Posted on 04/15/2002 12:23:00 AM PDT by kattracks
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Tax day is here, and Susan Quinlan hasn't filed her form 1040 yet. She doesn't plan to.
As an anti-war activist, she objects to paying taxes that fund the nation's defense budget.
Most of the 10,000 or so conscientious tax resisters nationwide send letters to the Internal Revenue Service each year explaining that they are withholding their cash and putting the money into an interest-earning fund. Then they donate the interest to what they deem life-affirming, peaceful causes.
"We're upset that our tax money is funding militarism," said Larry Harper, a tax resister from Sebastopol.
"This is not tax evasion," said Bill Ramsey of St. Louis, a spokesman for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. "This is tax refusal and redirection. It's a public act and an act of conscience."
The practice isn't without risk the IRS considers resisters to be tax cheats. Mr. Harper said the IRS took $1,200 from his bank account the first time he resisted in 1982 but has left him alone ever since.
Critics argue that tax resisters could take advantage of charity tax credits, already part of the tax system. They also say resisters are selfish because they benefit from government services funded by citizens who do pay taxes.
"The vast majority of salaried employees file and pay voluntarily," IRS spokesman Anthony Burke said. "Most Americans, I think, are law abiding and honest citizens."
Just days before today's tax-filing deadline, Miss Quinlan and Mr. Harper led a workshop in Berkeley and dispensed brochures, information and support to 15 tax-resister recruits.
The movement started after the Vietnam War and rose again during the Persian Gulf war. Miss Quinlan said interest has been piqued this year by the war in Afghanistan.
"I wondered after September 11 if we'd be deluged with people," Miss Quinlan said. "We weren't initially. But we are seeing more now."
Instead of putting a check in the mail today, Miss Quinlan and some of her fellow Northern California resisters will have a party and make contributions to charities from $10,000 earned as interest on their diverted tax endowment, which they call the People's Life Fund.
Mr. Ramsey and 50 resisters in St. Louis have purchased $10,000 in medical equipment for clinics in Afghanistan. Outside the IRS office in St. Louis today, they will present the equipment to nurses who will take the supplies overseas.
Nearly 29 alternative funds across the country plan to use $100,000 in interest this year to make grants to shelters for battered women, homeless programs and AIDS prevention.
What are these Tax cheats who buy medical equipment going to do if we don't provide them with customers?
THese gorons need to figure out which side they are on.
. . .yes, this is what people did BEFORE they had weapons and could defend themselves. . .
. . .and isn't that wisdom quote the 'Palestinian excuse' for using their children as weapons?
Think it is past time that a state, dominated by Liberals, offers to home and house all of them; maybe Libs could get a few states; they all could live there and choose to 'protect' themselves in any way, they see fit. Start their own Country; have their own 'laws'. . .or just a few rules perhaps. . .
Just know, that when a 'something' happens. . .they WILL be left to their own creativity.
The rest of us, will deal with the world as we know it. . .
Very good point, it bears repeating.
I grant you all of the above, but the stated reason these people are 'protesting' -- defense -- happens to be one of the only federal government programs spelled out in the Constitution.
Hell NO We won't go! Ban the Bomb! Keep the baby Faith!
Remeber lefties, there is no protest so noble as one which occurs from inside a prison. We'll all admire your um..... conviction.
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AK Murkowski, Frank (R) email@murkowski.senate.gov AK Stevens, Ted (R) senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov AL Sessions, Jeff (R) senator@sessions.senate.gov AL Shelby, Richard (R) senator@shelby.senate.gov AR Bumpers, Dale (D) senator@bumpers.senate.gov AR Hutchinson, Tim (R) senator.hutchinson@hutchinson.senate.gov AZ Kyl, Jon (R) info@kyl.senate.gov AZ McCain, John (R) senator_mccain@mccain.senate.gov CA Boxer, Barbara (D) senator@boxer.senate.gov CA Feinstein, Dianne (D) senator@feinstein.senate.gov CO Allard, Wayne (R) http://www.senate.gov/~allard/webform.html CO Allard, Wayne (R) press secretary for Senator Allard CO Campbell, Ben (R) administrator@campbell.senate.gov CT Dodd, Christopher (D) sen_dodd@dodd.senate.gov CT Lieberman, Joseph (D) senator_lieberman@lieberman.senate.gov DE Biden, Joe (D) senator@biden.senate.gov DE Roth, William (R) comments@roth.senate.gov FL Graham, Bob (D) bob_graham@graham.senate.gov FL Mack, Connie (R) connie@mack.senate.gov GA Cleland, Max (D) senator_max_cleland@cleland.senate.gov GA Cleland, Max (D) http://www.senate.gov/~cleland/webform.html GA Coverdell, Paul (R) senator_coverdell@coverdell.senate.gov HI