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The United States Constitution on Taxation

Article I Section 2 Paragraph 3:

“…direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several states…according to their respective Numbers…”

 

Article I Section 8 Paragraph 1:

“The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

 

Article I Section 9 Paragraph 4:

“No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein directed to be taken.”

 

The 16th Amendment

(30 words that changed the course of our history):

“The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”

  

Our 26-word paraphrase of the 16th amendment:

“Dear politician: you may ignore the wisdom of the Founding Fathers and tax the American people to death if they are willing to stand for it.”

 
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