I do a lot of work with hundreds of Amish families. They have a real aversion to the government and do not accept government handouts. We returned over $2 million to the Treasury for them in stimulus payments and child tax credit refunds.
Their theory is that by accepting government money they are accepting government control.
They do not accept Social Security or public insurance, instead relying upon community support. They pull together and work together selflessly in a disaster.
Even so, the government is imposing more on them. Building codes and zoning ordinances came first.
The government requires them to file sales tax returns and payroll returns by computer when they don’t even have electricity.
I’ve handled a few audits for them and I meet the agent in the barn where there is no electricity, no light except for a lantern, and an outhouse for a restroom. They get a cultural education.
It’s a joy working with them as they are honest to the extreme.
They actually fear the government imposing upon their religion. Very few people actually understand them and consider them a cult. In many ways, if the SHTF, they could care less. They use horses to farm and travel. Windmills for pumping water. Many have windmills hooked to air compressors with a used 1,000 gallon propane tank for air storage.
They have Dewalt shop saws modified to run on air, butcher shop equipment run by air, even kitchen appliances like Kitchenaid mixers running on air. One of the most bizarre things is the ceiling fans in the house that make a slight whisping sound as they release the air from the pneumatic motors.
My current medical research is helping me to understand why Amish children don’t get Autism, ADHD, gender identity issues, or many of the childhood diseases even though they avoid vaccinations.
While they all have Social Security Numbers, their electronic footprint is virtually zero. No driver’s licenses, no email accounts, and their phone is a shared community phone usually in a shed at the entrance to their driveway.
This causes many fraud warnings in tax filings as they cannot be cross referenced to the DMV or employment records in government computers.
Thank you for sharing that. I am absolutely hip to the concept. I’m all in and fully respect their integrity and wishes to not be “owned” and remain independent and preserve their self dignity. I have met a lot of folks who are homeless because they themselves have those very same values of self dignity and independence. And they are willing to live what society deems as “substandard” rather than sell their soul and dignity. I am about there myself. I’m real close to being done with this mess and digital enslavement. I’m going off grid too.