I tend to get a refund on my taxes anyway, so this MIGHT not be an issue, but I wonder if people are talking about a tax strike and what resources there are to support such an action.
I was already tapped out from the failure to provide student loan relief, but now that SO much money is going to perpetuate the war in Gaza, I am out for sure.
But… like… I’m not trying to go to jail. As an individual, it is easy to feel inclined to submit to rules, but I know we can accomplish more in solidarity.
If we can put our heads together, I think we can do something useful in this regard.
My own preference is to create nationally what many states already have at the state level. The idea is to institute a national initiative process, a strong and effective program of direct democracy. California is famous for its initiatives and referendums, but many other states have this as well. As of now, there is nothing at the national level.
A national initiative process would offer the chance to vote directly on new laws that the public greatly wants, but that Congress ignores, as it desires above all else to keep its good standing with powerful lobbies that control much of its activities. The initiative would operate within the Constitution, and while it might not override Congress (without a constitutional amendment), it can certainly get the nation moving and end stagnation and the hopelessness it engenders.
National initiatives could succeed on publicly supported issues such as ending military involvement in undeclared wars, terminating the “no questions asked” funding of foreign military machines, including our tax money that enables genocidal abominations like we are witnessing in Gaza.
But such a direct democratic process could also lead to universal single payer health care, free college for all, a serious national program to transition away from fossil fuels, and much else that polls show the public would support.
On the perennial media question of cost, these are all items we can easily fund provided we end our obsession with defense spending, close tax loopholes and shelters for the 0.01 percent, and other measures.
But you have identified the current top priority, an immediate end to our nation’s enabling the travesty in Gaza.
Greg Summers
gxsummers@yahoo.com
The National Lawyers Guild held a webinar on Tax Resistance against the war on April 4th, https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=National%20Lawyers%20Guild Maybe locate a local chapter.