How could a govt. be restricted in the amount of taxes collected from it's people. Sales taxes, property taxes, income taxes, estate taxes it just never stops.
Thru the income tax the government knows:
Who you are
Where you live
Do you have a wife (who is more easily intimidated
than a man)
Do you have children(that you will worry about)
Do you have a home that can be seized
Where you work
How much cash can be seized from there
Your slave number, thru which your other assets
can be tracked
An income tax is the tool of a tyrant.
A sales tax keeps you anonymous
Knowledge is power
A government which lacks knowledge about you,
lacks power over you and will be hesitant to misuse it's power
A small federal government can pay for itself through tariffs (on foreign imports) and modest sales taxes. The problem with sales taxes is that the large bloated bureaucracies of today need too much money and the sales tax turns into a Value Added Tax. This is a far more repressive tax scheme that affects every layer of business and bloats the price of goods far beyond their value. The end result greatly diminishes the buying power of the consumer. This has occured in every modern state that has implemented a sales tax.
Using tight legal language for the "ideal state" could prevent the government from growing in size or implementing the VAT. Forcing the state to avoid income taxes and VATs is a must.
Who makes dollars?
The federal government,
thru the Treasury Department
by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving
It costs 2 cents to print a one dollar bill.
It costs 2 cents to print a one hundred dollars bill.
That means it costs 1 dollar to print 50 one hundred dollar bills.
50 one-hundred dollar bills is 5 thousand dollars.
since it costs 1 dollar to make 5 thousand dollars
why does the federal government have a need for taxes?
One of the main reasons for the Tariffs is to keep our standard of living from falling to the level of the poorer countries.
Without a tariff, your decision will be based in part by price,which causes a downward pressure on what the the retailer will pay, which will cause a downward pressure on the price the manufacturer can charge ,which in turn keeps the worker's pay from rising.
With a tariff added to an imported product your decision will be based on material,workmanship or feature.
Mr. Tomelleri,
You are right in stating that once the government gets its greedy fingers into the citizenry's pockets, it refuses to remove them.
Government can be restricted in the amount of taxes it collects by limiting the type of taxes. Consumption-based taxes are paid according to the will of the consumer--one can reduce consumption of items to assert his or her will to not pay that tax. Sales tax is a good example of a consumption-based tax (with the exception of sales taxes on groceries). Tariffs are also consumption-based; if you don't wish to pay the tariff, you can buy domestic products.
However, income tax, property tax, inheritance tax, and other insidious and confiscatory taxes are based on what one earns, owns, controls, or is given, and directly infer that the government has the right to a part of everything which falls under those headings, which is dangerously reminiscent of the vassal state system, and frankly none of their business.
These confiscatory taxes go hand in hand with the fascism rampant in our society today. Mussolini courted the Italians with the thought that they would retain ownership of their farms, homes and factories--so long as when the government told them what to produce, in what quantity, and and what price, they obeyed. It's sad to see that today, very few property owners still retain the right to do what they please with their property, whether that property is real estate, income or the '56 Chevy inherited from grandpa.
Earl,
In answer to your question about why government "needs" to tax, please see the post contributed by Anonymous just previous to the Webmaster's post in this thread. Anonymous details the answer to your question articulately and completely.
In my ideal Constitution, there would be something like this:
"The Government of the United States (Federal Government) shall levy no tax, fee, charge, or duty from it's Citizens or Corporations residing in the several states. Direct taxation of Citizens or Corporate incomes or property by the Federal Government within the boundaries of the United States is expressly forbidden."
"All imports of materials, finished goods, and services will be subject to a tariff of not less than 25% of the assessed value in gold at the time of importation."
"The Government of the United States is required to turn over to the several States, one half of all revenue collected through tariffs at all ports of entry in those States."
"Congress shall only raise tariffs upon the approval of a 3/4 majority of both Houses, and upon approval of 3/4 of the People of the Several States."
"Congress shall issue only money in gold, silver, platinum or copper coin, or as paper money redeemable upon demand for the equivalent amount or gold, silver, platinum or copper coinage.
Congress shall not debase the coinage by adulterating or mixing metals to exceed 5% by weight of impure metal to that which the coin is ostensibly minted in."
Comments?