The Washington Establishment’s money and tax, bread and circus kabuki dance

[johnwk]

As a patriotic American Citizen and one who sees our country being destroyed from within, I see today’s federal tax calculated from profits, gains, and other “incomes” as a vehicle used by the leadership of both political parties for notoriously evil purposes which have absolutely nothing to do with raising a federal revenue. And as one who devoted countless hours in researching the founding of our country and the miracle produced by our founders in 1787, I am convinced that today’s direct un-apportioned system of taxation is a major cause leading to our nation’s ruin, just as Federal Reserve Notes having been made a “legal tender”, in spite of our founders prohibition to allow notes of any kind to be made a legal tender, is likewise another worm at the root of our country's financial downfall.

But getting back to today’s system of taxation, keep in mind our founders were fully aware of the destructive and oppressive nature of direct taxation. In fact, this issue was touched upon by Representative Williams during a debate on Direct Taxes on January 18th, 1797 (http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName=006/llac006.db&recNum=191):

"History, Mr. Williams said, informed them of the annihilation of nations by means of direct taxation. He referred gentlemen to the situation of the Roman Empire in its innocence, and asked them whether they had any direct taxes? No. Indirect taxes and taxes upon luxuries and spices from the Indies were their sources of revenue; but, as soon as they changed their system to direct taxation, it operated to their ruin; their children were sold as slaves, and the Empire fell from its splendor. Shall we then follow this system? He trusted not."

The progressive movement of the late 1800s and early1900s which gave us the 16th Amendment and the Federal Reserve System, was intentionally designed by its clandestine leadership to open the door to create tools to fashion an iron fisted federal government capable of placing a regulatory heel of oppression on the necks of America’s labor businesses and industries. And this is part of what the 16th Amendment was really about, and it was sold to the uneducated working class citizens as a means to get the “rich” to pay their fair share of taxes, which is still the theme used by today's evil politicians to divide the American people and conquer them.

During the 16th Amendment debates we find Mr. HEFLIN agitating the working class people into supporting the amendment by saying “An income tax seeks to reach the unearned wealth of the country and to make it pay its share.”44 Cong. Rec. 4420 (1909). Note the wording “unearned wealth“ as distinguished from earned wages.

And this was shortly after Mr. BARTLETT of Georgia had begun the class warfare attack by preaching to the working poor: As I see it, the fairest of all taxes is of this nature [a tax on gains, profits and unearned income], laid according to wealth, and its universal adoption would be a benign blessing to mankind. The door is shut against it, and the people must continue to groan beneath the burdens of tariff taxes and robbery under the guise of law.” 44Cong. Rec. 4414 (1909).

But what these cunning con artists really had in mind was to create a tax allowing the expansion of the federal government’s manipulative iron fist over the economy which would eventually be used to squeeze the working people’s earned wages from their pockets in a more devastating manner than any tariff had ever done, and make them dependent upon government for their subsistence! But they cleverly waited for one generation to pass after the adoption of the 16th Amendment and a war to begin, before completing their mission which was the imposition of the Temporary Victory Tax of 1942!

Roosevelt’s class warfare tax expanded the “income tax” upon corporations and businesses to include a 5 percent “temporary” tax upon working people’s earned wages. And although the 16th Amendment was sold as a way to tax “unearned income”, the temporary tax on working people’s earned wages was sold as a patriotic necessity in the war effort. But somehow Roosevelt’s class warfare tax, which robs the bread working people earned by the sweat of their brow, is still to this very day being collected, and its burden has constantly increased over the years, forcing millions upon millions of poor working people into a state of poverty and then dependency upon government for their subsistence, an outcome which is needed by corrupted political leaders in Washington to maintain a permanent and captive voting block! Those of you who think there is a division between the Republican Party Leadership and the Democrat party leadership have fallen for the Washington Establishment’s bread and circus kabuki dance.

Why on earth is there such a devotion among “conservatives” to keep this notoriously evil system of taxation alive, and even pretend the 16th Amendment repealed that provision of our Constitution which declares ”No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken”?

JWK


“Honest money and honest taxation, the Key to America’s future Prosperity“ ___ from “Prosperity Restored by the State Rate Tax Plan”, no longer in print.

[Sonny Tufts]

And this is part of what the 16th Amendment was really about, and it was sold to the uneducated working class citizens as a means to get the “rich” to pay their fair share of taxes, which is still the theme used by today's evil politicians to divide the American people and conquer them.

During the 16th Amendment debates we find Mr. HEFLIN agitating the working class people into supporting the amendment by saying “An income tax seeks to reach the unearned wealth of the country and to make it pay its share.”44 Cong. Rec. 4420 (1909). Note the wording “unearned wealth“ as distinguished from earned wages.

There's a very simple reason for this. Wages were already taxable via an unapportioned tax. The 1895 Pollock decision had invalidated an unapportioned tax on investment income, and the reason for the 16th was to overturn this result.


Roosevelt’s class warfare tax expanded the “income tax” upon corporations and businesses to include a 5 percent “temporary” tax upon working people’s earned wages.

