Why isn't taxation stealing?

Answer 1

Stealing means taking of something by illegal means. Taxation has been legal in the United States since the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. Of course at that time the highest tax rate was 3%. During the Carter Presidency, the highest personal tax rates were 90%. This means that if you are in the highest tax rate the government will keep 90% of the amount that you earn within that tax bracket. There is no longer an incentive to earn more money or to create more jobs if you are self-employed since the government keeps basically everything that you earn at that level.