LIFE WITHOUT TAXES

                      A Libertarian Outlook

                   by Gerald Schneider, Ph.D.


     Death and taxes--can we escape them?  Well, death is 
biological, and I do not know how to avoid it.  But taxes are 
political.  And taxes, at least forced taxation, can be ended 
politically!
     How?  By reforming our country into one where citizens pay 
only for wanted and used government services.  That, after all, 
is the original American dream.
     To create such societies without chaos means switching from 
taxes to user fees to support government activities.  Private 
parties would also have to be allowed to compete with government 
in providing desired services.
     What follows are realistic guidelines on how to achieve a 
nation--an America--based on voluntary association:

                        Freeze New Taxes

     First, there must be a freeze on compulsory new taxes of any 
kind.  Government would have to live within its current income 
level.  But government employees with no immediate employment 
prospects would not be fired.  And persons dependent on 
government patronage for survival would suffer no cutbacks.
     Executive government agencies other than the military and 
police needed to protect life and property would be terminated.  
Personnel from closed agencies would be asked to fill positions 
in remaining agencies vacated by death, retirement, and 
resignation.  Money derived from closed agency budgets would be 
used for necessary retraining.  No new government employees would 
be hired for agencies due for future extinction.
     Agency phase-out would be proportional to dropout rates for 
personnel.  Forced unemployment is avoided.
     Money saved from closed agency budgets would also be offered 
as bonuses to spur voluntary exodus from government.  Caps on 
salaries and promotions in agencies headed for termination could 
further stimulate unforced departure.  Still another incentive to 
freely leave government work could be exemption from all income 
taxes.

                  Phase Out Government Programs

     A second major thrust would be phase-out of all government 
retirement, entitlement, and subsidy benefit programs.  Methods 
used would ensure that needy persons benefiting or about to 
benefit from such programs are not hurt.
     Social security and other government pensioners, or those 
near to retiring, could be paid off in a lump sum.  Payoff money 
would come from sale of government assets, and funds from closed 
government agencies.  Retirees would be free to invest the large 
amounts of money received any way they pleased.  Political 
uncertainty about retirement would be ended.
     Younger persons could arrange for their own retirement, 
using money otherwise taken from salaries for social security 
payments.  There would be no required government social security 
system.
     Massive tax credits would be offered to individuals and 
groups to assume government welfare, education, public works, 
environmental protection, and other social services.  Those tax 
credits would be warranted, given the savings to government by 
not supplying those services.

                    Alternatives to Taxation

     The judicial system would be made self-supporting by 
requiring convicted felons to pay court and related costs.  
Police and fire services could also be paid this way, 
supplemented by private subscription.
     Military costs, cut by about two thirds, could be funded in 
several ways.  Donations and a national lottery are among the 
possibilities.  Many think taxes cannot be averted here, but 
alternatives to forced taxation should be tried.
     Laws covering how we should behave could be drastically 
reduced, thereby limiting the need for elected legislators.  
Common law, which often does not require a lawyer, would suffice 
in most cases.  Salaries and expenses of elected official still 
needed, likely to be part-timers, could be funded voluntarily or 
through service fees.
     Finally, the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the 
legal basis of our income tax, could be repealed.  Americans need 
never again fight taxation without representation!

     Reprinted from THE WHEATON NEWS of Wheaton, Maryland, Jan. 
21, 1988.  For a one year subscription to Mr. Schneider's 
biweekly "Libertarian Outlook" column, send $15 to: Gerald 
Schneider, 8750 Georgia Ave., Suite 1410-B, Silver Spring, MD 
20910.  Copyright 1988 Gerald Schneider, Ph.D.

(This is the text of one of a series of eight topical Libertarian 
outreach leaflets produced by the Libertarian Party of Skagit 
County, WA.  The leaflets have a panel with National LP member-
ship information, with a space for other LP groups to stamp their 
own address and phone number.  Samples and a bulk price list/ 
order form are available from: Libertarian Party of Skagit 
County, P.O. Box 512, Anacortes, WA 98221.)