Three Cheers For Richard Hatch

No, I am not praising him because he won the first season of Survivor, but because he refused to pay the taxes on his winnings of $1,010,000. Good for him.

"On January 19, 2005, the United States Attorney's Office in Providence, Rhode Island, reported that Hatch had failed to report the $1,010,000 he had received from the Survivor show on his Federal income tax returns (the additional $10,000 was paid for his appearance on the final episode). Hatch also allegedly failed to report approximately $321,000 he received that year for appearances on radio station WQSX-FM in Boston. Prosecutors stated Hatch would be charged with filing a false tax return. An agreement was arranged whereby Hatch was offered a lenient sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. Hatch withdrew from the arrangement. He subsequently said he was basing his defense on his belief (which he now acknowledges was not correct) that CBS had arranged to pay the taxes before awarding him the money." [source:http://wikipedia.com]

-Richard Hatch took a very necessary step that many other Americans - including myself - would be afraid to do. He stood up to the government. He was imprisoned because he knew that Uncle Sam has no business with the money he won. Isn't the government making enough money through other ridiculous, frivolous taxes? Oh but they are:

"Back in 1898, Congress passed a levy of one cent per telephone call to help raise money to fund the Spanish-American War. The tax, while temporary, has been on-again, off-again throughout the years, and was reinstated in 1990. Now it is three percent (3%) of your overall telephone bill." [source:http://phone.ioerror.us]

-Milton Friedman once said "Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program." Think about it.