I'm not, in any wise, condoning or approving of what this idiot is saying.
As bad as this guy is, IRS agents are worse. They take your money by force or threat of force. If you don't believe me, tell the IRS you're not paying your taxes this year.
I'm not, in any wise, condoning or approving of what this idiot is saying.
Eh. Not paying your taxes means you're a thief, so I'm not sure I see the problem of treating thieves like they're thieves.
I'm not sure if I understand... I'm assuming it's a good thing this man is made an example of for making death threats to other people not being tolerated?
It's a good thing. He gets to be the first idiot to be made an example of for threatening public figures. Seeing as it isn't his first time doing it, he is probably going to get it pretty good...
As bad as this guy is, IRS agents are worse. They take your money by force or threat of force. If you don't believe me, tell the IRS you're not paying your taxes this year.
I'm not, in any wise, condoning or approving of what this idiot is saying.
Eh. Not paying your taxes means you're a thief, so I'm not sure I see the problem of treating thieves like they're thieves.
Why is wanting to keep my own money considered thievery? I worked for it, so why shouldn't I keep it? Why, aside from the obvious threat of losing my freedom, should I have to pay my hard-earned money to some gov't whose reasoning eventually boils down to, Just shut up and give me your money?
So really, it's not that you want to keep your own money that would be considered thievery, it's reneging on a deal already struck and failing to pay the debt you agreed to that may make you a thief.
To put it another way... if you are unwilling to pay income tax and don't wish to be a thief, then you shouldn't accept a paycheck in a place where part of the deal is to pay an income tax on your wages.
because there's the very simple fact that, if you owe taxes, it's because you already agreed to it.
I disagree. I had no say in this deal. I was merely born into this system. Regardless of how I vote? I'm unable to change the system. I can't really leave either. Afterall, where would I go that there isn't a goverment seeking to rob me?
Likewise I also can't really avoid the need for food, shelter, clothes, etc. So since virtually any real paying job produces a paper trail & won't pay me under the table.....
This constitutes my agreement how??
So personally, no matter how much I make, I view it as my duty to figure out how to give the goverment as little $ as possible.
That you don't see a better option elsewhere isn't fair, as much like a landlord has no obligation to find you housing elsewhere a country has no obligation to find you a nation elsewhere.
Also, not only is paying taxes part of the deal, you´re also making use of many Government funded options, and using all those options without paying for them can also be considered stealing. You have police and firemen to protect your house, roads to travel on, a military protecting your country, and depending on the country where you live in any dozens of other options available to you that you pay for through tax money such as electricity/water/heat, health coverage, subsidised housing, public schools, etc, etc.
If you don't want any of that; there's still that jungle, but everything you do in your own country is expensive, and it's being paid for by your taxes, so not paying them is like requesting/using services from various people and then letting others pick up the bill.
I disagree. I had no say in this deal.
relevance?
I have also had no say in the maximum speed allowed on the highway - but I still need to respect it.
Why is wanting to keep my own money considered thievery? I worked for it, so why shouldn't I keep it? Why, aside from the obvious threat of losing my freedom, should I have to pay my hard-earned money to some gov't whose reasoning eventually boils down to, Just shut up and give me your money?
Because of the nature of taxes.
Basically the gov does stuff (for it's people) and that stuff costs money. Now, the gov can't magically create money*, so the people have to pay for what they get.
*: yes they could print money, but that increases the ammount of money, which means money decreases in value - a.k.a. people still end up with less.
Sure you can try and pay less taxes. This simply means the gov has less money to do stuff for its people. - which includes you.
And yes, its a form of socialism, but the alternative is that you fix the streets in your own town ...
Why is wanting to keep my own money considered thievery? I worked for it, so why shouldn't I keep it? Why, aside from the obvious threat of losing my freedom, should I have to pay my hard-earned money to some gov't whose reasoning eventually boils down to, Just shut up and give me your money?
You get police. You get military. You get road crews. You get public schools. Your polititians have funds to caimpaign. That and more.
You want all this for free? Be rational.
But occasionally a line is crossed and they remember people that it's still illegal and they could bust you for it.
He could be made an example of by giving him the proper, legal punishment for a crime that they usually don't bother pursuing though. Many people are unfriendly to officials, but generally they seem to say it's "part of the job" (here, at least)
But occasionally a line is crossed and they remember people that it's still illegal and they could bust you for it.
Exactly. To quote from the article: "There are threats that the prosecutors tend not to be sensitive about and then very soon after there is an assassination, and there's a great uptick in arrests and prosecutions," Weiner said.
He gets to be an example of what happens when you threaten public officials. How harsh the punishment is has yet to be seen. It should be interesting.
Paying taxes is just something that has to be done.
You are guaranteed two things in life; death and taxes. (Ben Franklin.) At least I think it was Franklin.
Poor Richard, IIRC. So, yes.
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As far as not paying taxes equaling theft goes, that's true. If you use the gov't funded roads to get to the job where you make the money you don't wanna give to the gov't, you're experiencing an immediate benefit of taxes. Not paying taxes and using the same roads is, IMO, tantamount to theft. All of the stuff you buy with your tax money has already been listed. If that's not compelling enough a case, I don't know what to tell ya.
Geh. Pressed the wrong button, my post was eaten.
Taxes are the price you pay for living in a safe and prosperous society. You are lucky to live in a country that uses your tax dollars to build and maintain the transportation infrastructure that is critical to economic prosperity, the police and military and fire department that see to your physical safety (and that of your property), the social safety net that helps make sure you can live if your company goes bankrupt (or moves their office overseas) and you need to find a new job, the education system that allows people to find gainful employment and form a stable society...
Every day in every way, the taxes you pay are making your life far more pleasant. Love your taxes, they make your way of life possible. Without them, you would not have the material wealth you currently enjoy.