The process seems rather intrusive, doesn’t it? They expect you to write them a detailed report about everything you’ve been doing all year so they can then insist that you give them a cut.
Imagine a criminal who didn’t have to rob you. Imagine he had so much might and threat, that all he had to do was maintain the threat of violence over you to make you hand your money over on a regular basis. Some people wouldn’t comply, and a lot might slip through the cracks, but every now and then he’d bring the fist down and make an example of someone to bring the slaves back in line again. The more public the protester and the more viscous the punishment, the better. Now that’s efficient thievery! Who says the government isn’t efficient? Nonsense. It may seem inefficient to the victim but it’s very efficient for those on the receiving end!
I’m going to try to find an article I read that estimates the number of people not even filing taxes is in the millions. If anyone comes across it, post about it in the comments and I’ll update this entry with a link. I wouldn’t necessarily call them tax protesters. I think it’s just surprising to know that many people are doing it and largely getting away with it. It’s just not economically practical to crack down on all those people so the government picks a few now and then and makes examples of them, and it seems to focus on the big fish of course, where the cost of enforcement can best be justified. It seems if you don’t make a lot and you don’t file, they don’t seem to consider you worth the effort, and really, they’re probably right if the number is really in the millions. Of course, how do you survey something like that accurately? Go door-to-door and ask?
Calculating how many people don’t pay is simple: # of adults – # with no income – # of returns filed = # of people not filing
1. Reverend Ryan says:
April 15th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Calculating how many people don’t pay is simple: # of adults – # with no income – # of returns filed = # of people not filing
It’s not that simple since adults can file Single, Married Jointly or Married Separately. Adults can have income but less than the filing requirement (because of exemptions and deductions etc.) and don’t have to file. Adults could have enough withholding to pay their tax liability and not file a return but they have paid.
Here’s a start http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/542.html
Pay in cash, try to be paid in cash. When income is reported by a third party, (employer,) then tax compliance is about 90%. When income is not reported by third party, compliance falls to about 50%.
That guy looks oddly familiar…
I like the Easter Egg in this one as well. FTL rocks!
Excellent strip today!
Yes, lard at 100 degrees and a latex glove would make a viscous punishment. But wouldn’t it be more accurate to say it’s a vicious punishment?
I must protest the use of lard as it is against my religious beliefs, a clear violation of my 1st Amendment rights. KY Jelly would be OK, though.
(This is how the conversation often goes in Washington and Concord, with the debate being on minor details instead of the bigger, much more harmful, picture.)
Good one, Dale!
This can’t end well…