Monday, May 13, 2013

Information & Revenue Shakedowns

...that's what IRS *should* stand for.  This past week highlights just what a threat to continued freedom this agency is:
At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, according to documents in an audit conducted by the agency’s inspector general.
And yet patriotic Americans were being told the past few years they were 'paranoid' if they attributed sudden unwanted attention from Uncle Sam to their political leanings.  Never mind that shortly after coming into office, the current President made a joke about such potential.

What's worse, this same agency is now charged with collecting even more information from you, under the tender ministrations of Obamacare: 
When Obamacare’s individual mandate takes effect in 2014, all Americans who file income tax returns must complete an additional IRS tax form. The new form will require disclosure of a taxpayer’s personal identifying health information in order to determine compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate.  As confirmed by IRS testimony to the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means, “taxpayers will file their tax returns reporting their health insurance coverage, and/or making a payment”. 

It's time for a tax revolt, people.  Consider the road we've traveled: first, the Founders specifically prohibited an income tax in the Constitution--it took an amendment in 1913 to get it underway!  In the brief century since, the IRS sprouted like a multi-headed hydra, sucking up data and dollars any way it can.  Want to starve the beast called Leviathan?  Cut off his access to money and information.  My modest proposal for an amendment to attack this at the source:

Section 1: The 16th Amendment to the Constitution is hereby repealed.  The Federal Government is prohibited from levying taxation of individual citizens based on income, regardless of its source. 

Section 2: The Federal Government may not require citizens to disclose information regarding their sources of income or their personal spending decisions, unless done under warrant as part of a formal civil or criminal investigation in accordance with all applicable Constitutional protections.

Section 3: The Federal Government may not withhold portions of individual income in anticipation of future financial liability, nor may it disburse money or goods to any citizen, except as payment for employment or contracted goods and services. 

Section 4:  Congress shall have the power to levy a National Sales Tax, the rate of which may not exceed ten percent.  Food, clothing, medical supplies, medicine and the purchase of a primary residence are all exempt from Federal taxation under this provision.


Four short sections, but with far-reaching implications.  Thoughts? 

As for the new healthcare reporting, I'm strongly of a mind to write "none of your Constitutional business" boldly across the form and submit it with my next 1040... which, under my proposal above, would be the last one of those anyway.  Who's with me?

2 comments:

Jim said...

JT - I'm with you! Increasingly I wonder if my government is really seeking to "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility...and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" (U. S. Constitution)

Jim

Jemison Thorsby said...

I think the answer to that is a resounding "nyet" or "nein." There may still be some individuals left with principles, but they are overwhelmed by a system that has rotted from within.

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