"Taxes, Fees, Registrations"... the overt ways governments confiscate the wealth of its citizens. "Deficit Spending, Inflation, Currency Debasement"... the covert ways governments confiscate the wealth of its citizens. Taxes/Fees, etc., are the lesser evil.
Rumor has that Banks, at the behest of Homeland Security, plan to deny access to safety deposit boxes during any future "National Emergency". No gold, silver, cash or weapons can leave the bank during a crisis. So I've heard...
You're right -- in the 1990's under Clinton, we had higher taxes (40% top rate), a budget surplus, strong dollar and high GDP growth. Today, with big tax cuts, we have a huge budget deficit, weak dollar and getting weaker, and weak GDP growth. In the 1960's the top tax rate was 70% and the economy grew by leaps and bounds in spite of it. I'll take Clintonomics over Bushonomics any day.
Which is why safe deposit boxes are excellent for storage of important paper documents which might be difficult and time consuming to replace - documents which denote who owns what, etc... etc... etc.... Other 'stuff' might not be so safe. Although I still like the idea of putting my postage stamp collection in that nice temperature controlled vault....
Neither Clinton nor Bush had much to do with surpluses or deficits. If they reversed presidential terms, you would find little would change.
You are probably right on an economy wide comparison of which is the lesser evil, but from an individual standpoint, me thinks it's the opposite. Lot easier to protect oneself from inflation than taxes.
I bet politicians can access their safe deposit boxes under national emergency or security excuses. Guess I'll have to bury my treasure and try to remember where I buried it. I suppose Homeless Security can detect where you buried the treasure via satellite sensors. That bastard peasant's got $23.87 buried next to the outhouse. Get him! I thought the money that you acquire, back in the old days, was considered private property. Private property shall not be taken for a public use, without just compensation. Or does all of the money that you have earned and accumulated belong to the government, and the government lets you, maybe, keep some?