Yes but the federal government can legally tax us under the Constitution with the income tax and excise taxes in order to pay for the food stamp program, interstate highway construction, public defenders in federal courts, and other costs of the federal government like the defense department, etc.
What they are NOT allowed to do under the Constitution is to fund these costs by laying DIRECT TAXES on people such as the "Roberts Tax" unless those taxes are apportioned among the states by population.
Don’t mistake my counter argument as an approval of what Roberts did.
My counter argument is primarily to fact that “we the people” get what we vote for; and the interpretation of the laws, that our written by our representatives, are up to perspectives and interpretations of the judges that are appointed.
The fact that Roberts “opinion” or perspective was bent to fill whatever his reasons where are up to interpretation. My feeling is that Roberts stretched the interpretation of the constitution to meet his agenda... which the court is allowed to do.
For me the bottom line is that it is waste of time now to rely on courts to do what is right. We need to elect the people to guard our way of life - quit being lazy and hoping the courts will do it for us. When we know the Democrats want to socialize our way life and we won’t vote for the Republican because they are not conservative enough we get these laws..... and we can’t blame the Republicans we can only blame those who decided to stay home in 2008.