[CamB]

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
Its a variation, but true to the spirit.

You can't change a quote! If you were Dan Rather, you'd have to hang yourself out to dry for making up evidence which was true to the spirit!

That aside, as MFAFF says the context is important (as is the exact wording). If you were to take Jefferson's quote (the real one) as "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." and to apply it to taxes (as you've done) is to:

a) define "furnish contribution of money"; and/or at the same time
b) widen "propogation of opinions".

The logical conclusion of your approach, spread across a population, is taxes paying only for those items wanted by all. This means virtually no tax, as well as no welfare, no healthcare, no social security, no entitlements, etc. It also means a small or non-existent military, minimal police, etc. In other words, it doesn't work.

So logic dictates that what Jefferson said is not in the context of taxation, which a simple internet search tell me is correct - it is part of a Bill to establish religious freedom --> propagation of opinions is in the context of God and religious beliefs.

http://www.conservativeusa.org/vareligiousfreedom.htm

I came across a very interesting quote in researching my post - Jefferson also said:

Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometrical progression as they rise.

Context is here - take it as you will. Jefferson the proponent of progressive taxation.

Or (google if you want context):

Taxes should be proportioned to what may be annually spared by the individual.