imagine if you didn't have to pay taxes

[ecojeanne]

I don't know, but I find this hard to believe. Mainly because:

Various individuals and groups have questioned the legitimacy of United States federal income tax. One such group argues that the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution was not approved by the requisite number of States,[32] and therefore never came into effect. The argument that the Sixteenth Amendment was "never ratified" has been rejected by the Internal Revenue Service and by the courts and ruled to be a frivolous argument



Can you post a credible link to this information? I remember reading that a high percentage of income tax spending goes towards Health and Human Services in US.

a credible link no, coz i wouldn't have a clue and thats the truth! but i guess it could be or could not be credible if people spend they pay tax...would that tax cover the use of public services? how would one find that out?

the 16th amendment is discussed in the first and second video. the second video is a step by step understanding of the law and the income tax. i think if interested one would have to investigate independantly to find out.

[starbuck]

I think the U.S. tax rate is comparable with the world average. In some countries, like Belgium and Germany your tax rate is 50% of your wage. I think the difference is that those countries have more social programs? I dunno.

[url]http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_tot_tax_wed_sin_wor-total-tax-wedge-single-worker[/url]

All I know is that right now I'm thankful right now for the unemployment benefits I'm getting from the government. I've paid taxes all my life, and finally am getting the help I badly need from the system I've supported all these years. They're too low to live on of course, but at least I can buy food. I don't know what I'd do without them actually. The visions of moving back in with my parents at age 37 are too unimaginable.

[ecojeanne]

I think the U.S. tax rate is comparable with the world average. In some countries, like Belgium and Germany your tax rate is 50% of your wage. I think the difference is that those countries have more social programs? I dunno.

[url]http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_tot_tax_wed_sin_wor-total-tax-wedge-single-worker[/url]

All I know is that right now I'm thankful right now for the unemployment benefits I'm getting from the government. I've paid taxes all my life, and finally am getting the help I badly need from the system I've supported all these years. They're too low to live on of course, but at least I can buy food. I don't know what I'd do without them actually. The visions of moving back in with my parents at age 37 are too unimaginable.

gosh, did your previous employer not give you a decent redundancy? thats awful! i know what you mean tho, thats why i would still believe in income tax, however there does seem to be confusion as to it actually being a law in the USA and where it goes.

[boobaa]

[ame="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912"]Zeitgeist: Addendum[/ame]

After watching the debt talk, its very ironical to remind that US government owes great deal to Europe after all, so.. debt which is never paid.

And full John Perkins lecture starts here, part I, click on the link to get next parts:

[ame="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3968544393356669182&ei=lhwTSaCXFYa Q2AK8_onKDQ&q=economic+hitman"]John Perkins, Part 1 at the VFP National Convention[/ame]

[DoesntMatter]

What's there to imagine?

Haha nawwww I'm jk

[Gigabitch]

All of this shit is based on a fantastical reality where all humans are upstanding, contributing citizens who pull their own weight.

How many of us do you think actually do that?

[ecojeanne]

boobaa thanks for posting that first video. it actually provoked so many emotions within me. (i have to say tho the beginning and the music was uneccesary for the issues discussed are slightly devalued by doing that) many of the issues i have either thought about deeply or changed for myself (ie i left a corporation to have a sustainable ethical business that helps people) and my dream would be all those things that were mentioned in that film.

that film connected the dots in my mind that i had thought about seperately.

thanks

[IndiReloaded]

All of this shit is based on a fantastical reality where all humans are upstanding, contributing citizens who pull their own weight.

How many of us do you think actually do that?

She lives in a dream world. Wait till you see her other posts.

[ecojeanne]

She lives in a dream world. Wait till you see her other posts.

well it's true, i do have a dream; where people and nature are more important than money and material things, whether it's ever possible; well that remains to be seen.

[Mish]

well it's true, i do have a dream; where people and nature are more important than money and material things, whether it's ever possible; well that remains to be seen.

It's a dream because unfortunately people and nature require money and material things

[ecojeanne]

It's a dream because unfortunately people and nature require money and material things

well for many it is only a fantasy; coz people are conditioned to think that way, i will continue to live in hope.

[IndiReloaded]

Take a look at ppl who are actually shaping the world, tho. By and large they are wealthy, thus able to *afford* to be high-minded. Its hard to worry about your fellow man when you're starving.

Bill Gates, Oprah, Ted Turner, Rockafeller, Whitehead, Bono (just a few off the top of my head)... ya, all poor.

[IndiReloaded]

well for many it is only a fantasy; coz people are conditioned to think that way, i will continue to live in ignorance.

The best thing you can do, Eco, if you truly believe this is to do well for yourself & then help others. I speak from personal experience here.

[ecojeanne]

indi hope isn't ignorance, how very closed minded and preconditioned of you. there is more than the almighty dollar. people need to stop worshipping it and start thinking about other ways. bono is an ass that likes the attention, tho i do like what he says, he puts all his money in a tax haven...ya great guy...he's a hypocrite and a corporation and a corporate tool just like all of them imo that likes the sound of his own voice. they give a little and get the media to show what 'little' they give when in fact percentage wise it's the little people that give more...now how does getting rich help... it just currupts. money is the root of all evil. and it's a piece of paper at the end of the day, it can't feed people. and btw i'm surprised people haven't reacted to the fact that they not only get their 'created money' from a private bank and not the government (which shouldn't be the case) but also pay it tax to cover the interest from the loans it gives congress (a bank shouldn't be loaning the people their own currency with interest..how nuts and so expected of what a private bank would do)...we all know what banks are like....

[Lipp]

All I know is that right now I'm thankful right now for the unemployment benefits I'm getting from the government. I've paid taxes all my life, and finally am getting the help I badly need from the system I've supported all these years. They're too low to live on of course, but at least I can buy food. I don't know what I'd do without them actually. The visions of moving back in with my parents at age 37 are too unimaginable.

Exactly, you'd might hate taxes when you don't benefit from it, but when you're down - be it after losing your job, picking up a horrible disease or having trouble affording to put your kids through school - you're freakin' grateful for it.