How can any rational individual explain that white elephant conundrum in the middle
of our tax system and, indeed, our entire legal system? Here we have a system that
is, by far, too complicated for the brightest of the master scholars to understand.
Yet, it mercilessly “holds accountable” its victims, claiming that they’re responsible for
fully complying with laws not even the experts understand. The law “requires” a
signature on the bottom of a tax filing; yet no one can say truthfully that they
understand what they are signing; if that’s not “duress” than what is. If this is not the
measure of a totalitarian regime, nothing is.
How did I get here?
My introduction to the real American nightmare starts back in the early ‘80s.
Unfortunately after more than 16 years of school, somewhere along the line I picked
up the absurd, pompous notion that I could read and understand plain English.
Some friends introduced me to a group of people who were having ‘tax code’
readings and discussions. In particular, zeroed in on a section relating to the
wonderful “exemptions” that make institutions like the vulgar, corrupt Catholic Church
so incredibly wealthy. We carefully studied the law (with the help of some of the
“best”, high-paid, experienced tax lawyers in the business), and then began to do
exactly what the “big boys” were doing (except that we weren’t steeling from our
congregation or lying to the government about our massive profits in the name of
God). We took a great deal of care to make it all visible, following all of the rules,
exactly the way the law said it was to be done.
The intent of this exercise and our efforts was to bring about a much-needed reevaluation of the laws that allow the monsters of organized religion to make such a
mockery of people who earn an honest living. However, this is where I learned that
there are two “interpretations” for every law; one for the very rich, and one for the
rest of us… Oh, and the monsters are the very ones making and enforcing the laws;
the inquisition is still alive and well today in this country.
That little lesson in patriotism cost me $40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my
retirement plans back to 0. It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country
with an ideology that is based on a total and complete lie. It also made me realize,
not only how naive I had been, but also the incredible stupidity of the American
public; that they buy, hook, line, and sinker, the crap about their “freedom”… and
that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence
and all that keeps happening in front of them.
Before even having to make a shaky recovery from the sting of the first lesson on
what justice really means in this country (around 1984 after making my way through
engineering school and still another five years of “paying my dues”), I felt I finally had
to take a chance of launching my dream of becoming an independent engineer.
On the subjects of engineers and dreams of independence, I should digress
somewhat to say that I’m sure that I inherited the fascination for creative problem
solving from my father. I realized this at a very young age.