By "The Lone Gunman"
Benjamin Franklin once wrote “…nothing is certain except death and taxes.” But is there actually a law that says with certainty we must be taxed?
This election cycle, taxation has become an increasing focus in Montana. Property, income, and even sales tax proposals are more commonplace in the halls of government with each passing day.
For many Montana residents, however, the pinch they’re feeling is rapidly beginning to feel more like a noose and less of a civic duty. There isn’t much of a difference between taxes and death if you can’t afford to eat at the expense of a revenue-hungry government that keeps sending your kids over to the Middle East for endless, questionable wars.
By now, we shouldn’t be surprised at such encroachments by the state. Average people are hurting financially, and each year, fewer are able to hold onto their homes amid rising costs, tax increases, and the hidden tax of inflation. Recent proposals for tax solutions in Montana only highlight the disconnect between our political ruling class and the people.
For example, earlier this year, Governor Gianforte explicitly told his “property tax task force” that any statewide sales tax was unacceptable and would not be considered. How generous, given the countless other systems Americans are already paying into, with little benefit returned.
Don’t forget to pay your Automobile Registration Fees, Building Permits, Capital Gains Taxes, Commercial Driver Licenses, Cigarette and Alcohol Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Estate Taxes, Federal Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax, Fishing and Hunting Licenses, Fuel Taxes, Gift Taxes, Real Estate Taxes, Social Security, Recreational Vehicle Tax, Toll Roads, Trailer Registration, Utility Taxes, Watercraft Registration, Well permit taxes, Workers' compensation—the list goes on, but the point remains:
Americans aren’t truly free. The majority have become brainwashed to the point of blind obedience, thanks to a public school system at least partially paid for by our property taxes.
This raises more than a few questions: When did taxation become such a burden on average Americans? Where is all the money going? And why does it feel like taxation has become a weapon against the American people?
“The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.” — Mark Twain
According to some sources, over 60 million Americans do not currently file a tax return. It’s a mixed bag of reasons why. Some are simply non-compliant, while others have no annual requirement to file.
For those of us who currently pay income taxes to the IRS, is there actually a law on the books that requires we pay? On July 7th, 2000, We The People Foundation ran a full-page article in USA Today offering to pay $50,000 dollars to anyone who could find such an existing law. The IRS section on “Truth Against Frivolous Arguments” claims the IRS does not recognize those arguments or questions and will exercise the court system against any dissenters.
Simply put, if you don’t pay up, they will hurt you. Does anyone else remember the millions of rounds of ammunition purchased by the IRS in recent years? Who paid for all of that? The truth is Americans are not free; despite what we’re told.
Prior to the creation of the IRS and the 16th amendment, Americans kept all their earnings. Also noteworthy is that the majority of what we are taxed doesn’t go toward paying for services like schools or roads, but rather interest payments on the national debt, which is now over $36 trillion.
TARIFFS OVER TAXES.
So, what should Montana do? One thing we have in common across our great state is a disdain for outsiders. How many Californians own a second home here? The blue-state snowbird migration is real, and it makes little sense why someone who can’t handle the winters here should be allowed to take advantage of things like zero sales tax. What if there was a way to tax economic activity that crosses our state border?
Perhaps our state and local politicians should follow the lead of Donald Trump. In a recent appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Trump spoke positively about the idea of replacing income taxes with tariffs:
“Yeah, sure. Why not? Because we, [really], our country was the richest in the… 1880s and 1890s. A president who was assassinated named McKinley — he was the tariff king. He spoke beautifully of tariffs. And then around in the early 1900s, they switched over, stupidly, to frankly, an income tax. And you know why? Because countries were putting a lot of pressure on America: ‘We don’t want to pay tariffs, please don’t.’ ...believe me, they control our politicians,” Trump said.
He did not specifically elaborate on which countries specifically control our politicians. On a recent episode of “The Tucker Carlson Show,” House Representative Thomas Massie pointed out that most House Republicans in Congress have what he called “an AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) person.”
Tragically, Massie’s wife Rhonda passed away unexpectedly less than a month after the interview. It really makes you wonder: whose side is our government really on? Who do they answer to if not the people? The fact this answer isn’t unanimous only highlights how broken the American system really is.
What does that mean for us?
The mass awakening will continue, and then it’s time for a reset.
It works at the National level… Why not at our State level?
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