He is now a teacher at Green Mountain College in Vermont, and inbetween has been all over from Western Europe to jail. hmmm. But one of the economically intriguing thing he talked about is that he doesn't pay taxes. Now, my mother always told me that the only certain things in life are death and taxes so I was shocked by this. But here is his situation:
In further efforts to not comply with the army's policy of killing (Ken is now a quaker, always a peacemaker) Ken decided he didn't want to pay taxes to the federal government because they support the army. He says that there are two usual ways of going about this. One, is to pay all your taxes except the portion that would fund the army and write the IRS a not explaining that you instead donated that money to some sort of charity. Apparently the Internal Revenue Service is not overly fond of people who do this and sometimes takes their house. Ken thought this sounded like a bummer of a plan, so he chose option B: make so little money you aren't required to pay taxes. "So little money" was at that time defined as less than $6,600. Oh yeah. He was voluntarily paid well below his actual earning just to stick it to the man. He now is married with four children and claims that you are allowed to make a lot more when you have four kids. I'm sure this is true but I'm doubting that amounts to much of an extravagant living. He is the antichrist of economic growth, but is he not perhaps a model for the economic future? People living simply and sustainably rather than with an infinite appetite for consumption? I wonder what it would be like to budget on that kind of money, and how many of us could handle it?
It would certainly be incredibly difficult to live off of the amount of money that he does. Its great that he stands up for what he believes in even though he is worse off financially because of it. I don't believe that he offers a good economic model for our nation however, think about if nobody payed for the taxes they did not believe in. If too many people stopped paying taxes like him our country would be unable to function or defend itself properly.
ReplyDeleteHe would definitely not be helping the economy in Vermont. You cannot live on 6,600 dollars with four kids, so I am sure his wife makes a good amount to support the family. I understand why he doesn't want to pay taxes, but what he is doing is definitely not contributing to the growth of the economy. With that little of a salary, I am sure he doesn't buy too many things, which is why he is hurting the economy in his area. It cannot be easy to live on that amount, but like I said, I am sure his wife is making more, especially when they have four kids. Otherwise, I'm not sure they could support the kids, nonetheless themselves. (A)
ReplyDeleteThere is no way they are able to survive of 6000 dollars a year now a days because the minimum wage job over a year makes close to 24,000 dollars. With him having four kids and a wife, the wife must be working and making money to support them and paying taxes so it doesn't make sense that usually one person works in a household and pays taxes so him sticking it to the man really isn't doing anything since his household is still helping the army. Also by him being a cheap ass it is not helping our economy, so if he wants to live this way, i'd rather have him move to canada if he doesn't want doesn't want to make more money to boost the economy.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's ridiculous for the man to do this. Intentionally live in poverty in order to protest the military?
ReplyDeleteIf I met this man I would tell him that it is his/her decision to protest militarism and that I respect and admire his commitment to his beliefs, but I would try to explain that by living in poverty in order avoid paying taxes in support of the military he is letting the military CONTROL his life and hold him back from success. I would advise him to give the portion that goes to the army to a pacifist charity of some sort, and to make the wage his education qualifies him to make for his family's sake...
I gotta give him all the credit in the world for his commitment though, he definitely has more than I do.
I definitely think there are better ways to protest the military.
ReplyDeleteIt would be one thing if he were living on his own and only worrying about himself to support, but he has FOUR KIDS. I would think making sure your children have a healthy and comfortable life would be more important than protesting the military. As Rich said, it's like the military is controlling him now more than ever, even indirectly.
Economically speaking, he certainly isn't helping much. I think what Preston said has a lot of weight in this argument: "think about if nobody payed for the taxes they did not believe in".
The hurt he is doing to his family's financial standing is much worse than the hurt he is doing to the military (which is negligible).
A
It's amazing he found a way out of something many feel is a certainty. Though he may not live a prince's life, it's admirable he sticks up for a passion of his.
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