# Debunk this guy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-guy/171461>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 27, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-guy/171461 "2003-04-27T07:13:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lithium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@Lithium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lithium)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-guy/171461/1 "2003-04-27T07:13:54Z")

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Irwin Schiff, the author of “The Federal Mafia” claims

> [@](#):
>
> there is no law requiring anyone to pay income “taxes”.

What is the real deal with this guy? It’s easy to just roll one’s eyes at this guy and forget about him, but what is he basing his theory on? Is what he says valid in any way?

[http://www.paynoincometax.com/](http://www.paynoincometax.com/)

The first chapter of his book here:[http://www.paynoincometax.com/chapter1.htm](http://www.paynoincometax.com/chapter1.htm)

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**Author:** ![Patricinus\_Scriblerus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Patricinus\_Scriblerus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patricinus_Scriblerus)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-guy/171461/2 "2003-04-27T07:33:20Z")

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Is this guy Canadian? I seem to remember there being a law in Canada that prohibits the Federal Government from direct taxation (I am looking for the cite) .

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/debunk-this-guy/171461/3 "2003-04-27T08:03:18Z")

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Let’s put it this way: Schiff has already served time in Federal prison for tax evasion. He’s a kook.