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Where’s My Refund?

Cognitive Dissonance's picture




 

Where’s My Refund?

By

Cognitive Dissonance

 

 

Beginning way back when my children grew old enough to work ‘on the books’ and thus earn enough taxable wages to ‘voluntarily’ pay their (Social Security and Federal/State/County-Local income) taxes and ‘voluntarily’ file a Federal Income Tax return (oh sweet puberty) I’ve handled the annual spring rite of documenting their IRS 1040 wage slavery by filing their tax returns for them. This ‘voluntary’ documentation always includes spouses and/or girl-boyfriends….and occasionally even the parents of spouses and/or girl-boyfriends. Please don’t try this at home boys and girls.

Now that the electronic filing option has trickled down from the IRS to nearly all the states and now that the various retail software tax preparation products (such as Tim Geithner’s TurboTax) have worked out most of their bugs and are reasonably reliable, the time I spend discharging my now permanent parental duties is tolerable. Best of all I gain the satisfaction of knowing that it’s all done right…….or at least that I’m the only one screwing up my children in preparation for the return of the (Government) debtors prison. Ah, but the good old days (remember the mid nineteenth Century?) seem to be lurking just around the corner. But I digress.

Several of my children have simple tax returns that encompass traditional W-2’s from established employers who also ‘voluntarily’ withhold my kid’s portion of their ‘voluntarily’ tax offerings. (How kind of them to help.) With little to no investment income, capital gains, real estate or trust income or any other complications, their returns are relatively simple affairs. (Thank you IRS.) One of my kids is married with a child, which means she and her spouse claim the child credit and a slice of the earned income bribe……..err………credit given to low wage earners to entice them back onto the wage slave hamster wheel for one more year. But I digress……again.

My children generally receive tax refunds and I dutifully file as early as possible in order to ensure that they’ll soon have fat wallets stuffed with ‘free money’ that immediately burns a hole in their pockets or purses. Nothing warms a parents cockles quite like getting a text message from their child informing them that s/he just received her/his IRS tax refund, a text sent while shopping for 55” LCD TV’s in Best Buy. (“Thanks Dad, you’re the greatest.”) Unfortunately we begin to lose our children to the PONZI’s consumer frenzy by the time they’re old enough to watch TV, meaning 2 or 3 years of age. BTW I’ve heard real, supposedly intelligent, people [“not my kids” says proud CD] call their tax refund ‘free money’, but I’d rather call it a partial return of our ‘voluntary’ tax donations. But (sadly) I digress once more.

While my small circle of friends and family hardly constitutes a statistically significant sampling of the average American Taxpayer, unless of course I’m the BLS (Bureau of Lies and Statistics) who appear to count the same baker’s dozen-dozen (a baker’s gross just in case you want to know) of wage slaves over and over and over while consistently dropping a few here and there (‘on’ accident I suspect) it seems that I’m observing a frightening trend playing out in real time.

In the interest of high brow economic research I wish to gauge the response of my Zero Hedge readership in order to increase the sample size of my tax refund survey to 25 or 30. That way I can publish an ‘expert’ paper describing the state of the IRS tax refunding efforts and its relationship to the ongoing paper (fiat) chase. I plan to sell it to various economic think tanks and Pulitzer Prize economic fiction writers for several bazillion Bernanke Bucks and retire to a remote island in the Bahamas with Mrs. Cog where they don’t have Internet or phones, but they do have several dozen precious metal dealers and coin shops. But I……umm………never mind.

Simply put, for at least two years running now, and maybe even three (pardon my pun, but an old man and his memory soon part) it seems that those cuddly little wage slaves of mine who are expecting smaller tax refunds (say less than $1,600) get them very quickly, usually within 8-10 calendar days. But the ones who regularly receive refunds above $3,500 have been forced to wait more than 21 days two (three?) years running.

In fact, this year the IRS will make my daughter wait 25 days from the day of the IRS’s acknowledged receipt of her electronic filing. At least that’s the delivery promise the IRS just made on their “Where’s My Refund?” web page. This despite the fact that the IRS claims you should receive your direct deposited e-filed tax refund in 8 to 15 calendar days, with some waiting up to 3 weeks (21 days for the math impaired). Hmmmmm……very interesting.

