Those three years REALLY suck, because there’s no time off for good behavior (good behavior requires a sentence of longer than a single year- tax avoidance’s is for one year only. The three sentences are simply served consecutively).
2)There are a lot of people who get suckered into the idea that the income tax is illegal and they can avoid it. To the uninitiated, they can make a lot of sense. Wesley Snipes seems to have been ensnared in this, and I think this is why the judge wishes to make his case an example.
The link Dweezil posted is the same one given out in my class. I thought that was hilarious.
People that say the tax system is fucked up generally don’t understand it, I think. There are fucked up parts about it, but as a whole, it works, and that’s a good thing.
I’m pretty sure the appeal will work for Snipes. Especially if he’s willing to pay. It seems the judge just wanted to make a statement, and is being childish. But then again, I don’t know anymore than you do about the specifics involved, so take that at face value.
Making an example of anyone by punishing them more harshly than others who do the same thing is retarded. Just give the punishment that the crime deserves.
I think it’s absolute bullshit that this has happened. Celebritie like trailer skanks Britney & Paris get away with all sorts of crap, and Snipes gets 3 years for THIS?
I tell you what, he may come back bigger and stronger after being inside.
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
dk44 wrote:
He’s actually part of a group that protests paying taxes because they believe that the government has no right to tax them or something. He intentionally withheld payment. [/quote]
Now I do think that 3 yrs was to much, but he would have avoided jail time all together if he could have proven that he really thought Taxes are unconstitutional. But again you have to show that this has been your train of thought for longer than you have not been paying the taxes. You still have to pay them either way but you cant be seen to jail if you can prove that this is your train of thought.
I guess he couldnt, but running to hide in Africa didnt help his case. But again 3 yrs is to much, I dont think Vick even got that much.
[quote]BluePfaltz wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
dk44 wrote:
I understand that some people have to scrape to pay their taxes, but why in the fuck is Blade not paying his? Shouldn’t he have a legal team, or an accountant, or even a fucking personal assistant that keeps track of this shit?
This pisses me off just like the pro ballplayer driving his Jag without tags, WTF are you thinking, hire someone to do the shit that you don’t want to think about.
He’s actually part of a group that protests paying taxes because they believe that the government has no right to tax them or something. He intentionally withheld payment.
It’s true. Ask any competent CPA and they will tell you that taxes are entirely voluntary. There is NO law that says you must pay taxes. Its just that when you don’t, the government pretends there is. So, I guess you can say its mandatory that you voluntarily pay Federal Income Tax.
[/quote]
Totally wrong. The tax code is the law.
[quote]Otep wrote:
I’m pretty sure the appeal will work for Snipes. Especially if he’s willing to pay. It seems the judge just wanted to make a statement, and is being childish. But then again, I don’t know anymore than you do about the specifics involved, so take that at face value.[/quote]
I agree, and I want to hear the lawyer for Snipes’ appeal say this to the next judge:
“Your honor my client is filing an appeal due to the previous judge being a dick. Here is our case…”
Snipes is an idiot. This isn’t about money. he rolled the dice with this harebrained scheme because he wanted to make a subversive political statement about the tax laws and the government stuck the screws in him. This is what the government does. You can win a case against the feds on rule of law but you will never win a case rooted solely in politics. Never. he should have sat his five dollar ass down before the govt decided to make change with it because let’s face it, uou can put a cat in an oven, but that don’t make it a biscuit.
I have to agree with robo1 and Zap. He thumbed his nose at a system in a way that had produced the same result for many before him and you guys are surprised and think it’s harsh?
I mean, guys, he made $38M from 1999 to today and just decided he wouldn’t file for any of those years? He’s lucky he didn’t get the fraud judgment they initially indicted him for, because he knew full well what he was doing.
And because he knew, had every means to pay, and flaunted his harebrained scheme, the court decided to make an example of him. So what?
And the $5M ‘payment’ he brought in an envelope to his sentencing – it’s not like he was volunteering up front. He grandstanded to throw himself at the mercy of the court of public opinion. Day late, dollar short.
