April 15, 2025: Hooray :( ! It's Tax Day

Co-hosts Two and Barbara welcomed Mr. Dub via phone to Voices of Reason and Resistance to talk about the USA tax system.   Discussed its inequities, particularly that higher income people are taxed at a lower rate than lower- and working-class people and pay a smaller percentage of their income in taxes.   As we go through this tax-day ritual, we realize we have very little control over USA tax policy, as well as what our tax money supports.  We work, we pay our taxes by April 15, and we see most of the USA discretionary budget support war, while the entitlements and programs we depend upon are put on the chopping block.  Isn't this taxation without representation?

Modern Monetary Theory states that our taxes do not fund government, that government cannot default on its debts, and that spending on social programs, like universal healthcare, will not bankrupt us.  

There are those who resist paying taxes.  The War Resisters League (https://www.warresisters.org/) assists people to refuse to pay all or the portion of their taxes used to fund war.  While most workers pay their taxes via payroll withholding deductions, Mr. Dub explained that we can file a Voluntary Non Withholding Agreement Form to not pay taxes via paycheck withholding.   Individuals can also choose to earn less than the minimum taxable income, refuse to pay excise taxes on such things as phone landlines, and refuse to buy products that charge an excise tax, such as alcohol and tobacco products.

I apologize that the audio for this show would not upload to the database.  I will keep trying.