Now……to be crystal clear this is all supposition on my part. And I’m absolutely certain that if someone asked the IRS spokesperson to comment (not me because I’m already suffering under a life-time red flagged IRS audit alert) s/he would provide a perfectly coherent and reasonable explanation for why the larger refund seems to run late several years running while the smaller refunds are quickly paid. I bet there’s a perfectly innocent explanation for this little quirk and I’m nothing but a silly Chicken Little making a too-big-to-fail mountain out of a wage slave mole hill.

However, considering the humongous budget deficits the US Government is currently running (until of course Baghdad (Bob) Ben Bernanke [of “We’re not printing money” fame] runs out of green electronic ink and fuel for his helicopter) on top of lagging ‘voluntary’ tax collections, I was sort of wondering if the Treasury might actually be pulling a fast one here. After all, if you’re running a bit short this month and only have $1,000 on hand to pay bills amounting to $2,000, I bet you’d gather up the largest pile of small bills you could find that equaled $1,000 and pay them before you paid the one or two larger bills that amounted to the same $1,000.

The rather rational theory for doing so is that you would rather receive one (or two) phone calls from the larger creditors than phone calls from five, six or more smaller creditors. I suspect the IRS/Treasury feels the same way…..particularly when government’s only real purpose now-a-days is to continuously kick the Ponzi can down the road while maintaining the illusion for all the wage slaves that it’s getting (so much) better all the time”.

I find it interesting that my daughter’s refund info suddenly showed up on the ‘Where’s My Refund?’ web site two days after the Treasury sold $35 Billion of Two Year Treasury bonds, one day after they sold $35 Billion of Five Year Treasury bonds and just before they sold $29 Billion in Seven Year Treasury bonds. Those (larger) tax refunds must have been piling up somewhere in a corner stinking up a storm. But of course that’s just a coincidence……….right?

Regardless, I can’t help but smile when I realize that my daughter and son-in-law might just be in on a tiny little slice of that sweet PONZI Treasury action. I only wish I could get in on the fun myself. Where’s My Refund Uncle Sam?

So what say you fellow Hedgers? Have you also noticed a lag in your voluntary tax refund or is all well on Capitol Hill and free money trickles from the gist mill to your too-big-to-fail checking account with no delay? Sound off in the comment section to let me know. And remember, it’s a voluntary tax you pay each and every day and Uncle Sam is very grateful for your donations.

P.S. I can’t wait until the day (coming very soon I’m afraid) when, instead of a cash tax refund, Uncle Sam sends you a custom made-to-order 100 Year U.S. Government Zero Coupon Bond (helpfully denominated in the exact amount of your refund) with a sticky note attached informing you that as a Red Blooded American you should be proud to buy American (Fleecing) Bonds.

Besides “that’s just as good as money Sir, those are I.O.U’s”…..just not negotiable for 100 years because, well, we’re broke at the moment and for the foreseeable future as well.

 

02-23-2012

Cognitive Dissonance

 

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Mon, 02/27/2012 - 05:35 | 2192043 OldPhart
OldPhart's picture

I didn't think, or do much else, that deep.  Both my sons were 'Oops!' babies.

And we've told them so.

Judging from how cheap a bastard I actually am, they probably feel pretty damned relieved not to have coathanger scars in their ears.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 23:20 | 2191669 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

"Makes me wonder if OUR parents had us because they loved each other or we were... a revenue source."

This isn't a new concept my friend. For thousands of years children were (and still are in many second and third world nations, the US included) seen by their parents as cheap labor to work the fields and contribute to the family work load. There was no shame in this and it was widely understood and openly acknowledged.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 12:04 | 2192704 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

I have four children.  As parents we pay the expenses to raise them, but the IRS pays nothing and gets a future revenue source.  Isn't that a sweet deal for the government?  Of course they'll give you a little cash today to have a ton of your little hamster's cash later!  End the income tax entirely, and replace it with nothing.  Shrink government.  That's the problem.  I am so sick of my property being stolen. /sigh

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:34 | 2190908 HungrySeagull
HungrySeagull's picture

+1!!!!!!

