DEATH-FAST Protest Against IRS in Austin, Texas

http://www.in-austin.com/death-fast/story.htm ^

[MineralMan]

"So mister MineralMan all he is asking is a response from anyone in authority (silence so far)

Do you believe everything that the gov says?"

No, but I do believe that current law is written down where it's easy enough to find. Why should the government bother with this idiot? The law, duly passed by the Congress, which has the Constitutional power to levy taxes, is easy enough to find.

Let him starve if he's not smart enough to look it up for himself or ask any accountant. It's the law. It's not a secret.

[CobaltBlue]

I agree that paying income tax is a pain in the rear. I don't know anybody who likes paying income tax.

Most of the hassle, in my experience, comes from trying to make sure you get all your deductions.

Figuring out how much money you made is the easy part. Trying to keep as much as you can is the hard part.

[Kowdawg]

This guy should be institutionalized.

LOL. You may be right. However, I heard him interviewed on 1200 WOIA on May 1st. He sounded like a pretty reasonable guy who was committed to draw attention to, what he percieved to be a great injustice.

He answered the questions of his critics with rational arguments that seemed plausible to me. However, I'm no tax expert.

I am impressed, nevertheless, with a man who will stand for his principles. He's convinced that the IRS is unconstitutional and appears ready to die to bring attention to his cause.

[elbucko]

There's his answer,....

No. That's your answer. The answer that you (and I), no matter how ridiculous the tax code is, are willing to accept. This old coot may be crazy, be he can see that the emperor has no clothes and is willing to say it.

[elbucko]

but it takes a truckdriver to straighten them out.

Oh! Perhaps Arthur Anderson and Co. should straighten out the tax code. Hm?

[DonQ]

You are mistaken.

The "law" does not say that income tax is voluntary. IRS policy says that the assessment of one's income is voluntary.

In this context "voluntary" distinguishes the working up of your own tax return from the sort of tax assessing we see in the Robin Hood movies, where the sheriff's man kicks in the door, goes through all the belongings in the house, calculates the tax liability on his own, and on his way out grabs up the family silverware or a sheep as payment.

Despite the use of the word "voluntary" to describe the self-reporting system, the courts have repeatedly and consistently said that the income tax is not optional.

As for Chapman's purported question, that was answered quite some time ago. Back in 1983, tax dodger and occasional prison inmate Irwin Schiff appeared on network TV and challenged anyone to show him where the Internal Revenue Code "says an individual is required to file a tax return, I will pay them one hundred thousand dollars."

Very promptly, lawyer John Newman, in St. Louis, dashed off a letter to Schiff citing 26 USC sec. 6012 - - which says that "Returns with respect to income taxes ... shall be made by ... every individual having for the taxable year gross income which equals or exceeds the exemption amount .... [exceptions are then listed]" - - and asking for the $100,000 reward. Schiff welched on the deal. Newman sued. Schiff admitted in court that Newman has cited the correct section of the law which met his challenge, but claimed he had rescinded the offer as soon as he was off the air.
See Newman v. Schiff (8th Cir. 1985) 778 F.2d 460.

[MineralMan]

"No. That's your answer. The answer that you (and I), no matter how ridiculous the tax code is, are willing to accept. This old coot may be crazy, be he can see that the emperor has no clothes and is willing to say it."

Whatever. If he wants to starve himself, that's his privilege. I don't care. He even acknowleges USC 26, Section 1 in his silly blog, but then goes on to post the usual "I have no gross income" nonsense.

You don't like the Federal Tax Code. I don't either. Fact is, though, unless we can get our legislators to change it, it remains in force. One guy starving himself won't get it changed. Voting in leglislators committed to changing it will.

The guy's an idiot. I predict that he won't starve to death. Whaddya think?

