Time: Mon Mar 17 05:37:21 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id FAA16695; Mon, 17 Mar 1997 05:22:18 -0700 (MST) Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 05:24:58 -0800 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: L&J: [SacredBull] Letter to the Taxman (fwd) <snip> >>================================================================ >>SacredBull Newsservice mail list: Because Ridicule is a Weapon. >>================================================================ >> >>LETTER TO THE TAXMAN >>FROM A PRODUCTIVE AMERICAN >> >>Dear Mr. Taxman, >> >>It's Sunday, and I have chosen to spend my day of rest compiling >>a contribution to your education. I know that your agency has >>already invested quite a sum of tax money in your training, but >>there are some things they forgot to tell you in those seminars. >>You learned to recognize and harass a certain category of people, >>and how to encourage others to "blow the whistle" on them. But >>they kept the big secret, the fact that we in the underground >>economy are winning. >> >>Once upon a time, I was an employee, and my employer withheld >>taxes from my wages, and paid insurance and many other >>expenses because I worked for him. He passed these costs on >>to our customers in the form of higher prices for our service. I did >>my job, and I was paid well, but I punched out after work and went >>bowling, and didn't worry about the details. When I had worked for >>him for several years, it became clear that the company's outgo >>was exceeding it's income, and we were not competitive in the >>market for our particular service. My employer told me, "I am going >>to close this business in about six months, and lay off all the >>workers. Make the arrangements you think necessary." >> >>Being young and naive, I thought, Okay, I have a marketable skill >>here, I'll start my own business and contact customers directly. >>So I went to all the proper agencies and found that their requirements >>were more than I could meet. Licensing, certification, insurance, >>quarterly reporting, now I can see why my employer is going belly >>up. I asked a couple of them, "Why is this so complicated?" and >>they told me, "We have a duty to protect the public." >> >>From me, who didn't even steal cookies as a child? I was massively >>frustrated for several weeks as I tried to follow the twisting trail of >>requirements and regulations, and got farther and farther from >>my goal. >> >>Fortunately for me, one of our major customers said, "Look, I like >>your work, and I have a project you can do for cash. It won't last >>forever, but it will keep you in groceries while you decide what to >>do." I accepted his offer, completed the project, and he referred >>me to another cash project. One thing led to another, and pretty >>soon other referrals led to as much work as I could handle, and I >>could charge about half the going rate. I enjoyed the respect and >>esteem of the people I worked for, they were pleased with my work, >>and if they considered me "shady" or a criminal, they would not >>have referred me to their friends and relatives. I still love my husband >>and kids, I'm still kind to my dog, I haven't hurt anyone, and yet you >>want to punish me. >> >>It occurred to me once or twice that I could be watching Oprah and >>eating bon-bons while drawing welfare or unemployment checks >>as a "bona fide indigent". While that course of action is encouraged >>by the state, and it may gain the approval of people like you, I could >>not stomach it. I have a strong urge to succeed or fail on my own >>merits, and though I had paid substantial amounts into government >>funds for unemployment, Social Security and the like, I never have, >>and by the grace of God never will, take a single penny of public >>assistance. It is a point of pride with me, and others may make their >>own decision, but it's a crazy thing that someone who chooses not >>to work in favor of sucking up tax money is rewarded, while a person >>who works hard and honestly is prosecuted for doing so without >>paying for the permission of the state. >> >>Mr. Taxman, the economy you live in is artificial, in that some of its >>members are paid what they do not earn, and others earn what they >>are not paid. When you get your car repaired, for example, you are >>charged for many things that are not car repair. Parts of your money >>go to places and people that you have no idea of, and might not like >>if you did. When I get my car repaired by an "under the table" >>mechanic, I pay less, and I am confident that all of the price will >>benefit the guy who fixed my car. He might buy tools with it or pay >>his electric bill, but he has earned it; it won't go into the pockets >>of fat men in suits, and it won't go as foreign aid to Bangladesh or >>buy a $600 toilet seat. >> >>For your information, the underground economy is growing at a fairly >>healthy rate. I know you don't like that, because no one has any >>records of its existence. Tough toenails. It is not as convenient to >>operate in as the official economy, as an under-the-table worker >>must be careful, and only work for those he trusts. In case of >>non-payment by the customer, he/she has no legal recourse, and >>so must arrange his/her affairs to reduce that possibility. We do >>not have