[cmurf]

I think the coercion argument is nonsense. There are all kinds of coercion including economic coercion that happens in free markets.

It also ignores vastly top end income tax rates for nearly 4 decades, which weren't less than 75%. And ignores the relatively higher taxes in other countries where people, where trust in government is much higher than in the U.S.

Taxes should be seen as fair, and increasingly Americans think that you can avoid taxes by having clever accoutants and attorneys. Leona Helmsley "We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes" is an example of how tax burden has changed.

[tomohawk]

Taxation is not voluntary. If you don't pay, there will be penalties. This is coercion. "Nice house you have there - too bad you didn't pay your taxes..."

If the collected money is then put to a purpose you don't like, or is incompetently managed, what can you do? Nothing in any realistic sense.

If you would have liked to have been generous with the money instead, too bad.

As an aside, tax rates are pretty meaningless. Revenues are at record levels.