5 ms·

I can't tell if this is satire or not.

by koralatov 10y ago

aminok 10y ago
What part of it resembles satire? There's nothing funny about throwing someone in prison.
- aninhumer 10y ago
  Unless it's because they tried to use some resources that the government assigned you exclusive rights to, then it's an integral part of a free society?
- Dylan16807 10y ago
  And there's nothing funny about underfunded critical community services.
  - aminok 10y ago
    Throwing people in prison for not funding something, even if it is critical, is wrong..
    - pdkl95 10y ago
      Failure to pay income tax is not a crime punishable with prison time. If you cannot pay, all the IRS will do is arrange for future payment through civil methods (e.g. garnishing future wages, putting a lien on your house, etc). If your poor, the IRS won't throw you in jail. However, if you have a reasonable source of income, you will be asked to pay your share of the services you're using[2]. Note that tax evasion/fraud[1] is illegal, which may be difficult to distinguish in some cases. [1] not to be confused with tax avoidance [2] services like national security, various types of infrastructure, verification and enforcement of safety regulations (e.g. no melamine in your food). You may not like all of these services - I certainly disagree strongly with some - but citizenship is not à la carte[3]. If you don't like some things your tax money is going to, I encourage you to participate in the political process so your opinions are heard, or even run for office yourself. [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQCH1qyIDo#t=219 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQCH1qyIDo#t=219
      - aminok 10y ago
        Refusal to report your private income (surrender your financial privacy) is punishable by prison. >If your poor, the IRS won't throw you in jail. However, if you have a reasonable source of income, you will be asked to pay your share of the services you're using. This is false. The government does not ask. The government demands and punishes non-compliance with expropriation of private property and or prison.
        pdkl95 10y ago
        > Refusal to report your private income (surrender your financial privacy) is punishable by prison. Of course. You still have to file tax forms, and if you have the money you have to pay it. The situation I'm referring to is how not having the money to pay taxes is only a civil offense. Failure to file or filing fraudulently are, of course, offenses that risk jail time. > This is false. I suspect you're conflating filing the tax paperwork (i.e. 1040 and related forms) with the actual payment. These are separate requirements with different potential punishments for non-compliance. > The government does not ask. Obviously.
        aminok 10y ago
        >Failure to file or filing fraudulently are, of course, offenses that risk jail time. So the income tax is a grotesque violation of Human Rights and should be abolished.
        Dylan16807 10y ago
        I fail to see how it's a violation of human rights to make fraud illegal.
        aminok 10y ago
        It's a human rights violation to demand someone give up their privacy and disclose their income, and then to demand that they hand over a share of the currency they receive in private trade. To even categorise refusal to disclose one's personal income as "fraud" (which is an entirely different behavior) is political language to rationalise this human rights violation.

I can't tell if this is satire or not.

aminok 10y ago

What part of it resembles satire? There's nothing funny about throwing someone in prison.

aninhumer 10y ago
Unless it's because they tried to use some resources that the government assigned you exclusive rights to, then it's an integral part of a free society?
Dylan16807 10y ago
And there's nothing funny about underfunded critical community services.
- aminok 10y ago
  Throwing people in prison for not funding something, even if it is critical, is wrong..
  - pdkl95 10y ago
    Failure to pay income tax is not a crime punishable with prison time. If you cannot pay, all the IRS will do is arrange for future payment through civil methods (e.g. garnishing future wages, putting a lien on your house, etc). If your poor, the IRS won't throw you in jail. However, if you have a reasonable source of income, you will be asked to pay your share of the services you're using[2]. Note that tax evasion/fraud[1] is illegal, which may be difficult to distinguish in some cases. [1] not to be confused with tax avoidance [2] services like national security, various types of infrastructure, verification and enforcement of safety regulations (e.g. no melamine in your food). You may not like all of these services - I certainly disagree strongly with some - but citizenship is not à la carte[3]. If you don't like some things your tax money is going to, I encourage you to participate in the political process so your opinions are heard, or even run for office yourself. [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQCH1qyIDo#t=219 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSQCH1qyIDo#t=219
    - aminok 10y ago
      Refusal to report your private income (surrender your financial privacy) is punishable by prison. >If your poor, the IRS won't throw you in jail. However, if you have a reasonable source of income, you will be asked to pay your share of the services you're using. This is false. The government does not ask. The government demands and punishes non-compliance with expropriation of private property and or prison.
      - pdkl95 10y ago
        > Refusal to report your private income (surrender your financial privacy) is punishable by prison. Of course. You still have to file tax forms, and if you have the money you have to pay it. The situation I'm referring to is how not having the money to pay taxes is only a civil offense. Failure to file or filing fraudulently are, of course, offenses that risk jail time. > This is false. I suspect you're conflating filing the tax paperwork (i.e. 1040 and related forms) with the actual payment. These are separate requirements with different potential punishments for non-compliance. > The government does not ask. Obviously.
        aminok 10y ago
        >Failure to file or filing fraudulently are, of course, offenses that risk jail time. So the income tax is a grotesque violation of Human Rights and should be abolished.
        Dylan16807 10y ago
        I fail to see how it's a violation of human rights to make fraud illegal.
        aminok 10y ago
        It's a human rights violation to demand someone give up their privacy and disclose their income, and then to demand that they hand over a share of the currency they receive in private trade. To even categorise refusal to disclose one's personal income as "fraud" (which is an entirely different behavior) is political language to rationalise this human rights violation.