Again, wages were already taxable. The 5% victory tax applied to all income (other than capital gains) over $624, not just wages.


Why on earth is there such a devotion among “conservatives” to keep this notoriously evil system of taxation alive, and even pretend the 16th Amendment repealed that provision of our Constitution which declares ”No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken”?

A tax on wages is not and never has been a direct tax in the constitutional sense.

[johnwk]

There's a very simple reason for this. Wages were already taxable via an unapportioned tax. The 1895 Pollock decision had invalidated an unapportioned tax on investment income, and the reason for the 16th was to overturn this result.



Again, wages were already taxable. The 5% victory tax applied to all income (other than capital gains) over $624, not just wages.



A tax on wages is not and never has been a direct tax in the constitutional sense.

Thank you for your opinion.

It is interesting to note that during the framing of our Constitution, on AUGUST 18th (http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/debates_818.asp) of the Convention as recorded in Madison’s Notes on the Convention “Mr. King asked, what was the precise meaning of direct taxation? No one answered.” But having studied an abundance of historical documentation during the 1700s and when our Constitution was adopted to identify the distinctions between direct and indirect taxation, I found one thing to be very clear. There is a consistency in contemporary comments of the time and tax legislation of the time establishing that direct taxes are those assessed to the individual by government, while indirect taxes are costs added by government to things which individuals are free to acquired or reject.

For example, during the 1700s Delaware had a direct tax system which laid a general assessment which included the "lessees of tillable land and those 'fortunate in trade . . . agreeable to the profit arising thereon , and according to their best skill and judgement . . .'[An act raising one million three hundred and sixty thousand dollars in the Delaware State, between the first day of February and the first day of the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty; and for other purposes therein mentioned (25 December, 1799) (DELAWARE); in laws of the state of Delaware, 1797, page 682; American Antiquarian Society (1956---,No32030)

Also note that in Hamilton's brief in the Hylton carriage case which Roberts quoted in the Obamacare case says: 'The following are presumed to be the only direct taxes: Capitation or poll taxes, taxes on lands and buildings, general assessments , whether on the whole property of individuals, or on their whole real or personal estate. All else must, of necessity, be considered as indirect taxes.'

JWK



If, by calling a tax indirect when it is essentially direct, the rule of protection could be frittered away, one of the great landmarks defining the boundary between the nation and the states of which it is composed, would have disappeared, and one of the bulwarks of private rights and private property. POLLOCK v. FARMERS' LOAN & TRUST CO., 157U.S. 429 (1895)

[Sonny Tufts]

Thank you for your opinion.

One that is shared by every American court in history.


There is a consistency in contemporary comments of the time and tax legislation of the time establishing that direct taxes are those assessed to the individual by government, while indirect taxes are costs added by government to things which individuals are free to acquired or reject.

The Hylton justices, two of whom were members of the constitutional convention and one of whom was involved in the ratification process, thought otherwise.


Also note that in Hamilton's brief in the Hylton carriage case which Roberts quoted in the Obamacare case says: 'The following are presumed to be the only direct taxes: Capitation or poll taxes, taxes on lands and buildings, general assessments , whether on the whole property of individuals, or on their whole real or personal estate. All else must, of necessity, be considered as indirect taxes.'

An income tax isn't a general assessment. It isn't imposed on the whole of one's property or on the whole of one's real or personal estate. Unlike property taxes, which are assessed annually, an income tax is imposed only once on a given item of income.

The undeniable fact is that direct taxes, in the constitutional sense, have been severely restricted since the adoption of the Constitution. Personally, I think that the Individual Mandate, if it was to be considered a tax at all, should have been ruled a direct tax in the National Federation of Independent Businesses case, and I was dismayed by Roberts's cursory analysis of the issue. But it's an undeniable fact that under current law the only direct taxes are capitations and property taxes.

[johnwk]

One that is shared by every American court in history.



The Hylton justices, two of whom were members of the constitutional convention and one of whom was involved in the ratification process, thought otherwise.



An income tax isn't a general assessment. It isn't imposed on the whole of one's property or on the whole of one's real or personal estate. Unlike property taxes, which are assessed annually, an income tax is imposed only once on a given item of income.

The undeniable fact is that direct taxes, in the constitutional sense, have been severely restricted since the adoption of the Constitution. Personally, I think that the Individual Mandate, if it was to be considered a tax at all, should have been ruled a direct tax in the National Federation of Independent Businesses case, and I was dismayed by Roberts's cursory analysis of the issue. But it's an undeniable fact that under current law the only direct taxes are capitations and property taxes.

You still are not making any sense with respect to the OP. You offer opinions unsupported by historical fact. But I do appreciate your participation in the thread.


JWK


"We have, in this country, one of the most corrupt institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Board. This evil institution has impoverished the people of the United States and has practically bankrupted our government. It has done this through the corrupt practices of the moneyed vultures who control it". — Congressman Louis T. McFadden in 1932 (Rep. Pa)