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B4B National Day of Action Tax Day, April 15

Billionaires for Bush will greet ordinary taxpayers at post offices across the nation to say "Thank *YOU* for Paying *OUR* Taxes!"

Posters
Talking points
Sample media alert
Invoice flyer
FAQ
Tell a friend!

To find out more about the enormous benefits of the Bush tax plan to the mega-wealthy, visit:

$ Citizens for Tax Justice http://www.ctj.org/
$ United for a Fair Economy http://www.faireconomy.org/
$ Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) http://trac.syr.edu/tracirs/index.html
$ U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/
$ Fact Check http://www.factcheck.org/
$ Grandfather Economic Report http://mwhodges.home.att.net/nat-debt/debt-nat-a.htm
$ Center for Defense Information   http://www.cdi.org/
$ Economic Policy Institute http://www.epinet.org/
$ Center on Budget and Policy Priorities   http://www.cbpp.org/
$ Responsible Wealth http://www.cdi.org/

Action Description

Essential Action Elements
$ Billionaires in full attire gather at local post office
$ Leaflets are distributed to taxpayers and passers-by
$ Signs convey message visually

Signage :
Print these beauties out and enlarge them into signs to use at your local Tax Day actions.

Taxes are not for everyone
Eliminate the middle man
Tax work, not wealth
America's Children: Paying for my Tax Cuts
Your Debt = Our Profits
Repeal the Dynasty Tax
We put the Loot in Plutocracy
Nobless Oblige, How quaint
Make our Tax free looting Permanent
Repressive Taxation without Representation

One Liners:             (some one liners can do double-time as potential signs)
•  Cut out the IRS middleman and send your checks directly to the Fortune 500 corporation of your choice.
•  How'd we get so rich?   We did it the old fashioned way - by having our political operatives create one tax loophole at a time.
•  We believe in the theory of "Fiscal Darwinism": Survival of the Richest!
•  The five Wal-Mart heirs who inherited the family fortune received $986,000,000 in tax cuts last year.   And all it took was spending $3.2 million in lobbying. There's a legacy that won't be left behind!
•  Your Government - working for us!
•  "Compassionate Conservatism."   Isn't saying it enough? >
•  Our tax breaks help us fund the War on the Middle Class.
•  Money for me today is far more important than money for your tomorrow.   Or today.   Or any time, really.
•  My Tax Break was so Rich and Sweet that it Must Be Fattening!
•  Yeah, my billionaire's tax break will trickle down, honest.
•  It takes a village to raise a millionaire - above the rest of the village, that is...
•  Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for Billionaires!
As devout worshippers of money, we Billionaires always ask ourselves: WWJD? - What Would Jesus Declare (or Deduct)?

More Detailed talking points:

•  Without George Bush's tax cuts, Congress could have shored up Medicare and Social Security for average Americans for the next 75 years - and still have $3 trillion left over. Luckily, the president chose Billionaires over everyone else.    

•  New Yorkers should thank Billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg for taking $600 M of your tax dollars for building a Jets' stadium instead of wasting it on education, police or other silly public services.

•  Thanks to George W. Bush, 54% of next year's tax cuts will be given to 0.2% of the richest taxpayers.   And, 97% of tax cuts will go to the 3.7% of households making over $200,000 a year.   If deals like this keep up, we can give up the off-shore tax haven we have and just pick out another vacation home instead! Huzzah!

•  Billionaires certainly won't forget to thank George Bush next year for his new tax provision that had us in mind, because 54% of tax cuts will be given to 0.2% of the richest taxpayers.   And, 97% of tax cuts will go to the 3.7% of households making over $200,000 a year.   If deals like this keep up we can give up the off-shore tax haven we have and just pick out another vacation home instead!   Ye-haw and Huzzah!

•  Our corporations with assets of $250 million are only 0.2% of all corporations yet we control 90% of all corporate assets and receive 87% of all the corporate income.   And you wonder why we love George Bush so much!

•  We know how to invest wisely, so our lobbyists have been busy on Capitol Hill.   While our financial institutions made up 60% of corporate contributions to politicians, IRS enforcement activities against corporate negligence and civil fraud have gone down 30% in the last year.

•  Out of the roughly 2.5 million U.S. corporations, there were only 132 civil penalties for tax fraud last year (and 25 were assessed negligence penalties). Phew!   

•  Average Americans, or the bottom 95% of workers wages were down in 2004, after inflation, while the wages of we elite top 5% earners rose by 1%.    It's not so bad being a minority when you are a friend of George Bush.

•  Inflation-adjusted average wages were down in 2004 for all but the top 5% of workers, whose incomes rose last year. It's not so bad being a minority when you are a friend of George Bush.

•  We of the moneyed interests encourage our Republican operatives to introduce the "Blue-State-Tax" which disallows deductions for state and local taxes!   Why encourage frivolous spending on education and other unprofitable public boondoggles.

•  Our president's tax bill will give 54% of tax cuts to the richest 0.2% Americans starting next year. Now, that's something to toast!

•  Sweet no-bid deals with Vice President Cheney's Halliburton cost those who actually pay taxes $7 billion (so far) on their open invoice to the U.S. military.   The Pentagon has already identified at least $320 million in over-billing by Halliburton alone. Support the war profiteers!

Optional Action Elements, for added embellishment

The Accountant
Someone in accountant attire (s/he could wear b4b pin) with clipboard working the line, saying "...tax advice? tax advice anyone? ah yes, sir, very good...so you look like a solid middle class American who plays by the rules, hmmm... maybe making 50K a year?... okay... let's see, your tax break from this Administration amounts to about $ 400 or so — not including the sales and property tax increases you now have to pay." Wink, nudge... then in a cheerful voice: "But did you know, that gentleman over there in the top hat (pointing to a billionaire), he got a tax break of roughly $80,000 this year? Yes, it's true! — All because Bush's tax cuts gave 40% of the benefits to the top 1% of taxpayers. So my tax advice to you, is that you should be a billionaire."

Direct Deposit
Billionaire stands next to or holds sign: "Eliminate the middle man — make out your check to us!", he/she extends top hat, purse or other receptacle for checks, with a few decoy checks or fake money already deposited and spilling out.

Thanks Kids!
Hand out tax forms for everyone's grand child, indicating in big colored numerals the estimated payment due as result of Bush tax cuts.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I only know a few people who would do this with me. Is that enough?
A: If you have five people at the Tax Day action, you have enough. This might require that you have a commitment from six to ten people, depending on the reliability of your fellow billionaires.

Q: Where do I find other billionaires to do this with me?
A: Start with your friends. Use the phone. Email is useful, but limited tool, so try having a conversation about what you envision. Suggest locations to purchase props & outfits, like the local salvation army.

Q: Don't we need a permit to hang on the sidewalk for several hours?
A: Generally speaking you have the freedom to assemble as long as you're not blocking pedestrian traffic or using amplified sound. We are not about confrontations with the police (why bother with the poor public servants?) and a little courtesy goes a long way. Besides, they are much nicer to well-dressed people.

Q: What time should we hold the Tax Day Action?
A: The ideal time is from 4:30-6:30pm. This will allow you to greet people during the big rush, and also be filmed for the evening news. Some chapters plan to be at the post office from 11:30-12:05 to greet last-minute filers and possible additonal media.