Absurd Quote by Llewellyn Rockwell
“The most absurd public opinion polls are those on taxes. Now, if there is one thing we know about taxes, it is that people do not want to pay them. If they wanted to pay them, there would be no need for taxes. People would gladly figure out how much of their money that the government deserves and send it in. And yet we routinely hear about opinion polls that reveal that the public likes the tax level as it is and might even like it higher. Next they will tell us that the public thinks the crime rate is too low, or that the American people would really like to be in more auto accidents.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Economics of Public Opinion, 2020
People dislike paying taxes yet polls claim they are satisfied, revealing a mismatch between stated preferences and actual behavior.
In simple terms: Polls often misrepresent true public sentiment on taxes.
Key Takeaway
Question poll results critically.
Themes
public opinion
taxation
misinformation
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
critical
informative
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- media reporting
- public surveys
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do poll questions shape responses?
- What incentives drive honest tax attitudes?
A Different Perspective
Polls may reflect framing effects rather than genuine desire.
![“...The British press... [claimed that Tony] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and that he was ignoring the will of the British people. Considering the hacks had spent Blair's first six years in office condemning him for relying…” quote by Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8c7/larry-king-7288_attention_the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blai_202561.jpg)
