Comments
I'm sure you thanked President Bush for lowering taxes enough to enable you to do this.
Actually, I've got a strange sort of respect and admiration for Bush's tax and budget policies. The way he's cut taxes and increased spending has done more to bankrupt and (hopefully) weaken the federal government than a whole army of tax resisters like me would be able to do.
I didn't get a whole lot of personal benefit from his tax policies myself, but it's true that the expansion of the child tax credit and the lower 10% tax bracket that were part of the Bush tax reforms will enable more people to successfully use the method I'm using.
The new Health Savings Accounts are also a great tool for people using this method.
So "thank you" Mr. President.
I respect what you are doing and am doing similar things myself.
Iserbyt's book on mis-education reveals how the gov't works to fool us, almost from birth.
A good research would be to determine where the Federal gov't actually gets its money. You'd be surprised how little comes from income taxes. The main function of the income tax is to allow the Fedgov to borrow against the full faith and credit of the United states of America, because we make the payments on the loan. The Fedgov's money really comes from places like whiskey tax and gas tax. If you want to hit 'em where they live, adapt your car to french fry oil and drink homebrew or (dare I say it) how about some tax free, unfumigated, domestic herbs?
Best,
Alois
There's another one! Thank goodness. I really thought I was the only one who quit over this thing. Was I America's only war-striker?
I still haven't gotten a job.
However, at this point, I would accept a position 
I had saved up a lot of money, and now it's pretty much gone.
Cheers!
Although, I haven't illegally withheld any taxes, I simply stopped working, so I'd stop owing any.
Congratulations on your fine decision. As a freelance writer and parent devoted to raising revolutionaries and independent thinkers, I made that decision myself for the purpose of being a good example to my children. Living your values is a strong lesson. Best of luck to you and I'll be checking in periodically to read your writings on your "experiment."
This year I used www.texasefile.com and filed my own income taxes. I got to keep my tax refund instead of signing it over to a tax preparer. My refund was bigger than I expected and it was in my bank account in a week. UNtil we can file taxes directly with the IRS, these little tax companies are a good deal.
Good to hear, but next year see if you can manage not to get a refund! Refunds seem like great things at the time, but they really represent an interest-free loan you've given to the government over the course of the year. Besides, if at the end of the year you end up owing them money, you have an opportunity to register a protest by not paying it or at least not paying all of it.
Wow, hey, now that is brave.
I'm going to link to your site from here and my other website at http://www.dirtygreek.org
Thanks for the comment!
Do you think the federal government would just adjust and or change the aplicable laws if the protesters who changed their lifestyles actually made an effect on the amount of taxes being collected by the federal government? Well that's not actually acurate either because the federal government makes everyone collect their own taxes and turn it in, but I think my point still comes across.
Who set's the Federal Tax laws? How can my vote make a diference?
I admire your fortitude and willingness to roll up your sleeves for the changes you seek. However, whether it's Iraq or Bosnia -- Bush or Clinton, it's these men who violate the U.S. Constitution and congress sits idle not using their granted powers to check the Executive branch and use their power of impeachment. We much hold congress's feet to the fire.
Keep up your efforts.
One word: EXCELLENT.
if you think taxes are bad here and now, study the history of personal income tax: in ancient egypt, if the tax man thought you didn't grow enough he would kill your wife and kids as punishment. fight it, but study the history we have it so easy here and now, if you have even a little noodle, to avoide so many taxes, our ancestors would applaud us...
According to a message from the Holy Spirit on The Christian Prophet blog today, the invasion of Iraq was the right thing to do. Clinton is right in saying the planning for the peace afterwords was terribly mistaken. I salute you for your tax resistance. Taxation is a form of slavery. Apparently if the government was funded voluntarily and not by gunpoint, then the government would do only those things which people were willing to pay for.
I too would like to express my admiration for your choice to live your values and avoid paying to support government actions you disagree with.
I thought I was the only one doing this !
The club is getting larger by the day.
I've been doing this for many years.
Good choice! It's one I made years ago. I did not want to continue to fund those who oppress peaceful people nor did I want to provoke them to violence against me. That of "financial poverty" is the RICHEST living.
I refuse to pay one cent to this government, but it's more based on the Marriage Equality issue.
I guess if you married in your heart and mind to another for 7+ years, then when a divorce was necessary you are forced out of your home, lose your business (which as a preschool specialist affected over 20 children), lose over $65,000 of investments, become homeless, and developed PTSD.........you would understand the difference between being PROTECTED LEGALLY in marriage & divorce and having ABSOLUTELY NO CIVIL RIGHTS.
"Taxation, without representation, is not fair!" -- Schoolhouse Rock
We are doing the same thing as well. Visit http://w4resistance.org for war tax resistance info, links and how one person is manging to live on under $12,000 a year.
