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JUNE 29TH CONFERENCE: WHAT SHALL WE DO? The Executive and Legislative branches have reversed themselves and now refuse to participate in the June 29th conference on the income tax at the National Press Club in Washington DC. What shall we do? On June 2, 2000, Jason Furman himself answered the phone when I called him at the White House. After learning that it was I who was calling, and after some pleasantries, Mr. Furman said, "The legality of the income tax is not a high priority item at the White House. Therefore, we have decided not to participate in any conference on the subject." Remarkable, but true. This was a complete reversal from his position on April 13, 2000. Here is the recent background for the benefit of those who have not been following this story. On April 13, 2000, Joe Banister (former IRS special agent) and I, and our videographer, met with Jason Furman in the White House while a delegation of citizens representing all 50 states waited outside. Joe and I delivered a Remonstrance to Mr. Furman for President Clinton regarding the unconstitutionality of the income tax and the illegality of the operations of the IRS, along with an invitation to have the administration's most knowledgeable people on the subject participate in a June conference to explore the subject of the legality of the income tax. A comprehensive letter was used to transmit the Remonstrance to the President. Click here to read the a copy of the April 13th letter to the President. The meeting with Jason Furman was recorded on our videotape. Click here to order a copy of the videotape. On April 27th, I sent a letter to Mr. Furman respectfully requesting that he let me know by the end of May, the names of the people who would be representing the Clinton administration at the June 29th conference and what their principal arguments would be in opposition to the propositions that were to be the focus of the conference: 1) that in 1913, Secretary of State Philander Knox committed fraud when he declared that the income tax amendment (16th) had been properly ratified; 2) that only foreigners working in the U.S. or U.S. citizens working overseas are required to file and pay federal income taxes; and 3) that when one does sign a tax return, he voluntarily waives his 5th amendment right not to be a witness against himself. Click here to read the a copy of the April 27th letter to Mr. Furman. On May 19th, I telephoned Mr. Furman to make sure that we were on track, but I was only able to leave a request for a return call on Mr. Furman's voice mail. He did not call back. On June 2nd I telephoned again. This time Mr. Furman answered his own phone. After Mr. Furman told me that the legality of the income tax was not a priority item in the Clinton administration, I reminded him that during our April 13th meeting he promised to have our evidence supporting our position reviewed by the National Economic Council, White House lawyers and historians. I asked Mr. Furman if the review had been completed. He answered, "I've talked to a couple of people." I then asked Mr. Furman if he had written a report or an opinion letter. He said, "No," and that none would be prepared. I thanked him for his consideration. He thanked me for the invitation. The call was then terminated. What about Congress? On April 13th, Joe Banister and I had also met with Dr. William Koetzle and Keith Hennessey at the Capitol. Dr. Koetzle is Legislative Director for Speaker Dennis Hastert. Keith Hennessey is Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's Policy Director. Joe and I delivered copies of the Remonstrance for Hastert and Lott. Both Koetzle and Hennessey promised to have their staffs and the staffs of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees review the evidence in support of our position. They, too, were very amenable to having the appropriate experts from the House and Senate participate in the June conference. They, too, received letters similar in content to the April 27th letter I sent to Mr. Furman. They, too, received voice mail messages from me on May 19th. They, too, failed to return those calls. They, too, were called on June 2nd, when I again left voice mail messages requesting return calls. On June 7th, I called both Koetzle and Hennessey once more. This time Koetzle returned my call. He needed to be reminded about his April 13th meeting with Joe Banister and me and about the delivery of the Remonstrance. He then said that he had not yet done anything about the issue. I asked him if we could expect a formal reply from the Speaker to our April 13th letter. He said, "No, we receive tens of thousands of letters. We can't respond to them all." I am now more disgusted, disappointed and determined than ever. It has been a year that we have been attempting to get knowledgeable representatives from the executive and legislative branches of the government to respond in some fashion, in some format, in writing or in oral debate to the allegations of fraud and illegal operations in the federal income tax system. The government has declined and ignored three opportunities to participate in conferences held in its own back yard at the National Press Club where it could refute and shoot down the research findings, arguments and allegations of several of the most well-known and notorious people who have been proclaiming the unconstitutional, fraudulent, and illegal aspects of the income tax and the IRS. The government could have availed itself of a chance to have its experts educate us as to how these allegations are in error, and to do it on national television. Anyone who has been following this saga with the hope of being able to hear intelligent, rational rebuttals from government experts must be sorely disappointed by now. Each citizen must decide individually at what point it appears that the government has no argument to offer and is simply evading the issues, hoping they will go away or remain at such a low level of public consciousness that they won't cause any significant problems. There must be a point at which the evasion has to be regarded as a concession or an admission. We at the Foundation feel that there is no purpose to further attempts to organize academic or informative debates with the government on these issues. Its a matter of three strikes and you're out. What's more American than that? That the government would not take advantage of the occasion of the June conference (or the symposiums we arranged last year for the purpose) to honestly, and in good faith, argue against the conclusions of Bill Benson, Larry Becraft, Joe Banister and Bill Conklin, is an indication that the government appears to be lacking men and women of intelligence and good will. This is disappointing in the extreme. That the government would seek to acquire, through fraud and deception, the power to tax the wages and income of all ordinary citizens is disgusting. The truth must now be told. It must now be proclaimed. The government has no defense against the people's claim that the operations of the IRS are illegal because there is no constitutional or statutory authority that requires most individuals in America to file and pay the income tax, or employers to withhold wages from the pay checks of most of their employees. If the government needs more money than it is receiving from its imposition of uniform, indirect taxes, it must be required to turn to the states for the additional funds it wants. It is a matter of state's rights, an important issue of federalism. The states should be taxing the people and sending the money to Washington on an as needed basis. The states should not be approaching Washington every year for their "fair share" of the federal funds illegally coerced from the people of all the states. It is now a forgone conclusion that the federal government will not discuss the fact that it does not have the authority to impose an income tax. The constitutional stipulations with respect to constitutional amendments were not complied with and the declaration with respect to the passage of the 16th amendment was fraudulent. The continuation of the current income tax practices by the federal administration, under the circumstances, is tyranny and it must be stopped. What shall we do? We have the room reserved at the National Press Club. Shall we go ahead with three "empty chairs" and three presidential candidates and others who are already publicly on record as stating that the income tax is unconstitutional and illegal: Buchanan (Reform Party); Phillips (Constitution Party); Keyes (Republican); and, Ron Paul (Congressman)? Getting two or more of these individuals together in the same room to elaborate on their statements would add strength and fame to the positions expressed by those who have already participated in our three previous conferences on the income tax issue. In any event, the facts and analyses that are now a matter of record must and will be broken open to all appropriate State governmental agencies, all Universities, all law schools, and made available to all internet users and media outlets. No stone should be left unturned. There must be an upheaval based upon the professionally collected and analyzed information that we have on hand. This effort should be well organized and managed. Soon, we will provide everyone with a list of 50 people who have volunteered to coordinate this activity and be a point of contact in their state. We are currently making the plans to take this action and will be communicating with you our progress in this regard. Please help us decide what to do. Can any of you help us in our effort to get Buchanan, Keyes, Phillips and Ron Paul to attend? Please consider yourself free to circulate this message. Bob Schulz Chairman |
