From the May 2003 Idaho Observer:

Dear Government: True or False?

Activist says federal silence on tax issue grounds for nonfiling

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- We the People (WTP) Foundation Chairman Bob Schulz delivered a powerful message to 150 people who attended his presentation at the Doubletree Inn here May 13, 2003: “We have an obligation to stop paying income taxes until government answers our lawfully and respectfully-submitted questions.”

WTP has been attempting to exercise the peoples' right to petition the government for a redress of grievances regarding the income tax since 1999 (The entire chronology of WTP efforts in this regard was published in the March, 2003 edition of The IO and is available in detail at WTP's website at www.givemeliberty.org).

Though the government has promised at least twice to participate in a live public debate of income tax-related issues, it has thus far reneged on those promises.

An axiom of law is that silence is an admission of guilt. WTP held it's public hearings with the government in absentia. The government's repeated refusal to answer WTPs some 530 income-tax related questions has prompted the tax-honesty advocacy to render them into a 44-page document that states the questions as undisputed facts.

The document is part of a packet of information designed to provide Americans with the courage and tools to stop filing income taxes until the government answers legitimate questions.

“The Founding Fathers provided the lawful basis of our right to stop paying taxes until our questions are answered,” said Schulz.

Schulz cited a passage from the Journals of the Continental Congress. “If money is wanted by Rulers who have in any manner oppressed the People, they may retain it [their money] until their grievances are redressed, and thus peaceably procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions or disturbing the public tranquility.”

In other words, Schulz explained, the Founders recognized that government “despises” citizen petitions. But, to peacefully protest the actions of government people may lawfully withhold their money from government until such time it adequately addresses the peoples' concerns.

Schulz informed an attentive audience that WTP has entered a new phase in its campaign to seek redress of the income tax issue. He explained how WTP is building a legal defense fund to represent those who refuse to pay income taxes until the government answers our questions to our satisfaction. He is modeling his efforts after the Home Shoolers' Defense Association which evolved from the needs of home schooling families that were being individually targeted and persecuted. “Since the home schoolers got organized,” Schulz explained, the numbers of homeschoolers has exploded since they are no longer fearful of being singled out.

Joining the WTP Legal Defense Association is free at this time. When the association grows to 10,000 members, a letter will go out seeking a $250 ($500 for companies) annual fee to pay the attorneys and legal researchers necessary to successfully defend tax cases.

Schulz also emphasized how important it is for employers to stop withholding taxes from their employees. The information packet WTP is currently distributing all over the nation contains documents intended to help employers understand their withholding obligations to both employees and government.

WTP is aggressively attempting to organize the American people and lead a massive, nonviolent, people-powered protest of the income tax. It is seeking to recruit coordinators in the nation's some 5,100 counties who are willing to work with the statewide coordinator for their respective states.

WTP can contacted at (518) 656-2578 or by visiting the website at www.givemeliberty.org