Ron Paul ~ Hope 4 America!

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens and abide by the US constitution.Calling it necessary for the promotion of individual liberty and limited government, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul has introduced what should be 28th Amendment to the US Constitution; HJ116, the Liberty Amendment.

“Over the years this amendment has enjoyed widespread support and has been introduced several times in the past by various Members of Congress, but finally this measure has a chance of success given the conservative Congress and mood of the country in favor of a more limited, constitutional government which respects individual liberty,” said Paul after introducing the measure Tuesday night.

The amendment will not only prohibit the federal government from participating in activities not specifically authorized in the Constitution, essentially strengthening the existing Ninth and Tenth Amendments, but will repeal the 16th Amendment. The 16th allowed for the collection of income taxes.

“The income tax is the most regressive tax imaginable, allowing government to take first claim on our lives. The income tax assumes government owns us, as individuals, and has a sovereign claim to the fruits of our labor. This is immoral. But government has been compelled to levy this economically damaging tax because government has grown so big. By reducing the size of the federal government to those functions strictly enumerated in the Constitution, there will no longer be a need for the income tax,” said Paul.

Paul concluded, “Once again, Americans are being treated to hearings on the abuses of the IRS. For as abusive as the IRS is, it is in fact simply the predictable result of the underlying income tax. By eliminating the income tax, we will go a long way toward eliminating these abuses.”

The Liberty Amendment has evolved over a period of years, beginning in 1952 with introduction of Section 1 by Rep. Ralph Gwinn of New York. The amendment, or a form of it, has been supported by more than a dozen Member of Congress, including Rep. Chris Cox (R-Calif) in 1993 (to end federal estate and gift taxes) and Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) in 1996 (to repeal the 16th Amendment). Rep. Paul lent support to the Liberty Amendment in 1981, when he introduced the measure with several other Members, during the 97th Congress.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 1998

Mr. PAUL introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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