I am wondering whether the government which is prohibiting us from earning a living will prohibit itself from filching our pockets for money we haven’t been allowed to earn.
It seems only fair.
I am thinking, specifically, about the property taxes I and millions of others are forced to pay on the property we supposedly own – i.e., our homes and land. I am about to get another four figure bill for what I somehow “owe” on the house/land I paid for in full some 15 years ago. I get these bills every six months – the annual sum “owed” broken into two installments to make it a bit less crippling, in the manner of punching a man in the stomach but letting him rest awhile, to recover, before you punch him in the face. 
But how am I – how are any of us – supposed to pay when we have been ordered not to earn?
I was supposed to speak about automated driving technology – taking the con side – at a debate in New York City. I would have earned a sum sufficient to pay what I “owe.” I was not allowed to go pick cotton in the fields, as it were – and now the Massa wants his cotton.
Millions of Americans are going to find themselves in this position very soon.
How now, brown cow – literally.
We are their cows. But a cow runs out of milk if locked in a pen.
It is loathsome enough that we are prevented from ever truly owning our homes and land – since you do not truly own what you are forced to make endless payments on, those payments made to people – “the government” – who are the actual owners of what you are allowed to pretend is your property, since they will evict you from their property, if you fail to pay them.
It is a tax more evil and vicious than the income tax, which can theoretically be avoided by simply not earning income – which would be entirely feasible if you owned property that wasn’t subject to endless taxation and therefore could get by without income.
But the property tax forces us to generate income ongoing – in order to pay the tax – in order to not be evicted from what we childishly imagine to be “our” place. It makes it almost impossible for most of us to ever stop working since what we “owe” typically amounts to thousands of dollars every year, forever.
But now the government is making us not work – taking away our ability to work. Which is going to leave many of us with no means of paying what we “owe.”
This is intolerable. It requires sacrifices.
By them.
The people who are “the government.” The takers and order-barkers and threaten-to-kill-us people who use us – under duress – as field hands, allowed to keep some of what we create provided we obey what they say. This includes the make-workers who are paid by the government which takes from us to provide it. The overseers and liveried attendants on the ol’ plantation.
The bureaucrats and government day-care indoctrinators (i.e., “teachers”) and, of course, the armed government workers who enforce it all.
If we are forbidden to earn then it is only reasonable they be forbidden to take it. What about the children? The schoooooooolls are important! And so is the roof over my head – and my preference to eat. 
I despise the property tax as the moral outrage it is but it rises to something unspeakably evil when it amounts to property confiscation – which is what is going to happen to millions of Americans who would have been able to pay this extortion if they had not been told they must not go to work. That they are subject to a Hut! Hut! Hutting! if they dare to do business.
Shelter in Place – i.e., house arrest. In a house that these same people – “the government” – will take from you for themselves after you fail to pay what they claim you “owe,” which owing never ends.
There will be a payment holiday, perhaps? It is insufficient – because the work being destroyed isn’t going to magically reappear weeks, months – years – from now. The amount “owed” will be floating around, waiting to fly into your mailbox.
The sum “owed” must either be drastically reduced – or vitiated altogether. The people who are the government must sacrifice, also. Or are some animals, as always, more equal than others?
If they are, then there will be blood. It is beyond endurance to be mulcted by people who believe they have the right to take as much of whatever we have as they please – including our homes, if we fail to pay them – and then deny us, at gunpoint, the ability to generate the income necessary to pay them.
They cannot have it both ways. Not, at any rate without acceptance by us of de-Kulakization – look it up, if you’re unfamiliar with the term.
It may come down to defense of our property against these two-legged locusts. Which could be the one good thing that comes out of this slow-rolling train wreck, if the principle is re-established that a man’s home is his castle, once he’s paid for it.
. . .
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Whoa, outstanding…this is the very best anti-property tax article and argument I have ever read.
Well done brother, spreading this one far and wide.
Thanks, AF!
