Civil Disobedience - Tax Divison

Obamacare and Student Loans; will the two cause massive civil disobedience as far as taxes are concerned?

The IRS has historically relied on voluntary compliance. For many years that has been around 82%. One reason has been the reputation of the auditors and well publicised consequences for not complying.  

In recent years the IRS has cut back on the number of auditors. My snarky take is they were cutting into the bonuses of the senior administrators plus the pain in the ass of actually supervising them.

People who are in default of their student loans lose both their tax refunds and any social security benefits until their loans are current. Many of these debtors have no hope of repaying and cannot clear them through bankruptcy. Add possible penalties for not having health insurance, and the only incentive for filing is fear of the consequences of not filing. Wonder how many are just saying, "Fuck it"?

Small business owners are getting squeezed by the health insurance mandates. The first response is making everyone part time. The risk assessment is staffing and productivity headaches versus going out of business. Say they go rogue, let all their employees claim ten dependents, and not pay into the system the money they withhold for social security and medicaid. They are betting the employee won't file a tax return. What is their risk assessment? Go under right now or face a potential dire outcome somewhere down the road? Another strategy is to bend some rules and make everyone a 1099 independent contractor. Again, the risk assessment. Stay in business now and hope to slip and evade in the future or go out of business now.

My guess is that already suspect 82% will go way down, tax revenues will go way down, and our economic death spiral will get worse. A good picture of our economy.

As always, YMMV.

Rudderless Ship of State

Dick Morris had a disturbing video up on 11/5, talking about how Obama’s lies will start hampering his ability to maneuver. He goes on to talk about past Presidents and how their lies and/or missteps hampered them. A similar article appeared in PJ Media. Worth a listen/read.

http://pjmedia.com/blog/the-wages-of-spin/ 

https://snt146.mail.live.com/default.aspx?id=64855&rru=getmsg%3fmsg%3dE6863D61-463E-11E3-BE02-00237DE41A96     

 

None of this prompts any joy on my part. While I loath him, his cronies, and the Chicago style politics, we are stuck with him. We don’t need another Jimmy Carter sitting in the Rose Garden picking fuzz off his sweater. As a rudderless ship of state wanders, the Rahl Emanuels of the world flourish, pushing their own agendas. I came of age during the Johnson Administration and the chaos of Vietnam and the stateside riots. I don’t want to see that again.

Another view, in PJ Media, of the Middle East and the Lightbringer.

http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/middle-east-is-double-dealt/

Maybe I like this because I’ve always believed we should stay the hell out of their affairs and let them settle their own problems. It is not our job to change the world. Yes, I am an isolationist.

Just finishing reading, “All Hands Down” by Kenneth Sewell, a book about the loss of the USS Scorpion. My biggest conclusion is Walker should be taken to sea and dumped into shark filled waters several minutes after several buckets of chum have been dumped.

Don’t know why a landlubber like me is interested in things Navy. The closest I’ve been was a trip on a troop ship, and operating a 27’ Bridge Erection Boat in the Engineers. Many less enlightened relatives were, or are currently, sailors. We even have a couple of naval infantry in the mix.

Here is a nasty threat looming regarding Obamacare. Have children, don’t have health insurance? Expect a visit from Child Protective Services.

The move is proceeding on schedule. The recently acquired property inspection client I’ve dropped. What they required was too much brain damage for not enough money. Shocking, to those who know me, was a sober reflection of the risks verses my age. Climbing around snow covered structures taking measurements is dangerous, and I don’t heal as fast as in my younger days. Someone will undoubtedly accuse me of using common sense. Alas, I must carry that burden.

Can You Say Midterm Elections?

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/employers-get-extra-year-provide-health-insurance-6C10520868

Call me cynical, I find this to be a purely political move to save the Democrat's asses.