“The reward of energy, enterprise and thrift—is taxes”
~ William Feather ~
Each year, I begrudgingly
submit my income tax form on 1 April. What
more appropriate day is there for such insanity than All Fools Day?
For Americans to tolerate such a generally hated system that grows
increasingly complex and oppressive, while smothering economic freedom and
personal liberty, we must be the biggest fools on earth.
Our tax system is one of
the most incomprehensible pieces of trash on the planet. It’s so complex even those who write it and those who
enforce it can’t understand it. Government
agencies habitually give inconsistent answers about it yet they routinely fine,
punish and even jail those that don’t or can’t “comply” with it!
Not so surprisingly, Thomas
Jefferson had some sage advice on this very taxation question over 200 years
ago. "Would
it not be better to simplify the system of taxation rather than to spread it
over such a variety of subjects and pass through so many new hands?"
Yet
additional evidence that substantiates my continuing view that our founders were
divinely inspired.
I’m convinced that the
tax code is intentionally written to be confusing so that government can
interpret and manipulate it to suit their needs at any given time while keeping
themselves at the center of control.
If you remember, the
hearings about the constitutionality of the 16th Amendment were
cancelled supposedly due to 9/11. Actually
the hearing room was never reserved in the first place and the hearings were
then never rescheduled. They hoped
we’d forget about it is my guess.
Everyone in Washington
knows this is an insane system so why do they keep it when it’s been shown
that the simpler way— sales tax, e.g The
Fair Tax or flat tax—is more profitable and efficient for both government
and the governed? Even Russia now
has a 13% flat tax. Result:
government coffers and taxpayers’ spirits are way up.
Unfortunately, America’s
income tax is used for much more than generating revenue.
The power to tax is power indeed and this power, along with the muscle of
armed enforcement has become THE primary tools of control for those in congress.
The reason politicians
retain this ridiculously obtuse system is so they can dole out favors through
manipulation of tax laws, interpret the complexities as they see fit and
generally retain power over a confused nation that must come to them for
interpretation of the rules they created!
Just think about it. If you
can invent a system whereby you write the rules, interpret the rules as you see
fit, enforce the rules arbitrarily, and require everyone to come to and through
you for judgment on the rules, you control the whole game!
That’s sure not the American dream or role of government our
founder’s envisioned!
If taxes were simple enough
for everyone to understand, government would lose its ability to interpret and
control much of your life. Keep
‘em fed; keep ‘em entertained and keep ‘em in the dark is the key to
exercising power over the masses.
This tax will someday pass
away but only through defeat, not common sense I’m afraid.
That defeat will require Americans to take either of two paths as I see
it.
1. Instigate peaceful
change. Through the legislative
process, we could theoretically convince our elected representatives to repeal
or simplify it. This is the path I
prefer but I’m not optimistic. And given the submissiveness of younger
generations being indoctrinated in government schools, I’m not optimistic
about it happening in my grandson’s lifetime.
2. Coordinated civil
disobedience. By getting totally
fed up and refusing to obey through widespread disobedience, Americans could
ultimately force change. This
however would require an organized tidal wave of effort, not just resistance
from an isolated few that forces Congress into radical change.
And I guess there’s a
more drastic third way. The tax
will certainly die along with our republic either through war or internal
crumbling, as has been the fate of many past civilizations. No nation has yet lasted forever.
One thing I think you can
safely bet on—fire will freeze solid before Congress ever willingly votes to
dismantle the income tax or repeal the 16th Amendment.
It’s only through the enforcement power of arms, taxes and complex
bureaucracies compelling people to come to them for everything that government
retains its dominance. To think that politicians will ever freely surrender such
massive power borders on delusional.
If the income tax is ever
to die, power must shift from entrenched politicians to those who actually want
it to die; otherwise, we will live with it until America dies.
I’m personally convinced
that if Americans, by whatever means, never force change in a system that
callously punishes energy, enterprise and thrift we’ll all see the great
American dream further morph into the great American nightmare with no wake up
call.
Just the view from my
saddle…
Contact Colonel Dan:
coloneldan@bellsouth.net