It may be possible for an agricultural village government to exist without sales or income tax, but not a modern industrial state with its concomitant opportuni

It may be possible for an agricultural village government to exist without sales or income tax, but not a modern industrial state with its concomitant opportunities for almost limitless wealth-building. What's the alternative? I tend to agree with you that the "guilty-until-proven-innocent" nature of our income tax system runs contrary to our national values. But that's just a matter of reform, not repeal. You're simply wrong that we don't need to curtail people's rights to be healthy and happy. If my neighbor pollutes my groundwater with his "private" activity, his privacy is going to have to be violated and his freedom to continue to pursue his business or hobby will have to be compromised. If government doesn't have the power to do so, I'll take matters into my own hands, and again we're back to a state of nature.