I’m not giving up the fight while I still can. I urge everyone to do the same. They win if we let them. Let’s not.
Self employed residential contractor here in mn. Our state just declared martial law for 2 weeks. Somewhat tame as you can pretty much travel but everything else is closed except hardware, liquor, groceries, gas and medicine. My business was booming now its on a death crawl. No one wants to renovate when they dont even know if they will have a job. Im working still during martial law. Theres threat of fines up to 1000.
Hi Mooeing,
This is is mass theft of money as well as liberty – for what? For the benefit of whom? People have been conditioned to regard saaaaaafety as the highest virtue and signal it as in your face as possible. Now they’re using threats and guns to signal it.
Shaming and ridiculing people who do not “believe” – sound familiar?
In the old Soviet Union, they’d kill you for denying socialism. We’re the Soviet Union now.
The UK downgrades Covid 19.
As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious diseases (HCID) in the UK.”
The 4 nations public health HCID group made an interim recommendation in January 2020 to classify COVID-19 as an HCID. This was based on consideration of the UK HCID criteria about the virus and the disease with information available during the early stages of the outbreak. Now that more is known about COVID-19, the public health bodies in the UK have reviewed the most up to date information about COVID-19 against the UK HCID criteria. They have determined that several features have now changed; in particular, more information is available about mortality rates (low overall), and there is now greater clinical awareness and a specific and sensitive laboratory test, the availability of which continues to increase
Yeah, that’s been in all the headlines … NOT
What we are not being told about the CV “deaths” is the state of the deceased person. Was this person also infected with other health problems like kidney failure, emphysema, cancer, brain tumor, pneumonia, heart problems, etc? To attribute all occurring deaths now to CV is just outright lying to justify the shutdown and destruction of society all over a microbe that can be treated with lots of vitamin C and D and an anti malaria compound. Whoever has unleashed this virus is causing much more damage than a few deaths.
Eric,
Thank you for this forum. I am so angry right now; trying to let things go, as I cannot change anything, but still…beliefs are powerful entities and they haunt me.
Now my city has succumbed to the siren call of tyranny. The mayor just announced a 10 person limit, and a less than 10 person limit with 6-foot separation for a host of gathering places, enforceable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine.
My mayor has just outlawed hair cuts, along with religious gatherings.
My mayor. I do not vote. Yet I must abide by her delusions of grandeur. How will I face my grandchild-18 months old now- in the years ahead when he asks me why, why did you let it happen? Short of violence I don’t see anyway to stop the tidal forces that are now set in place.
War on poverty. War on drugs. 9/11. Housing bubble crash/bailout. Covid-19. Not much of the coffin-lid left to nail down. Hardly anything remains of our “god given, sacred, soldiers-died-so-you-can-enjoy-them” rights.
Am I angry? Incensed. So mad that Nine-teen Eighty Four is happening right before me, long before I ever dreamed possible. Incensed that I feel so powerless to stop it. I know these feelings will pass. The Stoic within will reassert itself eventually, but, until then, anger reigns supreme.
A few thousand deaths from a new illness, and the collapse of our country and thousands of years of Western civilization ensues with nary a whimper.
I know this post will be recorded. I know, with certainty, that these views will be considered terrorism by future sensibilities. There is already rumors of COVID-19 being declared a biological weapon.
Sorry for doom and gloom. I try to maintain a positive outlook. Maybe this episode will cause millions to turn inward for help, reignite family and reinvent fraternal institutions as people realize the utter impotence of government to help us in a real crisis.
Thank you for this space, one of the few “safe spaces” left for lovers of liberty to spout off. For now.
Andrew, I share your sense of exasperation and pessimism. I actually have for some time now. If it’s of any help or solace what gets me through is the knowledge that nothing lasts, and that in the big picture what really matters is your little part of the world. Really. I mean, very few people can really impact the larger world, and those who can probably shouldn’t. But they don’t live in our tiny corner of the world, and their impact on it is really probably less than we think.
