Even though I agree Reid is a scoundrel of the 1st order, his assetment of the income tax being voluntary is correct in the sense as this is the gov't pat position. Numerous Internal Revenue Commissioners have stated this and the SCOTUS in Flora vs. US 362 US 145 in a 1960' case that:
[quote“[o]ur system of taxation is based upon voluntary assessment and payment, not upon distraint.”][/quote]
This was further documented as recent as April 2007' when the IRS in Revenue Ruling 2007-20 stated the same thing. People have taken this SCOTUS ruling and the quotes of previous commissioners and use to justify not filing and some have gone to jail as a result. Most are taken into civil proceding via IRC 6020(b) where the IRS files the return for the taxpayer and assess the tax at which point Taxpayer has 90 days to file with tax court before summanry judgement is issued and IRS begins a liens/levy process.
Yeah, I would not call this system voluntary either but what Reid is saying is what the gov't (both republican and democrat) have been saying for years so to single out Reid (as much as he might deserve it) is not being completely honest IMO.
But I still appreciate the fact that they filmed his stupidity even if it's only in our eyes!
You know, Reid may be right after all. We do have something called jury nullification that if we used it we could void a lot of over reach in gov't. Just a thought!