The Income Tax Bait and Switch… How It Changed America | 4/16/26

At The Mic Show · Apr 17, 2026 · 1h 11m

The history of the income tax and the 16th Amendment isn’t what most people think. It started small, limited, and temporary… so how did it grow into something that touches nearly every paycheck in America?In this episode of At The Mic: Thursday Deep Dive, Keith Malinak is joined by Phil Magness to break down how the federal income tax began, why it was originally aimed at high earners, and how it expanded over time.From its origins in 1913 to major turning points like World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, this episode traces how a targeted system became a permanent part of…