# How did federal income taxes get this way?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-101-54793/how-did-federal-income-taxes-get-this-way
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-101-54793/how-did-federal-income-taxes-get-this-way.md
Podcast: [Civics 101](https://stenobird.com/podcast/civics-101-54793)
Published: 2026-04-14T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/tcQd6Q6C0RUUlOHq1Ytj/mgln.ai/e/51/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/TPG4265464760.mp3?updated=1776098875
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/tcQd6Q6C0RUUlOHq1Ytj/mgln.ai/e/51/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/TPG4265464760.mp3?updated=1776098875
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/civics-101-54793/episodes/how-did-federal-income-taxes-get-this-way
Duration seconds: 2372

## Resource

We haven't always had a federal income tax, and in the beginning, it only applied to the very richest Americans. So how did we end up with the permanent income tax we have today, with all its complicated rules about everything from pre-tax income to deductions and credits? And what does it actually pay for? DONATE TO THE SHOW! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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