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Originally posted by DoubleD:
Matt's enterprise is pretty obvious that he is reselling wine with a profit motive.

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Originally posted by pasowineguy:
This thread is yet another reason why WS should run their classified forums like parker does and eliminate this ridiculous banter. Matt's tax information is of no one's business but Matt and the IRS...period.

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Originally posted by The Economist:
Matt -

As I've said, your gray market wines must certainly be welcome here if you're able to off-load your inventory, and I would certainly buy some if (1) I could import them to Canada and (2) if the price was attractive. Quite frankly, whether you're avoiding taxes or not is none of my business, and I don't finding you interesting or insightful enough to care. But, that's not even the issue as I see it: I find it most insulting that you don't even have the good social grace to say that you're running a side business on this website while instead you choose to actively deceive the forumites who contribute to your bottom line by claiming that you're taking it forcibly in the rear because of the current economic climate and forced to liquidate your own inventory which you bought bona fide to enjoy at your leisure in the future. Nonsense, I say. You must face the truth, man up, and then you will gain respect for being a thief who's at least honest and unapologetic about his intentions rather than one who can't even man up about being himself. It's more of a socio-ethical issue than a fiscal one. And on that note, do you have any ways of getting the wine North of the border?

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Originally posted by HALL MONITOR:
Matt and Steve are clearly running businesses on this site. You can be sure they pay nothing for advertising and no taxes. Premier Cru and Wine Library can't advertise their sales here. Why should Steve and Matt be able to advertise their businesses here? These guys aren't selling a bottle or two. Make no mistake; they're running profit-making businesses on this site. They're not fooling you with their need-to-raise-cash or economy-sucks BS, are they?

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Originally posted by the idiot:
The HALL MONITOR strikes again!! Go run along now and tell the teacher. Good boy!!

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Originally posted by AZCat:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by The Economist:
I was considering posting a response where I pointed out that tax evaders harm non-tax evaders, either because services for non-tax evaders would be reduced or tax costs to non-tax evaders would be increased. But then I remembered how poor our government is at effectively spending tax revenues and realized that I might actually BENEFIT when others evade taxes, as those funds may quite likely provide me with greater benefit if they are floating around the private sector than if they are being spent by the government.

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Originally posted by KSC02:

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Originally posted by AZCat:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by The Economist:
I was considering posting a response where I pointed out that tax evaders harm non-tax evaders, either because services for non-tax evaders would be reduced or tax costs to non-tax evaders would be increased. But then I remembered how poor our government is at effectively spending tax revenues and realized that I might actually BENEFIT when others evade taxes, as those funds may quite likely provide me with greater benefit if they are floating around the private sector than if they are being spent by the government.

While we're clearly spewing opinion here, the reality is that there is more logic and truth in this post than the rest of the complete gibberish spewed upon this thread thus far.

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Originally posted by g-man:
what if you worked all your life and paid your taxes, got sick, got laid off because you have to stay in the hospital, go on cobra for a procedure that costs over 400k/year, hit the life time limit on your cobra insurance, then utilizing your life savings to try and get cured. What would you do if you couldn't get the government to help because of a few tax evaders, take care of you after you've paid your dues to society?

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Originally posted by KSC02:

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Originally posted by g-man:
what if you worked all your life and paid your taxes, got sick, got laid off because you have to stay in the hospital, go on cobra for a procedure that costs over 400k/year, hit the life time limit on your cobra insurance, then utilizing your life savings to try and get cured. What would you do if you couldn't get the government to help because of a few tax evaders, take care of you after you've paid your dues to society?

Move to Canada

Sorry. Couldn't resist...

g-man: To be clear, I will state that I am not a proponent of tax evasion or cheating. Everyone should pay their just due, according to the legal laws established. However, the scenario you outline above is extreme but I understand the general point you're attempting to make. I believe that Americans (and I am one of them) tend to believe that they are 'owed' something from their government when things get tough due to everything they've paid 'into the system'. Do not delude yourself. There are indeed programs to benefit you during times of duress. However, these ALL have their limitations. It is up to YOU, personally, to increase your provisions above the government's. Many people have experienced the loss of their homes and destitution due to circumstances beyond their control and without protection. They walk the streets of our cities daily. Not all of these people are mental are results of drug abuse. Because you've paid into the system is no guaranty that the system will be there to protect you. In these times we live in, this is an ever-changing target. What is your confidence that Social Security, Welfare, etc will continue on forever? Prior to Truman, these plans never existed. It is only within the past generation that we've allowed ourselves to become a 'supported' society by our government and I don't see a system in place that one would refer to as healthy. These systems can not continue as they are. They're breaking the back of this country without significant change.

I suppose I'm attempting to inspire people to always look at the big picture. With the massive waste of monies within the various government systems on a world basis, it is certainly not the 'tax cheat' that will put you on the street, my friends. Yes, I understand that it is a collective mentality that can do harm to the big picture. However, let us not trip over dollars to pick up dimes here. Understand what I'm trying to say?

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Originally posted by g-man:

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Originally posted by KSC02:

quote:

Originally posted by AZCat:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by The Economist:
I was considering posting a response where I pointed out that tax evaders harm non-tax evaders, either because services for non-tax evaders would be reduced or tax costs to non-tax evaders would be increased. But then I remembered how poor our government is at effectively spending tax revenues and realized that I might actually BENEFIT when others evade taxes, as those funds may quite likely provide me with greater benefit if they are floating around the private sector than if they are being spent by the government.

While we're clearly spewing opinion here, the reality is that there is more logic and truth in this post than the rest of the complete gibberish spewed upon this thread thus far.

what if you worked all your life and paid your taxes, got sick, got laid off because you have to stay in the hospital, go on cobra for a procedure that costs over 400k/year, hit the life time limit on your cobra insurance, then utilizing your life savings to try and get cured. What would you do if you couldn't get the government to help because of a few tax evaders, take care of you after you've paid your dues to society?

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Originally posted by Sweatred:
I am not suggesting Matt H is cheating anyone

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Originally posted by Vino-Ripper:
Thus, he [sic] being perfect should be able to critic [sic] any of us hoi paloi. Board-o [sic], it just gets old sometimes.

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Originally posted by duckfaninmt:

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Originally posted by Board-O:

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Originally posted by duckfaninmt:
Board-O, I hope that the "Steve" you're referring to is not me (duckfaninmt).

Not at all! I didn't even know your name was Steve.

By the way, I don't see anything wrong with selling a little wine here, but that's a far cry from running a business here.

Thanks for confirming that, Board-O... I hate assuming anything (or maybe I was being a bit paranoid? ), so I appreciate the clarification. Also, now that you know my first name, you won't have to call me "duckfan" when you come out to visit Glacier!