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:18 | 2190859 HungrySeagull
HungrySeagull's picture

The moment I turned 18, my folks dragged me into a office and said.

Sign here for your selective service.

And also now you are a tax paying legal adult.

Wait a minute tax paying on 3 damn dollars an hour? HAH.

One little paper to file each year. EZ something or other.

I watch my father labor over his income taxes by hand for weeks at the table.

I pay someone each year to worry about a number. A payment or refund. An hour tops.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:14 | 2190842 adr
adr's picture

I'm sorry I utilze my deductions to "voluntarily" give Mr. Gov only what they are entitled to based on my tax returns. I usualy end up with a refund of less then $200 on $65k. Why give the government a monthly loan so they can give it back to you later.

Oh yeah, because people see tax refunds as gifts to spend. Not money they earned that shouldn't have been taken in the first place.

Baaaaa baaaaaaaa

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 23:56 | 2191759 Prometheus418
Prometheus418's picture

That's because to a signifigant number of people, they are gifts.

Case in point, this year I paid in over $16k in taxes, and got a return of $800- I didn't see it as a gift, I was pissed about it like I am every year.  Most folks I know (I live in a relatively poor area) just can't understand why I could be upset about it, and always pull out the old line "Well, at least you got a return, and didn't have to pay in."

What they fail to see is that most of them pay in less than $6k a year, and more often than not, get 75-1000% "returned" to them.  It's pretty common for me to hear people who make $10-12/hr talking about how they are going to spend their $8k tax "return."  To about half of the population, tax "returns" are a gift- they get more every year back then they paid in in the first place, while myself and others pay for the dubious privledge of ensuring that everyone gets a gigantic TV.  I *did* pay in- all year long, and got 5% back- and to top it off, that money not only paid for their "returns," but also paid for their health insurance while my premiums are too high to afford to have that benefit for myself.

It wouldn't even be so bad, if those people had enough sense to be grateful- but they take it as a right, and never consider who is actually paying their bill.  Only some of us are slaves, and it's never who the stupid rabble think it is.  Hell, after you tally up the free benefits and redistribution via "returns," half the fucking cashiers and janitors in my county do better than I do as an engineer, and they're barely able to make change or scrub toilets efficiently.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:29 | 2192676 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

/rant

It's wealth distribution of course.  I have many "poor" family members who pay zero taxes.  They get back all of their withholdings plus thousands more back for "child credits."  We are "rich" to them, we pay a ton in taxes, do not get it back, and do not get a tax return.  They spend OUR effing money on vacations, cars, etc.  That's my freakin' money they are getting back, and they have the gall to suggest I don't "deserve" the money I make.  Get the fuck out of here!  They are literally STEALING my money and still suggest I'm a "fat cat" that doesn't deserve what I fairly and honestly earned through hard work--while they sit around on welfare, as high school drop outs, with children from many different men.  Seriously, WTF?  America, the liberty and individual responsibility country I love, is about dead.

Woosh, I feel a little better now.

/rantoff

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:15 | 2192396 pazmaker
pazmaker's picture

I feel you Prometheus!!  I know what you mean.   To top this off I know illegals working here under someonelses's ss# paying nothing in federal taxes because of claiming 10 dependents, then file their taxes under their TIN, conveniently issued to them by THE IRS so that illegals can file taxes, and then recieve $6000.00 back on their return.

Only in Amerika!

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:08 | 2192377 snowball777
snowball777's picture

Whereas the people holding the bonds from the corporation selling the TVs have the utmost respect for the slaves that manufacture their products.

 

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:08 | 2190814 max2205
max2205's picture

Never file electronically. 3 weeks on mailed refunds.

