“You can’t understand what happens in Washington without understanding the politics of taxation, which have been central to American public life since the Sons of Liberty dumped tea in Boston Harbor, and have become even more central in the last half century, with the antitax takeover of the Republican Party. Michael Graetz intimately understands both the policy and the politics, enabling him to spin an irresistible yarn.”—Alan Murray, CEO of Fortune Media and author of Tomorrow’s Capitalist: My Search for the Soul of Business“Our national resistance toward taxation in recent decades was not inevitable. In this provocative and comprehensive history, Michael Graetz provides an insightful narrative of a full-scale conservative movement that formed in the 1970s to undermine and dismantle the federal tax system. The objectives were regressive and the methods effective. Fighting taxes became the new anticommunism in conservative politics. A must-read for anyone interested in American politics beyond the headlines.”—Julian E. Zelizer, author of Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich and the Rise of the New Republican Party“The Power to Destroy brilliantly shows how often the antitax movement has been allied against racial equity, beginning with Lee Atwater’s notorious ads against so-called welfare queens and the fight over California’s Proposition 13. This book is required reading for anyone who wants to understand the origins and staying power of the antitax movement that has done so much to define the state of our schools, our transportation, our housing, and our politics. And no one is more qualified to tell this story than Michael Graetz.”—Deborah N. Archer, president of the ACLU“With analytical panache, Michael Graetz has provided a fascinating policy history that navigates transformations to the political economy of taxation in the United States during the past half-century. Sure to garner much attention, The Power to Destroy confers understanding by linking considerations of material interests, movement mobilization, the creation and dissemination of policy ideas, and patterns of political influence to explain the making and doleful effects of antitax successes.”—Ira Katznelson, author of Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time“The antitax movement has made it impossible for government to address many long-term problems. Michael Graetz’s book skillfully and colorfully tells the story of the people and politics behind the movement, the role of race, and landmark events. Putting an enlightening human face on the evolution of tax policy, The Power to Destroy is a great read.”—William G. Gale, author of Fiscal Therapy: Curing America’s Debt Addiction and Investing in the Future