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Tyranny of One, Tyranny of AllNo BeansWritten by Darrell Anderson. Remember that the so-called Founding Fathers of the American Experiment were all tax protesters to one degree or another. As all students of American history should know, those men laid their lives on the line for their beliefs of liberty (even the propagandized statist school version grudgingly admits this). Thus, the American saga is filled with this continual story of protesting taxes. An easy night’s perusal of the World Wide Web quickly reveals that the tax protest (tax honesty) movement is alive and well. Because of the Internet, the movement is large and growing daily. People are fed up (as they always have been) with extortions of property under the color of law. Although the tax protest (honesty) movement is relatively new to many people, there are some people who have been acquainted with the “game” for a long, long time. Long before the Internet became a household word, there were many people continuing the tradition of those Revolutionaries of the late 1700s. * * * A telephone rings. “Hello!” “Hello? Mr. Sam Adams?” “Yes?” “My name is George Wales, and I represent the Weripuoff Collection Agency in Reno, Nevada. How are you doing today?” “I’m doing fine, thank you, although you realize you’ve called during the supper hour.” “Um, ah, yes, I apologize.” “What can I do for you? I live a debt-free life. I owe nothing. And I must say, that if you are calling for information about anybody else, I will provide you no information — last thing I want is to be sued for providing hearsay testimony!” “Well, actually you do owe somebody money. I am calling on behalf of the California Franchise Tax Board, and the FTB says you owe $75,000 in back taxes for the years 1978 through 1983.” “Gee, how about that!” “The record states that you have not filed a tax return for those years. In fact, the record states you have not filed for at least 20 years.” “Twenty-eight years to be exact!” “As a contracted agent for the FTB, I am authorized to collect the debt you owe.” “Where did you say you are located Mr. Wales?” “Reno, Nevada.” “So the people within the California FTB outsources alleged debt collections to a firm outside the boundaries of that political district?” “Um, yes, that is actually quite common.” “However, you do realize that by being a third-party to this alleged action, and being located outside the originating political boundaries, that you are governed by the federal fair debt collections act?” “Um, well, actually, the federal fair debt collections act does not apply to tax bureaus.” “True, but the act does apply to third party debt collectors!” “Um, yes, that would be true, I guess.” “Uh-huh. Are you familiar with 15 USC 1692g?” “Uh, I don’t have a copy before me.” “Upon a demand from me that section of the law requires you to validate the alleged debt. Guess what I am doing right now!?” “Um, making that request?” “Yesssssss!” “And pursuant to that same act, you are prohibited from harassing me through the phone or mails while you attempt to honor my demand.” “Um — ” “Now, we both know you can’t validate the debt. You would need all the records of the FTB, the complete paper trail that could possibly validate any alleged debt. We both know the people within the FTB rarely follow the statutory law or administrative procedures, and that means they deny people due process of law; thus denying themselves any standing in a court of law. Besides, they cannot prove that I am even liable for any alleged tax.” “But Mr. Adams, you owe $75,000.” “I allegedly owe is the correct words you want.” “Mr. Adams — ” “How about if I make this easy for you, Mr. Wales?” “Yes, I’d appreciate that. I’m also authorized to negotiate offers in compromise, and — ” “I’ll make an offer, but not one of compromise. Do you get paid by commission?” “Well, yes, that is the only way we get paid.” “Uh-huh. And if you do not collect from a particular individual, you put no beans on your table, correct?” “Well, yeah, that is one way of putting it.” “That’s the only way I’m putting it! You see, Mr. Wales, I am a man of conviction, I live my life according to my beliefs. People like me are a rare breed, I admit, but I do live accordingly. I’d rather involuntarily get dragged into prison than pay you any extortion fees you allege I owe.” Silence. “Your silence indicates you understand the bottom line. You’ll never receive a dime from me, and that means no beans on the table. You got kids?” “Yes, I do. Three.” “No beans for them either.” “But a report from me could motivate the FTB to garnish your wages, Mr. Adams. Or initiate a levy action.” “Uh-huh, probably would work for most wage slaves, but not for me. I contract my services. I have ‘voted with my feet’ for twenty-some odd years. The first sign of garnishment or a levy attempt and the most I lose is one week of pay. I’m gone. I would philosophically see the minor loss as the ‘cost of doing business.’ But I’ve been doing this for years, and that has never happened.” “That must get tiring — that is, running all the time, Mr. Adams.” “Not at all! What you consider ‘running’ I consider traveling and sight seeing. I thoroughly enjoy traveling and meeting new people. Almost all of my traveling the past five years has been within the geographical area known as California. The simple fact that you are trying to collect an alleged debt means that your idea of garnishment and levy hasn’t succeeded, would you agree?” “Well, the FTB could place a lien on your home.” “I don’t own a home; but suppose I did. I have answered every letter the people from the FTB have ever sent me. Certified mail, so I know they received all of my responses. By responding to every letter I attempt to exhaust my available remedies and exercise my opportunity to be heard during an administrative action. In every letter, I asked them to validate their allegations and provide evidence. I’ve asked questions. They never respond. Not a single answer. Guess what? They have denied me due process of law. So if they slapped a notice of lien on my house — if I owned one — I’d march down to the local courthouse and file a quiet title action. If they claim equitable interest in my property — and that is all a notice of lien represents — then I’d make them show up and prove it. They never would show because they know they have failed to follow procedures and follow administrative remedies. And during that action I’d never once mention taxes, I’d never once mention any silly constitutional arguments, I’d discuss only administrative procedure. If the judge asked me if I owed taxes I honestly can reply that I don’t know and I have several folders full of letters and non-responses to provide myself standing. The people within the FTB would be in default and the lien notice would be history.” “You certainly seemed to have done some research, Mr. Adams. But the FTB might levy your bank account.” “That would be tough to do. I haven’t had a bank account in thirty years. Can’t steal what you don’t have — or can’t find. Besides, you already should know that because you would not have been contracted if the folks within the FTB could so easily steal my property — they wouldn’t need you would they?” “Um, no, I guess not.” “But here is the beautiful twist of the whole deal. Suppose I fail to stay out of arm’s reach and I’m convicted of so-called tax evasion and failing to file. Most of the Founding Fathers of this once-great nation were all accused of that too. So I’d be in good company. Bet you never thought of that, have you?” “Uh, no.” “Suppose that man in the black dress tells the sheriff or Marshall to haul my butt to prison for two years. Three hots and a cot, and all the library reading time I could ever want. I love to read. Now then, who pays for those three hots and a cot and those library books, Mr. Wales?” “Well, taxpayers do.” “How about that! You get to pay for my sustenance; and for a couple of years to boot! I would offer to you that something stinks about that, wouldn’t you?” Silence. “I’ll close with another thought, Mr. Wales. Taxes are evil. Let me say that again, evil. Without true explicit consent, all taxes are the forced expropriation of property. People do not pay taxes because they want to, but only because of the threat of violence. A handful of people in every generation decides that elected and appointed thugs will not intimidate them and they refuse to participate in any such scheme. They opt out.” “And that means, Mr. Adams, that the rest of us law-abiding citizens carry the burden of paying your fair share!” “Fair share of what, Mr. Wales? Show me anything that so-called political system provides that the private market cannot provide. No, don’t try, we don’t have time for that discussion. But even if you could demonstrate such goods or services, you cannot deny that the funds are still collected by force and coercion, not voluntary exchange and persuasion. Taxes are evil, Mr. Wales.” Silence. “On most nights do you enjoy supper with your kids, Mr. Wales?” “Yes, I do. We are a very close family.” “Uh-huh, every night you look your kids in the eyes and then in your own mind have to justify that what you do for a living is not evil. Most parents want to leave behind a better world for their children, Mr. Wales, not a more evil world. And you perpetuate more evil when you agree to participate in an evil system that steals property under color of law. You ought to find another vocation, Mr. Wales. One that allows you to look honestly into your kids eyes every night. One that leaves behind a better world of voluntary exchange and persuasion.” “I see, Mr. Adams, that you have a unique perspective, quite different than most people.” “As I said, Mr. Wales, even if you could catch me, I’d rather go to prison. No beans, Mr. Wales.” “Have a nice evening, Mr. Adams.” “Good night, Mr. Wales.” Finis. |
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