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Yakk · 01-22-2007, 09:45 PM

The amendment means that they could do it. Wages are income.

Congressional will, that they want an income tax, is pretty clear.

The Supreme Court, if asked today, can easily cite long precident, congressional will, and "the constitution is not a suicide pact" to change any previous rulings.

In essence, even if you can build an arguement that income tax isn't legal, it doesn't really matter. Income tax, as implemented, exists de facto. The government holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, and they are willing to use it to enforce income tax. There is far more precident in the courts supporting the ability of the government to tax than opposing it.

At best you could get lucky at trial and convince a jury to let you off (juries can do this!) -- but you have to do it twice, once to get rid of the criminal sanctions, once to get rid of the civil penalties. And the civil case isn't a matter of reasonable doubt, but balance of probabilities. They can and will flood you with far more articulate experts than you could ever imagine, and they can and will take you for every penny if you try it.

So yes, the income tax is legal. Nobody with the power to stop it is willing to stop it.

01-22-2007, 09:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	The amendment means that they could do it. Wages are income. Congressional will, that they want an income tax, is pretty clear. The Supreme Court, if asked today, can easily cite long precident, congressional will, and "the constitution is not a suicide pact" to change any previous rulings. In essence, even if you can build an arguement that income tax isn't legal, it doesn't really matter. Income tax, as implemented, exists de facto. The government holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force, and they are willing to use it to enforce income tax. There is far more precident in the courts supporting the ability of the government to tax than opposing it. At best you could get lucky at trial and convince a jury to let you off (juries can do this!) -- but you have to do it twice, once to get rid of the criminal sanctions, once to get rid of the civil penalties. And the civil case isn't a matter of reasonable doubt, but balance of probabilities. They can and will flood you with far more articulate experts than you could ever imagine, and they can and will take you for every penny if you try it. So yes, the income tax is legal. Nobody with the power to stop it is willing to stop it. __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.