According to the text, what does the Amendment 16 address?

The sixteenth amendment to the United States Constitution establishes the federal government's authority to impose and collect income taxes. Ratified in 1913, this amendment was significant because it allowed the government to generate revenue through taxation based on individual earnings, which was not effectively possible before its ratification. Prior to the sixteenth amendment, the federal government relied primarily on tariffs and excise taxes, which limited its capacity to fund various functions and services.

This amendment addressed the issue of income inequality and aimed to create a fairer tax system that could adapt to the country's growing needs. It specifically allows for taxes on incomes to be levied without apportioning them among the states or basing them on the U.S. Census, thus providing a more consistent and reliable source of revenue for the federal government. This has had a lasting impact on how the government operates and finances its activities, shaping economic policy and social programs ever since.