From the March 2003 Idaho Observer:

We the People proclaim, “NO answers, NO taxes”

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On November 14, 2002, near the steps of this nation's Capitol, an estimated 600 members of the We The People Congress assembled on the National Mall between Jefferson and Madison streets.

Freedom Drive participants had gathered to await the government's responses to four lawfully submitted petitions for redress of grievances (see pages 3-7). The petitions are regarding the federal income tax fraud, the Federal Reserve, the USA Patriot Act and the Iraq War Resolution.

The petitions assert many well documented, significant violations of the Constitution and the people's constitutionally protected rights. The petitions were signed by thousands of Americans and formally served on every member of Congress and the president November 8, 2002.

The half-day event included live entertainment and speeches by constitutional law professors including ACLU President Nadine Strossen and several former IRS agents in support of the Constitution and the right to petition for redress.

When the 2:30 p.m. deadline marking the “Moment of Truth” came and went without an appearance from a representative of the U.S. government, We the People Chairman Bob Schulz delivered a historic speech proclaiming the forceful message, “NO answers, NO taxes” and announced We The People's firm resolve to enforce the Constitution of this nation.

Shortly thereafter, most of those in attendance donned navy blue, police-style windbreakers emblazoned in gold with “TYRANNY RESPONSE TEAM” and marched en masse to the Capitol and to the steps of the Supreme Court chanting loudly, “NO answers, NO taxes!” and, “Obey the Constitution!”

The rally in D.C. was the culmination of Freedom Drive 2002, which began in San Francisco Nov. 8. People from nearly every state in the nation joined the week-long convoy of “Freedom Drivers” who made their way east across Interstate 70. Major overnight rallies were held along the way in Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, Indianapolis and Frederick, Maryland.

The D.C. rally marked the latest step in We The People's four-year long quest of petitioning the federal government to answer hundreds of specific, well-documented legal allegations of gross violations of law that have arisen from the enforcement and administration of U.S. income tax laws.

“We have employed every remedy available to us in an attempt to compel the government to publicly address our legitimate grievances with regard to the income tax and other significant violations of the public trust and our constitutionally protected rights. When our servant government failed to redress our grievances on Nov. 14, we determined that there remains only one practical, nonviolent option left for the People. This day ushers in a new era of lawful protest. If we fail to act now, we will most certainly lose our Republic: NO Answers, NO Taxes,” reiterated Schulz.

To enforce the right of petition and to force the U.S. government to answer to the legal charges, We The People is now publicly advocating that Americans exercise their constitutional right to refrain from filing or paying income taxes -- unless and until -- the federal government agrees to honor its lawful obligation to respond to We The People's petitions for redress of grievances as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment.

NO Answers, NO Taxes: The Founding Father's Intent

In their own words the Founding Fathers explained the right to petition and the method to enforce it. The Founders were studiously familiar with 2,000 years of western civilization's trials and tribulations regarding the natural tendency of governments to become despotic. Sitting as the Continental Congress, the Founders passed an official Act clearly stating the right of the people to refrain from paying taxes to a government that was acting outside the boundaries drawn around its power:

“If money is wanted by Rulers who have in any manner oppressed the People, they may retain it until their grievances are redressed, and thus peaceably procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions or disturbing the public tranquility.”

(See “Continental Congress To The Inhabitants Of The Province Of Quebec,” Journals of the Continental Congress. 1774-1789. Journals 1: 105-13).

What follows below is a multi-year chronological record of the steps Bob Schulz and the We The People Foundation have taken to compel government to answer several serious and well-documented allegations concerning gross violations of our Constitution and our inalienable rights.

1999

In March 1999, Bob Schulz became aware of serious questions regarding the federal income tax. As a legal scholar, Schulz's initial research and inquiry into the legal materials lead him to conclude there were very substantial legal questions regarding the origin of the income tax. Also in question were the administrative practices of the IRS regarding federal income tax collections and enforcement procedures.

In response, Schulz, forms We The People Foundation (WTP) and began calling for a full public discourse and official debate between the tax and legal researchers and representatives of the IRS and/or Department of Justice. It was Schulz's intent to invite the government officials into a public setting to fully retort and officially rebut the claims and legal research of tax honesty advocates.

April: WTP publicly announces its intention to hold a symposium on the legality of the income tax.

May 5: WTP forwards a letter to President Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The letter, CCd to IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti, outlines WTP's grievances with regard to an income tax that is causing Americans to be bankrupted and imprisoned. The May 5 letter was accompanied with attachments in support of WTP conclusions that the 16th Amendment was never properly ratified, that no statute requires individuals to pay federal income tax and filing a tax return forces Americans to waive their 5th Amendment rights.

The letter respectfully requested that the federal government “identify the people with the best legal minds to argue against these conclusions and have those people participate in the symposium.” The government does not respond.

June 4: WTP sends a follow up letter to Clinton, Lott, Hastert and Rossotti to inform them that the public symposium will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., July 1-2. The government does not respond.

