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Civil
War prompts creation of 3% income tax in 1861
Congress repeals the income tax in 1872
In 1894, Congress enacts a 2% tax on income; the Supreme
Court declares it unconstitutional the next year
The National income tax was reinstated in 1913 as
the 16th Amendment to the Constitution
New Deal's Wealth Tax Act punishes wealthy taxpayers
in 1935 with rates approaching 75% of income
Revenue
Act of 1942 dramatically expands the scope of the
income tax, growing the tax base from 5% of the population
to 74% by the end of World War Two
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The Tax Code is a Disaster
We
all know that taxes are too high, but the current code
is also too complicated and unfair. In fact, America wastes
millions of hours simply filling out tax forms. The cost
is staggering. The non-partisan Tax
Foundation estimates that tax code compliance costs
amounted to $194 billion in 2002! In other words, for
every dollar of revenue that goes to fund government spending,
taxpayers pay a compliance surcharge of 20 cents just
to help the government collect taxes.
That’s an extraordinary amount of waste, and instead
of slaving to satisfy the whims of Congress and the I.R.S.
bureaucracy, this cost is time we could actually spend
working, or enjoying our friends and families.
Other countries must think we’re crazy, too. By
global standards, the United States has one of the most
complex tax codes in the world. The current tax code obviously
undermines our competitiveness, as American businesses
tangle with an ever-growing sprawl of red tax tape. Income
tax regulations, which provide taxpayers with the “guidance”
they need to calculate their taxable income, have grown
exponentially from 572,000 words in 1955 to 5,947,000
words by 2000. No wonder that there isn’t a single
person in the world capable of actually understanding
our entire tax code.
It's time to scrap this bungled mess of code and rules,
and return to a system that is simple, low, fair, and
honest. Please sign the petition
and join the fight!
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RSS Feed: Tax Foundation - Press RoomGeorgia Cigarette Tax Hike Would Spur Cross-Border, Black Market SalesRecord Number of Tax Filers Paid No Federal Income Taxes in 2008Report: "Amazon Taxes" Will Worsen Budget Problems, Deter BusinessTax Foundation Testifies on Maryland Tax BillsReport: Rendell Budget Burdens Business, Increases SpendingReport: Recession Offers Georgia Opportunity for Tax ReformEliminating Tax Deferral Would Make U.S. Less Competitive InternationallyHigh-Income Counties Benefit Most from Georgia Tobacco Tax, Study ShowsFlorida Sales Tax Holiday, Film Tax Credit Plans Won't Deliver on PromisesObama Budget Would Increase Income Redistribution from Top 1 Percent of Taxpayers by $112 BillionTax Foundation Submits Statement Supporting Business Tax SimplificationDiscriminatory Taxes on Online Travel Services Impede Interstate CommerceStudy: Colorado Tax Proposals Push State Away from Proper Tax BaseTax Foundation President Urges Obama to Consider Corporate Tax ReformOregon Vote Shows Willingness to Tax High-Income Earners, CorporationsStudy: Film Tax Credits, Production Incentives Fail to Spur Economic GrowthOhio's High Tax Burden, Poor Business Tax Climate Hurting EconomyRepeal of Oregon Tax Increases Would Improve State Business Tax ClimateOklahoma Gun Sales Tax Holiday is Poor Tax Policy, Undermines RightsBush Tax Cuts, AMT Lead Tax Foundation List of Decade's Top Tax StoriesStudy: States Turn to Targeted Tax Hikes, One-Time Gimmicks for BudgetsHealth Providers, Hospitals Tax Targets for States Seeking Federal MatchNearly One Third of All Tax Filers Paid No Federal Income Taxes in 2007Study: Pennsylvania Tax System to Blame for Job Losses, Out-MigrationReid Health Care Bill Funded By Medicare Cuts, Tax on “Cadillac” Plans
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