Our Complex Legal System

The Federalist Papers were written and published during the years 1787 and 1788 in several New York State newspapers to persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed constitution. In total, the Federalist Papers consist of 85 essays outlining how this new government would operate and why this type of government was the best choice for the United States of America.

I received a quote today via email quoting an excerpt from the 62nd essay. I thought I'd bullet the quote for readability:

"It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice,

....if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read,

....or so incoherent that they cannot be understood;

....if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated,

....or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow."

Some 220 years ago people believed that laws would be simple, understandable and consistent. My oh my ... what would they say today if they saw our tax code? L

1 comment:

  1. Interesting. I've actually heard of several people winning court cases when prosecuted for not paying their income taxes since the IRS code has no legal basis according to the constitution (and the supreme court actually ruled so in 1929 I think, with no ruling otherwise since). There is no law that one can point to that says we have to pay income taxes. There is only the IRS tax code itself... Ron Paul talks about it actually...

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