Back in 2003 I wanted to tell you my opinion of your tax experiment. I think your efforts do more to apease your conscience than to actually make a difference. As a result of purposefully avoiding taxes you are also "underfunding" your potential share of federal government programs including SSI, Medicare, and Social Security etc. Not to mention becoming a marginal drag on the economy by not participating to your fullest.
Alternatively, you could earn money and donate some amount of money to Amnesty International or other worthy charity. Kinda like a "carbon credit" for peace?
That's fine though, just as long as you fully understand what you are doing. Have you considered becoming a school teacher? The pay is almost the same and the work is rewarding.
David H: Your potential share of federal government programs including Social Security and Medicare are a horrible investment to say the least. It pays less than just stuffing money under your mattress. A person working for 50 years would have well over a million dollars in their account if they invested their own money instead of giving it to the SSA. A million dollar investment would earn about $75k annually... I don't know anyone collecting anywhere near that amount from Social Security.
Most people, especially men (who die earlier than women) can expect to not even get back their original payments they put in... let alone the growth of that money. Mr. Gross isn't missing anything by not contributing to SSA. In fact, he is saving himself from the fact that they will likely take more money from him than whatever he may get back in old age.
Also, Medicare benefits are not affected by contributions. Everyone over 65 (with enough credits - which I believe David G. has) is entitled to it.
Additionally, Mr. Gross' choice to not work is actually increasing his chances of receiving SSI when he turns 65, which doesn't depend on previous contributions. It is a means test benefit.
He is also increasing his chances of qualifying for Medicaid, which is also a means test benefit. He is much more likely to have his long term care paid for by Medicaid than anyone with a job who contributes to the system for 30, 40 or 50 years.
As for being a drain on the economy, he may be... but he's nothing like the drain created by the federal government's onerous taxation requirements. In fact, he's effectively removed himself from the unproductive burden of taxes working people are forced to pay... freeing himself in a way that few can ever actually achieve.
By the way, why didn't you say what you needed to say back in 2003? Seems like you could have saved yourself a bunch of SS money that you've put into the system since then.
Buehler, Ferris Buehler.
I hope they lock you up for ever - you should be ashamed of yourself. You're not big enough to stop the war - and all you do is hurt the deficit. Why don't you move to fucking Iraqi you terrorist lover!
I'm sure you thanked President Bush for lowering taxes enough to enable you to do this..
This is probably the stupidest single thing I've ever seen written. But it looks from the comments like there's plenty of stupid to go around here.
I have a slightly dirrerent take on this. I see the objection to be based in the Constitution and the bill of Rights.
What Bush and Reagan did was to transfer taxation from them (the very rich) to everyone else.
Bush last year paid about $250,000 in Federal tax. His gross income is certainly in excess of $500,000,000. That means that he paid less than 1% of his gross income in Income Tax.
That makes the system unfair. It certainly violates the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution and it violates the basic right to live in happiness.
Taxation looks at the wrong side of the ledger. It doesn't seem to care how much is left to live on. Bush pays less than 1% of a huge income and I pay 15 to 25% of a very small income.
I cannot enjoy my guaranteed basic right to live in happiness when I am the one told to pay for the government and the rich guy is not.
I want to pay even less of a % than does George Bush and I do not.
What is this new icon about? There's no link to any explanation.
Sorry, Francois... you caught me testing a new left-column layout before I was ready to make an announcement. See today's Picket Line for the full scoop.
Ah, all right.
I'm sure you thanked President Bush for lowering taxes enough to enable you to do this..
Uh. Yeah. If a doctor fixed your arm, would you thank him? Would you thank him if he was the one that broke it, deliberately?
Thank you for your blog, I have enjoyed everyones' ideas and insights. I think we are brave to go against the machine. It's interesting to me the different chosen methods of resisting paying for war. 30 years ago I began this journey, as a WTR. Sometimes, I live way above the poverty line, and sometimes below. I like to keep them guessing! I simply refuse to play their game. It has bitten me in the butt, but in truth, I know I have lived according to my deepest principal. I will not pay for war! I will not support a fictional entity called the IRS. I will not live, to work. Life is free. Love is all there is!
Hale to the resistors,
Heather Snow
While I do not have the courage to live by my own principles as you have done, I do want to express my admiration for your actions. I'm sure you have thought about keeping your previous career and make enough tax deductable donations to peace orgs instead. This would seem to make a greater impact to support your values, was there a reason you chose not to do that instead?
Allen C. -
Search for the phrase "Charitable Contributions as a Way of Getting Below the Tax Line" at:
http://www.nwtrcc.org/practical5.html
That section will give you some idea of the practical difficulties involved in resisting taxes in that way.
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