I refused to file my taxes last year after Trump had already started engaging in excursions from democratic norms. It’s like an abusive spouse demanding alimony during a contentious divorce.
More than $20bn. That’s roughly the cost of our military operation in Iran to date.
Tax day is a month away. If you’re like me, it makes your stomach turn to watch the US practice regime change in the Middle East – again. If you’re like me, the reckless murder of more than 150 little girls in the name of “liberating” Iranian women fills you with rage. The worst part? You and I literally paid for this.
Today, our government dollars at work look like the hellscape that was Tehran, where our military intentionally blew up oil storage facilities whose burning black rain will deliver cancer to generations to come. We are financing chemical warfare, a war crime, banned under the Geneva conventions. All of this, of course, against the backdrop of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where up to 70% of the weapons come from the United States and the revolting and deadly paramilitary operations of our Department of Homeland Defense and ICE.
The American people did not sign up for this. Congress was neither consulted nor did it approve the opening attack on 28 February, contrary to the separation-of-powers bedrock our country was built upon. Most of us are fed up with unjustified conflicts and “forever wars”. In fact, 70% of voters opposed potential action in Iran before the first bombs fell. A majority continue to oppose the war now, and support will keep eroding as gas and food prices rise.
For most folx, this is like shooting yourself in the foot to kill the spider on the floor. Or perhaps it’s more like trying to mop the floor with your shotgun, and then wondering why you shot yourself in the foot.
My point is, your payment of taxes and a US war of aggression are not correlated at all. Not paying your taxes won’t stop bad policy decisions.
The system doesn’t care if you pay your tax bill. It only cares that the money is owed. If you don’t pay this year, the debt collects interest. If you tell a judge that this was a purposeful, planned protest, and you still refuse to pay, then criminal charges can be filed against you.
Meanwhile, the bombs continue to fall.
I’m all about reckless protests and fighting the unwinnable battles in life, btw, so anyone who chooses to do this has my full support. But go in with both eyes wide open and make sure that you have little or nothing to lose.
I’m already homeless and unemployed. How would throwing $900 at the U.S. Treasury solve anything?
So, it’s not that you are protesting the war. It’s that you don’t have the money.
I’m sorry, man. That sucks.
I’m sure you can see, though, that there’s no way I could have known that. I thought we were discussing the article, not your personal situation.
You said it was risky unless I had nothing to lose. I was merely letting you know that I have nothing to lose.