Do you support amnesty for tax protesters?

[erowe1]

Poll question in the thread title.

 

[cheapseats]

ALL non-violent lawbreakers should get amnesty if Illegal Immigrants do...INCLUDING those who "find themselves" afoul of the mighty and intimidating IRS.

Money-grubbing officials can invite EVERYONE to "step forward without penalty", so we can ALL enjoy being in the "good graces" of Authorities.

 

[Contumacious]

Poll question in the thread title.

I believe you meant illegal tax resistors.

They should get full amnesty, the congressional medal of honor and 62 virgins..

 

[mport1]

Tax resistors are heroes.

 

[mrsat_98]

if you evade a tax your are liable for you need to pay the price. With that said the vast majority of working people have no tax liability.

 

[erowe1]

if you evade a tax your are liable for you need to pay the price. With that said the vast majority of working people have no tax liability.

How do you determine someone's tax liability?

 

[Neil Desmond]

Refusal to pay taxes and tax evasion are two different things, just like shooting someone in self defense and armed robbery are two different things. Tax evasion can only occur when a tax filing involves intentionally false/omitted information, because you're signing a document stating that such information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge, when it actually isn't. If they don't have these documents and evidence that contradicts your signed statement, then charges shouldn't even be filed, to begin with. People who commit tax evasion are subject to criminal prosecution, but refusal to pay taxes ought to at least be handled by an entirely different process from criminal "tax evasion" prosecution. Amnesty implies that the person was convicted of something; so it does not apply to refusal to pay taxes, based on the premise that such a thing is not a crime (not tax evasion, anyways).

EDIT: this poll (in the context of the title) is flawed, because it does not account for all possible responses. A tax protester is not the same as a tax evader.

 

[kathy88]

Refusal to pay taxes and tax evasion are two different things, just like shooting someone in self defense and armed robbery are two different things. Tax evasion can only occur when a tax filing involves intentionally false/omitted information, because you're signing a document stating that such information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge, when it actually isn't. If they don't have these documents and evidence that contradicts your signed statement, then charges shouldn't even be filed, to begin with. People who commit tax evasion are subject to criminal prosecution, but refusal to pay taxes ought to at least be handled by an entirely different process from criminal "tax evasion" prosecution. Amnesty implies that the person was convicted of something; so it does not apply to refusal to pay taxes, based on the premise that such a thing is not a crime (not tax evasion, anyways).

Oh look, Mr. Literal came to pee in OPs Cheerios. LOL. Killjoy.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

Great poll. I voted yes.

 

[erowe1]

Refusal to pay taxes and tax evasion are two different things, just like shooting someone in self defense and armed robbery are two different things. Tax evasion can only occur when a tax filing involves intentionally false/omitted information, because you're signing a document stating that such information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge, when it actually isn't. If they don't have these documents and evidence that contradicts your signed statement, then charges shouldn't even be filed, to begin with. People who commit tax evasion are subject to criminal prosecution, but refusal to pay taxes ought to at least be handled by an entirely different process from criminal "tax evasion" prosecution. Amnesty implies that the person was convicted of something; so it does not apply to refusal to pay taxes, based on the premise that such a thing is not a crime (not tax evasion, anyways).

EDIT: this poll (in the context of the title) is flawed, because it does not account for all possible responses. A tax protester is not the same as a tax evader.

Interesting.

I wasn't aware of that distinction.

So if I don't file, and then I get audited and neither give them the information they want nor claim to have done so, then when I get prosecuted, it won't be for tax evasion?

 

[Neil Desmond]

Oh look, Mr. Literal came to pee in OPs Cheerios. LOL. Killjoy.

Are you saying it's satire? Then maybe it isn't in the right section of the forum, or wrong forum website altogether.

 

[kathy88]

Are you saying it's satire? Then maybe it isn't in the right section of the forum, or wrong forum website altogether.

Not at all. I'm saying you're a drag.

 

[Neil Desmond]

Interesting.

I wasn't aware of that distinction.

So if I don't file, and then I get audited and neither give them the information they want nor claim to have done so, then when I get prosecuted, it won't be for tax evasion?

Well, I'm not saying what will or won't happen, but rather my position on what should not happen. From what I have heard, people have been dragged into court for not paying taxes and won (they didn't have to pay taxes). Not sure of the details, it may even have been jury nullification for a tax evasion charge where the person did submit a false tax filing (I don't know, just guessing). But yes, I believe there is a distinction and there are others who make the same argument.

 

[Neil Desmond]

Not at all. I'm saying you're a drag.

Oh well, too bad; life isn't fair.

 

[erowe1]

From what I have heard, people have been dragged into court for not paying taxes and won (they didn't have to pay taxes).

I've heard that too. But people have also been dragged into court for not paying taxes and lost.

 

[Neil Desmond]

I've heard that too. But people have also been dragged into court for not paying taxes and lost.

And I have no doubt that they far outnumber the people who did win to the point that the ratio is insignificant.

 

[Henry Rogue]

Stealing is still stealing whether the victim hides his/her property in a closet or leaves it on the lawn for all to see.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Free Ed and Elaine Brown!

That is all.

 

[erowe1]

The results are encouraging so far.

 

[Christian Liberty]

At the absolute minimum, for a tax to be justified it needs to go towards something that is authorized in the constitution.

I prefere to say that taxes only to pay for police, courts, and defense are justified, which is even less than the constitution authorizes. But I'm willing to start with "In the constitution."

Since our taxes pay for all kinds of unconstitutional crap, government is the thief for doing it. So I would absolutely vote "Not guilty" if I were on a jury for someone being charged with tax evasion.