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April 15, 2009
Let Us Prey
"And quit bringing up our forefathers and saying they were civil libertarians.
Our founding fathers would have never tolerated any of this crap.
For God's sake, they were blowing peoples' heads off because
they put a tax on their breakfast beverage. And it wasn't even coffee."
-Dennis Miller
If you're looking for a Tax Giving Day gift for a right-wing extremist, check out Bill Branon's Let Us Prey.
A friend of mine gave me a copy for my 25th birthday.
Looking for something easy to read earlier this month, I picked this up again after nearly 15 years. A sub-plot of the novel is a tax revolt, which -- minus the terrorist acts depicted in the book -- seems appropriate today. Except that Branon didn't predict the tax rebels would be appointed to high-level government positions.
"How bad?"
"Mr. President, there is further deterioration in the figures coming
from Treasury. The volume of extension forms filed in place of 1040s
has exceeded worst-case. IRS scans are in. Thirty-seven percent of
taxpayers receipted through Thursday filed Form 4868 applications
instead of 1040s. What's critical is that twenty-two percent of those
extensions were not filed with the required check. Looks like they
might not pay. The rest of those 4868s are nuisance-filed in place of
1040s. The depth of this move is off the board. The tea-bag boys
have done it this time.""What about the denial clause? Can't we use that?"
"The system's jammed. The 4868 form reads 'automatic extension'; the
denial clause requires the IRS to notify.""Jesus Christ Almighty. A public appeal? Can we call a time out,
talk it back on-line? Goddamn it all, one-third of the people are
getting a goddamned government check. Don't the assholes realize what
could happen?""A lot of taxpayers don't get that check. They just lit up; all it
took was coordination. That was the danger pointed out in '90 by
Rintell in the Orange Day paper. He saw the problem in focusing the
entire population on the fifteenth of April; wanted to segment the
system then. It looks like he was right.""Why didn't they dump that 4868? Stagger the filing dates? What in
hell do we have contingency people for?""Our problem is up front, sir."
"I didn't get here by not being able to listen. Are we reading this
right? Be straight with me; gut feeling.""I believe so, sir. The commission is correct. It's a critical tax
revolt. It's past words.""I want to see that Rintell paper again."
"I'll have a copy sent over from the tank. Anything else, Mr. President?"
"No. Thank you."
"Sir."
"Good-bye, Link."
Posted by Robert Racansky on April 15, 2009 at 6:30 AM
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