Famous Quotes
Tax Quotes
When it comes to taxes, everyone has an opinion. These quotes reflect the opinions of some of our more famous people; past and present.
“The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” — Albert Einstein, physicist
"Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.'' — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., U.S. Supreme Court Justice
"The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government.'' — James Madison, U.S. President
"To tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men." — Edmund Burke, 18th Century Irish political philosopher and British statesman
“I am proud to be paying taxes in the United States. The only thing is – I could be just as proud for half the money.” — Arthur Godfrey, entertainer
“People who complain about taxes can be divided into two classes: men and women.” — Unknown
"No government can exist without taxation. This money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress.'' — Frederick the Great, 18th Century Prussian king
"Like mothers, taxes are often misunderstood, but seldom forgotten.'' — Lord Bramwell, 19th Century English jurist
"The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.'' — Arthur C. Clarke, author
"Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying as an income tax refund.” — F. J. Raymond, humorist
A tax loophole is "something that benefits the other guy. If it benefits you, it is tax reform.'' — Russell B. Long, U.S. Senator
"Few of us ever test our powers of deduction, except when filling out an income tax form.'' — Laurence J. Peter, author
“Taxation with representation ain’t so hot either.” — Gerald Barzan, humorist
“Where there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the same amount of income.” — Plato
“Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf.” — Will Rogers, humorist
"It is a good thing that we do not get as much government as we pay for." — Will Rogers, humorist
"Alexander Hamilton started the U.S. Treasury with nothing and that was the closest our country has ever been to being even." — Will Rogers, humorist
"If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep." — Will Rogers, humorist
"There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him." — Robert A. Heilnein, science fiction author
"When there's a single thief, it's robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, it's taxation." — Vanya Cohen
"People try to live within their income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can't live within its income." — Robert Half
Taxation with representation ain't so hot either. — Gerald Barzan, humorist
"I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes."— Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain
"The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin." — Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain
"The taxpayer-that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination." — Ronald Regan
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." — Ronald Regan