Anti-war tax protests: any observations?

[meldroc]

Here's my dilemma. Right now, I have my tax return sitting in front of me, showing that I owe $262.00 to our esteemed Federal Government. Now I could just sign the forms, put them in an envelope with a check for $262.00, and be done with it.

Or.......

I could sign the forms, write them a check for $261.00, donate one dollar to Amnesty International, and include with the forms and check a polite letter explaining that I am withholding one dollar of tax in protest against the illegal and destructive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in protest against the abhorrent treatment of detainees in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere, in violation of the Geneva Convention. In order to demonstrate that I'm not gaining financially from the withholding of this one dollar, I would explain that I'm donating this dollar to Amnesty International.

I'm not going to pull an Alex Jones or come up with any rationalizations. This is illegal. This is civil disobedience, and I'm inclined to do it.

I have no idea if pulling a stunt like this will get me audited, or whether the IRS will simply decide that one dollar isn't worth pursuing.

I'm not going to ask if anyone else has done this - that is asking people to admit to committing a crime. I'm just asking if anyone has observations about this sort of thing.

[NightWatcher]

1. I owe more than 7K total. 6 to fed and 1 to state

I am royally pissed to see what my dollars are buying me this year.

I really wanna go underground. Next year I get to be creative in my filing.

[DinahMoeHum]

2. Did y'all remember to claim your refund of the Phone Excise Tax?

I did.

:evilgrin:

[soothsayer]

3. did you add up all the charges, or just take the $30? (i took the $30)

sorry to hijack!

[DinahMoeHum]

5. I took the standard $30.

Looking at some of my previous phone bills, calculating the amount would have added up close to the same amount anyway.

(you didn't hijack anything!)

:evilgrin:

[paparush]

4. Watch this Film and You Will Never Want to Pay Taxes Again

Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers
http://www.documentaryfilms.net/index.php/iraq-for-sale-the-war-profiteers/

[NightWatcher]

6. Also watch Aaron Russo's America: Freedom to Fascism

It goes beyond one of those "you dont have to pay taxes" story and will piss you off royally.

[meldroc]

7. I didn't want to bring up that movie.

For all the genuine warnings about fascism in that movie, there's a whole bunch of that "Income taxes are optional" nonsense.

I'm not making excuses, I'm not claiming to be exempt from the law, and I'm not saying I don't owe taxes. I'm engaging in civil disobedience by withholding one dollar of tax, in protest of my tax money being used to wage illegal wars of aggression and commit crimes against humanity.

[NightWatcher]

8. We all wish that we wouldnt have to pay and some dont pay

I remember one thing, the IRS were the ones that got Al Capone. I dont care if it's right or legal but I pay them as a "cost of living in the USA".
Aside from the "i dont wanna pay"- stuff, it's a good movie. The Creature From Jekyll Island is a good book. I also believe that Fort Knox is empty, there is no gold standard and thus no gold. We live on borrowed time on a phony economy.

[ComerPerro]

11. its also paranoid libertarian fantasy nonsense. "Black Helicopters", etc

[Sammy Pepys]

9. An audit can go back more than one year...

That's something to keep in mind. They could use your actions this year as an excuse to look into all of your previous years (I think audits can go abck as far as 7?)

Additionally, the IRS is under pressure to increase audits this year. It's mostly on very high earners, but you could a convenient way of padding their numbers.

I'd just pay what you owe and not invite the scrutiny. If you did get audited, would it have all benn worth it to withold that one dollar?

[meldroc]

10. How likely is an audit?

Just wondering.

Of course, if you're joining in anti-war activism, and posting on certain web sites (such as this one...) I'd say an audit is far more likely.

COINTELPRO lives.

[Sammy Pepys]

12. Audits are still pretty rare overall

But you don't want to invite anything.

And any sort of correspondence you put in with your return will probably not even be read. All the IRS will see is that you paid $1 less than you were supposed to. You'll probably get a letter from them stating you made a mistake and owe them a buck.

[meldroc]

13. Kicking this thread...

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of talking about guns and school shootings.