Don't contribute 0's & 1's to their database. Ever. Make them key it in.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 22:37 | 2191559 Steve in Greensboro
Steve in Greensboro's picture

@max2205: bingo! Never, ever file electronically. Make the parasites key it in, every last digit. It doesn't cost you anything, and it costs the enemy-government to key it in. Everyone should arrange their affairs to make it as costly as possible for the enemy-government while staying within the law.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:18 | 2190849 I Got Worms
I Got Worms's picture

Ha! I KNEW ZH would catch on to this bullshit. E-filed on Turbotax (like Timmah) 3 weeks ago, and have been monitoring their "glitch" that prevented them from processing my refund since then. It honestly occurred to me that I might be on some list for posting on ZH and other like-minded websites, causing a hold. :-)  So I check it today, and all of a suddent it is all good to go. Refund will be deposited on March 6th, immediately after which I will stroll over to the coin store and see what they will trade me for it.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 23:17 | 2191666 Oleander
Oleander's picture

HA! I was also getting paranoid and waiting for a letter informing me I had made a mistake with TurboTax.  I too had been waiting 3 weeks when `suddenly the email arrived today telling me all was well.  There is still a list - I am sure.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 23:47 | 2191707 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

"There is still a list - I am sure."

There is always a list.......somewhere. The key isn't to avoid getting on a list, but to get on the 'right' list.

Early pickup for FEMA camp list....bad. Bucket list that includes wild sex with strange women....good. :>)

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:30 | 2192690 MachoMan
MachoMan's picture

Yep.  I got on that list by being conservative on my deductions and when they reviewed a transaction last year, they actually reviewed my return as a whole and then sent me additional money back...  thanks!

It also helps to be a paid preparer that routinely deals with the IRS...  if they know you know what's up, then they're not going to fuck with you.  (as much).

The other way to get on the good list is to send everything certified mail return receipt requested...  and when there is ever a dispute with anything, send them copies of everything you sent to them the last time and include a cover letter stating something to the effect of, "I realize you have large document retention obligations and it is incredibly difficult to juggle them, here are the documents you lost."  (obviously be more diplomatic).

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:54 | 2192540 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

I guess it depends on your definition of strange.  My wife is strange in the crazy sense, and we do occasionally have sex.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:07 | 2192595 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Sounds like Mrs. Cog.

Oh, hello dear. No, nothing much. What are you doing? :>)

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:57 | 2190921 DosZap
DosZap's picture

max2205

A new wrinkle this year, refunds ARE going to be delayed.

And, if you have a Tax Preparer do your returns, YOU do not get to FILE it, they by LAW must e file it for you.

Long from, short form, matters not.

If you owe,which I imagine most here do, in addition to what if any you have allowed them to BORROW from you(shame ,shame),throughout the year you still get to wait till the last minute to send your check.

But your return is gone the day it's finished, well ahead of your refund or payment.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:27 | 2190887 I Got Worms
I Got Worms's picture

And my refund is for $2010, perfectly in line with the point of your essay - I usually don't let the gubmint keep that much, but my son was born in November, and got extra dough for the rugrat.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:52 | 2192537 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

You meant to say, "I got more of my own money back," right?  Or do you make so little that you're taking other people's taxes to pay none yourself AND still get money back?

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:02 | 2190792 jo6pac
jo6pac's picture

P.S. I can’t wait until the day (coming very soon I’m afraid) when, instead of a cash tax refund, Uncle Sam sends you a custom made-to-order 100 Year U.S. Government Zero Coupon Bond (helpfully denominated in the exact amount of your refund) with a sticky note attached informing you that as a Red Blooded American you should be proud to buy American (Fleecing) Bonds.

 

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO True:) SOON THEN we the little people THINK.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 17:59 | 2190780 Uncle Remus
Uncle Remus's picture

Parents shouldn't let their children loan the government money interest free.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 20:52 | 2191251 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

While I get your point, all my children are of age and thus emancipated. So there is no 'letting' my children do or not do anything. At this point all I can do is try to help them navigate life and offer a ready shoulder (and occasionally a check) when they come crying with bloodied knees and elbows.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 13:02 | 2193082 chumbawamba
chumbawamba's picture

CD, it's interesting that you use the word "emancipated" to describe your children.  As 14th amendment citizen subjects, they are indeed "emancipated", just like the slaves for which the 14th Amendment was ostensibly written.

