There have been many pivotal years in American history, but a few of them have greatly impacted the way the country is run. One of the years that has shaped where we are today with deficits, representatives who do not represent, etc., is 1913. That was the year the Federal Reserve was created, the income tax was instituted and the direct election of Senators was signed into law.

First I want to focus on the Federal Reserve. Despite what Americans were told, the purpose of the Federal Reserve was to make sure that the wealth of America remained concentrated in the major banks of New York City. If you look at the list of people who made the secret trip to Jekyll Island to create the blueprint for the Federal Reserve, that becomes obvious. More information about the gimmicks that were used to sell America on the idea of The Federal Reserve can be found in the book The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin. The Federal Reserve has done nothing to help the average American, and it can be argued that its existence has hurt the average American financially.

The federal income tax was touted as something that would supposedly only impact the ‘super rich’ top 1 percent of Americans. We see how that went. It is interesting that in 2022, 40.1 percent of households paid no individual income tax. Keep in mind that these are voting eligible Americans who don’t care if politicians raise taxes. Up until 1913, America’s bills were paid by tariff income. Of course we did not have a welfare state at that point. It is also interesting that although the budget deficit went down in 2013, it began to increase again in 2016–government spending somehow always manages to catch up with increased revenue.

The direct election of Senators has done the most damage to our Republic. Prior to 1913, Senators were appointed by their states and could be ousted if they did not represent the interests of their states. The House of Representatives was supposed to be the branch of legislature that was more responsive to the will of the people and would react more quickly. The Senate was supposed to be a more deliberative body that represented the individual states. The direct election of Senators changed that dynamic.

1913 was a pivotal year for America, but not in a good way. We are again at a place where the decisions our leaders make could be pivotal. Do we make the tax cuts permanent or do we have a massive tax increase next year? Do the courts have power over the Executive Branch or can the President hire and fire people, command the military, and demand that the laws be enforced? The answer to those questions will determine whether 2025 and 2026 become pivotal years for America. President Trump is attempting to bring America closer to the ideals of our Founding Fathers. If he succeeds, that will be a good thing. It will also be pivotal.