Recently at Reason.tv: 3 Great Reasons to Pay Your Taxes (or Else)!

 

With April 15 fast approaching, Reason.tv is proud to present a little-seen IRS public-relations video that explains the benefits of paying your taxes—and underscores the dire outcomes for tax evaders and tax cheats.

Approximately 1.30 minutes. Produced by Meredith Bragg and Nick Gillespie.

Comments

[David McElroy]

Here's a plug for a short film I did a few years back in a similar vein. It's based on the concept of what kind of "educational video" the federal government would release today to teach Americans how to be good citizens. It's called, "We're the Government -- and You're Not." It was in 20 film festivals (mostly smaller ones) and picked up a few awards, but it's very, very low-budget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvsADU2OOWM

[FTG]

The three good reasons:

a) We will put you in jail
b) We will take your property and hear your woman's lamentations.
c) We will kill your dog(s).

Any questions?

[squarooticus]

It's good to joke about something this macabre, but really, ask yourself: would you actually pay taxes if there were no possibility of jailtime or fines/liens/etc.? If you're being honest, the answer is, "Of course not."

People can pretend paying taxes is some kind of noble act, but we all know that is BS: ultimately, people pay taxes only because they are under coercion by a vastly superior force.

The next question you must ask yourself is: does the source of that coercive power---democracy, monarchy, plutocracy, or autocracy---really matter?

[FTG]

ultimately, people pay taxes only because they are under coercion by a vastly superior force.

That is why they are called "taxes".

The next question you must ask yourself is: does the source of that coercive power---democracy, monarchy, plutocracy, or autocracy---really matter?

The question is a good one, and morally, ethically and philosophically, it does not matter the origin of the coercion and aggression. However, people will rationalize the issue by the question-begging argument that, since in a Democracy we "elect" our representatives, that at least the system that coerces you is "legitimate".

[phalkor]

I can stop paying taxes if I have no reportable income, correct?

If I set up a local barter system in my local community we can reduce our tax burden significantly, no? It has probably been tried, but any examples?

The big question is if a local community acted as a tax bubble where the citizens had no reportable income, but had material wealth, can the government stop them?

[Lester Hunt]

I can't help noticing that those three "punishments" are progressively less onerous. Are we seeing a kinder, gentler IRS? Seriously.

[Brandybuck]

If I set up a local barter system in my local community we can reduce our tax burden significantly, no?

They can, and have, taxed barter. If what you're trading has value, you're screwed.

[FTG]

If I set up a local barter system in my local community we can reduce our tax burden significantly, no? It has probably been tried, but any examples?

The Liberty Dollar was supposed to be a barter system. They got busted by the Federal Government (they are back in business, by the way). The problem with a barter system is that economic calculation is very difficult, plus not all resources are available for direct trade - vendors or producers still want the convenience that the indirect trade (i.e. a money economy) provides.

Even if people switched over to a free-market money system, the government will still forcibly steal your property by accusing you of not paying taxes, even if you do NOT report income.

[FTG]

They can, and have, taxed barter. If what you're trading has value, you're screwed.

There is the case of a business that paid its employees with gold American Eagles, which have the denomination of $1.00. Since what you report is income in denominated US dollars, the company was not withholding taxes from his employees because the salary was below the withholding threshold. The business owner actually won a case against the IRS based on the fact that the tax experts could not cite a specific regulation that prohibited people from paying their employees in gold Eagles and still report payroll in the denomination indicated in the coins.

[The Head of Richard M. Nixon]

My fellow Earthicans, we enjoy so much freedom, it's almost sickening. We're free to choose which hand our sex-monitoring chip is implanted in. And if we don't want to pay our taxes, why, we're free to spend a weekend with the Pain Monster!

[phalkor]

FTG, nice. Too bad most people would not find gold eagles to be liquid enough to buy groceries with. Damned be the convenience of the plastic cards with magnetic strips!

[FTG]

Here's the case I am talking about:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/9893062.html

Here's a report on the rationale that allowed the defendants go free. Granted, it is not the same as using barter, since the gold coins issued by the US Mint are legal tender, but it still represents a way to keep your hard-earned cash.

http://www.muckrakerreport.com/id31.html

A good commentary of the case:

http://www.liberty-watch.com/volume03/issue08/coverstory.php

[???]

Senator Phil Haines, Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego and Assemblyman Scott Rudder today called on Governor Corzine to fire Burlington County Superintendent of Schools Lester Richens for his decision to forbid the Borough of Pemberton from cutting school taxes.

"This was a slap in the face to every property taxpayer in Pemberton Borough, and a warning to property taxpayers in Burlington County. Under the Corzine administration, cutting taxes is illegal," said Assemblyman Rudder. "Trenton and Richens are playing the role of school yard bullies."

The proposed school district budget would have sliced almost $300 from the tax bill of the owner of an average home in the Borough. But Richens, appointed to his job by Governor Corzine, stepped in and enforced a "minimum tax levy" that effectively erased almost 60 percent of that savings.

"The Superintendent has demonstrated a shocking lack of regard for the property taxpayers, and for this breach of the public trust, he should be fired," said Senator Haines. "He should be replaced with somebody from Burlington County, with knowledge about the area, knowledge about the people, and knowledge about the needs of the students," said Senator Haines.

http://www.politickernj.com/robbie-kenney/28694/haines-addiego-rudder-call-county-superintendents-job

[Taxman]

We have to kill your dogs and steal your property for the Greater Good.

THINK OF THE CHILDREN you filthy misanthropic individualist mofos.

(and we can shoot you too:)

[ed]

Hillary is looking more and more like Winston Churchill.
Her face, I mean.

[Anonymous]

ed, that would explain why they returned the bust.

Why have a statue when the face is staring at you every day?

[Kreel Sarloo]

"Hillary is looking more and more like Winston Churchill."

Goddammit, ed, I never really liked Winston Churchill all that much, but there's no reason to insult the man.

[?]

Her face, I mean.

Ass too.

[Tony]

However, people will rationalize the issue by the question-begging argument that, since in a Democracy we "elect" our representatives, that at least the system that coerces you is "legitimate".

I thought the idea that representative democracy gives government legitimacy was, like, a founding principle of our country.