Sunday, July 15, 2007

Defiance with style

As much as I despise taxes and the institutions they support, I generally don't have a lot of time for the sort of tax protesters who insist that they've found a legal loophole that frees them from feeding the government its pound of flesh. Like kids invoking magical rituals and incantations, they claim that their arguments that the 16th Amendment was improperly ratified, or that the word "income" doesn't mean what the IRS thinks it means, will win them release from the annual mugging that constitutes the federal income tax system. And as with those magic spells, the results just never seem to live up to the promise.

The problem is that the government makes the rules and runs the courts. No matter how logical or historically founded an argument over the legitimacy of tax law may be, government officials are just not going to slap themselves in the forehead, say "whoops! you found us out," and give up the revenue stream that pays their bills and supports their power.

That said, I find myself tickled by the stance of Ed and Elaine Brown in Plainfield, New Hampshire. It's not that the Brown's are free of the magical thinking and general kookery that marks so many tax protesters--oh boy, they're not.

What I like about the Browns is the sheer fun they seem to be having in their well-stocked, solar- and wind-powered home while holding off federal and local goons during an extended siege. The Browns even threw themselves a party complete with live music, speakers, food and drink. About 200 people showed up to support the Browns, have a good time and steal police equipment set up to monitor attendees at the event.

All this while the powers-that-be stand ready to overrun the property with armored vehicles and SWAT teams.

Frankly, that's grace under pressure. It's good to see people thumb their noses at the government, and do it with style.

Unfortunately, this is all likely to end badly. No argument about the proper ratification procedure for a constitutional amendment or the meaning of the word "income" will keep the feds from putting the pinch on a family that refuses to pay extortion money. The only question is whether the end will come peacefully, or whether the authorities will decide to make yet another lethal example of people who flip them the bird.

I wish the Browns the best. And I thank them for their show of defiance.

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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I find it a bit ironic that the Browns have been pinned with the label of 'violent' when they don't want to pay taxes BECAUSE it contributes to violence (wars) with which they do not agree and that our method of taxation is based on force and violence when it comes time to collect was is perceived to be owed.

If anything it is an indication that it's time to replace the IRS with a more voluntary method of taxation where the consumer has some control over how he is taxed.

What also bothers me is the news media uses words to trump up anti-Brown sentiment, as if in preparation for public acceptance of the gov'ts eventual violence against the tax evaders, creating sympathy for their actions. Their home is a mansion, on a gentleman's farm of many acres, and they are self sufficient. Recent statements by officials made it also sound like anyone partying there could be hurt, as if they were going to hurt each other, which is preposterous!

They even were careful to call the FAA to let them know there would be fireworks and they were concerned that the 'copter was flying too low.

This doesn't sound like they are so violent to me.
Bottom line -- how can one accuse them of violence when the gov't depends on violence to confiscate what they see is owed to them?

The answer is not whether you support tax resistance or the Browns but whether we should work for a system that is more voluntary and not based on violence.

July 16, 2007 6:08 AM  
Blogger J.D. Tuccille said...

You're absolutely right. If there's any "violence" in this situation, it's the constant threat of force on the part of government agents. The tax system itself is founded on coercion and needs to be replaced with a more voluntary system.

July 16, 2007 7:39 AM  
Blogger bile said...

This post has been removed by the author.

July 17, 2007 2:52 AM  
Blogger bile said...

Louisiana attorney Tommy Cryer acquitted on federal income tax charges
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/NEWS03/707130321

Interview where he describes his theory:
http://216.240.133.177/Becraft/07/07/Becraft_0714.m3u

July 17, 2007 2:55 AM  
Blogger J.D. Tuccille said...

Bile,

That's good news indeed! I love to see a jury sock it to the IRS.

But I don't think I'd be comfortable relying on that case as precedent. Tax revenue is the lifeblood of the state; judges and politicians aren't going to let the flow get shut off.

July 17, 2007 7:55 AM  

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