Richard E. Byrd Quote 

"A hand from Washington will be stretched out and placed upon every man's business; the eye of the federal inspector will be in every man's counting house.... The law will of necessity have inquisical features, it will provide penalties, it will create complicated machinery. Under it, men will be hauled into courts distant from their homes. Heavy fines imposed by distant and unfamiliar tribunals will constantly menace the taxpayer. An army of federal inspectors, spies, and detectives will descend upon the state."

by:
Richard E. Byrd
(1888-1947) Polar explorer, Virginia House Speaker
Source:
1910, predicting the consequences of a federal income tax
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Reader comments about this quote:
Yet the conniving, scheming, manipulative, devious, cunning weasels passed unconstitutional tax codes anyway. The bastards!
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI		 
It still boggles my mind that the American people do NOTHING about this tyranny.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Lead the way, Archer.
 -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood		 
I am on the front lines with a few others -- but as long as the dumded-down US citizens continue to 'vote for money' the republic has little chance. When the People believe that entitlements are 'rights', they have sealed their own fate as serfs on their own land. Go ahead and re-define Independence as Dependence, Freedom as Privilege, Lies as Truth, Despotism as Law, and Service as Duty. I for one will hold to the true meanings as my Compass. I dare you to join me.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
... this is not where the tyranny is... it is not where the unconstitutional behaviour is... that is to be found in the impeachable actions of W and big business which has he and his cronies in their back pockets...
 -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US		 
Yadduh yadduh yadduh...Dumbed-down US citizens? Oh, the ones who are filling their lungs with marijuana. And defending their "right" to snort or inject whatever they might like. On the front lines? Don't forget to duck. (And when I here your name for the first time, outside of this forum, I might believe it. Is E. for Edgar, Ephraim or Elvis?) Better hurry, April 15th is right around the corner.
 -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood		 
LOL - There's that drug obsession thing again. I just have to wonder what that's REALLY about. I guess that if the shoe fits ... you just HAVE to show it off ... somewhere. "Not to be, but to seem, virtuous -- it is a formula whose utility we all discovered in the nursery." - C. S. Lewis
 -- Terry Berg, Occidental, CA		 
Yes, wouldn't it be nice if we were all frontiersman fending for ourselves and our families with our muskets and living off the land with no government to "steal" from us and deprive us of our liberties? Well, it isn't going to happen any time soon, so you ought to be looking at what your taxes pay for: Schools, Police Force, Justice System, Fire Department, Government agencies that ensure (or used to, before they became lobbyists for the industries they are supposed to be overlooking) that you have clean safe food and drugs and safe workplaces, let alone the Armed Forces that defend you. So which of these are you willing to stop paying taxes for? Or should those who benefit the most from the programs of the government, the very rich and the corporations, not pay their fair share of taxes? You anti taxation people do not understand that the government represents YOU and if you hold it to account it will work in your best interest. The only alternative is rule by corporations, (otherwise knows as Fascism) whose only motivation is their profits against your best interests. Well - anarchy I suppose, that will work really well in a nation of 300 million people! Take back your government, don't let it be stolen from you by the rich and the greedy. Accept that taxation is how a society looks after all of its people including trying to raise its poor and disadvantaged (yeah, this is the party you hate isn't it) and that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get rid of government waste - start with the armed forces and the subsidies to corporations and all the pork!
 -- Simon, Victoria, BC, Canada		 
I forgot to rate the quote. And no - not all those who aren't fascists are pot smoking junkies. And no, the alternative to fascism is not to "re-define Independence as Dependence, Freedom as Privilege, Lies as Truth, Despotism as Law, and Service as Duty". Have you ever heard of the middle ground that served the western world so well for the last 50 years or more?
 -- Simon, Victoria, BC, Canada		 
Income taxes are a con -- period. The government (Canadian or US) can issue all the currency it needs interest-free. Until you understand how money is created, you are the pawns of the banks. Go ahead and pay your 'fair share' if you think it is your duty. But your taxes pay nothing but interest on an unpayable debt that our children will have to pay the interest on later. All you guys who defend taxes do not have a clue as to how money works. I worked in the banking business for 20 years -- it is a rigged game. The price? Everything you've got.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Prior to the implementation of income tax the U.S. became the richest (fewer poor, less debt, more middle class, etc.) and most powerful nation on earth. Income tax is a barometer of sorts, the greater the theft of the noble labor’s fruit the more poor the masses become, immorality builds, and the country weakens. New Hampshire has no income tax nor sales tax, and their governmental services are not lacking. Hmmmmm
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
When government makes itself partner and banker to every business large or small we have fascism. And because the government actually fears that we will figure this out, they want our guns. God Forbid! We should be doing our best to return to a nation of riflemen. Educate others.
 -- J Carlton, Calgary		 
 -- PEDRO BORRERO, Yauco, Puerto Rico 
Absolutely True! This quote is not about government oppression it is about the waywardness of human nature and their penchant for law breaking. Obviously if we did away with all law we would have no "oppressive" governments, federal, state or local. The fact that we have more government than we wish to have is due to the fact that we are (or at least some of us) a stiffnecked, wayward people. Government is not the oppressor it is the those who prey upon us, the murderer, the drug dealer, the hit and runners, etc, etc, etc. If we would all become self-governed, do right people formal government would shrink away.
 -- Waffler, Smith		 
David Rosenthal---Archer is leading the way. He speaks the truth and the power of that which exposes lies will bring about the change when the opressed waken from their modern American dream and find themselves aware of the reality of truth.
 -- Anon		 
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