The 2016 presidential election is almost here. Are you excited yet? (Some cynics would say the campaign actually started as long ago as November 7, 2012 — the day after the last election!) In just a few weeks, voters in Iowa and New Hampshire will gather to cast the first ballots to determine who takes the oath of office to become the 45th President of the United States. And while we aren’t here to predict the winner, we can be sure that taxes and tax policy will take center stage. So we’ve assembled a collection of quotes from Presidents and presidential candidates to finish up your 2015:
“Our income tax system is a disgrace to the human race.”
Jimmy Carter
“The really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway.”
George H.W. Bush
“If our current tax structure were a TV show, it would either be ‘Foul-ups, Bleeps and Blunders,’ or ‘Gimme a Break.’ If it were a record album, it would be ‘Gimme Shelter.’ If it were a movie, it would be ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ or maybe ‘Take the Money and Run.’ And if the IRS ever wants a theme song, maybe they’ll get Sting to do ‘Every breath you take, every move you make, I’ll be watching you.”
Ronald Reagan
“Make sure you pay your taxes; otherwise, you can get in a lot of trouble.”
Richard M. Nixon
“I apologize for the inequities in the practical applications of the tax, but if we should wait before collecting a tax to adjust the taxes upon each man in exact proportion with every other, we shall never collect any tax at all.”
Abraham Lincoln
“I’m delighted to pay big taxes. Big taxes mean big income.”
H. Ross Perot
“[The tax code] is a monstrosity and there’s only one thing to do with it. Scrap it, kill it, drive a stake through its heart, bury it and hope it never rises again to terrorize the American people.”
Steve Forbes
“The taxpayer — that’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take a civil service examination.”
Ronald Reagan
Of course, 2016 is almost here too. And that means time for New Year’s resolutions. This year you could be like everyone else and promise to lose weight, quit smoking, or call your parents every week. Or you could resolve to pay less tax. If that sounds like a resolution worth keeping, call us and we’ll set you up with the plan you need!