Cliff Stearns: “In 1943 Congress passed the withholding tax law. This painless collection method was described by one Senator as the…”

“In 1943 Congress passed the withholding tax law. This painless collection method was described by one Senator as the best way to ``get the greatest amount of money with the least amount of squawks.'' Unfortunately for us all, he was right. In fact, a recent poll showed that 54 percent of America's taxpayers have no idea how much of their income is withheld. It is the ultimate hidden tax, the best way to obscure the truth about taxes and the best way to obscure the cost of governing. I want Americans to see what their Government costs. So I've introduced legislation that would allow workers to pay their taxes monthly, writing a check to the IRS just like they pay their mortgages, their car payments, and their rents. In this way, taxpayers could see how much the Government is taking from their paychecks and how expensive their Government is. They would be able to determine for themselves whether or not they are getting their money's worth. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation, which simply lets the taxpayers see how much their Government really costs.”