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Ah, yes, what a question! You could raise revenue by taxing imports from other countries (of course they would do the same and create havoc with exports and eventually taxes on revenues).

We could raid farms and gather crops to sell at a profit but that would ruin the farming industry.

We could raise revenue by taxing all outside businesses (out of country) but of course they would do the same to balance out the rates and our industries would fail.

So just what the hell are you talking about?

I’m going to assume that you’ve gone to bed - it is late. I do expect that you will provide your tax solution at a later date though. I really want to understand your thinking here.

It does have to provide for both Federal Government and the protection of America (I’d guess 60-100 billion annually at minimum).

So what and where would you tax?

I'm all for a strong defense, but it's patently absurd to believe that we MUST have an income tax to fund a minimal central government and its armed forces.

We've managed to field pretty decent armed forces throughout our history without using the PROGRESSIVE income tax to fund them. Ever heard of consumption (sales) taxes? How about war bonds? Tariffs? Excises? Apportioned direct taxes?

Since providing for the common defense is one of the most important functions of the Constitution, funding for our armed forces is top priority. There are any number of ways to do that without relying on Tyrannical income taxation. It's like saying "we need to implement central tenets of Communism in order to have a proper army." Also, in peacetime, we don't need a large standing army in any event.

What income taxes (as well as fractional reserve banking, another facet of Communism America has adopted) are "needed" for is funding socialism: deficit spending, the welfare state, and all the other aspects of unnecessary, non-minimal government.

Quite honestly, I can't even believe I'm wasting my time addressing such a naive premise. How did you ever form such an unnecessary linkage between the existence of the income tax and having a decent army? It just does not follow. Let it go.

To reiterate: the "progressive" income tax is a central plank of the Communist Manifesto, and there is no validity to the assertion that America couldn't have a decent armed forces without it.