The Power to Destroy: How the Antitax Movement Hijacked America

The antitax movement, which began in 1978 with Proposition 13, has grown to be a significant force in American politics, undermining the nation's ability to meet basic needs and address critical problems. Michael Graetz's book "The Power to Destroy" argues that tax opponents now wield this destructive power, attacking the IRS, protecting tax loopholes, and pushing tax cuts. This movement originated as a fringe enterprise but has evolved into a mainstream political force, aided by conservative media and Grover Norquist's "taxpayer protection pledge."

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 13 February 2024
Publisher: Princeton University Press

The postwar United States experienced significant economic prosperity, with most Americans accepting that taxes were a necessary cost for living in a society of shared wealth. However, this narrative changed in 1978 with California's enactment of Proposition 13, a property tax cap that Ronald Reagan hailed as a "second American Revolution." This event sparked an antitax and antigovernment wave that has profoundly transformed American politics and economic policy.

In his book "The Power to Destroy," Michael Graetz delves into the origins and consequences of the antitax movement. He argues that tax opponents now wield a destructive power, undermining the nation's ability to meet basic needs and address critical problems. The book highlights the movement's origins as a fringe enterprise promoted by zealous outsiders using false economic claims and thinly veiled racist rhetoric. It also documents how the movement evolved, aided by conservative media and Grover Norquist's "taxpayer protection pledge," into a mainstream political force.

The book explores the far-reaching impacts of the antitax movement on American society. It undermines the nation's social safety net, increasing inequality and poverty. It also contributes to the ballooning national debt, which poses a significant threat to the country's financial stability. Moreover, the movement's focus on tax cuts and loopholes hinders rational budgeting and impedes efforts to promote equality and opportunity.

Understanding the origins and consequences of the antitax movement is crucial for understanding American life today. Graetz's book provides a comprehensive account of this movement's history, its impact on society, and the urgent need to address its detrimental effects. It serves as a warning that the pursuit of tax cuts and loopholes at the expense of public welfare can have far-reaching consequences for the nation's well-being.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691225548