"Taxes are the dues one pays for living in a civilized society, and should not be any more of a "burden" than membership dues in a club or the price of a ticket to get into a movie theater."

You are comparing apples to oranges Don. Last time I looked the membership dues in a club and the price of a ticket to get into a movie theatre are standard, i.e. the same for all - Taxes are not. Here in the UK the top 5% earners pay something like 45% of the total revenue collected in taxes, 60% of the population contribute nothing at all.