Marxist theory contends that socialism is “just a transitional stage on the way to communism.”

In modern application, communism is rightly used to refer to the policies of governments run by communist parties and their ideological brethren regardless of the type of economic system they manage to use in order to abuse and control the people.

That is the case whether government is directed Politburo-style (China, Russia); or by strongman (Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela); or by self-described “transformers” installed initially via election.

Make no mistake, the charismatic human transformers incumbent in Washington (although bearing no resemblance to the plastic toys of the same name) arguably might be similar to the fictional clan in the “Transformers” movie series called the evil Decepticons. That’s because of demonstrated behaviors by which human transformers in government stealthily have installed an accelerating agenda of freedom encroachments, market usurpations and redistributive impoverishments on the people.

For decades, the insidious income tax has been the main federal tool to do just that while squeezing freedom out of our society.

Last week I promised to provide information confirming that for a long time, the income tax has been known to be insidious; and, how some have tried to alert the people both prior to and for years following implementation of the federal tax.

Here’s a compilation for your awareness:

In his first inaugural address, President Thomas Jefferson warned the people: “One thing more, fellow citizens — a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”

Perhaps, Jefferson had in mind the profound warning in fellow-founder Benjamin Franklin’s response, years before, to the question:

“What type of government the Constitution was bringing into existence?”

Remember Franklin’s pointed answer?

“A Republic – if you can keep it.”

Clearly, by his words, Jefferson understood the implications of man’s thirst for power and how unchecked power inevitably leads to regulation, taking and confiscating.

Down through the years there have been numerous others who have also tried to alert the American people about the deleterious impact of an income tax.

Here’s another example from more modern times – the 1940s:

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson said, the “federal tax system is constantly changing” and the federal “income tax law is too complex."

Jackson also took aim at the scope of the income tax system.

His verdict: “No other branch of the law touches human activities at so many points.”

That being the case, it is no surprise that malevolent IRS enforcement tracks with increasing staff levels – now at 115,000 and growing.

Jackson, who served on the Supreme Court from 1941 until 1954, was also chief prosecutor of the surviving Nazi leaders during the 1945-46 Nuremberg trials. Too bad Justice Jackson is not around today to represent the people.

Here’s yet another alert – this one from a former IRS commissioner.

In 1956, Thomas C. Andrews said the income tax “is slowly but surely destroying the middle class.”

Andrews continued, “People are kidding themselves. They don’t have the buying power they used to have.”

Then the former IRS commissioner stated what some may read as testimony and others as confessional: “A lot of the people living today don’t know what the buying power of success was before we decided to use excessive income taxes to punish success and estate and gift taxes to force every generation to start from scratch.”

While Mr. Andrews’ statements surprised back then, now we see they were shockingly prescient.

Mr. Andrews’ next statement quoted below – while frightening – likely was intended to be a klaxon wake-up call to all Americans:

“Maybe we ought to see that every person who gets a tax return receives a copy of the Communist Manifesto with it so he can see what's happening to him.”

Next week: What can be done now?

Visit www.KeySurveys.us  to respond to this week's poll question: Who more deserves your earnings and assets: You or government?

Richard Olivastro is president of Olivastro Communications and founder of Citizens for Change. He can be e-mailed at RichOlivastro@gmail.com or phoned at 1-877-RichSpeaks.