As the war in Iraq grows more unpopular, a new series of tax protests are gaining ground.
Protesting taxes in the US is nothing new – it hails back to Pre-Revolutionary War days and enjoyed a brief resurgence during the war in Vietnam. But until recently, there hasn’t been an organized movement that was considered mainstream. This year, however, it seems that folks are fed up with funding a war that many feel has grown too big, too expensive and too expansive.
At the forefront of the movement is the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. The group estimates that between 8,000 and 10,000 Americans did not pay a full tax bill due to objections over the war. It’s worth noting that this is not allowed under the current tax code and penalties for making what the government considers a “frivolous argument” range from $500 to $5,000. In response, may war protesters support the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund which would allow taxpayers to direct their taxes to nonmilitary purposes.
So, today’s Fix the Tax Code Friday question is:
Should Americans who oppose the war be allowed to withhold tax dollars or redirect those dollars to nonmilitary purposes?