Inouye, Daniel (D) senator@inouye.senate.gov HI Inouye, Daniel (D) http://www.senate.gov/~inouye/webform.html IA Grassley, Chuck (R) chuck_grassley@grassley.senate.gov IA Harkin, Tom (D) tom_harkin@harkin.senate.gov IA Harkin, Tom (D) http://www.senate.gov/~harkin/webform.html ID Craig, Larry (R) larry_craig@craig.senate.gov ID Kempthorne, Dirk (R) dirk_kempthorne@kempthorne.senate.gov IL Durbin, Dick (D) dick@durbin.senate.gov IL Moseley-Braun, Carol (D) senator@moseley-braun.senate.gov IN Coats, Dan (R) administrator@coats.senate.gov IN Lugar, Richard (R) senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov IN Lugar, Richard (R) lugar@iquest.net KS Brownback, Sam (R) sam_brownback@brownback.senate.gov KS Roberts, Pat (R) pat_roberts@roberts.senate.gov KY Ford, Wendell (D) wendell_ford@ford.senate.gov KY McConnell, Mitch (R) senator@mcconnell.senate.gov LA Breaux, John (D) senator@breaux.senate.gov LA Breaux, John (D) http://www.senate.gov/~breaux/webform.html LA Landrieu, Mary (D) senator@landrieu.senate.gov MA Kennedy, Ted (D) senator@kennedy.senate.gov MA Kerry, John (D) john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov MD Mikulski, Barbara (D) senator@mikulski.senate.gov MD Sarbanes, Paul (D) senator@sarbanes.senate.gov ME Collins, Susan (R) senator@collins.senate.gov ME Snowe, Olympia (R) olympia@snowe.senate.gov MI Abraham, Spencer (R) michigan@abraham.senate.gov MI Levin, Carl (D) senator@levin.senate.gov MN Grams, Rod (R) mail_grams@grams.senate.gov MN Wellstone, Paul (D) senator@wellstone.senate.gov MO Ashcroft, John (R) john_ashcroft@ashcroft.senate.gov MO Bond, Christopher (R) kit_bond@bond.senate.gov MS Cochran, Thad (R) senator@cochran.senate.gov MS Lott, Trent (R) senatorlott@lott.senate.gov MT Baucus, Max (D) max@baucus.senate.gov MT Burns, Conrad (R) conrad_burns@burns.senate.gov NC Faircloth, Lauch (R) senator@faircloth.senate.gov NC Helms, Jesse (R) jesse_helms@helms.senate.gov NC Helms, Jesse (R) http://www.senate.gov/~helms/webform.html ND Conrad, Kent (D) senator@conrad.senate.gov ND Dorgan, Byron (D) senator@dorgan.senate.gov NE Hagel, Chuck (R) chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov NE Kerrey, Bob (D) qmail@kerrey-cms.senate.gov NE Kerrey, Bob (D) http://www.senate.gov/~kerrey/webform.html NH Gregg, Judd (R) mailbox@gregg.senate.gov NH Smith, Bob (R) opinion@smith.senate.gov NH Smith, Bob (R) http://www.senate.gov/~smith/webform.html NJ Lautenberg, Frank (D) frank_lautenberg@lautenberg.senate.gov NJ Torricelli, Bob (D) senator_torricelli@torricelli.senate.gov NM Bingaman, Jeff (D) senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov NM Domenici, Pete (R) senator_domenici@domenici.senate.gov NV Bryan, Richard (D) senator@bryan.senate.gov NV Reid, Harry (D) senator_reid@reid.senate.gov NY D'Aamato, Alfonse (R) senator_al@damato.senate.gov NY Moynihan, Daniel P (D) senator@dpm.senate.gov OH DeWine, Michael (R) senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov OH Glenn, John (D) senator_glenn@glenn.senate.gov OK Inhofe, James (R) administrator@inhofe.senate.gov OK Nickles, Don (R) senator@nickles.senate.gov OR Smith, Gordon (R) oregon@gsmith.senate.gov OR Smith, Gordon (R) http://www.senate.gov/~gsmith/webform.html OR Wyden, Ron (D) senator@wyden.senate.gov PA Santorum, Rick (R) senator@santorum.senate.gov PA Specter, Arlen (R) senator_specter@specter.senate.gov RI Chafee, John (R) senator_chafee@chafee.senate.gov RI Reed, Jack (D) jack@reed.senate.gov SC Hollings, Ernest (D) senator@hollings.senate.gov SC Thurmond, Strom (R) senator@thurmond.senate.gov SD Daschle, Thomas (D) tom_daschle@daschle.senate.gov SD Johnson, Tim (D) tim@johnson.senate.gov TN Frist, Bill (R) senator_frist@frist.senate.gov TN Thompson, Fred (R) senator_thompson@thompson.senate.gov TX Gramm, Phil (R) administrator@gramm.senate.gov TX Hutchison, Kay (R) senator@hutchison.senate.gov UT Bennett, Robert (R) senator@bennett.senate.gov UT Hatch, Orrin (R) senator_hatch@hatch.senate.gov VA Robb, Charles (D) senator@robb.senate.gov VA Robb, Charles (D) http://www.senate.gov/~robb/webform.html VA Warner, John (R) senator@warner.senate.gov VT Jeffords, James (R) vermont@jeffords.senate.gov VT Leahy, Patrick (D) senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov WA Gorton, Slade (R) senator_gorton@gorton.senate.gov WA Murray, Patty (D) senator_murray@murray.senate.gov WI Feingold, Russell (D) senator@feingold.senate.gov WI Kohl, Herb (D) senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov WV Byrd, Robert (D) senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov WV Rockefeller, Jay (D) senator@rockefeller.senate.gov WY Enzi, Mike (R) senator@enzi.senate.gov WY Thomas, Craig (R) craig@thomas.senate.gov Special Committee on Aging mailbox@aging.senate.gov Committee on Small Business committee@small-bus.senate.gov Senate Curator's Office curator@sec.senate.gov Senate Historian's Office historian@sec.senate.gov Internet Caucus inetcauc@hr.house.gov
NY Moynihan, Daniel P (D) senator@dpm.senate.gov
What? Is it still 1997? Monica who?
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