Friday’s Tax Quote – May 29, 2009

Today’s quote comes from Bruce the Tax Guy over at the quality tax law blog lrtaxprep.com.

"The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale."

-Arthur C. Clarke

Back in November 2008, Bruce compiled an anthology of tax quotes that you can read by clicking here.

Friday's Tax Quote - May 22, 2009

"All taxation, however disguised, is a loss per se…it is the duty, and the sacred duty, of Government to take only from the people what is necessary to the proper discharge of the public service; and that taxation in any other mode is simply in one shape or another, legalized robbery."

- Richard Cartwright

Friday's Tax Quote - May 15, 2009

"All taxation is an evil, but heavy taxes, indiscriminately levied on everything…are one of the greatest curses that can afflict a people."

- Brooks Adams

Friday's Tax Quote - May 8, 2009

"My father always said that there’s no free ride
You’ve got to make a sacrifice
With so many Prophets on the Lord’s side
Even your soul has got a price
But talk is cheap it takes money to buy your freedom
And the tax man’s knockin’ at your door."

- Jimmy Buffett, Roger Guth, and Jay Oliver ("Carnival World")

Wisconsin Lawmakers Propose Beer Tax Increase

As reported in the Journal-Sentinel:

"Madison - The last time Wisconsin's beer tax was raised, Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon. But now's the time for another increase, Rep. Terese Berceau (D-Madison) said Wednesday." (Read full article)

To this, we can only respond:

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world…”

-John Hancock. In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America. (Read full text)

Attribution of Idea: Janet Marie Tierney

Friday's Tax Quote - May 1, 2009

"I’m proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only thing is – I could be just as proud for half the money."

- Arthur Godfrey