Posted on 07/17/2007 6:18:52 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
PROTESTING THE IRAQ WAR BY NOT PAYING FOR IT
The Osgood File.
This is Dave Ross. On the CBS Radio Network.
David Gross of San Francisco was tired of seeing his taxes used to pay for the war in Iraq:
"My Conscience was really eating at me." said David Gross, war protestor.
So he stopped paying his income taxes. Legally.
David Gross is a writer of tech manuals who has been resisting taxes since the 2003 invasion of Iraq:
"I couldn't look myself in the mirror anymore. I couldn't stand the idea that my money was going to pay for this," said Gross.
The trouble was that since he made 100,000 a year, he owed plenty of federal tax.
"So I want into my HR department and I said well you know would it be possible for you to cut my pay significantly if that's what it takes. And they hemmed and hawed for a bit. It was a request that they weren't used to getting," said Gross.
They finally said no, for fear the IRS would come sniffing around.
So he quit, went freelance, and deliberately limits his income to $30,000 a year:
"I work maybe four months out of the year. And that's enough to bring in the 30-thousand and the rest of the time, that's my sabbatical." said Gross.
And it turns out 30,000 puts him just under the tax line:
"Now I don't have all of that to spend. Because in order to get under the tax line I have to put some of it into an IRA and some of it into a 401K, some into a health savings account. So I end up with about half of that that I can live on over the course of a year. But that's still enough for me to live very comfortably in San Francisco," said Gross.
And he doesn't even have to camp in a median. He shares a comfortable apartment with his girlfriend.
All of it legal - almost:
"I don't owe any income tax. There's still the self-employment tax." said Gross.
Which he has decided just not to pay:
"I get some boilerplate letters from the IRS every few months," said Gross.
They make nice fire starters.
And he says any war protestor who is truly serious - will do the same thing:
"Not make war protest a hobby or something they do on weekends or do for marches, but actually live their lives a hundred per cent according to their principles. We'll start seeing some change," said Gross.
The Osgood File. This is Dave Ross. On the CBS Radio Network
The Osgood File. July 13, 2007
What a POS! I wish ALL my tax dollars could be earmarked for our troops and their families.
Well, I would like stop paying for OHSA, EPA, etc. I am tired of seeing my taxes wasted.
the welfare state is really bothering me. I don’t think I can continue to pay taxes while knowing that lazy, unproductive liberals are living off the taxes I pay. I think I’ll quit paying taxes as well....
The IRS will nail your sorry ass. I don't like them, but I will say they are good at getting people - they also seem to enjoy their jobs... a lot.
While in prison, please feel free to discuss your many antiwar views with your cell mates... who are going to rape and beat you until you are no longer a burden on the taxpayers of the USA.
For what? If he doesn't make enough money to pay taxes then he doesn't pay taxes.
Only taxes I pay is Social Security. And yes I am completely legal in doing so.
And before someone pipes up, yes I pay property, sales, and so on taxes.
“All of it legal - almost:
“I don’t owe any income tax. There’s still the self-employment tax.” said Gross.
Which he has decided just not to pay: “
Just where are all the street protests anyway?
Well that’s one way to keep an illegal from undercutting you for a job. LOL
He understands that all the freeloaders who lived on his dime are now starving, right?
Ah missed that part. Yep I still pay that cause I haven’t figured out a way around it. It ain’t much compared to how much I pay in SS, I get to pay both shares yay :(
Let’s see. I don’t like financing, um... pork projects in Massachusetts.
That’s it. I’m a no-pork-projects-in-Massachusetts protestor, dammit! I’m mad as heck and I’m not paying any more taxes, from now on!
“Fine - tell this bucket of moronity that all HIS taxes went to making banners for government-sponsored homo pride parades.”
LOL! Good one. :)
Don’t beat me up too severely, but this is how I live my life, too. I suggest all Freepers take a look at their bottom line and see what they’re paying in taxes, (hidden and not so hidden) and adjust their lives accordingly.
Many years ago, I got fed up with my tax dollars being wasted on various social programs that I strongly disagree with so I, too, did something about it.
I’m not defending this jerk, but there ARE lots of things you can do to get your taxable income down below the radar, so to speak.
Some of the things we do in our household (two paycheck earning adults, one son in college) are:
*Fully fund IRAs and 401Ks. (We pay ourselves FIRST!)
*Not work overtime unless it cannot be helped. (I have a job that’s very busy from March-July where I can easily work 60-70 hour weeks if I want to. Those extra hours of pay gain me nearly NOTHING, in the additional taxes taken out.)
*Itemize your deductions. Get in the habit of keeping EVERY receipt for every dime you spend. You’d be surprised at all that can be written off as expenses. This is especially important if you pay for your own health insurance. (We do.)
*Start a small home-based business. I firmly believe that everyone has some talents they can exploit for cash, LOL! For me? I sell eggs from my laying hens, and do a small farm market when I have time, selling plants, jellies, raspberries, pumpkins, pesto, freshly-cut herbs, etc. (I had no time this year, but I’ll be better organized next; I had NO idea how time-consuming my new job would be during “garden crunch time.”) I also sell used books on Amazon.com for another income stream. My husband started his own computer repair business two years ago; so far, so good! First year was an $18K LOSS (Yippee!) and the next was a $10K surplus, $5K of which was taxable (Boo!) LOL!
*Be generous. You can donate up to $500 in cash, services, goods or your time to your community or church without a single receipt needed (though, keep ‘em as proof!) I donate books & cash to my library, donate goods to Goodwill and St. Vincent DePaul, etc. It does your soul good, plus it’s a tax deduction many overlook.
*Barter. We have a wide range of friends, all with different skills and we help one another out as needed. We know a carpenter/flooring & windows guy, a plumber, an electrician, a heating & A/C guy, a decent mechanic, etc. We all swap “services” between us, avoiding extra expenses and taxable income. Husband provides computer repairs and I provide bakery, garden veggies, fresh eggs...and I’ve done clothing repairs/alterations for some of they guys. (It’s amazing what someone will do for you once they know you can put in a zipper or sew on a button, LOL!)
*Own a home. Property taxes and home improvements upon sale are terrific deductible expenses. Just don’t buy more home than you need or can afford. And keep every receipt for every nail, can of paint and replaced window!
So, thanks for letting me get on my Soap Box again. Avoiding taxes (legally) is one of my favorite subjects and has been a favorite hobby for years. Our lifestyle doesn’t fit everyone’s idea of ‘The American Dream’ but we will be retired in our mid-fifties with cash in the bank. :)
Have I told you lately you’re my hero!!!!!!!????
The War on Poverty is a 40 year quagmire which enslaves the American people. I refuse to support this war with my tax dollars !
The Public Education system is a failed system ruining the lives of our children. I refuse to support this failure and further contribute to the ruination of America !
... and on and on ...
It might actually be nice if we had an electronic issue-by-issue voting system where you could watch your cost as a subscriber to the issue fluctuate as people supported or opposed it. Whoever votes for an issue will receive a tax bill based on the cost of that issue divided up by as many people as subscribed to it. Issues without widespread support would show outrageous tax bills for the subscribers, and people would unsubscribe, causing the per-subscriber cost to go up even more.
I think military funding would be pretty safe with plenty of subscribers. Welfare and other programs would have outrageous costs when divided amongst just those people that would subscribe to them.
Taxes a la carte.
Sure he does, good money says it's his boyfriend dressed in drag.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.