William Jennings Bryan Quotes

I want to pay taxes. I love this country.

It must be laid down as a primary position and the basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of free government, owes not only a portion of his property, but even of his service to the defense of it.

After military service, the most patriotic thing you can do as a wealthy person is pay your taxes.

Paying tax is not a punishment. It's a responsibility.

That's why I'm very proud of being American. I'm proud to pay taxes. I pay a lot of taxes, but it sure beats the alternative.

Everybody should pay some tax, just as everybody should vote.

Citizenship consists in the service of the country.

The government is us; we are the government, you and I.

Taxes are what we pay for civilized society, for modernity, and for prosperity. The wealthy pay more because they have benefitted more.

I don't like paying taxes, but I like sleeping at night.

This is not an election where we hand out gifts. It is an election where we ask everyone to contribute more.

Ask not what you can do for your country; ask what your government is doing to you.

Every good citizen … should be willing to devote a brief time … to the making of a listing of his income for taxes … to contribute to his government … a small percentage of his net profits.

Governments cannot be supported without great charge, and it is fit every one who enjoys his share of the protection should pay out of his estate his proportion for the maintenance of it.

Citizenship is not a transaction where you put your taxes in and take your services out. It is a relationship.

Where is the man who owes nothing to the land in which he lives?

The basic social contract is that citizens agree to follow the law, pay their taxes, and devote their love and loyalty to their country, and in exchange, the nation commits to preserve and protect and serve their interests, safeguard their freedom, and return to them in kind their first allegiance and loyalty.

It's exciting to sing in the place where you pay your taxes.

No sane person enjoys paying tax... money, after all, is a very nice thing to have. But it's the price we all pay for so many vital things in this country - and those of us lucky enough to have a bit more should be proud to be paying a little bit more as well.

I want paying taxes to feel like the accomplishment of a civic duty.

It only says 'Leave' if you have no identification with yourself as a citizen of this country and you feel you have no obligation to pay your fair share.

If the money is raised by taxation, then the burden will fall where it ought to fall, . . . and the rich and stingy will no longer be able to evade the duties of citizenship and of humanity.

Do you work for the government, any government?” "I pay taxes, which means I work for the government, part of the time. Yes.

Taxes, after all, are dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society.

The life of a citizen is the property of his country.