Actually, teaxes where not part of the begginings of America. In fact getting them at all was very hard to do.
http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/documents/resources/tax99/taxhistory.shtmlTaxes imposed on American colonists by the British helped to persuade Americans to seek independence. In 1766, America's "Stamp Act Congress" protested British taxes on American newspapers, business licenses, diplomas and legal documents. Because American colonists had no representatives to protect their interests in Parliament, they fell victim to "taxation without representation." Americans so hated taxes that when the first Congress of the United States was created under the Articles of Confederation, it had no power to levy taxes. Not until 1789 was Congress given the power to tax American citizens.
In 1792, the American government imposed an excise tax on whiskey. This first American sin tax sparked a rebellion in Philadelphia, called the "Whiskey Rebellion." Another tax, in 1832, may have been a contributing factor to the Civil War. Known as the "Tariff of Abomination," the Morrill tariff was the highest tariff in American history, adding a 47-percent markup to prices of imported goods. Since the primarily agricultural South needed more imported goods than the industrial North, the tariff hit Southerners hard while benefitting sales for Northern manufacturers. Most of the money generated by the tariff was spent on Northern projects and needs.
In 1798, Congress levied the first direct tax on American property, including lands, houses and slaves. Temporary income taxes were also imposed on citizens by both sides of the Civil War in order to raise wartime funds, and in 1862 the Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue was created to collect wartime income tax funds. The first peacetime income tax was imposed in 1894, a 2-percent tax on earnings above $4000, which at that time only affected the very richest 2-percent of Americans. Income taxes became a permanent feature of American life in 1913, with ratification of the 16th Amendment. Taxes were expanded during World War I with revenue acts which created federal estate taxes as well as greater taxes on earnings by individuals and businesses.
The rise in taxes in American life has led to increasing searches for loopholes and other means of escape. In the 1960's, the tax-free Cayman Islands began to be used as a haven from the IRS. In 1996, the flight of wealthy Americans abroad caused Congress to pass a law prohibiting reentry to the U.S. for former American citizens who abandoned their U.S. citizenship to avoid paying taxes.
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As mentioned above, the first Peace time Tax was imosed upon us in 1894. I have to side with Raven on this, as If it where up to me, I'd give great consideration to repealing the 16th amendment.
BTW, Let's please keep this civil, as I will allow a conversation to continue here, But If it starts to get crass, It will be moved to H&S.
Stephen
Topic: US: Virtual economies attract real-world tax attention: WTF? (Read 5803 times)