Ron Paul’s STATEMENT FOR WE THE PEOPLE
PRESS CONFERENCE, 07/17/01My
office has received hundreds of phone calls, faxes,
emails, and
letters supporting Mr. Schulz and
Mr. Croteau. I think they are sincere in
their beliefs, even though I
strongly disagree with their hunger strike. I
believe we can work with the IRS,
the administration, and Congress to get
answers to their questions, and I
know that Congressman Bartlett and I are
willing to assist them in their
efforts. However, it is imperative that
these gentleman end their fast
immediately. No cause is served by their
needless suffering.
The validity of their claims about
the tax laws and the 16th Amendment
is uncertain. Yet I support Mr.
Schulz's right to petition his government,
to have his petition heard and
taken seriously. The IRS should meet with
him, and respond formally to his
questions. His First Amendment petition
should not be dismissed simply
because his viewpoint is not shared by IRS
officials. Indeed, the right to
a formal response is inherent in the
constitutional right to
petition the government. [ed. emphsis added]
The attention generated by Mr.
Schulz and his organization shows that many
Americans are fed up with the tax
system. It's an outrage that most tax
professionals, much less typical
taxpayers, cannot understand the incredibly
complex tax code. It's an outrage
that so many have had their lives
destroyed by the IRS. One thing is
clear: The Founding Fathers never
intended a nation where citizens
pay nearly half of everything they earn to
government. Congress needs to
address the tax mess legislatively, by
drastically simplifying and
drastically reducing taxes. My own legislation
would repeal the 16th Amendment
and put an end to individual income taxes.
Mr. Schulz and thousands of other
Americans have very strong feelings
about our tax system, and it needs
to be fixed. Their voices should not be
ignored. Mr. Schulz and his
supporters can make their voices heard at the
ballot box, by electing candidates
who sincerely believe in changing the tax
system |
