Not a parody - Pennsylvania Tax Advertisement

[2046]

This video is being passed around by hrosemd on Youtube:

"Saw this ad tonight. I am simply dumbfounded. I initially thought it was satire or a parody of some type. It is not. Straight from the PA department of Revenue"

I gotta admit I stole this comment:

The only thing missing is the predator drone equipped with Hellfire missile.

[aequalsa]

Christ! If that's real I'm shortly going to have to take back everything I said on immigration thread about respect for the law. Are we weeks or months away from our congressmen introducing prima nocte legislation, do you think?

[logicalpath]

Who says they don't take it from us at the point of a gun?

Edited May 2, 2010 by logicalpath

[aequalsa]

Who says they don't take it from us at the point of a gun?

The point of a gun, I'm used to, but the crosshairs of a smart bomb? that's a whole nuther level.

[logicalpath]

The point of a gun, I'm used to, but the crosshairs of a smart bomb? that's a whole nuther level.

Touché my friend...touché.

[flatlander]

This ad certainly threatens overwhelming government force in an explicitly menacing way. Not against real criminals, or any external threat. But against American citizens, over taxes! Such threats are way over the line into tyranny.

[Maximus]

The point of a gun, I'm used to, but the crosshairs of a smart bomb? that's a whole nuther level.

Don't forget... ACORN members took GPS readings of our front doors. Just sayin'.

(I know for a fact they did, because I watched a guy with an ACORN T-shirt take the reading of every house in our neighborhood)

[logicalpath]

Don't forget... ACORN members took GPS readings of our front doors. Just sayin'.

(I know for a fact they did, because I watched a guy with an ACORN T-shirt take the reading of every house in our neighborhood)

Are you referring to the Census?

[softwareNerd]

Christ! If that's real I'm shortly going to have to take back everything I said on immigration thread about respect for the law. Are we weeks or months away from our congressmen introducing prima nocte legislation, do you think?

It appears to be an ad that is part of the Pennsylvania "tax amnesty" program. With tax revenues falling, the state wants to do more about taxes that have not been paid in the past. They would be fully within the law to act without warning against the people who have not paid taxes in the past. Instead, they're giving people an amnesty. I think this is a case where it makes sense to give people a warning that the de facto law is changing, and that if they acted outside the de jure law thinking it would not be applied, then they are being warned. In this case, giving people time to act, with lesser penalties is better than going after them for larger penalties or even prison terms.

To achieve this end, it makes sense to have a advertising campaign that actually gives people notice. The problem is, that people may not believe the government is serious. So, one has to drive home the point with specific factual information. For instance, someone might be evading the fact that the government will ask him to pay up. So, the ad guys probably came up with a line like "We know where you live". Then, someone visualized it in the form of this ad. I think it works well for its purpose.

Edited May 2, 2010 by softwareNerd

[Maximus]

Are you referring to the Census?

Yep. Who knows what they will use the information for, other than the stated purpose. Trust your government.

[Maximus]

It appears to be an ad that is part of the Pennsylvania "tax amnesty" program. With tax revenues falling, the state wants to do more about taxes that have not been paid in the past. They would be fully within the law to act without warning against the people who have not paid taxes in the past. Instead, they're giving people an amnesty. I think this is a case where it makes sense to give people a warning that the de facto law is changing, and that if they acted outside the de jure law thinking it would not be applied, then they are being warned. In this case, giving people time to act, with lesser penalties is better than going after them for larger penalties or even prison terms.

To achieve this end, it makes sense to have a advertising campaign that actually gives people notice. The problem is, that people may not believe the government is serious. So, one has to drive home the point with specific factual information. For instance, someone might be evading the fact that the government will ask him to pay up. So, the ad guys probably came up with a line like "We know where you live". Then, someone visualized it in the form of this ad. I think it works well for its purpose.

You must admit it is an implied threat, though. With the general distrust of government today, perhaps it was ill advised.

[aequalsa]

It appears to be an ad that is part of the Pennsylvania "tax amnesty" program. With tax revenues falling, the state wants to do

...

with a line like "We know where you live". Then, someone visualized it in the form of this ad. I think it works well for its purpose.

I understood its purpose. I'm more offended by the spirit of the message than the meaning.

[brian0918]

You must admit it is an implied threat, though. With the general distrust of government today, perhaps it was ill advised.

Our entire tax system is an implied threat, whether people choose to acknowledge it or not.

[softwareNerd]

You must admit it is an implied threat, though. With the general distrust of government today, perhaps it was ill advised.

It is much more than an implied threat. It is a real threat. However, when I viewed it, I did not read it as an threat of a bomb being dropped on someone's house, but as being a threat that they know exactly who and where the criminals are, and they will come and get them. To me, it evokes visuals like the house being surrounded by cops.

Meanwhile, the new item on the top of my list of things to hate about tax law is the law that says any business giving more than $600 to another business must file a 1099.

Edited May 2, 2010 by softwareNerd

[VcatoV]

What is even more sad about this is that I have not seen it in the news. Are people just refusing to report the truth, or do people just not care?

[2046]

They care that Caesar is rendered unto him what is his. Those selfish folks that weasel out of paying taxes are robbing those who should rightfully be getting that money. After all, taxes are what we pay to live in a civilized society. There would be no roads or schools or firemen without taxes!

[logicalpath]

They care that Caesar is rendered unto him what is his. Those selfish folks that weasel out of paying taxes are robbing those who should rightfully be getting that money. After all, taxes are what we pay to live in a civilized society. There would be no roads or schools or firemen without taxes!

In the event that you're serious you may want to read THIS thread.

Never mind I had not realized that you were the OP, I also took the time to read some of your other posts.

Edited May 3, 2010 by logicalpath

[2046]

Lol, come on man... wake up.

Sadly though, that is exactly how the average moron thinks, isn't it? We need a 100% tax on everything, everywhere. The government and its enlightened leaders know best how to plan and run society.