Comments for Open Letter to the LDS Community Regarding the Filing of an Income Tax at http://www.ldsfreemen.com , comment 1 to 3 out of 3 comments http://www.ldsfreemen.com Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:20:27 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.ldsfreemen.com/christopher-h.-hansen/open-letter-to-the-lds-community-regarding-the-filing-of-an-income-tax.html#comment-99 Christopher, Kudo's to a great article. While I agree with both Chris and Joel that one needs to be extremely wary when battling with the "powers that be," your reasoning and logic are sound. I congratulate you for your great efforts. You are a great warrior for freedom. - Steven Montgomery Sat, 10 May 2008 10:55:53 +0100 http://www.ldsfreemen.com/christopher-h.-hansen/open-letter-to-the-lds-community-regarding-the-filing-of-an-income-tax.html#comment-95 Chris is right in the technical aspects of the law. He's also right on principle. I applaud that. Sadly, this will never be reformed by political votes---unless it's to install another type of deceptive tax (usually in addition to the Income Tax). By the way, a flat tax still is an income tax and doesn't get rid of the IRS at all. That said, there is an inherant trap in the government's strange reluctance to amend the tax law and deny the tax protesters the legal basis for non-filing: It would only take the Ways and Means Committee a couple of days to draft a law closing the vague language of the IRS code. Not a single lawmaker has ever attempted to do so, even though they have the votes. The IRS has never proposed any closures of the loopholes. Why not? It is not because these people in power need these loopholes. In fact, they don't use them nor do they join the tax protest movement. The reason the code is never corrected is because the government is [b]keeping a trap open[/b] to keep reeling in unsuspecting constitutional conservatives and putting them in jail. The Powers That Be even instruct judges to allow a few tax protesters to win an occassional case, just to keep the trap open. That's my warning. Don't go there. Besides, the Lord can make up the difference financially, when you pay taxes. By the way, Chris does come from a great patriotic family who has always fought the good fight. Live to fight another day, Chris---there are other fights more profitable and less dangerous than this one. Best wishes, Joel Skousen, World Affairs Brief. - Joel Skousen Wed, 07 May 2008 18:02:03 +0100 http://www.ldsfreemen.com/christopher-h.-hansen/open-letter-to-the-lds-community-regarding-the-filing-of-an-income-tax.html#comment-94 I still think you are in error. I think it is a dangerous path you are leading down. Not that income tax is wrong, but because you have no control over wether the government will someday decide to put you in jail. They hate people in open defiance of their so caled laws. They recently put Wesley Snipes in jail for 3 years he was part of an orgainzation in open defiance of the income tax. I too am in defiance, but I will still pay them. I will work within the political system to get the income tax repealed, but I will not sacrifice my own person sovriengty over a few lousy dollars. I will work to pay as little taxes as possible by exploiting code, etc. But I will not draw the line and risk my freedom for a few measly dollars. Dollars which I won't be able to take with me in heaven. I will also follow the prophets and pay income tax. As Dallin H. Oaks said in a talk, "I have corresponded with several Church members who sought to use something President Benson is quoted as saying as a basis for refusing to file an income-tax return or to pay income taxes. I have tried to persuade these persons that their interpretation cannot be what President Benson intended, because both he and his predecessors in that sacred office, and all of the General Authorities, have faithfully filed their income-tax returns and paid the taxes required by law." If it is good enough for the prophet it is good enough for me. In the meantime, I expect in my lifetime through hard political work to get the tax laws reformed and income tax abolished. That is at least 20 years off now. But it is a goal I will work at. - Chris Wed, 07 May 2008 17:19:48 +0100