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America is a world leader in allowing private companies to levy taxes on its citizens, including (stay with me here), *a tax on paying your taxes*.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
pluralistic.net/2023/05/17/fre…
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pluralistic.net/2023/05/17/fre…
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In most of the world, tax authorities prepare everyone's returns, sending a form with all their tax details - collected from employers and other regulated entities, like pension funds and commodities brokers, who must report income to the tax office.
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Every year, Americans spend billions on #TaxPrep services, paying a heavily concentrated industry of giant, wildly profitable firms to send the #IRS information it already has. 1/
If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
pluralistic.net/2023/02/20/tur… 2/
pluralistic.net/2023/02/20/tur… 2/
Despite the fact that most other rich countries have a far more efficient process, many Americans believe that adopting this process here is either impossible, immoral, or both. 3/
Ever hear of #BindingArbitration? That's a clause in a contract that says that you aren't allowed to sue the company you're doing business with, even if they cheat, maim or kill you. 1/
It was invented to let giant companies of equal size and power agree in advance not to spend billions and decades in court to resolve contractual disputes. 2/
Then, Federalist Society judges led by Antonin Scalia cleared the way for arbitration to be crammed down everyday folks' throats by powerful businesses. 3/
1/ Recently @Intuit CEO @Sasan_Goodarzi suggested we have a “political agenda.” His evidence? That we’ve run *many* stories on @turbotax.
There’s no agenda, but we have exposed deceptive design & misleading ads, lobbying against free simple returns + more.propub.li/2Vw0vTl
There’s no agenda, but we have exposed deceptive design & misleading ads, lobbying against free simple returns + more.propub.li/2Vw0vTl
2/ We did our first story *6 yrs ago,* reporting how @TurboTax spent millions lobbying against allowing the government to estimate your taxes for you.
That’s how Spain, Denmark and other countries do it — meaning taxes there often take just minutes. propub.li/2M0e5Ps
That’s how Spain, Denmark and other countries do it — meaning taxes there often take just minutes. propub.li/2M0e5Ps
3/ @LizDDay detailed how @intuit and @GroverNorquist were leading the charge against what’s called return-free filing. propub.li/2M0e5Ps