That was a stumbling, poor way to express it. What I mean is that your grandchild will grow up knowing the love and instruction of her grandfather, the love of her family, the things you teach by doing. I really believe we let the outer world have far too much sway on us. (My Dad used to call TV the “One Eyed (((propagandist))).)
Ultimately I believe that tiny cadre of Sociopaths in Charge and their mercenaries are largely irrelevant to most of us.
This is truth. Most people ignore them, less than half vote. It is best to just avoid them, think of their enforcers as aggressive venemous snakes (somebody here popped the term public serpents- magnificent!). Be aware and avoid them. If bitten do whatever is necessary to control the damage. Always be educating (ABE?).
Most importantly, in times like these, pull in your horns and don’t scare the hysterical women and the horses (to mangle a metaphor). They will run out of energy and resources if they keep this up, when the siege lifts, pop up and ambush the retreating stragglers (metaphorically, of course).
In much of Latin America, property taxes are minimal, paying for municipal services such as street lights and trash collection. Arrears are not grounds for foreclosure. Property tenure is actually more secure there than in the Land of the Formerly Free.
Going back half a century or more, property taxes were fairly minimal in the US. Then a massive program of pouring money into schools began, driven by public employee unions and federally-mandated services.
Neofeudalism ensued. Now Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society is busted flat. But not before creating a lot of billionaires.
Socialist peoples states with astronomical property taxes may suffer more than others in this induced recession. In some of the NYC suburbs, a modest 50-year-old 3-bedroom 2-bath bungalow in a middle-class town can incur $20,000 or more in annual property tax.
These towns already impose a nasty system called Certificate of Continuing Occupancy, where the building inspector comes in and gigs you for any home improvements made without a permit, or even mandates new improvements (eg chimney liners) for saaaaaaafety.
Now these creative bureaucrats probably will impose a new $300 fee for a Certificate of Covid Compliance, paralleling the radon tests they already do in basements. Municipal employees in space suits will come in and swab potentially contaminated surfaces. Otherwise you won’t even be able to sell your devalued house, on which property tax continues to accrue.
“Now these creative bureaucrats probably will impose a new $300 fee for a Certificate of Covid Compliance, paralleling the radon tests they already do in basements.”
“COVID-19 compliance” is exactly what these dildos have in mind! They’ll probably make it impossible to function in society without a mandatory vaccine. But hey, just think about all the would-be “victims” you’re saving.
Eric,
Also, 12 years ago we all took it up the tailpipe so that the “too big to fail” central banking structure could continue to worsen a problem generated by them.
One would think that they’d be on the avant garde in terms of paying it back by suspending mortgage and credit card payments and even the accrual of interest.
In that way they too betray themselves.
Gotta make sure that the wealthiest people have their wealth protected uber alles.
Look at the stocks,,, 2000 in a day! 4.5 trillion ‘given’ to derivatives so far, billions and billions REPO, hundreds of billions to QE4 in the last week or so, buying corporate bonds and about everything else.
And Americans cheering them on,,, What could go wrong?
The U.S. Dollar going the way of the old German Reishmark. Soon to be used as toilet paper.
It’s gone largely unnoticed that government workers are all still getting paid.
Shyster Schumer recently said that government workers will get paid for at least four months.
I would pay them forever if they DIDNT do their jobs. When they do their jobs, it screws business and daily life more than anything but an incoming missile or a plague.
Hey Swamp,
“When they do their jobs, it screws business and daily life more than anything but an incoming missile or a plague”.
See, you’re really an anarchist at heart.
Cheers,
Jeremy
I am a government employee, a fact I wrestle with daily. My job is to care for mentally ill people, people you would never want to care for. My pay is less than $35k per year. I never ask for raises or agitate for more benefits. My best days are your worst nightmares.
But I agree with you. On balance, government does far more harm than good. Government can’t be good. Only less bad.
