Why do conservatives reject founding father Thomas Jefferson's idea of progressive taxation?

[berwin]

Are they un-American?

In Texas, conservatives removed Thomas Jefferson from the history books.
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/03/12/texas-removes-thomas-jefferson-from-teaching-standard/

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"The property of this country is absolutely concentred in a very few hands, having revenues of from half a million of guineas a year downwards... I am conscious that an equal division of property is impracticable. But the consequences of this enormous inequality producing so much misery to the bulk of mankind, legislators cannot invent too many devices for subdividing property, only taking care to let their subdivisions go hand in hand with the natural affections of the human mind. Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise. Whenever there is in any country, uncultivated lands and unemployed poor, it is clear that the laws of property have been so far extended as to violate natural right. The earth is given as a common stock for man to labor and live on."

--Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, October 28,1785. ME 19:17, Papers 8:682
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=967

[kendon19]

It's Texas.....steer or queer.....I don't know how else to explain it

[boyce]

the founding fathers rejected his idea also,or did you choose to forget that part

[pascoe69]

We have progressive taxation now. The more you earn, the more you pay in taxes yet get the same services from the government. 47% pay no taxes and receive the same services and maybe more if they collect government checks (Obama phones, food stamps, welfare, social security, etc.) Does this seem fair?

[flannagain]

It is because it is inconsistent with their world view. This isn't unique to conservatives. For most people the conclusion comes first, so analyzing the pros and cons isn't that useful. If the evidence supports your position, then use it. If the evidence weakens your position, then ignore it. Simple.

[hillocke]

Republicans as distinguished from real Conservatives think they are the only people in this country that pay taxes. They also think that all their tax money goes to support those who won't work for a living. It is a waste of time telling them otherwise. Their common sense ability flat lined long ago.
The only answer is to kick them out of office and keep them out.

[gwen]

They don't, and you know it. They just believe that there should be rational limits to taxation. You also know that the Constitution prohibited the income tax until the 16th amendment was passed in 1913, 87 years after Jefferson's death, and that he would have been absolutely opposed to it. You propagandists just have no shame.

[devdutta58]

To be able to keep more and more of the countries wealth. The same reason they turned The American System around and killed it.

We abandoned “The American Way”. For 200 years - from our first President George Washington all the way up until the swearing in of our 40th president Ronald Reagan - our nation operated under an economic plan known simply as “The American Way”.

It was based on an 11-point plan to foster American manufacturing created by America's first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. It was literally called "The American System".

And for two hundred years referred to as “The American Way”.

The American Way was built on three basic tenets:

One - tariffs - or import taxes - to make foreign-made goods more expensive here and thus protect American industries'

'

Two - A strong national bank to facilitate commerce.

And three - loads of federal spending for infrastructure projects like roads, railroads, airports, bridges, ports, even canals - that help American industries easily and cheaply transport products around the nation.

This is the type of economy that ruled America through 40 presidencies and turned our fledgling newborn nation into an economic superpower unlike any the world had ever seen before. It worked flawlessly.

But then - in 1981 - with the Presidency of Ronald Reagan - our nation embarked on a radical new experiment of so-called Free Trade and small government - and we said good riddance to The American Way.

Are we going to be required to dress like Charles Dickens if we have to live like he did?