You make a good point about privacy being an important part of freedom. However, I don't think that negates my point.
It's not surprising that many liberals would take a rather blase' view of property rights. Most of the structure of the liberal ideal of government is based on forced redistribution of wealth, and basic foundational ideas of property and freedom tend to make this operation inconvenient.
What I have earned represents a piece of my irreplacable life. Maybe it is not more important than the right to freely exchange ideas, but it is at least as important. The Founding Fathers knew this, and early documents spoke of "life, liberty and property." Human beings survive by being productive. Without property rights, no other rights are possible.
As for the overwhelming concerns about privacy...
Good God, every year the IRS strips your entire financial life bare in your tax forms. Banks, creditors, and many other financial institutions are required by law to send them your personal data. What you spent money on, what expenses you had, what medical care you needed. If I move too much cash around, they get flagged.
Do you get all pissy about that? Where's your "right to privacy" there?
One of the things that makes a national sales tax more attractive than an income tax is the fact that your life isn't on file in Washington.
From your 1040 tax instructions:
We ask for tax return information to carry out the tax laws of the United States. We need it to figure and collect the right amount of tax. If you do not file a return, do not provide the information we ask for, or provide fraudulent information, you may be charged penalties and be subject to criminal prosecution. We may also have to disallow the exemptions, exclusions, credits, deductions, or adjustments shown on the tax return. This could make the tax higher or delay any refund. Interest may also be charged.
Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, as stated in Code section 6103. However, Code section 6103 allows or requires the Internal Revenue Service to disclose or give the information shown on your tax return to
others as described in the Code. For example, we may disclose your tax information to the Department of Justice, to enforce the tax laws, both civil and criminal, and to cities, states, the District of Columbia, U.S. commonwealths or possessions, and certain foreign governments to carry out their tax laws. We may disclose your tax information to the Department of Treasury and contractors for tax administration purposes; and to other persons as necessary to obtain information which we cannot get in any other way in order to determine the amount of or to collect the tax you owe. We may disclose your tax information to the Comptroller General of the United States to permit the
Comptroller General to review the Internal Revenue Service. We may disclose your tax information to Committees of Congress; Federal, state, and local child support agencies; and to other Federal agencies for the purposes of determining entitlement for benefits or the eligibility for and the repayment of loans. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, or to Federal and state agencies to enforce Federal nontax criminal laws and to combat terrorism.
Please keep this notice with your records.