Steve Everly responds to David Roberts's call for a carbon tax to address global warming:

The last time we imposed a tax regime of this scale was when the Progressives convinced us we needed an income tax. Four years after the 16th Amendment, Congress raised the top rate from 7 percent to 67 percent, partially to pay for cost overruns in administering the tax itself.

This is what makes debating with conservatives such a pleasure. The federal income tax was introduced in 1913. Four years later was 1917. The legislation that raised the top rate to 67% was called the "War Revenue Act." Anyone want to take a guess about just how big a factor "cost overruns in administering the tax itself" was to this measure?

The rest of the conversation isn't much more edifying. Better conservatives, please.

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