Anyone who calls themself a "United States Citizen" has the status of an emancipated slave.  It means you have the same privileges that the government granted to the slaves once slavery was abolished here.

If your master is the corporate government of the "United States", then you have the "rights" (better known as privileges) that they grant you.  And know that what they grant they can take away.

If your master is God, then you have the inalienable rights that He gave you.  Now, I'm not getting all religious here.  Old Chumba did, in fact, "find" God (actually, He was there all along, I just refused to notice), but it doesn't mean I'm going to get all Bible-thumping on you (least of which is because technically I'm Muslim).  What you all must understand is that the Law emanates from the Bible, and you are only truly free, with God-given rights, once you accept that fact.  As long as you don't, you will be the emancipated slave of the corporate United States federal government.

Read the book (both of them, The Federal Zone and the Bible).

I am Chumbawamba.

Sun, 02/26/2012 - 11:28 | 2197637 Uncle Remus
Uncle Remus's picture

because technically I'm Muslim

Now THAT is interesting.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 20:59 | 2194653 Conrad Murray
Conrad Murray's picture

Allahu Akbar

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 23:42 | 2191731 Comay Mierda
Comay Mierda's picture

Let this be a lesson to them. this year the refunds are just delayed. Wait til next year. they'll be lucky to get anything back. I suggest dont let the govt withhold anything and just put what you normally withhold in a safe place

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 04:52 | 2192038 OldPhart
OldPhart's picture

Any of them live in California?  Over the past couple of years getting a refund is like rolling dice.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 17:52 | 2190755 navy62802
navy62802's picture

Well, if you did your taxes at Mo' Money, your refund is probably sitting in a Nigerian bank account somewhere.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/mo-money-taxes-ceo-speaks

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 00:37 | 2191817 williambanzai7
williambanzai7's picture

BAGDAD BEN MESSAGE

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 03:22 | 2191972 Problem Is
Problem Is's picture

Hey!


That's the guy that told me: "Gold is not money."

With a straight face. He had a fucking straight face...

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 22:31 | 2191537 knukles
knukles's picture

See, see, see, toldja, toldja, toldja.  He's not American, banks in Nigeria. 

BTW, I'd sure as hell like to see just how this is all gonna be fixed by those dwads running for president.  You know, focusing on the real shit... like are we broke, how's the Leviathian performing today, the big picture stuff.
Like who's gonna get the fuckng Gold fromthe PIIGS.
Big Picture.

Oh and Cog, for the sta-testical integrity of your sample set (so that it is not diminished as irrelevant, inaccurate or incomplete with respect to sociologocal depth, breadth and diversity) I'm not getting a fucking refund so I haven't filed yet.

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 18:33 | 2190905 Montgomery Burns
Montgomery Burns's picture

That's hilariously stereotypical. +1

Thu, 02/23/2012 - 17:51 | 2190754 Sutton
Sutton's picture

"I will raise rates until gasoline is below 2 dollars again, giving Americans a direct boost to their wallets, even though Lloyd and Jamie will be crushed in the process.  Yeah right, bitchez.'

B.S. Bernanke

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 01:12 | 2191864 Pool Shark
Pool Shark's picture

 

 

Sorry CD; can't help ya; I haven't gotten a tax refund in over 20 years.

I always want to owe the absolute maximum I can at the end of the year without interest & penalties. In fact, I tell my accountant every year that if her quarterly estimate 'estimates' are off, and I get a refund; she's fired.

Why give the feds (or state for that matter) an interest free loan?

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 04:48 | 2192037 OldPhart
OldPhart's picture

I'm with Pool Shark, and I'm the Corporate Controller.  I have publically told all my employees to minimize, as close as possible, any expected refunds.  Calculate out what they had to actually pay the prior year and then base withholdings on that number plus 1%.

As an added incentive, I ask the entire company to try to bring personal withholdings to as close to zero as possible, by claiming 1,000 dependents on State and Federal W-4's, during the months of October and January.  These two months are normally critical periods where revenues are monitored for budget building.

