"The collection of taxes which are not absolutely required, which do
not beyond reasonable doubt contribute to the public welfare, is only
a species of legalized larceny. The wise and correct course to follow
in taxation is not to destroy those who have already secured success,
but to create conditions under which everyone will have a better chance
to be successful."
by:
Calvin Coolidge
(1872-1933) 30th US President
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Reader comments about this quote:
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US      
EXACTLY!!! It is no more difficult than that, unless of course, your aim is to create a dependent class who will vote for you.
 -- MK, Houston, TX     
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     -- Joe, Rochester, MI      
    Fine, but he only refers to the collection of taxes, and not to the misallocation.
     -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood     
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    Prior to the income tax, the federal government existed on the taxes it collected while the U.S. became the richest (fewest poor, greater middle class, etc.) and most powerful nation on earth. The greater the theft of the noble's ('We The People') labored fruit, the greater the move toward general poverty and weakness.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    There us no need for taxes when all of us will risk our lives or even die for strips of paper that the IRS (Imaginary Revenue Scum) said "are not dollars" You cannot pay taxes with anything less than silver coins and if you tried to do that, they would not know what to do with the coins because collecting money is NOT their job! For better understanding, this link contains no advertizing and deserves wide circulation: www.morpix.biz/dc
     -- Anonymous     
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    Typical political speak. What does the phrase "absolutely required" mean. Taxes are paid under law, they are due or not due based on the law. If they will contribute to a surplus one could argure that they are not "absolutiely necessary" and thus and thus not pay them. This would be a miscarriage of the law. Income tax is of course based on success, if one has no success then he does not have to pay a tax. Coolidge has the cart ass backwards. It would appear that he would not tax success but somehow reward the unsucessful who the hell knows how? This sounds like Charlatan talke to me. Taxes are not to destroy the successful or to help the unsuccessful but to finance public works and projects determined to be required by the people through their government.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    If taxes are collected under law, it is an immoral law brought under very suspicious circumstances initiated by central bankers and bribed congressmen. (Read: "Creature From Jekyll Island") And are designed not so much to run the country but to rule the working class and middle class. The same reasons are what bring gun control...
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Silent Cal is exactly right. Waffler, we are wise to you. You're putting us all on since nobody could be as stupid as you seem to be. For you folks with some brains and can read, get "The Income Tax, Root of all Evil." It's long out of print but still available on Amazon. Even Waff might benefit if he can find someone to read it to him.
     -- jim k, austin     
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    I was given a copy of "Creature from Jekyll Island" on Sunday. Biggest bunch of garbage I have ever read. No wonder you like it Carlton. The guy who wrote it is a Certified Financail Planner, wow, wow, wow! I am sure that impressed you. The meeting was not secret. The guy proudly claims to have a conspiracy theory of history so everything has some spooky reason for it. I guess you like that kind of stuff. You guys should confer with some colleges or universities of Finance, Business or Banking rather than read anything anyone writes.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    I've said most of this before but maybe Waffler will get it this time. Law is a term that defines that which is. For example: beyond natural philosophy, the law of physics is a physical science that can be defined with absolute regularity (or as close to absolute as man's understanding sets the parameters). There are fiscal laws that attend to financial matters. Such fiscal laws are interacted with by accounting procedures, economic observances - attempting to replicate with a regularity that which is, or works, bankruptcy is an inability to pay back, etc. There are laws dealing with that which is an abstract to corporeal man such as the nobility of life and larceny. By way of example: from Exodus 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill" (kill, being from the Hebrew ratsach {raw-tsakh'} meaning to murder) is too broad for administration so it is broken down to 1st degree, 2nd degree, manslaughter, etc.; and, Exodus 20:15 "Thou shalt not steal", broken down into grand larceny, petty theft, theft by deception, etc. The founders understood there to be such absolutes and established a nation of law as expressed within the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God. It is up to corporeal man to discover what those laws are and, put in place codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, statutes, etc. that are in harmony with those laws. The greater the harmony with those laws, the greater the freedom, liberty, material prosperity, for each and every, any and all. Man inflicts upon his fellow man despotism, tyranny, poverty, injustice, etc. when his codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, statutes, etc. are at odds with the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God. Such depravation (government of men = unlawful edicts enforced under threat and duress, vs. government of law) is exaggerated when the carnal despot titles his unlawful acts 'law', to fool even the very elect. Waffler's use of law here is an immoral deception to enslave the once noble sovereign. Further, income taxes are not paid under law, but rather extracted under threat and duress, making social slaves of the abused.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Very well said Mike! Both posts, but especially the 2nd.
     -- Anon     
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    Some people are so envious they would rather destroy the world than see someone have something they don't have: petulant toddlers who, even though they don't want a toy themselves, will tear it apart rather than see another child enjoy it. Taxes should never be used for policy purposes. They should only be used to fund those government functions that are constitutionally authorized. Any tax taken for any purpose beyond the scope of the constitution is pure theft.
     -- Ken, Allyn, WA     
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    Sad that Waffler can never accept TRUTH. But, when you're are flaming indoctrinated socialist who would rather hold the 10 Planks of the Communist Manifesto in high esteem rather than the U.S. Constitution and the founding principles what more can you expect?
    Waffler's straw man, pot-stirring statements are a wasted attempt at childish subterfuge.
    He only visits Liberty Tree because he is an obvious Troll who has nothing better to do with his time, but to act like a very annoying mosquito or one celled creature.
     -- Mary - MI     
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    Mike, trying to get Waffler to "get it" is like trying to teach a pig to whistle. It's impossible and only annoys the pig.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    There are no limits to the number of politicians and sheep wishing to do "good things" or "necessary things" with my money.
    Spending your money on strangers is charity, taking my money for strangers is larceny.
     -- Michael Murray, NV     
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    Waffler is still a died in the wool IRS man, meaning extortionist / communist. He won't change Mary, but we still enjoy his presence for entertainment purposes. ;-)
     -- J. Carlton, Calgary     
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    This should be included in the text of the Constitutional Amendment to Repeal the 16th Amendment.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Often man's ambition is misunderstood to be wealth. In reality, most of mankind wish only to be equal. In the past, Americans at the bottom of the social classes labored intensively to raise themselves to a point of equality with those of a higher class. However as time passed, Americans have found it much easier to bring the wealthy down to their level through the use of government and government programs. Each measure taken to steal from the rich and give to the poor has aggrandized government with greater power and removed the exercise of certain fundamental rights belonging to the People. It is sad that mankind would rather be equal in servitude than unequal in liberty.
     -- Publius     
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     -- DENNIS KOLB, WARRENTON      
     
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