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atives” （thieves； liars； and self…serving scumbags is far more accurate） have endless time to sit around for year after year and debate the state of the “terrible health care problem”。 It’s clear they see no crisis as long as the dead people don’t get in the way of their corporate profits rolling in。
And justice？ You’ve got to be kidding！
How can any rational individual explain that white elephant conundrum in the middle of our tax system and； indeed； our entire legal system？ Here we have a system that is； by far； too plicated for the brightest of the master scholars to understand。 Yet； it mercilessly “holds accountable” its victims； claiming that they’re responsible for fully plying with laws not even the experts understand。 The law “requires” a signature on the bottom of a tax filing； yet no one can say truthfully that they understand what they are signing； if that’s not “duress” than what is。 If this is not the measure of a totalitarian regime； nothing is。
How did I get here？
My introduction to the real American nightmare starts back in the early ‘80s。 Unfortunately after more than 16 years of school； somewhere along the line I picked up the absurd； pompous notion that I could read and understand plain English。 Some friends introduced me to a group of people who were having ‘tax code’ readings and discussions。 In particular； zeroed in on a section relating to the wonderful “exemptions” that make institutions like the vulgar； corrupt Catholic Church so incredibly wealthy。 We carefully studied the law （with the help of some of the “best”； high…paid； experienced tax lawyers in the business）； and then began to do exactly what the “big boys” were doing （except that we weren’t steeling from our congregation or lying to the government about our massive profits in the name of God）。 We took a great deal of care to make it all visible； following all of the rules； exactly the way the law said it was to be done。
The intent of this exercise and our efforts was to bring about a much…needed re…evaluation of the laws that allow the monsters of organized religion to make such a mockery of people who earn an honest living。 However； this is where I learned that there are two “interpretations” for every law； one for the very rich； and one for the rest of us… Oh； and the monsters are the very ones making and enforcing the laws； the inquisition is still alive and well today in this country。
That little lesson in patriotism cost me 40；000＋； 10 years of my life； and set my retirement plans back to 0。 It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country with an ideology that is based on a total and plete lie。 It also made me realize； not only how naive I had been； but also the incredible stupidity of the American public； that they buy； hook； line； and sinker； the crap about their “freedom”… and that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence and all that keeps happening in front of them。
Before even having to make a shaky recovery from the sting of the first lesson on what justice really means in this country （around 1984 after making my way through engineering school and still another five years of “paying my dues”）； I felt I finally had to take a chance of launching my dream of being an independent engineer。
On the subjects of engineers and dreams of independence； I should digress somewhat to say that I’m sure that I inherited the fascination for creative problem solving from my father。 I realized this at a very young age。
The significance of independence； however； came much later during my early years of college； at the age of 18 or 19 when I was living on my own as student in an apartment in Harrisburg； Pennsylvania。 My neighbor was an elderly retired woman （80＋ seemed ancient to me at that age） who was the widowed wife of a retired steel worker。 Her husband had worked all his life in the steel mills of central Pennsylvania with promises from big business and the union that； for his 30 years of service； he would have a pension and medical care to look forward to in his retirement。 Instead he was one of the thousands who got nothing because the inpetent mill management and corrupt union （not to mention the government） raided their pension funds and stole their retirement。 All she had was social security to live on。
In retrospect； the situation was laughable because here I was living on peanut butter and bread （or Ritz crackers when I could afford to splurge） for months at a time。 When I got to know this poor figure and heard her story I felt worse for her plight than for my own （I； after all； I thought I had everything to in front of me）。 I was genuinely appalled at one point； as we exchanged stories and miserated with each other over our situations； when she in her grandmotherly fashion tried to convince me that I would be “healthier” eating cat food （like her） rather than trying to get all my substance from peanut butter and bread。 I couldn’t quite go there； but the impression was made。 I decided that I didn’t trust big business to take care of me； and that I would take responsibility for my own future and myself。
Return to the early ‘80s； and here I was off to a terrifying start as a ‘wet…behind…the…ears’ contract software engineer。。。 and two years later； thanks to the fine backroom； midnight effort by the sleazy executives of Arthur Andersen （the very same folks who later brought us Enron and other such calamities） and an equally sleazy New York Senator （Patrick Moynihan）； we saw the passage of 1986 tax reform act with its section 1706。
For you who are unfamiliar； here is the core text of the IRS Section 1706； defining the treatment of workers （such as contract engineers） for tax purposes。 Visit this link for a conference mittee report （synergistech/1706。shtml#ConferencemitteeReport） regarding the intended interpretation of Section 1706 and the relevant parts of Section 530； as amended。 For information on how these laws affect technical services workers and their clients； read our discussion here （synergistech/ic…taxlaw。shtml）。
SEC。 1706。 TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL。
（a） IN GENERAL … Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection：
（d） EXCEPTION。 … This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person； provides services for such other person as an engineer； designer； drafter； puter programmer； systems analyst； or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work。
（b） EFFECTIVE DATE。 … The amendment made by this section shall apply to remuneration paid and services rendered after December 31； 1986。
Note：
· 〃another person〃 is the client in the traditional job…shop relationship。
· 〃taxpayer〃 is the recruiter； broker； agency； or job shop。
· 〃individual〃； 〃employee〃； or 〃worker〃 is you。
Admittedly； you need to read the treatment to understand what it is saying but it’s not very plicated。 The bottom line is that they may as well have put my name right in the text of section （d）。 Moreover； they could only have been more blunt if they would ha