[quote]Dweezil wrote:
BluePfaltz wrote:
This has been my most recent source of Information, not the end-all and be-all of my research.
I encourage all who are interested in Taxes to read this book.
The “FairTax” is the idea of a flat tax, which is fine and great and dandy. What you’re talking about, that taxes are “voluntary,” is a bunch of bullshit that’s popular with some people who have failed miserably in attempts to “outwit” the IRS. The FAQ I linked to should explain any issues you find confusing. I believe you will find it an edifying experience, and if you were willing to read a book on the subject I’d imagine a web-based text file wouldn’t be much of a challenge for you.[/quote]
That has been an interesting read, thank you very much.
[quote]dk44 wrote:
I understand that some people have to scrape to pay their taxes, but why in the fuck is Blade not paying his? Shouldn’t he have a legal team, or an accountant, or even a fucking personal assistant that keeps track of this shit?
This pisses me off just like the pro ballplayer driving his Jag without tags, WTF are you thinking, hire someone to do the shit that you don’t want to think about. [/quote]
The people who default the most on expensive cars are pro football players. You think with all those signing bonuses they would pay their freaken car payments! Some Mercedes dealerships want cash upfront now from them for the cars because they had to repo so many of them.
He may have been punished more harshly than some other people, but it’s not like he was punished more harshly than the law allows. The bottom line is that he put himself in this position, no one else. If you’re going to be man enough to take action in protesting the government, then you have to be man enough to face the consequences.
However, he could at any time use the skills he picked up in U.S. Marshalls and run away.
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
dk44 wrote:
I understand that some people have to scrape to pay their taxes, but why in the fuck is Blade not paying his? Shouldn’t he have a legal team, or an accountant, or even a fucking personal assistant that keeps track of this shit?
This pisses me off just like the pro ballplayer driving his Jag without tags, WTF are you thinking, hire someone to do the shit that you don’t want to think about.
He’s actually part of a group that protests paying taxes because they believe that the government has no right to tax them or something. He intentionally withheld payment. [/quote]
well that probably figured heavily into his sentencing along with the amount invovlved. no jail for most citizens first offense is one thing but the amount of
$$$ involved with him was substantial. i’m sure this had an effect upon sentencing.
[quote]Himora22 wrote:
beebuddy wrote:
dk44 wrote:
He’s actually part of a group that protests paying taxes because they believe that the government has no right to tax them or something. He intentionally withheld payment.
Now I do think that 3 yrs was to much, but he would have avoided jail time all together if he could have proven that he really thought Taxes are unconstitutional. But again you have to show that this has been your train of thought for longer than you have not been paying the taxes. You still have to pay them either way but you cant be seen to jail if you can prove that this is your train of thought.
I guess he couldnt, but running to hide in Africa didnt help his case. But again 3 yrs is to much, I dont think Vick even got that much.
[/quote]
Nonsense. Ignorance of the law is not a defense. It’s like saying I wasn’t aware I can’t go 100 mph down the highway, or that I can’t turn right on red at that intersection. It’s simply not a defense.
I agree with Snipes. Taxes are bullshit. I would like to see the judge have to write a paper about why and what guidelines he used to sentence him. Just make the man pay and fine him and move on, there’s other actual criminals that could use the cell…you know…marygeewanna users and other hard cases.
It strikes me that DUI is far more serious crime than fraud.
Three years for this seems a bit over the top to me. You could hardly argue that by not giving him a prison term his influence as a role model would cause people to stop paying their tax.
“Making an example” is great when we are talking about crimes that actually influence other people. Tax fraud is hardly one of those crimes.
[quote]Joe D. wrote:
It strikes me that DUI is far more serious crime than fraud.
Three years for this seems a bit over the top to me. You could hardly argue that by not giving him a prison term his influence as a role model would cause people to stop paying their tax.
“Making an example” is great when we are talking about crimes that actually influence other people. Tax fraud is hardly one of those crimes.[/quote]
Agreed, espcially when he goes ahead and pays the full amount and more. A second offense after this I could see as meaning definite jail time.
This decision will just make more people hate law enforcement.
