Slashdot Mirror

Many sources say that your individual income taxes pay interest to banks that make up the fed (which "lends" the currency that you use). Everything that is funded by the govt. comes off other taxes such as corporation taxes, etc. It appears like a daylight scam, and hence you have people as high up as Ron Paul trying to abolish the income tax. It doesn't appear that you get back anything for your income tax money. To me (an alien), this seems like a daylight scam.

You could find out here: http://www.originalintent.org/edu/fedincometax.php

As far as the "fair share" argument, read this: http://www.devvy.com/notax.html

You forget the attitude of the bureaucrat towards anything that "makes an economy more efficient" or "helps spread information". First, a flush of raw trembling fear. Then apply The Rules:

If it doesn't move, tax it.
If it moves, regulate it until it stops moving.
Then tax it.

Remember, anything not nailed down belongs to the government. Anything that can be pried loose by a legislative body is not nailed down.

Look at the things the bureaucrats taxed during the Industrial Revolution. Bricks were taxed for around 50 years. People reverted to having their houses decorated with stucco until this tax was repealed.

Then the bureaucrats tried taxing buildings based on the number of windows present. People avoided this tax by bricking up their houses.

The bureaucrats also tried taxing the construction of buildings based on their width. Builders reduced this tax by building narrower buildings. Then the government tried taxing buildings based on their area. Builders reduced this tax by building smaller houses with more floors.

The bureacrats also tried taxing the glass in windows, and on tea imports

This has happened before - and it is still not cool. Here's a link to some information on the death of five microbiologists from not-too-long-back. Here's a quote from the page:

"Five eminent microbiologists, leaders in their particular field of scientific research, either dead or missing, and a bizarre connection between one of the dead scientists and the mystery surrounding the death by Anthrax inhalation of a sixty one year old female hospital worker in New York. Sounds far fetched? Read on."

It's all very nuts!
_
[Free Awesome Cursors for Windows Users!]

National identification cards have nothing to do with fighting terrorism or crime. Like all other legislation, a national identification system, if passed, would only affect honest people. Criminals and terrorists would find ways around the system, such as counterfeiting or hacking the database. Government clerks could be tricked--or bribed--into placing false information in the database. Criminals could even stay clean long enough to get into government offices, only to help other criminals get false IDs and database records. There are workarounds to every law, and so anytime a new law is created, an infinite amount of new troubles are created as well.

Now let's talk about the Social Security Number mentioned by several folks. Before I say this, I am not a lawyer, but this information is the result of a LOT of reading. Ask an expert in this complicated field before believing anything I'm saying here...

The SSN was originally a simple account number, yet it is now used as a national identification number by federal and state government agencies and corporations. (Example: I think every state requires your SSN before they issue a drivers license.)

By the way, the issues mentioned here about SSN and employment are a big misunderstanding: Your employer has no business knowing your SSN, as they are not required to act as a free agent to the IRS or to Social Security. Nearly all companies do because they don't know this, or wish to avoid possible troubles with the IRS. There are companies out there that don't withhold payments to you.(See Arrow Custom Plastics' "Withholding Statement.") Also, check out the Yahoo! group: legality-of-income-tax at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/legality-of-income-t ax/.)

Unbeknownst to most Americans, the IRS is a voluntary system--enforced only because of contract law! Nearly all Americans have no clue what their signature means on the social security form, or on the IRS forms they mail to the government every year. These forms are contracts, and by signing them, you are voluntarily agreeing to abide by various sections of government code which, as far as I understand are not positive law. (The constitutional amendment was never ratified!) The whole system operates on smoke and mirrors, as most Americans simply aren't aware of what's going on. Do you honestly want to give the government more power to track you around? My suggestion: the various government agencies should start doing their current jobs, before inventing new ways to bury themselves in work.

Don't misunderstand me: I love this country. I pay my taxes. I'm pissed off about what happened on the 11th and I certainly hope the government gets the "folks" who committed these atrocities, but when it comes to big-brother type things that won't help prevent another disaster, I say go back and reread 1984 before you take these matters so lightly.

Just my $.02.

I'm not a history buff, so I can't really comment on those.

I do recommend you read this however:

http://www.devvy.com/thrdprty_200003 03. html

Yeah, you could vote for Nader.

You could also throw your vote into a black hole. End result is the same.

He won't win in an electorial college system.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Perot had about 20% of the popular vote back in 1992. From what I'm reading right now, he got zippy electorial votes.

Read this for some more information.

Don't get me wrong. I love Nader, and would be happy to see him in office. I also realize that's not going to happen, and will vote for the less evil.