The Existential Threat of Donald Trump

calin-m said:

I am talking in general (filing) - electronic for those using such means, paper for others (in this case the MITM concept would translate into "who is opening the envelopes nowadays?"). Maybe if/once the dust settles, and some more convincing data protection and control transpire, from the evolution of this external parties access, filing would be safer than sending into unknown?!? ... I really don't know - what do folks think or plan?

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I usually file early to get it out of the way. This year I will delay to the last minute and likely do a paper filing.

And here we are. The consequences of this are left as an exercise for the reader.

calin-m said:

And here we are. The consequences of this are left as an exercise for the reader.

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That reads like something straight out of "Animal Farm"

- but a bit more verbose.

conky2 said:

So what does 'existential' mean again ?

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Whatever Trump, or whoever he has appointed to think for him today, says it means, of course.

Apparently the IRS is going to be firing "several thousand" employees later this week - just before tax season starts to ramp up. Great timing.
(Do note the source of the article. For those who have complained in the past about news sources...)

Bevdeforges said:

Apparently the IRS is going to be firing "several thousand" employees later this week - just before tax season starts to ramp up. Great timing.

IRS may lay off thousands of workers in the middle of tax season

The IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans, and cuts could come as soon as this week.

www.livenowfox.com

(Do note the source of the article. For those who have complained in the past about news sources...)

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So far,for all the outrage, it hasn't been matched by putting millions of bodies on the streets. Are Americans just too lazy and spoiled? It sure would be a lot easier for 50 million of us just to forget to file our taxes and this criminal istration. I don't think they have the resources to hunt us all down. Unforunately, I already sent my money....may as well file.

Bevdeforges said:

the words of Donald Trump: Only stupid people pay taxes!

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If you read my earlier post ref MMT you could find searching in one of the books written on the topic (like the one I linked earlier), or in material readily available on some universities sites, that the tax money is of no use for the government to function. In other words - if everybody was to pay their taxes in paper fiat - this would get burnt upon receipt at the IRS end. Government controlling its own currency prints at will (of course considering certain criteria for limit), based on what it needs to have done, and what's still in circulation.

Taxes are needed to: (1) control inflation (the "burning" part), (2) creating demand for currency (guess why? for people to acquire such, to pay taxes! - but this is also to help maintain the value of the currency), (3) adjust markets behavior for ups and downs (tax more to prevent overheating, in cases of high growth, and the opposite, for recession, in order to encourage spending), (4) and - IDEALLY - to allow redistribution of wealth by instituting a PROGRESSIVE taxation. The latter fails miserably in the US, and the ultra rich folks know that, thus having no issue with not paying anything, while the government builds infrastructure and offers services for their fortunes to grow and exploit all such almost "for free".

And all being said (but not yet done), I think there is hope (this makes me proud, as Chicagoan!)

Bevdeforges said:

Are you talking about online filing? Because for those filing from overseas, the online options are not nearly as available as for those back in the US of A.

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I'vr hsd no problems with electronic filing. I VPN to a US server.

Lech Walesa (& 38 ex political prisoners) sent a letter to Trump in which he wrote:

"...the atmosphere in the Oval Office at the time of this conversation reminded us of [the kind of discussions] that the SB [Soviet-era Polish secret police] held in interrogation rooms and Communist courts. Prosecutors and judges, on the orders of the Communist political police also explained to us, that they held all the cards and we held none. They demanded for us to stop our activities, arguing that thousands of innocent people are suffering due to us [the activities of the Solidarity opposition in the 70ies and 80ies]. They took away our freedom and citizens' rights, since we didn't agree to work with the authorities and we didn't show them gratitude. We are shocked that [Trump] treated Mr. President Vladimir Zelensky similarly."

Someone wrote in the ing sub (of all places) a fairly detailed response to a concern expressed by someone else, fearful about what's going on. It's been saved as a permanent archive link, which may require to a simple captcha - worth the effort, in my opinion.

At this point in time I am mentally hiding under my bed, curled in a ball with my arms wrapped over my head.

It's a pretty high bed; I could fit under there to do this physically too. Seriously considering it. It's so hard to believe this is really happening, but here we are.

calin-m said:

Someone wrote in the ing sub (of all places) a fairly detailed response to a concern expressed by someone else, fearful about what's going on. It's been saved as a permanent archive link, which may require to a simple captcha - worth the effort, in my opinion.

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Read it. That is an excellent synopsis of what's happening and why it can't just be turned around if the Dems got back into power.

Courtesy of the Lincoln Project. (May have an ad first)