I gladly accept your offer of forever pay for not working anymore. If you were serious, I will send you the information and you can deposit my salary in 12 easy monthly payments.
Hi Andrew,
There is a gaslighting technique used to shame Libertarians who object, in principle, to being forced to “help” others via taxation. It is that people who need help would never receive it otherwise, would be left to suffer – etc. In fact, more people would be able to help if they weren’t taxed (which taxation always waxes, such that the average person loses a third or more of what he earns to all this “helping”) because they’d have more money and less of that money would have been wasted on the inanity if government. The help would b direct and efficient, going only to those in actual need – because of the curative power of the giver being able to withdraw the help if he saw it being abused.
People are generally kind and those who have in abundance tend to give – without guns being involved. But when everyone around you is a potential wallet-grabber, you get mean and self-protective because it is necessary.
Finally, and this is a harsh pill, even if the help isn’t forthcoming, it does not entitle the person in need to do violence to others nor impose an obligation enforceable at gunpoint on others to “help.” Life is unfair. But it is wrong – as well as immensely destructive – to turn the misfortune of one person into the misfortune of all via the establishment of the principle that it’s ok to steal from others when you need help.
Oh I totally agree eric.
But we do live in a world of taxation. I have to accept the reality I am presented with, so I do the best I can. We are all forced to use public welfare to some extent; roads, hospitals, schools and other things.
The State is wrong and unfair, but it exists and has always existed, at least in my life time and for the rest of my life, too. Created by the people, allowed to exist by the people, and accepted by the people.
Indeed, Andrew!
But does that mean we ought to placidly accept it? I don’t think so! Being right isn’t a matter of majority rule. And sometimes, it takes a minority of one – or just a few – to effect changes, for the better and the worse.
Never give in.
Also, Any proven loss of income due to government shutting down the economy should be fully refundable on your federal taxes. If they can ‘afford’ to give people $6000 for ‘unearned income’ for having three kiddies then this should be no problem.
Property/School authorities should deduct 2 months from your tax assessment. FICA, Medicare and Medicaid deductions on payroll checks should have a 2 month grace period as well. SS, Disability, Welfare, and other subsidies should have a 20% reduced payment. Federal, State and local payrolls should be reduced the same. School ‘teachers’ and administrators should lose their checks for the time period the schools were closed.
Everyone including government should bear the hurt. but, it will never happen. Maybe people won’t be so damned easy when they try this again.
Your write reminds me of a chance Iowans had to eliminate property taxes a few years ago. They voted to keep them stating ‘the children’. And look at the fantastic education they’re getting. It’s all depressing.
Ticks (Feds), fleas (state)and mites (local) couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the dog’s (taxpayer) condition. Being anemic and on the the way to dying, they will suck away until the hoste dies.
The biggest property tax problem, IMO, is that the school tax portion of the cost is approx. 2/3rds of it, in my state. That is a Gov. controlled school, paying union wages, etc…. It is inherently wrong.
My towns portion, or approx. 1/3rd, is actually quite fair, because the towns people have a voice, and make sure the town is doing things they are supposed to, or not suppose to. The towns people have little to no voice for the other 2/3rds. While they can go to the school board and complain, etc…. they have little resolve with the teachers unions that control the cost of said Gov. school.
There is a big reason why said Gov. schools attack any privately run schools. Because they know that their gig would be up.
Between my late mom being a retired teacher and being involved in the Tea Party early on, I know a little “inside baseball” WRT the education system. The fact of the matter is that local school boards have very little say over what they do, how they do it, etc. At one Tea Party meeting, one of the speakers showed whole BINDERS full of state regulations and edicts that local school systems had to follow. These were thick binders too; we’re talking 3″-4″ worth! If the school board dares to defy these edicts, they get sued and fined in to oblivion, so there’s little pushback on this. Your local school board has its hands tied.
