Friday's Tax Quote - August 31, 2012

“By this time fashion had condemned the beard in every other country in Europe, and with a voice more potent than popes or emperors, had banished it from civilized society.  But this only made the Russians cling more fondly to their ancient ornament, as a mark to distinguish them from foreigners, whom they hated.  Peter [the Great], however, resolved that they should be shaven…Wiser, too, than the popes and bishops of a former age, he did not threaten them with eternal damnation, but made them pay in hard cash the penalty of their disobedience.  For many years, a very considerable revenue was collected from this source….Those who were refractory, and refused to pay the tax, were thrown into prison.”

- Charles Mackay

Friday's Tax Quote - August 24, 2012

“The principle is this – that you ought not in a free country to lay a tax on the expression of political opinion – a tax on the diffusion of that information on public affairs which the spirit of our constitution makes the interest and concern of every subject in the State.  Still more, you should not, by means of that tax, create such an artificial necessity for capital that you secure the monopoly of thought upon the subjects that most interest the public at large to a handful of wealthy and irresponsible oligarchs.”

- Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

Friday's Tax Quote - August 17, 2012

“Taxation under every form presents but a choice of evils.”

- David Richardo

Friday's Tax Quote - August 10, 2012

“Was it Bonaparte who said that he found vices very good patriots? –‘he got five millions from the love of brandy, and he should be glad to know which of the virtues would pay him as much.’ Tobacco and opium have broad backs, and will cheerfully carry the load of armies.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday's Tax Quote - August 3, 2012

“A use tax is a tax on the enjoyment of that which was purchased.”

- Felix Frankfurter