Once again, the U.S. government is making noise about going to war (oh sorry, “intervening for humanitarian reasons”) in a Mideast country on sketchy evidence.
If gov-o-crats decide to side with Islamist rebels in Syria, the choice could cost us all — in more ways than one. Some of the costs are unforeseeable. One is obvious: The U.S. is going broke and will go broke faster.
Well, the U.S. is going broke no matter what, and We the People — or They Our Grandchildren — are going to pay. And pay. And pay.
So this seems a good time to ask: In your book, what is the best way to avoid spending your money and your effort to finance government actions you consider, at best, morally indefensible and, at worst, downright evil and catastrophic?
You could lower your income, or if it was legal work off the books, but that would not be legal so I would never suggest such a thing, you could leave the country…
Sorry, Claire, CORRECTION:
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS BROKE!
The fact that most folks have not yet realized it nor have they really felt the full effects of that reality is what keeps everyone thinking it is not flat ass broke. It is all a paper shuffle now and soon the reality will come to full fruition.
To answer your question, I pose another question;
Can you imagine if millions of “taxpayers” decided to stop paying the so called “federal income tax”?
What could the fedgov do in that situation?
There is no requirement for an individual to file or pay a tax on “income”. In fact, I would direct everyone to go do some research.
Consider:
HALE -V- HENKEL 201 US 43 @ 74-75 (1906)
“…individual’s power to contract is unlimited….corporation is a creation of the state…and its power is limited by law.”
MARBURY -V- MADISON 1 Cranch 137 (1803)
“An act of congress repugnant to the constitution can not become law.”
BRADY -V- U.S. 397 US 742 (1970)
“Waivers of rights must be voluntary, knowledgeable, intelligent acts, done with the sufficient awareness of the likely outcome”
BURKS -V- LASKAR 441 US 471 (1979)
Jurisdiction not challenged is presumed to exist.
FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE -V- A.A. MERRILL 322 US 380 @387 (1947)
“there are risks involved in making arrangements with the government.”
AMERICAN COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION -V- DOUDS
339 US 382 -453 @443 (1949)
“…it is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.”
BRUSHABER -V- UNION PACIFIC R.R. Co. 240 US 1 (1916)
Income tax is an excise tax and thus not a direct tax, because all direct taxes must be apportioned.
FLINT -V- STONE TRACY Co. 220US 107 (1910)
Individual’s labor is his property and not subject to tax. Income tax is a tax on corporate profits.
FLORA -V- U.S. 357 US 63 (1958)
System of taxation is one of voluntary self assessment.
OLIVER – HALSTEAD 86 S.E. 2d 858 (1955)
Wages are not profit.
Again, I ask, what would happen if millions of Americans just said enough?
What could the fedgov do?
I am not a lawyer.
Don’t take anyone’s free advice, especially on the interwebs.
Go do your own research and then act like grown ups.
I posit that if enough people simultaneously stopped funding the beast, the beast would starve.
Probably get together with like minded individuals, withdraw from society and create a resilient community, off grid and out of site. Would have to be able to produce what is needed for survival and forsake any kind of formal pay check. Basically a community of hermits.
Kevin3% – From a practical point of view, how would you get around the employers? Most people work for someone else, and employers are punished for not withholding taxes. If every employee requested a change-of-tax form (which would have to be done in order to stop tax withholding – and some parts are still non-negociable), the employer will be adamantly opposed to NO withholding, and perhaps even fire the employee(s).
It is not so simple as you say – the individual (at least those who work for others) does not have the power to suddenly refuse to give his earned income to the government; his money is not his “property” until he receives it, and the employer (and other third parties such as accountants, lawyers, or banks) may quickly get involved.
I’m neither lawyer nor accountant, but I do know how employers view tax withholding. They want as little trouble as possible, and go out of their way to dot all i’s and cross all t’s so the IRS doesn’t look their way. They will not risk paying penalties to satisfy your or my philosophical or constitutional causes.
I agree with Matt, another. Earning as little as possible, bartering in the underground economy, and maintaining a garden and privacy lifestyle are the only ways available to avoid financing the war chest or calling attention to one’s ability to produce (money, goods or services).
Kevin3% – if you grant anyone, anywhere, some “authority” to rob people if they’ll just use the right words… I’m so sorry for you.
By what legitimate authority?
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/?page_id=1294
The question not being asked by most of us is: By what legitimate authority? How does anyone legitimately gain authority to control the lives and choices of other people against their will?
Did you ever ask a politician, a gun grabber, a public school teacher, a bureaucrat… “By what legitimate authority do you demand, order, enforce, do these things?”
I have. Most, of course, cite the “constitution” and/or “the rule of law.” I then ask them how those things can confer LEGITIMATE authority. Where does legitimate authority over people’s lives and property originate?
So far, NONE of them can answer that, and most become extremely angry when questioned at all. Yet I would think that is the most important question we can ask.
And it’s the most important question we can ask ourselves. Do we own our lives, or have we given our sovereign and natural authority over ourselves to the rulers and politicians?
Lower your income, divest in stocks that deal with the military, and join with others to point out that the war is wrong and why it is. These steps can be taken by anyone.
Do the Amish pay income taxes? Anyone know?
Once the U.S. government goes belly-up, the cities burn, dollars inflate out of existence, countries who live by selling us stuff and countries dependent on our foreign aid shrivel and die, the EU folds its tents and descends into barbarism, and North America is reduced to three or four million people living in a barter economy, our grandchildren won’t have to worry about the national debt.
After all, “we owe it to ourselves.”