I’m with you on the school tax. Where I live, it’s about 60% of my total tax bill. This is in spite of the fact that I’m not married and have no kids! The real travesty happens to parents who send their kids to private or religious schools. Not only do they have to pay the school tuition; they have to pay the school tax too! I think that if you don’t have any kids in the school, then you shouldn’t have to pay for it. If you’re either childless or send your kids to a private/religious school, then you shouldn’t have to pay the school tax.
If not for the school tax, my city and county taxes would be reasonable. They pay for services I need and use. I don’t like paying for something I don’t use.
To add insult to injury, have you observed how much time schools add \to the morning and afternoon commutes? I say trash the schools at the end of this. This could be a good outcome as people realize the terrible job schools are doing for “the children” and the adults.
We have these scxhool zones here in Melbourne down under. One day I went thru one in the afternoon. Using my car’s measuring devices, I moved 200 meters in 45 minutes. 45 minutes of my time wasted on scared mothers that something would happen to their children if someone went through the zone at 41 km/hr.
Hi To5,
“Moms” are the high priestesses of the Safety Cult as well as its useful idiots. The pretext that the most attenuated “risk” justifies the most extreme measures being the cardinal virtue of both.
Who benefits?
Not the kids – who aren’t made “safer” by being suffocated with control and conditioned passivity.
Not even the “moms” – who have become neurotic termagants, which can’t be any more pleasant for us than it is for them.
Thanks for the info Mark. I was aware it was bad, but not that bad. Does explain why we can never get anything done with the school board. So they are just a worthless facade to make the appearance the gov. schools care.
I have tried to war game some of these issues, if people move out of said crazy tax states like in the NE, what happens? My end game is the homeowner leaves and no one moves in. They default on their loan, then the bank pays the property tax. How long do they pay ($10-20K/year) before they say ‘screw this, we’ll knock the house down, and keep the land as a hedge’. That would lessen their exposure 70-80%. And my theory is, once the first one gets knocked down, many follow. Then the Town/School is screwed, or should I say the people left in the town get screwed first with much higher taxes to make up the difference, then the town/school eventually collapses.
Make sense?
I will ad that I thought this would happen here, when after ’08 my town had 150-200 empty houses. Here we are 12 years later and none were knocked down, and maybe half of them sold for scrap and local builders are re-doing them for sale. The other half are still empty and someone is paying full taxes on them, which now would be more than the depressed house is worth today.
Oh don’t worry. I’m sure our massas will come up with a new program where we can grovel and beg for tax relief. They care. The gunvermin is just here to help. What ever would we do without them in this time of crisis? And rest assured, when we’re allowed to return to our slave duties our betters will be safe and secure stealing our lives through online bill pay and a slew of new helpful apps on our tracking devices.
Heres hoping this rattles the cage enough to break the human farm.
Eric,
You’ve missed the whole point!
Scientific American just published an article that will help you.
“Trust Is The Key to Fighting the Pandemic
“Containing the spread of COVID-19 may require that citizens have faith in both their government and one another”
“Crucially, both social trust and political trust vary greatly among nations and sometimes also within them. In China, for example, close to 80 percent state that they trust their government and about 60 percent believe that “most people can be trusted”—which may partly explain why, despite initial missteps, China could curb the epidemic rather quickly. Worryingly, however, the levels of both social and political trust in the U.S., which were high in the late 1960s, have since fallen substantially. Less than 40 percent of Americans trust one another and even fewer—about 20 percent—trust their government. These figures suggest that, in the absence of immediate trust-building measures by civil society and the government, the U.S. may find the pandemic exceptionally difficult to contain.”
See, you just lack trust in our government. Relax. Let them handle it. Trust us, we’re from Washington!
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/trust-is-the-key-to-fighting-the-pandemic/
Unfortunately Eric, like most parasites, sucking the life out of its host to the resulting death of the host is not a consideration of the Sociopaths In Charge. After all, they are insane. Their extremely exaggerated egos cannot encompass the fact that your life and livelihood are necessary for their survival. Sometimes one must use extreme measures to dispose of parasites.