Certainly, the power to tax the people is necessary to operate a democratic government an democratic society. The whole issue reduces itself to "how much" and since we've divided humanity and society into 'classes', based on an economic principle,the question is which class gets to pay. The poor or lower class - well they don't even have a job, decent wages or medical care, but they still pay. Middle class, well they should pay taxes also if they could get a job. Even college graduates can't find a job. How about upper class and corporations? Well, upper class has gotten lots of tax advantages lately, like the death of the so-called 'death tax',( no pun intended) but,in all fairness, they also pay taxes. Hey! how about corporations? They can't 'hurt' from an increase because they are " legal fictions" and hence only exist "in contemplation of law". They're 'economic paper monsters'. They used to pay 70%. Now,I believe,they only pay 35%. Wow, thats a big reduction. Well, since they're not real and since the Courts protect them maybe they could be convinced to be a little more democratic. Since they owe their existence to the law, why not persuade them to give their "fair share" of taxes in exchange for having been given their fictional existence.(not to mention, bail-outs) If they don't want to cooporate, "involuntarily terminate" their corporate charter. Since they're fictions, how can that effect their "personal" existence? Just consider the "termination" as an economic manoeuvre to balance the economy. In fact, they're "money making machines". There is nothing wrong with making governments own economic creations more democratic. Government has lost control of its own creations. It's time government gets more control over what corporations do. Corporations should share in the equilibration of the economy by making a fair and just payment of taxes, and also, by helping to create jobs, fair wages, benefits for their employees, and other democratic necessities. Why pick on small businesses? Lets get the big "fictions". All government has to do is make the democratic spirit an essential part of their Articles of Incorporation. If they fail to comply, terminate them.