You can't take the nation back

We've all been hearing a lot of the "we need to take our nation back" rhetoric lately. I hear it on tv, radio, podcasts, and music. That's a nice idea, but when I ask people just how they plan on doing this, I get the inevitable reply "we need to vote our guy in!". Really? Isn't that what people have been doing every 4 years since this country started? Isn't that what just happened with Obama, and Bush before him, and Clinton before him?

What people fail to realize is that it doesn't matter who is in charge. Politicians are all the same. They are like professional wrestlers. On screen they really go after each other, but behind the scenes they are buddies that go out for drinks and sex with lobbyists. Getting "your guy" in office does nothing.

When I respond with this, people often ask "well, what would you do?". The answer is simple. Stop cooperating. Stop paying them. It's tax time. Don't file. "But you'll go to jail", is the reply I get. Well, odds are I probably won't, and neither will you. You see, millions of people who should file, don't each year. These are regular, middle class people. The only time you hear of someone getting arrested for tax evasion is when it's a big time celebrity with lots of money. It's not worth it for the feds to come after you and me. They don't have enough jail space to go after all the people that don't file. Oh, and don't give me this "it's your civic duty" nonsense, either. Since when is my civic duty to willingly let people steal money from me?

The thing is, I don't want their "services". I don't want the military killing children. I don't want all these stupid laws (40,000 news ones last year alone). I don't support using force to extract money from people. I just want to be left alone. I'm willing to pay for certain things that I use, like schools and roads, but that's on a local level. The federal government does nothing to benefit me, and that's what they are there to do.

So, as you all receive your W2's this year, why don't you all decide to keep your money instead of handing it over. If you are going to get a return, then by all means file. Get your money back, and then adjust your tax forms at work so no federal tax is taken out and don't file next year. Yes, I'm asking you to take a risk, but it's a much lower risk than some of the people took hundreds of years ago to get out from under the thumb of a king.