OT: This should fuel some good debates!

[Jake Levin]

I'm sure some of you have seen this movie, it's about 2 hours long and is about why federal income tax is illegal. It's a pretty convincing arguement if their facts are correct

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Illegal or not, if it wasn't there, there would be no money to guard our borders, build our roads, protect our interests abroad, enforce our laws or feed and care for our senior citizens. You want to see what happens when those services aren't provided, just look to Somalia, Haiti or any other country that is too poor to pay for these vital services. You could even look to New Orleans during/after the hurricane. Without the benefits of our spent tax dollars the US would be a third world country, or worse, it would still be owned by Britain, France and Spain.

 

[James FreemanJr]

Should'nt senior citizens be taken care of under Social Security? or even Medicare (Which is part of SS)? Not federal taxes. I've seen the road's around here and I know for a fact that is not where my money is going and we all have seen how well the federal government spent the money for New Orleans (who's bright ideal was those damn credit cards anyway? how stupid can a person be?). I'm not saying taxes are bad but they just need to be controlled better.

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

Good point Nelson, but on the other hand if our tax dollars were managed better and used wisely then our country would be in a lot better positon to do more for it's people. As much money as we the people contribute to the IRS, there is no reason for our homeless rate to be as high and our social security program to be questionable in regards to going bankrupt.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

One of those "income taxes are illegal; there is no law in the Constitution that says I need to pay income taxes" nutjobs in our local town just lost his case to the IRS. He is now out on bail, but he owes some huge coin...something like $300K in back taxes, interest and penalties.



He had his own website telling how "you too can stop paying income taxes", but after losing his battle, he took it down.



There are tons of nutbars like this out there. They assume the lack of a law stating that one must pay income taxes means they don't have to pay them. It doesn't work that way. Laws, by and large, are regulations on what NOT to do...not what one MUST do.



The IRS has the legal authority to demand and expect your income taxes, and that legal authority has been held up time and time again in court decisions.



Also, there isn't a one of these nutjobs that I have met (and I have known about 4 or 5 of them personally) that has convinced me that they are fighting a noble, civil liberties crusade. Instead, each and every one of them in all other aspects of their life which I have seen come across as swindling shysters that seem to just be trying to avoid paying their taxes so they can pocket more coin.



TJR

 

[Todd Cloutier]

While I haven't watched the video, the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution seems pretty definitive.



AMENDMENT XVI



Passed by Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February 3, 1913.



Note: Article I, section 9, of the Constitution was modified by amendment 16.



The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Agree or disagree with it, it's there. Personally, I don't need the IRS probing in any/all of my bodily cavities. It's the same way with the BATFE (especially being the owner of a FFL03 license). It's better to spend the fex extra $$ now then fight them in the courts over a technicality that they win time and time again on.



Now if it's something blatently wrong, that's a different story.



Now as far as the Gov't properly using the money.... let's talk Pork for a second, and I don;t mean bacon.



The government is responcible for the security of the citizens. Police, military, etc, good. I'll even give them roads and infrastructure.



Social Security? Hell NO!! I can do at least 2x better in my own private investments. If you are too stupid to properly save for your own future, you deserve to work everyday the rest of your life.



I am personally tired of paying nearly 15% of my income (that includes the "employer match", an amount that is yours and part of your compensation that just never got put on your paycheck... ask anyone who is self employed) to get a 4% return between the age of 63.5 and death. I have been averageing between 8 and 12% over the past 5 years on my 401(k).



Medicare? They are the problem, not the solution. When the government pays, there is a scandal somewhere. I worked for a company that provided medical appliances like braces to patients. We charged what Medicare paid for those devices, no matter if medicare was paying or not. They set the price. And for most of the items, the prices we somewhere between 300% and 1200% of the cost of the device. Some where higher than that (a $99 device we resold for more than $1500).



Open medical prices to free-market economics. The prices will come down. If tort reform were to be enacted, the prices would come down as well since anymore in the medical field, more than 30% of the price of an item is to pay for lawyers and lawsuits. Just ask Merck.