[T]here will be no check upon the power of the Populistic States to exempt themselves and make a few Eastern States pay all, or nearly all, the tax.
Why should any of us strive to make that extra dollar of income when the government is going to lay claim to an increasing share of it?
[In 1981] we, as a nation, finally recognized that it is patently unfair to take more and more from a worker simply because he or she works harder, or longer, or takes more risk, or displays more innovation.
For years now we have moved inexorably toward a larger and larger share of resources being absorbed by government. This has translated into a greatly expanded role for government in business, society in general, and in our personal lives. Obviously, this involvement has carried a price tag—which has translated into fewer resources available for more productive use in the private sector.
It should have been obvious from experience—but wasn’t—that additional hard work, genius, creativity and risk-taking were all discouraged by high marginal tax rates.
'Free Business from Political Persecution' and 'The Country is Suffering from Too Much Law'.
No honest man can make war upon great fortunes per se. The Democratic Party never has done it; and when the Democratic Party begins to do it, it will cease to be the Democratic Party and become the socialistic party of the United States; or better expressed, the communistic party, or quasi communistic party, of the United States.
[A federal income tax would be an invitation to D.C.] to invade its territory, to oust its jurisdiction and to establish a Federal dominion [in Virginia]. 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 income tax would] divide the population into two classes, the class which contributes to the support of the Government, and the class which does not contribute.
When a man has accumulated a sum of money within the law, that is to say, in the legally correct way, the people no longer have any right to share in the earnings resulting from the accumulation.