July 1-2: The symposium was held and broadcast live on CSPAN-2. WTP was represented by ex-IRS agent Joe Bannister, author Bill Benson, author Bill Conklin, attorney Lowell Becraft, activist Devvy Kidd and WTP Chairman Bob Schulz. The government, which had not bothered to acknowledge receipt of WTP's respectfully submitted requests, failed to attend. It was announced at the symposium that a citizen's summit would be scheduled for the coming fall.

November 13: The “Citizens' Summit to End Unlawful Income Tax” was held at the National Press Club in D.C. Citizens from 16 states assembled to hear WTP speakers and sign a “Remonstrance” intended to end illegal tax collections and unlawful enforcement operations of the IRS. The government does not respond or attend.

2000

April 13: Delegates from all 50 states assembled in D.C. to serve the Remonstrance on the illegal operations of the IRS regarding its collection of income taxes. Clinton, Lott, Hastert (and Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist) were also given copies of the July 1-2 symposium videotape and other supporting documents. Clinton, et. al., were asked to respond to WTP. The events of the day were videotaped. WTP recorded direct promises from several high-level officials representing the Executive and Legislative branches of government that their respective branches would participate in a June 29 conference where income tax issues would be publicly discussed.

June 2: White House spokesman Jason Furman stated that, “The legality of the income tax is not a high-priority item at the White House,” and the White House had, therefore,“...decided not to participate in any conference on the subject.”

All those in government who had promised to participate in the conference followed the White House lead and also refused to participate.

WTP held the all-day conference June 29 with the federal government, again, in absentia.

July 7: WTP runs its first of several full page ads in the nationwide edition of USA Today. The headline states: “Most Citizens are Not Required to File an Income Tax Return, the 16th (Income Tax) Amendment to the Constitution is a Fraud, If You File, You Waive Your 5th Amendment Rights.”

November 19: The initial USA Today ad continues to generate tremendous response from people all over the country. The New York Times runs investigative article on employers that have stopped withholding income taxes from paychecks and chides the IRS to prosecute them. [Editor's Note: as of March, 2003, none of the cited employers have been criminally charged.]

2001

February 16/17: WTP runs it second full-page nationwide USA Today ad featuring three former IRS agents that resigned from the IRS after learning the truth about the tax laws. WTP holds a meeting on the 17th, in Arlington, VA, to kickoff “Project Toto,” a multi-million dollar nationwide education campaign to bring the truth to the American public.

March 2 and 23: WTP runs two more full-page nationwide ads in USA Today. The ad of March 2nd features employers that have stopped withholding all taxes on paychecks of their employees because there is no law that requires wage withholding. The March 23 ad features several prominent tax researchers including Bill Benson, Larken Rose and John Kotmair. Benson's 1980s research conclusively documented that the 16th Amendment was fraudulently ratified and Larken Rose has documented that U.S. tax law statutes show that the ordinary wages and salaries of Americans are not taxable because they do not come from taxable sources.

March 30: WTP is informed that the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hastily called hearing on April 5 to specifically address the WTP's full-page ads in USA Today. WTP formally requests to be a hearing witness but is denied the right to testify at the hearing.

April 5: Schulz and several other WTP representatives attend the Senate Finance Committee hearing where blow ups of the WTP ads are large exhibits. After the hearing, WTP holds a press conference outside Senate office building. Press kits documenting WTP's attempts to publicly debate the government regarding the income tax are provided to the media. New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston tells WTP he told the IRS officials the agency is mishandling WTP and should publicly address the group's grievances.

April 9: Hundreds of WTP supporters assemble in Washington, D.C., to march from the Jefferson memorial to encircle the IRS headquarters. Although repeatedly invited, Rossotti refuses to address the gathered crowd. WTP decides official silence justifies escalated steps in opposition to unlawful operations of the IRS. WTP states the next logical step is to encourage American citizens to stop filing tax returns and for American businesses to stop withholding taxes from employee paychecks. WTP believes this tactic will force government to answer questions about the income tax.

April 11: USA Today informs WTP that it will refuse to run any more WTP ads after the IRS met with its legal department, claiming WTP is advising Americans to break the law by not filing until the government answers questions about the income tax.

July 1: WTP Chairman Schulz begins a hunger strike in Washington, D.C., and vows to continue until he dies or the government agrees to answer questions regarding the income tax. Schulz's hunger strike receives national network media attention.

July 18: The White House intervenes to stop the hunger fast. White House Economic Advisor Lawrence Lindsey wrote and delivered a letter to Schulz saying Schulz would be receiving a substantive response from the IRS.

July 19: IRS Commissioner Rossotti called to say his experts would meet with Schulz and his experts in a recorded public forum to answer the questions. That afternoon, Attorney General Ashcroft called to say the same thing.

