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There is no ‘patriotic duty’ to pay more tax
by Simon Black, Sovereign Man:
In 1873 during the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, the government abolished its income tax.
Aside from a single episode in 1894, there would be no income tax in the United States of America for nearly 40 years.
It was during this period that the United States emerged as the largest, most powerful economy in the world.
And the country achieved this with no income tax. No inflation. And very little public debt.
Today it’s entirely different. The dollar has lost over 99% of its value since 1913.
And the US has accumulated more debt than any other nation in the history of the world.
Entitlement program costs are soaring. The US government’s own figures estimate that the long-term funding gap for Social Security, Medicare, etc. exceeds $40 trillion. Many private estimates are several times that amount.
This is obviously concerning.
But what’s even more concerning is the complete lack of care and attention this issue receives.
Politicians continue to spend money with a dangerous sense of entitlement.
They believe that since they’re “America” they can do whatever they want without consequences, as if the laws of the financial universe don’t apply to the US.
And their judgment is clearly lacking.
They borrow money and go deeper into debt just to pay the interest on the amount they already owe.
And yet they continue to spend, often on the most wasteful and destructive things.
They throw money at failed programs. They hire armies of bureaucrats who make life more difficult for productive citizens.
They spend $2 billion just to build a website. Or a billion dollars to destroy $16 billion worth of ‘surplus ammunition’.
All of this is ultimately supported by taxes. Your taxes.
You see, the creditworthiness of any nation is underpinned by its ability to raise and collect taxes.
It’s a very simple calculus: when your government goes into debt, YOU are the collateral.
Whether you realize it or not, whether you signed up for this obligation or not, you’re on the hook. You’re the guarantor of your government’s debt.
So are your children and grandchildren.