A prior comment on another Zero Hedge post looked for support on tweeting "Greek Defaults" at 10:03 ET on 02/24/12 (this morning).  That 'attack' would be on the algos that are running the market. 

If you REALLY want to totally screw with State and Federal spending then try to get as many people as possible to minimize taxes withheld during the months of October and January.  Most are going to get refunds regardless, those making a bit more won't even notice the difference.

The best part is that it's totally legal, moral and legitimate as long as you claim the same exemptions and dependents with your State.  (And my particular vermin State is California, so I love to deny them any extra money!)

Fuck the Fed.  Fuck the Banks.  Fuck the IRS.  Fuck the government.  (That's a fourfer!)

And there's not a damned thing they can do about it.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:46 | 2192506 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

I've always claimed differently from federal to state to make both end up at zero.  If I claim the same high number on my federal as I did on my state, I would always end up owing a ton to the state.  Is it really "illegal" to claim differently? I'd have to check, but I believe I claim 12 for federal and 8 for state.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:02 | 2192358 Melin
Melin's picture

I try and owe them a tad bit each year as well.  What do you mean when you say it's legal to claim 1,000 dependents?

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:59 | 2192807 OldPhart
OldPhart's picture

oops

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:58 | 2192806 OldPhart
OldPhart's picture

You can claim as many dependents as you wish.  Thing is, you won't be going negative on withholdings.  Also, match those dependents on your state return so you don't have conflicting information.

For one month periods, you can minimize the pre-theft.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:48 | 2192514 Silver Dreamer
Silver Dreamer's picture

You can claim any number you want.  I've been claiming 12 for federal for years.  As long as they get the tax owed, it isn't like they are taking less.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 10:39 | 2192454 chumbawamba
chumbawamba's picture

I find it strangely fascinating that people would voluntarily hand over the representative icons of their labor to an organization whose enabling legislation makes them an agency of the revenue department of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Unless you are an employee of the federal government corporation or receive income from a source inside the federal government corporation zone then there's literally no reason why you should be filing either federal or state income taxes and giving them money that you don't owe them.

The IRS is a collection agency for the Federal Reserve.  What are they collecting?  Your share of the national debt.  How did you incur a share?  Basically, by using Federal Reserve Notes.  Your share is then calculated by the number of FRNs that passed through your hands in any given year.

People, people, please.  Stop paying.  Stop feeding your money into the mouth of Satan.

If you insist on paying, then why not also write a check to credit card companies that you don't even have a debt with?  Send Visa a thousand bucks.  Doesn't matter if you don't owe them, right?  You do the same with the IRS, why not Visa?  Sure, you say, but Visa can't make you file a return to them.  True, and niether can the IRS, unless you fall into one of their many traps.

If you want to finally figure out how the scam works, read this:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/11847293/the-federal-zone-cracking-the-code-of...

It's been around since the early 1990s and yet somehow it has been missed by most people.

I am Chumbawamba.

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 11:07 | 2192601 RockyRacoon
RockyRacoon's picture

I'm knee-deep in that article, Chumba.   I haven't got to the part where he goes to jail for 3 life terms yet.  It's interesting reading nonetheless.

 

Fri, 02/24/2012 - 12:54 | 2193038 chumbawamba
chumbawamba's picture

That's the thing.  Unlike other anti-tax warriors, Paul Andrew Mitchell (the author), never went to jail or anything like that.  In fact, he went on to challenge government in many different ways, issuing press releases of his efforts and successes along the way.  In fact, the Supreme Court adopted his term, "The Federal Zone", in one of its rulings.

From what I understand, Paul moved to Washington State in the late 1990s and has been there ever since.  I still see writings from him that he puts out occasionally.  I have no proof yet, but I am pretty sure he's the "Augustus Blackstone" who wrote the Errant Sovereign's Handbook:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28060106/Errant-Sovereign-Handbook

Read the book.  There is nothing to "decide" or "make up your own mind" about.  He presents the facts, the law, and the background to understand them.

Most people in America are not subject to income taxation.  Fear and ignorance rule the day.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. - Hosea 4:6

I am Chumbawamba.

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