fringe benefits, or paid vacations, or a company car. But >>more and more people are participating. Why do you think this could >>be? Is the general public becoming a band of outlaws, or are they >>losing their faith in the government's management of the economy? >>My personal opinion is that the government is failing to perform its >>legitimate function and at the same time pushing their noses into >>everything else, and the governed are withdrawing their consent. >>How ironic; if you kept taxes to a fair and reasonable level, I'd >>probably pay up, because it wouldn't be worth my time and >>effort to avoid them. >> >>You say that I and those like me have cost our country billions >>each year in lost revenue. You presume that paying billions in >>taxes is more desirable than circulating that amount in the private >>sector for goods and services. (I'm sure you are quite knowledgeable >>in your particular field of expertise, but your implied economic theory >>leaves something to be desired.) Where is your supporting evidence? >>Does the government have a better economic track record than the >>free market and private industry? Once again, Mr. Taxman, producers >>of goods and services earn profits from their willing customers, whereas >>the government taxes revenue from it's citizens. Which is more fair, or >>better for society? >> >>Your "loss" is similar to the $100 "loss" to a mugger when I foil his >>plans and get away with my wallet. It's a loss for him, but I keep what >>I earned. If I decide to paint my own house, am I stealing from those >>who paint houses for a living? If I grow vegetables in my garden, does >>the Safeway produce department show a "loss" for that amount? Of >>course not, because they have no prior claim to my earnings. What >>is the difference, then, if I decide to provide for my own retirement >>and unemployment rather than leave it in the hands of the state? >>If you deny this, you must argue the difficult position that the >>government, because it is the government, has a legitimate moral >>claim on whatever portion of my earnings it declares appropriate. >>Might makes right, in other words, and historically, that's a pretty >>shaky foundation on which to build a society. >> >>Even you must admit that most of your efforts are directed at hard >>working, motivated people who merely want to earn a living and >>support their families. They are not drug dealers and professional >>thieves, they don't harm others, they provide necessary goods and >>services to their communities. In fact their major difference from >>their licensed counterparts is that they have decided not to comply >>with administrative, and sometimes unconstitutional, statutes. Your >>position is that good people become bad when they decide to pocket >>the cash instead of running it through their books (or not to keep >>books at all). Unfortunately for you, their customers disagree, and >>willingly take a discount that frees them from having to pay your salary. >> >>Many senior citizens are depending on Social Security for part or >>all of their retirement income, and you dislike the idea that I am no >>longer paying into that fund. But it is clear that the Social Security >>system is nothing more than a giant chain-letter scheme made >>mandatory by the federal government in the complete absence >>of constitutional authority. Legislative fraud - always has been, >>is now, always will be. It is unfortunate that the senior citizens >>went along with it, but that fact does not give you or them a valid >>claim on my earnings. I must say that I'd hate to see them starve >>or freeze, and if I thought they were, I'd personally buy them a bag >>of groceries or a drum of heating oil. But I won't let you confiscate >>what is mine on their behalf. >> >>I would like very much to receive a reply to this letter, and to >>discuss these matters with you further, but unfortunately, I don't >>feel I can trust you with my name and address. I imagine you >>will rush this letter to your high tech crime lab so they can use >>their secret decoder rings on it, and I have accidentally omitted >>the details that would make it traceable. However, I think your >>viewpoint is founded on a mistaken premise, and developed on >>a misconception of government authority. Fortunately, I don't >>need your business; I have many satisfied customers who see >>things differently... >> Sincerely, >> (oops!) >> >>NOTE: Permission to reprint freely granted. >> >> >>================================================================ >>This article orginally appeared in the SacredBull mailing list. >>TO SUBSCRIBE: send mail to: majordomo@nighthawk.reichel.net >>with 'subscribe sacredbull' in the message body, and you are >>OURS. Hahahahahaha. We don't have unsubscribe instructions. >>================================================================ <snip> ======================================================================== Paul Andrew, Mitchell, B.A., M.S. : Counselor at Law, federal witness email: [address in tool bar] : Eudora Pro 3.0.1 on Intel 586 CPU web site: http://www.supremelaw.com : library & law school registration ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this ========================================================================
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