65 Million Americans Should Threaten to Not Pay Taxes

[.99center]

Until democracy is restored
http://time.com/4590994/popular-vote-tax-pledge/

"The approximately 65 million Democrats who voted for Hillary Clinton should pledge that in the future if a Republican wins the presidency with fewer votes than a Democrat for the third time in our era, we won’t pay taxes to the federal government. No taxation without representation!

Twice in the past 16 years, a Republican candidate who finished second in the popular vote has won the presidency. This year, Donald Trump won the electoral vote with about 46% of the popular vote, while Hillary Clinton received about 48%. If the parties stay this evenly divided, another electoral mishap is more likely than not in the next 20 years.

Most Republicans are quite content with this system. Appeals to fairness have not persuaded them of the need to amend the Constitution to establish direct presidential elections, preferably with a runoff if no one wins 50% of the vote. Nor does the real chance that a Democrat could win the presidency with fewer votes than a Republican alarm them. Even the taunt, “Are you afraid of a direct election? Can’t you win a straight-up vote?” doesn’t faze them. Democrats must, therefore, pester Republicans where it hurts: the pocketbook.

Is signing a pledge to not pay taxes legal? Yes, if no overt act of conspiracy is involved, and the pledge itself is hypothetical. No one knows when or if it would be carried out. "

It's unsettling that our tax's will now be used to further the agenda of an alt-right neo-nazi administration.

[Nwgirl503]

1. I won't threaten to not pay

But I promise, I will pay an accountant or tax attorney to find me EVERY. SINGLE. LOOPHOLE. available. I don't care if I spend equal or more than I would have paid in taxes, for a professional to find me loopholes out of them. If it's good enough for our prez, it's good enough for me.

[philosslayer]

7. Wouldn't you normally do that anyway?

Do you now not take deductions you are entitled to?

[Nwgirl503]

14. Yes....and no

Corporate taxes are not as simple as personal taxes. I take the basic, simple deductions allowable for my corporation. People who've only had experience with their personal taxes don't understand how complex tax laws are (people in general, not you specifically). There are so many loopholes to fit through to "avoid" taxes and shuffle money around, it's not even funny. I could set up trusts and foundations and shuffle money around. Trust me.

Instead I have a single S Corp registered in my state. I don't have numerous other entities set up to help me avoid taxes. I guess I've always felt a strange moral obligation to contribute financially to my community and society overall. Apparently I'm not a very smart business person.

If I wanted to, I could play very fast and loose with my deductions and returns and it would all be perfectly legal.

Shoot...I could be incorporated in another state with nothing more than a few hours of my time and save a load of money. The possibilities are really almost endless. It's just never been something I've been interested in. I don't feel the need to take advantage of loopholes just cause they're there.

So watching the debates and the responses from people afterwards about how "smart" Trump was and how he was only doing the prudent thing by avoiding taxes, made me want to scream. Apparently I haven't been as smart as I could be in avoiding participating contributing towards the society I live in and benefit from. Also, it didn't give me any incentive to not find every single loophole available to me from this point forward. His supporters think what he's done is smart? Perfect. I'll be smart too. IDK where anyone thinks money is going to come from if the people who are making it aren't paying on it, but really....I'm almost past the point of fucking caring.

[Nwgirl503]

17. I know nobody responded to this but just in case anyone wanted to see

how someone could manipulate the tax code for their own advantage....here's a good example.

https://www.google.com/amp/jalopnik.com/how-donald-trump-might-have-dodged-3-million-in-taxes-1789908519/amp?client=ms-android-verizon

[Qutzupalotl]

2. And give the Trump admin a reason to lock up political opponents? No thanks.

[world wide wally]

3. I think we should all claim a $1billion loss for 2016

[cpmx2006]

4. Like the orange man says...

Not paying taxes is good business...

[rzemanfl]

5. Most folks are subject to withholding and need their refunds. n/t

[philosslayer]

8. Then most folks are managing their withholding very poorly

You can always change your withholding. If you have too much withheld you are basically giving the government an interest free loan.

[rzemanfl]

9. Too many people use withholding as an interest free saving account.

Not that savings accounts pay anything these days.

The point is the withholding will come out, refund or not, filing or not. Claiming 12 dependents you don't have is, I believe, illegal.

[philosslayer]

10. No its not

Claiming them on your taxes IS illegal. But putting 12 dependents on your withholding isn't illegal. Only problem is that at the end of the year, if you didn't have enough withheld, you're going to get whacked with a big penalty.

[rzemanfl]

13. 27 U.S.C. 7205 - Fraudulent withholding exemption certificate or failure to supply information

(a)Withholding on wages
Any individual required to supply information to his employer under section 3402 who willfully supplies false or fraudulent information, or who willfully fails to supply information thereunder which would require an increase in the tax to be withheld under section 3402, shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

[jmg257]

6. Should we also threaten not to get our refunds? nt

[onenote]

11. You realize of course that republicans would be happy to see tax revenues fall

since it would provide them an excuse to totally get rid of social welfare programs.

And Congress writes the laws and those members are elected by direct popular vote. Saying one is being taxed without representation and that one opposes having their tax dollars spent for things they don't support is something both sides can always claim.

[Taitertots]

12. You're not supposed to hate Trump more than you love the American people

This reeks of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Grey Lemercier]

15. This is madness and will DEFINITELY help re-elect the fucker Trump in 2020

I cannot believe we are considering Sovereign Citizen style shit now.

[roamer65]

16. Dumb article.

If you want to protest there are legal financial ways to do it.

1. If have not already done so, max out your 401K. It is completely legal and defers taxes to a later date. That legally cuts government revenue. You may also need the money later if they cut SS or Medicare.

2. Defer any LARGE TICKET purchases as long as possible. Especially Chinese crap. Make it felt internationally. Basically, if you don't need it, don't buy it. If you can repair it, do it rather than replace it. Think WW2 rationing! A Democrat in 2021 will need the burst of spending anyway.

3. What money you do spend, direct it to companies that support progressive and environmentally friendly policies.