July 20: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) announces that Assistant U.S. Attorney General Dan Bryant, following direct negotiations with Schulz, agreed in writing to publicly answer WTP's questions about the income tax. Bartlett promises that the IRS will be at the hearings. The historic event is scheduled for September 25-26, 2001.

September 12: WTP agrees to postpone the Sept. 25-26 hearings due to the tragedy of Sept. 11. The hearings are rescheduled for Feb. 27-28, 2002.

2002

January 17: Rep. Bartlett withdraws as congressional sponsor of WTP/IRS hearings. Though Bartlett claims WTP's “Wait to File Until the Trial” (until after the Feb. 27-28 hearings) campaign motivated his withdrawal, WTP learns that the IRS and DOJ had secretly informed Bartlett (as late as November, 2001) that they would not attend the meeting as promised and he (Rep. Bartlett) would be forced to face expectant Americans by himself. Schulz announces that “A constitutional crisis has developed.”

January 31: WTP releases a preliminary list of 299 questions for the IRS and arranges to hold Feb 27-28 hearings as scheduled regardless of government's decision to renege on its promises.

February 10: WTP runs a full page ad in The New York Times publicly challenging the IRS and the Department of Justice to answer the legal questions. There is no response from either agency.

Feb 27-28: WTP holds its “Truth in Taxation” hearings with the federal government, again, in absentia. The two-day hearing is broadcast live via a multimedia Internet broadcast. Viewers can review the legal exhibits on line as they watch the proceedings. Attorneys, including an ex-IRS Office of Counsel, former IRS agents, CPAs, and other tax and legal researchers testify under oath for two days about the legal fraud of the federal income tax system.

April 4/8: On April 4th, notice was provided to the White House, to every member of the president's cabinet, to the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee regarding evidence of fraud at the IRS. The statement mentioned that WTP would be holding a briefing on the subject at the National Press Club on April 8, 2002, at which a forensic accountant would be presenting the evidence. The statement mentioned that the briefing would be broadcast live, via the Internet. There was no response from any one in the government.

On April 8, 2002, WTP hand-delivered a copy of a certified transcript of the record of the Citizens' Truth-In-Taxation Hearing to every member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the Chairman of the House IRS Oversight Committee, President Bush and Lawrence Lindsey. There was no response from the government.

April 15: Each and every of the 535 Congressmen and the president were formally served copies of the record and evidence of the Truth-in-Taxation hearing. Thousands of petitions from citizens demand of the representatives to respond to the findings of the hearing. Only a handful of representatives even attempt a response. No representative responds directly to their constituent demand letters.

July: WTP announces Freedom Drive 2002. Preparations for thousands of Americans to drive to D.C. and to personally deliver petitions for redress of grievances are underway.

October 7: WTP posts four formal petitions for redress on the Internet. Thousands sign the petitions documenting violations of Constitution regarding the Iraq War Resolution, the USA Patriot Act, the Federal Reserve Act and the federal Individual Income Tax.

November 8: The cross-country Freedom Drive begins in San Francisco. Petitions for redress are formally served on every member of Congress and the president via legal process service. The petitions for redress request that representatives from the government should answer WTP on the National Mall Thursday, November 14.

November 14: Freedom Drive 2002 arrives in D.C. and participants gather on the Mall. The government shows its contempt for the American people and their Constitution by completely ignoring the formal and proper petitions. Schulz announces “NO Answers, NO Taxes.”

2003

January 26: WTP Announces formation of the WTP Legal Defense Association (LDA). This nonprofit membership organization will provide professional legal defenses for members accused of violating U.S. tax laws for terminating their voluntary compliance with the federal income tax system. The low cost LDA memberships are for both citizens and businesses that have stopped filing, paying or withholding as part of the “NO Answers, NO Taxes” initiative.

Summary

We the People have meticulously documented every step in the process to compel government to meet its constitutional obligation to answer citizens' petitions for redress of grievances. The WTP website www.givemeliberty.org contains the entire archive of news releases, USA Today ads and correspondence with government officials from 1999 to present. Also available through the WTP website are the audiotapes, videotapes and CD-ROMs that document the thorough and formal manner in which WTP has conducted including the Truth-in-Taxation hearing.

As this chronology documents, the Founding Fathers were correct in their wisdom that the tendency of governments is to devolve into tyranny and that Americans will eventually be forced to stand for their rights. Thus, the constitutional provision of redress was built into our system of government. Should government become so venal and oppressive that it ignores the citizens' petitions for redress, the Founders told us to withhold our money and/or our compliance until such time as those questions are answered to our satisfaction.

The ability of the government to use any tax system to seize the privacy, wages, and property of its citizens are indeed serious legal matters for any free People. That our government continues to do so while grossly violating the most basic constructs of the Constitution and while repeatedly refusing to publicly answer the Petitions and produce public documentation of its bona fide legal authority is, in a word, tyranny.

If the Founders were with us to witness to the events that have transpired since their gift to this nation, they would surely stand shoulder to shoulder, from border to border, as we shout, “No ANSWERS, NO TAXES!”