"By the power to lay and collect imposts Congress may impose duties on any or every article of commerce imported into these states to what amount they please. By the power to lay excises, a power very odious in its nature, since it authorizes officers to examine into your private concerns, the Congress may impose duties on every article of use or consumption: On the food that we eat, on the liquors we drink, on the clothes that we wear, the glass which enlighten our houses, or the hearths necessary for our warmth and comfort. By the power to lay and collect taxes, they may proceed to direct taxation on every individual either by a capitation tax on their heads or an assessment on their property. By this part of the section, therefore, the government has a power to tax to what amount they choose and thus to sluice the people at every vein as long as they have a drop of blood left."
by:
Luther Martin
(1744-1826) Maryland delegate to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia
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Thank you so much for suppling all of these quotes. This site saved me from a major F so thank you again.
 -- carson, tulsa     
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    Sounds like a description of a Democrat.
     -- helorat, Milton     
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    That is the platform of every Democrat since Roosevelt. It is the pernicious thought that free people and free enterprise might be successful without the government regulating their every move.
     -- Ed, Cincinnati     
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    So you people find it acceptable to take every drop of your blood when you have no more money? Then you are fools. Look at what you are taxed and you will see more than 50% goes to the government (federal income tax, state tax, property tax, sales tax, etc.). Do you like getting only half of what you earn? I sure don't.
     -- Joe, Rochester, MI     
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    Anti-tax pro-big business folks seem to forget that they get rich only through the existance of society (otherwise we'd all still be living in caves and trading flint knives). It is reasonable for society to expect (and recieve) a tax on those profits which came from the benefits society has used past taxes to build for all to use. And on top of that, every human should be able to have a core level of income that is "tax free" to provide for their basic needs. To those who need according to their needs, from those who have according to their ability... it is what Jesus would do.
     -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US     
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    The lust for power got the best of the some of the Founders -- but nothing compares to the corruption that is happening today. Next step, revolution, for better or worse.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    sucker
     -- Anonymous, detroit     
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     -- Renee, austin      

     -- Anonymous     
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    I don't think Jesus was a Marxist, and I certainly think he would want the needy provided for by charity not by taxes collected by force of a Roman sword.
     -- Dave, Hubert, NC     
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     -- Anonymous      
    People who are against taxes are for small business not big business.The big business people seem to lobby and get all that money. Look at the banksters. We became the greatest country in the history of the world not because of our government but inspite of it.
     -- Mike, Milwaukee     
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    Taxation and the collection thereof is not a function of the Federal Government. Nor are the monies collected as taxation are not used for infrastructure. The various tax agencies of the western world are merely extension of the central banking cabals. The monies collected are simply profits to those central privately owned banks. So before anyone gets on their high horse and advocates taxation as a control measure for "greedy capitalists"...consider how badly fooled you are. The very worst of the greedy capitalists you so readily despise are the central bankers who own you, own your property own your government...and everything else you see. You are "subjects" not citizens. Property of the bankers...human capital...inventory...sheep. So do us a favor, either get educated or...STFU. :)
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    "They" should start using that power immediately and stop borrowing in order to pay for our military to fight and die. Our soldiers are brave, we and our political leaders are cowards.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    Reston, just how in the hell do you suppose to know what Jesus would do. Oh, I forgot, you Marxists know everything.
     -- jim k, Austin,Tx     
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    Jim you obviously know that after the Resurrection "the early chruch assembled together and kept much in common". A commonality that many of the right wing nuts abhore. At Christmas we make much about this commonality among men and then go on our Merry Way after Chirstimas, again lost in our right wing, individualist, screw society and everything around me as long as I get mine attitudew.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    Lamentably, a little known, particularly prescient figure, among the Founders.

    Rightly did he apprehend that the consolidation of power in a federal government is essentially inimical to Liberty.
     -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill     
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    Reston...this is what Jesus DID. He didn't say if the taxes were right or wrong. He stated the facts...

    Mark 12:(13 - 17 NIV) "Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You arent swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldnt we?But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. Why are you trying to trap me? he asked. Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. They brought the coin, and he asked them, Whose image is this? And whose inscription?Caesars, they replied.Then Jesus said to them, Give back to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods.And they were amazed at him."
     -- K, Ohio     
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    The blood letting by over taxation is supercharged by over regulation. The occupying statist theocracy infesting this land, through its here described activities have created a society that is almost half unemployed and about to die.

    K, from Ohio, the NIV in an attempt to simplify is not a very good translation here. An imperial tax has far different implications than a tribute. An imperial tax could be anything while the subject Roman tribute was an acknowledgement that Caesar was the supreme God, having conquered all inferiors (Jesus, His Father in Heaven - all) and all inferiors were property that belonged to Caesar (the god of this world). At the time of Jesus' statement, there was a great controversy among the people - were they to worship Caesar and pay the tribute or worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. From the Hebrew and Greek, there were 2 separate sentences (no and / or in the middle). One - If Caesar is your God, render tribute to the conquering God. The second sentence was, if the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Israel is your God, render unto Him (the lose ad-lib is mine). The people had to choose their god.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    I believe this quote is for the people - so, what's the problem???
     -- Robert, Somewhere in Europe     
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    Remembering their is a rural and city culture, most of the time at odds. Merchants and Farmers. Barrow and lending practices internal, excluding oppression from say Rome. Israel had already turned away from their own mosaic, secular and Moral laws governing lending and barrowing of money to one of their own countryman. Setting aside Chophshiy Liberty,( freedom from bondage and tax at your pleasure Granted by God ). Very few sitting Monarchs, kings through recorded history adhered to the laws written and ordained by their God, of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, also know to even the children of Ishmael, the bond servant Hagar's offspring, as Ahura Mazda " Mithra and Apam Napat, the angel of Covenant and Oath, and the protector of the glory of Sovereignty. Individual Sovereignty the offspring of sacred Liberty we the people are endowed with by the Creator. I am in the camp with Jefferson and Shays' revolt, " The Tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of Patriots and tyrants." as Jefferson stated so well, contrary to Washington's sympathies to a stronger central government concerning the young upstart nation. Needing a way to pay off debt incurred for the revolution. Without State Sovereignty and the power to nullify unconstitutional overreach by a federal centralized government there is no check between powers of one from oppressing the other. Underlying the controversy a set of moral laws, thirteen to be exact, if which they had been observed, there would have been no need for Acts 5:5 KJB, lay all you have at the apostles feet, to be distributed according to the individuals needs. Therefore Israels stiff necked, pride caused their fall. Israel turned from their God and his laws to worship the greed of man, money and power. But now, as Paul, one of their own above others, given the dispensation of Grace and Liberty for All, has turned the world on its greedy ear with The Tree of Liberty brought to Light by the preaching of the Whole truth concerning secular and spiritual Liberty by way of Gods Natural laws, the conscience within man bearing witness in the Holy ( Separate ) Spirit of Truth. God's separate Spirit convicting the conscience of man. Ahura Mazda and the 3 tenents, Good thoughts, Good works, Good deeds. Sorry for being long winded. Luther Martin declined to sign the Constitution, without a Bill of Rights. Seeing it would limit State Sovereignty and their separate rightful powers to nullify. Luther was Pro-Jefferson. till just before his death.
     -- Ronw13, Yachats OR     
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     -- sdgds, sdfgsdfg     
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