Interesting Tax Quotes
We’ve all heard quotes from famous people about the U.S. tax system. Here are a few more that may serve to lighten the mood on this Monday morning.
“No one understands the Income Tax Law except persons who have not sufficient intelligence to understand the questions that arise under it.”
New York State Senator Elihu Root in 1913
“No government can exist without taxation. This money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress.”
Frederick the Great, 18th Century Prussian king
“Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf.”
Will Rogers
“Would it not be better to simplify the system of taxation rather than to spread it over such a variety of subjects and pass the money through so many new hands?” –Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1784. Papers 7:557
“Excessive taxation … will carry reason and reflection to every man’s door, and particularly in the hour of election.” –Thomas Jefferson to John Taylor, 1798. ME 10:64
I hope our elected officials remember as we creep ever closer to another tax filing season, that those who elect them do not have short memories when it comes to the use of their funds in government. Large social engineering projects like tax credits for environmental issues or health care need to be well thought out and debated. Rushing into something so big and path-altering will bring around yet another batch of unintended consequences and complexity. Government at all levels should be focusing on simplification, transparency, increasing the tax base (not rates) and increasing efficiency.
I drive to work each morning past 3 sets of road warning signs. These were installed as part of the national Amber Alert network. That is a great cause. However, on both support posts of each set hangs an orange sign that says “Sign Not Active.” I wonder how much was spent on purchasing and installing those signs to tell us something that is so obvious. It’s not working! That’s just one example of the thinking outside the private sector.
Perhaps one post per month in 2010 will be on something within government that shows how out of touch many elected officials truly are. Maybe by banding together, we can create some extra focus on accountability in government in the coming election year.
