Yesterday, April 15, 2025, was Tax Day, when millions of Americans saw their savings shrink as they paid the federal government. This burden, enforced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), feels like theft to many, as income and state taxes soar with little visible benefit. It’s time to dismantle the IRS and adopt President Donald Trump’s plan to replace it with an External Revenue Service (ERS) funded by tariffs. Congress must enact tax cuts, impose tariffs, and repeal the unratified 16th Amendment to free Americans from this oppressive system.
On April 15, Americans filed 2024 tax returns, many facing bills that eroded their earnings. Federal income taxes, nearly half of the government’s $5 trillion revenue, hit middle- and lower-income families hardest. State taxes add strain, yet crumbling infrastructure and underfunded services show little return. In 2024, the IRS’s complex tax code cost Americans 7.9 billion hours in compliance—equivalent to 3.8 million full-time workers’ labor. Income and state taxes have surged over time. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) lowered rates, but these expire in 2025, risking a tax hike. Some states push combined tax burdens to 40-50% for high earners, yet taxpayers see minimal benefits. The IRS, collecting trillions, symbolizes government overreach, fueling resentment.
Trump proposes abolishing the IRS and replacing income taxes with tariffs, managed by an ERS. In a January 2025 speech, he said, “The IRS is a disaster. Tariffs will fund everything.” His plan includes 10-20% tariffs on imports, with up to 60% on Chinese goods, potentially raising $3.8 trillion over a decade. Tariffs would protect American manufacturing and shift the tax burden to foreign producers, unlike income taxes that punish productivity.
Congress must extend TCJA tax cuts and eliminate taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits. The 16th Amendment, questionably ratified in 1913, enables the income tax, which stifles growth and empowers the IRS. Replacing it with tariffs would simplify taxes and align with Trump’s “America First” vision. The Fair Tax Act of 2025, proposes a national sales tax, but Trump’s tariff plan offers a clearer path. Despite concerns about tariff-driven price hikes, strategic design can minimize impacts while boosting revenue. Congress must act to end the IRS, cut taxes, and implement tariffs, ending Tax Day’s misery.
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