The Constitution is an excellent document, a precursor in its day. But that was long, long time ago.
The world we live in, and the expectations we make of it, are no longer the same as the days in which it was conceived. Its first and foremost concern 240 years ago was the independence of themselves confronted by a royalty that made them subservient. That condition no longer exists in almost any modern, developed economy today.
In fact, the major concern should be not as regards taxation per se, but what taxation should accomplish. And having the mightiest army on earth is not the sort of primordial necessity today. (So why does it employ so much of the national budget?)
In fact, we have a society that is based upon
Civil Law. To be precise, civil law tends to defend and protect personal property, whatever "belongs" to us be it our lives or our property. Historically, this was the constant in terms of defining "rights".
Elsewhere, however, another "front" was opening. That of Societal (or Social) Rights. Which is based upon the fact that we have established market-economies in which we individuals have two roles - one in the production of goods and services and another in the consumption of goods/services. We think of ourselves in terms of the society within which, based upon a market-economy, we therefore work and thrive.
In this context, the onus of societal rights become more important since they are based upon fairness and equitability. No one should be abused personally for the profit of another, either of their right to work or to work at a decent wage. We are not all equal in terms of our capacities, so clearly there are differentials in wages. The key therefore is not equality of income, but its equitability. Equity is based upon the ability to be fair and impartial.
Which means what?
It means that we all work, some harder than others, some with more proficiency (in results) than others. But our commonality as both producers and consumers are the keystones of the market-economy. It should define the limits either below which or beyond which no person should be allowed to either suffer from inequity or profit from superiority.
Which is why the taxation of income is an integral part of any code of law that defines the the lower and upper bounds of what is fair and right ... and that which is not.
When that particular code is despoiled by unfair taxation, then Income Disparity rears its ugly head - and a nation becomes one where only 10% of all workers earn almost 50% of all income generated by a market-economy ...
Which characterizes perfectly the
inequity of the American economy today ...