The obvious answer is to leave. Go somewhere that does not participate in war, does not have a death penalty, etc. Then the taxes you pay (unless you live in a wilderness you will pay some) will not be used to kill people.
At least not directly, I am well aware of the arguments which say that by taking any of a person’s earnings the state is in fact taking part of that person’s life.
As a point of personal privilege, I will respond to Pat and Mama Liberty (both of whom I hold in very high regard based on many of their comments I have read over time both here and elsewhere).
Pat first; I am well aware of the difficulty associated with employers. Employers are in the system (corporations are a creation of the state and thereby beholden to the state) and they dare not rock the boat or the criminal element in government (CIG) will hold a gun to their head to make the troublemaker employee comply…or said employer (acting as agent for the state) will terminate employment of the rebel employee. Just like that. So, the answer is, as Matt has pointed out, and I would not refer to such a community as “hermits”. It is called System D. Google it. Grow your own, forage, hunt (poach if you are hardcore), trade, barter, etc. Those that choose that route will not be headed along the path of upward mobility as it is called, but who exactly is getting wealthy working for the man anyway?
Mama, I never authorized anyone to rob, defraud or have power over my life or property.
Consider this; What is the age at which most folks get the dreaded Social (in)Security card? For folks in my generation is was pitched to us in our teens so that we may gain employment. You know, that time in youth when you wanted to start earning some real money besides cutting lawns or selling newspapers. Most likely, you were a minor –under 18 years of age. Last I checked, minors are not permitted to enter into contractual agreements….are they? Today, families are coerced into getting the damn number before they even leave the hospital! What I am saying is the SS card is a contract at law. If a minor is not legally recognized to contract at law then that contract is null and void. It is a fraud, right? The supreme court recognized as far back as U.S. -V- THROCKMORTON 98 US 61 @ 65 (1878) “Fraud vitiates contracts.”
The point is that I believe there is enough case law to make the argument to challenge any assertion by the feds to an income tax and frankly, a lot of other crap they have stuffed down the throats of the American people.
Resistance of this nature is not for the faint of heart. It takes fortitude and a willingness among your tribe to work together. That is what needs to happen for a real effect to take place….Americans by the millions will have to step up and take some ownership of themselves and the mess we have allowed to develop. Not until then will real change occur.
[The obvious answer is to leave.]
Here’s an opportunity to REALLY leave.
http://applicants.mars-one.com/
“What I am saying is the SS card is a contract at law.”
No. Contracts are wholly consensual and failure to engage one can’t–in morality or in law–negatively affect your life. Otherwise, it’s under duress and thus is not a contract.
So whatever it is, it ain’t a contract. But it is correct that “shielded liability” is nothing but a centuries-old scam, designed to protect the wealth of the Ruling Class.
Hey, the elite might’ve been born at night, but it wasn’t last night!
One can avoid.
Or one can promote.
The desired goal is much less government or no government.
Thus, promote everything that accelerates the destruction of the government by Default, (which is the point at which the government can not pay its bills and the whole system collapses because the dollar is worthless. In private life it’s called bankruptcy.)
Going Gault – as soon as I can get that Invisibility Shield thingy worked out.
Like Gault and the Gulch folk, going – living there took independent wealth. Only select Producers made the trip. For the rest of us, disconnection or standing up to Da Man a la Kevin3% is both ginormously expensive and damn scary. True, there is strength in numbers – but I haven’t seen any Numbers stepping up to make a united effort to tell the IRS to take a running jump at itself.
Since we didn’t get here overnight, maybe the old govt. game of Incrementalism would be both effective and appealing. The only downside is if LarryA’s scenario materializes first!
Here is a thought. If everyone reduced their income, by whatever means, and then claimed the absolute maximum ‘free’ money from the state. Essentially you could bleed the monster to death from 20 million cuts. The gov loses twice. Firstly they lose your income tax then secondly they pay you the same as the idle wastrels that have been living of you for years. A couple of years of rapidly escalating costs will soon cripple the monster and reform will rapidly follow. Don’t get me wrong such a situation would not be pretty but since the gov is already flat broke its going to happen sooner or later.
Easy, move to Hardyville!
Kevin 3%…. What is the long and seriously demonstrated goal of every non-voluntary government from the foundation of civilization? Control. Ownership of the land, people and all of their property by the elite… and the power to decide when, where and to whom they might grant a small and brief “piece of the action,” always to increase their own power and perks. As long as they can convince the majority of the people that their safety and prosperity depends on giving their natural authority over themselves to the controllers… the charade goes on.
When you petition, go to court, and attempt to use the “system” for your own benefit, don’t you have to believe that those who control the system actually have some “authority” in the first place? Don’t you have to trust, at least some, in their basic integrity and that their purpose is ultimately to do right? How do you force a corrupt government to use their illigitimate power to do anything that thwarts their sole purpose for being?
If you have to ask them to stop robbing you… is that not an admission that they have some “authority” to do so? And what do you do when the answer is “NO!”
If you’re getting stuck in your brainstorming, may I recommend:
94 tactics of successful tax resistance campaigns
http://sniggle.net/TPL/index5.php?entry=04Jan13
as far as I know Amish are required to pay some income taxes
Hire Mitt Romneys accountant, that way u can hide your money and not have to pay taxes and buy a race horse and use it as a $70,000 tax right off. Yes the rich and well connected are not affected by the very laws the make, which in fact most don’t even care about, like absorption and gay marriage, they just act whatever way their donors would like them to. American politicians are bought, it has always been a sham, it just changes its colors. We truly have the Royals and everyone else, the common folk.