He pays in legal tender, the government’s own money. He makes clear what a significant (even ridiculous) amount they’re taking from his home and family. He accurately states that it is not voluntary; the government coerces his payment by threatening to seize his home. He identifies the moral issue: “Our money is our property, and we have a right to it.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPRGblJTPRE[/youtube]
Via The Blaze and of course, YouTube.
While I do get the point he is trying to make; there are a few problems with his approach:
1. He is trying to pay using ONE dollar bills. This isn’t too much to count simply because the tax is too high; it is too much in SMALL bills. The clerk wouldn’t and shouldn’t have the machine to count such a large amount of SMALL bills. Would he expect to be paid the same way – all in ONE dollar bills? Would he have the machine to count his pay each week? Would he be willing to sign off that he received the correct pay from his boss without counting his pay like he expected her to do? Would he expect the tax office to spend money (tax dollars, of course) to have the machine available to count his tax dollars when most people pay by check?
2. He is wrong when he blames her for referring him to the school board. She is a salaried tax collecting professional – she does NOT determine the tax rate; she is right in that the school board does. Don’t like the taxes? Then take it up with the school board and other elected officials. We really do not want tax collectors that can change tax rates, do we?
3. He makes comments about the free market; He really needs to learn that the “free market” allows him to move (or buy a house) in a cheaper tax area. He chose to live where he lives. No one is stopping him from selling his house and moving. THAT’s a part of the free market too.
4. He chooses not to use the tax-payor funded school. That is HIS choice. He knew full well (or should have) that when he choose to home-school his kids he would not be getting a “discount” on the school taxes. I don’t have kids, should I pay anything towards public schools? YES, as a country we have decided to have free public education as it benefits, not just the individual, but benefits society as a whole. A better educated workforce, a better educated voting public makes for a better country. Too bad he seems to not understand that. So much for home schooling – he is failng to supply that part of education to his children.
5. Lastly, donuts? really? My, he is so generous, isn’t he?
Again, I get his point; but the only solution to this is to get involved, go to school board meetings, go to city council meetings, run for office yourself. Democracy isn’t free nor is it easy. Publicity stunts make for a great spot on the evening news (or in the blogsphere); but they don’t always make a change.
P.S. I think the tax collector handle herself very well. She may very well have agreeed with him; but as a salaried professional she cannot “take sides.” I’ve been to a few protests about high taxes (or even once here in NJ a protest against high insurance rates because of government meddling in the free market) many times cops who were on duty have thanked me for doing this stating that they hoped I understand that they cannot voice their opinion because they are public servants.
He’s paying in legal tender. As such, the government has a positive duty to accept it without complaint.
The use of a physically large stack of money (one-dollar bills) illustrates what a large amount is demanded of him. Many, many people would not be able to come up with that amount in any form.
Where does he “blame” her? I don’t see it. At 3:05, I do see this exchange:
That doesn’t sound like “blame” to me. Later and outside, he notes that she referred him to the school board – but again, I don’t see how you arrived at the notion of that being “blame”. Could you perhaps explain?
Moving on:
No, they’re just threatening to seize it from him, if he doesn’t pay the extortion money.
Which speaks, again, to the rawness of the deal he gets. You say it as if it’s right. But it isn’t.
He could have been a dick and ignored any human touches. Do you think he should have?
His point was made. He thinks his taxes are too high. No clerk at any store or government office has the means to process so many one dollar bills. Not many banks would have the means to process so many one dollar bills in a timely fashion. Thank the Lord I was not standing behind him. That is why mail my check in ………… and, vote against those that want to increase my taxes.
Or, he could just go live in a ‘country’ with no taxes. Somalia perhaps.
Or LordOfTheFliesIstan. Where you can maintain you own private army to keep the wolves at bay. No need for roads in LOTFstan. You just do what you want there. Paradise.
Left-wing bluster. “If you criticize Big Government with Wealth Confiscation under Punitive Taxes, that means you support…….anarchy!!!!1!eleventy!!”
So, did this guy ever make a proper re-dress with his elected officials over the taxes? He knows very well that no place like this has the ability to hand count money like that. You really can’t make a logical conclusion on something when you start from an illogical premise.
Love the little girl wearing that pinko / commie “peace” shirt by the way.