[MineralMan]

"As for Chapman's purported question, that was answered quite some time ago. Back in 1983, tax dodger and occasional prison inmate Irwin Schiff appeared on network TV and challenged anyone to show him where the Internal Revenue Code "says an individual is required to file a tax return, I will pay them one hundred thousand dollars." "

I went and looked at this Chapman guy's stuff on the web blog. He's a Schiff sycophant, and won't accept any of the government's information. He pointed out, himself, USC 26, Section 1, then whined about not having any "gross income," invoking the nonsense about the legal tender argument.

This whole thing is just another publicity stunt and won't end up with Chapman starving. Check out the link at the top of the thread. He's just another tax wierdo, like Schiff.

These guys tick me off, since I'm forced to pay additional taxes to make up for their evasion. Phooey on them all, I say. The way to change the tax code is to elect legislators who are committed to changing it. All other efforts are worthless.

[elbucko]

The guy's an idiot. I predict that he won't starve to death. Whaddya think?

I agree. Hell probably pop a Twinkie, just before deaths door. I also agree with getting people elected that will reform the tax code for utility to the gov't and fairness to the payer. But the people that do that won't be us. It will take a character, like him to make the change, as did Howard Jarvis in CA.

The rest of us just make remarks on how beautiful are the Emperors New Clothes.

[CobaltBlue]

>>Schiff admitted in court that Newman has cited the correct section of the law which met his challenge, but claimed he had rescinded the offer as soon as he was off the air. <<

LOL!

At $20 a pop, I wonder how much money they make selling videos? How much do you want to bet that they report every cent and pay their taxes? My bet is that they do everything exactly by the book, knowing that the IRS is breathing down their back, but claim that the First Amendment gives them the right to sell the videos (which, for all I know, it does). My further bet is that they make a nice living ripping off the suckers.

[kevkrom]

all he is asking is a response from anyone in authority

It is not the job of the IRS to point out logical fallacies to nutcases. I'm certainly not an IRS fan, but this guy makes real reformers look silly by association.

[CobaltBlue]

>>Perhaps Arthur Anderson and Co. should straighten out the tax code.<<

Too funny. Are you in on the con? Are you part of the gang of rip-off artists? How much money do they make ripping off the suckers with their bogus videos and books? How else do they fleece the rubes?

[MineralMan]

"It will take a character, like him to make the change, as did Howard Jarvis in CA.
"

Then he should run for Congress. There's a platform for his ideas. But, he won't do that, you see. Bottom line is that not enough people care about changing the tax laws to actually change them. Nutcases like this guy don't have a chance.

Jarvis? He got it done. He organized, publicized, and used the system to make the changes. I bought my house six months before Prop. 13 took effect. My property taxes are about $350/year on a house that's worth $235K. I won't sell it ever. It's my house, and I'm going to stay grandfathered in it until I die.

So, why is this guy sitting in robes pretending to starve himself instead of actually doing something?

[CobaltBlue]

Did you notice that he takes donations via Visa and Mastercard? Don't you just feel an uncontrollable urge to send him a few bucks?

[MineralMan]

"Did you notice that he takes donations via Visa and Mastercard? Don't you just feel an uncontrollable urge to send him a few bucks?"

Not unless the donation is deductible. -grin-

[Grando Calrissian]

I am impressed, nevertheless, with a man who will stand for his principles. He's convinced that the IRS is unconstitutional and appears ready to die to bring attention to his cause.

Come to San Francisco. There's a guy who walks around town who believes that the last six U.S. Presidents are part of an alien conspiracy, and is willing to die for his cause.

Come to Santa Cruz. There's a guy who believes that Stephen King had John Lennon assasinated and is willing to die for his cause.

[The Old Hoosier]

LOL! Then again, maybe someone needs to tell him the emperor IS wearing clothes for once.

[IYAS9YAS]

The "voluntary" is that you are allowed to complete the forms yourself and not requiring a government agent to complete them for you.

[IYAS9YAS]

Given the rhetoric of our elected officials lately, I wouldn't doubt that there are truckdrivers out there who are smarter. If not book smart, then common sense smart. Not defending this maroon...but the tax code is nothing more than a boondoggle to take a good chunk of our hard earned money and waste it.

[ICE-FLYER]

Thanks for the info.