Man refuses to pay taxes because he opposes abortions. He just beat the feds in court

[TidWell]

Michael Bowman, a 53-year-old self-employed computer software developer from Columbia City, Oregon, hasn’t paid his federal income taxes since 1999. He says it’s because his Christian ideals don’t allow him to pay into a system that funds abortions.

In a YouTube video explainer of his defense, he likened paying taxes that then go toward funding abortions to German citizens under Nazi rule who outed Jewish citizens, sending them to their deaths. And according to The Associated Press, he beat the feds in court this week.

To be clear, Bowman won the battle, not the war he’s fighting with the IRS and the Oregon U.S. District Court, when federal Judge Michael W. Mosman dismissed a felony tax evasion

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article208905159.html

 

[Prime Rib]

So now I can call myself Christian and say I don't want my taxes to fund the military, etc.? Seriously, after this case is over this guy is going to have a hell of a bill to pay.

Edit-From the article........
The feds claim he started using the religious argument for not paying his taxes only after his “’Claim of Right’ tax avoidance scheme failed.”

He's just full of shit trying to avoid taxes. I'd imagine he considers himself a Libertarian.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

It's the only argument against abortion I support. If tax payers dollars go towards abortion as a method of generic birth control than it's not fair to force people to pay if it's against their beliefs.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

So now I can call myself Christian and say I don't want my taxes to fund the military, etc.? Seriously, after this case is over this guy is going to have a hell of a bill to pay.

Is that the same though? Defense is a necessity. Abortion is almost always a form of birth control.

 

[Prime Rib]

Is that the same though? Defense is a necessity. Abortion is almost always a form of birth control.

Read my edit in my first post. This guy is full of shit trying to find a loophole.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

Read my edit in my first post. This guy is full of shit trying to find a loophole.

Yea it appears this is a scam. I consider myself to be a Libertarian but I cant stand the anarchists who give us a bad name by claiming to be Libertarian while essentially wanting no government. Libertarianism is about limited government not no government.

I hate taxes and I pay way too much in my degrading country but for fuck sake we need hospitals, schools, roads, and a bit of a safety net.

 

[kpt018]

He won? Article describes him as properly fucked (over $300k of taxes and penalties). It just sounds like he’s not going to jail. I guess that’s a win.

 

[Prime Rib]

Yea it appears this is a scam. I consider myself to be a Libertarian but I cant stand the anarchists who give us a bad name by claiming to be Libertarian while essentially wanting no government. Libertarianism is about limited government not no government.

I hate taxes and I pay way too much in my degrading country but for fuck sake we need hospitals, schools, roads, and a bit of a safety net.

LOL I call Libertarians "right-winged anarchist".

 

[Deleted member 457759]

LOL I call Libertarians "right-winged anarchist".

Yea I'm not as familiar with the American Libertarian. In Canada it's basically a classical liberal with conservative economic tendencies. Civil liberties are super important too.

 

[Jack V Savage]

There used to be a homeless guy who hung out outside where I worked named Michael Bowman. He claimed that he was owed hundreds of millions of dollars by the recording industry because they were using his name and life story in songs (for example, he told me OMC's "I Love L.A." was about him). Said he wouldn't take a settlement if they offered him a couple of million because it was about the principle. I wonder if this Michael Bowman is related to him.

 

[Swing]

His "win" didn't have anything to do with his views on abortion. The judge just didn't agree that cashing checks instead of depositing them--to avoid having money removed from his bank account--constituted tax evasion.

 

[Prime Rib]

There used to be a homeless guy who hung out outside where I worked named Michael Bowman. He claimed that he was owed hundreds of millions of dollars by the recording industry because they were using his name and life story in songs (for example, he told me OMC's "I Love L.A." was about him). Said he wouldn't take a settlement if they offered him a couple of million because it was about the principle. I wonder if this Michael Bowman is related to him.

OMC covered that song. It was originally a Randy Newman song.

 

[Fluffernutter]

 

[Jack V Savage]

OMC covered that song. It was originally a Randy Newman song.

Thanks. Did not know that. I suspect his case wasn't thoroughly researched.

 

[RockstarChris]

Michael Bowman, a 53-year-old self-employed computer software developer from Columbia City, Oregon, hasn’t paid his federal income taxes since 1999. He says it’s because his Christian ideals don’t allow him to pay into a system that funds abortions.

In a YouTube video explainer of his defense, he likened paying taxes that then go toward funding abortions to German citizens under Nazi rule who outed Jewish citizens, sending them to their deaths. And according to The Associated Press, he beat the feds in court this week.

To be clear, Bowman won the battle, not the war he’s fighting with the IRS and the Oregon U.S. District Court, when federal Judge Michael W. Mosman dismissed a felony tax evasion

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article208905159.html

He should just hide all his money in an offshore account like all our politicians do

 

[Liquid Smoke]

Michael Bowman, a 53-year-old self-employed computer software developer from Columbia City, Oregon, hasn’t paid his federal income taxes since 1999. He says it’s because his Christian ideals don’t allow him to pay into a system that funds abortions.

Was with you til the computer. Computers are part of Satan's plan to keep man addicted and weak. This is no Christian just another huckster and two-bit charlatan trying to get something for free.

 

[Sakurabinette]

Can you imagine the BLM people trying to get away with this.
"We don't want to fund a system that finances the police, so we refuse to pay taxes."

 

[ocfightfan]

He is being ridiculous. It would be one thing if he was being told by the government that he has to directly donate to an abortion clinic or pay for insurance that covers abortion for employees. But with taxes the level of responsibility is so indirect and thin that it's unreasonable to count it. It's like claiming that paying your taxes for roads makes you responsible for drunk driving deaths.

 

[Broke Lester]

Doesn't matter, I don't think he won anything, all he is really doing is fucking himself, when all is said and done he will pay the taxes, interest, and fines. I respect the fact that he is against abortion but we all have to pay our part so our cities can function properly.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

He's just full of shit trying to avoid taxes. I'd imagine he considers himself a Libertarian.

Maybe the tax system is full of shit. Your logic can be applied in both directions.