person's labor is that it subtracts from a person's independence. Without independence, it is difficult to exercise constitutionally protected rights, such as free speech.
(full article) (comment on the blog)
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