OPINION:
Yesterday was the day designated by the Internal Revenue Service as the official start to the 2024 tax season. Most people have been fooled into thinking we have an income tax, but this is far from the truth.
In fact, our so-called income tax system is nothing but a person-taxing system. Under it, vast sums of income actually go untaxed. And what is taxed is taxed at very different rates wholly dependent upon the person filing the return and his or her personal situation. It is rare to find any two people with the same income paying the same effective tax rate. The political left likes to drive this home with its claim that “The rich are not paying their fair share.”
Even constitutional scholars have been fooled. The 16th Amendment is worded in such a way that Congress can levy a tax on income, but not on individuals. Nevertheless, the tax code is drafted to impose the tax on people, not income.
Compare this what we have from the sales tax. If we had a true income tax, the tax rate would be the same regardless of the person receiving the income and all income would be taxed.
JAMES K. JEANBLANC
Arlington, Virginia
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