Millions of Americans are rushing to file their federal and state taxes today by the midnight deadline. But others are using the day to protest the use of tax dollars to fund war. The War Resisters League estimates at least 45 percent of the 2015 federal budget would be used for current and past military expenses, as well as interest on the national debt, some 80 percent of which stems from military spending. To voice their opposition, some Americans are taking a stand by personally refusing to pay their federal taxes. Lida Shao, a pre-med student at Columbia University, has been a war tax resister for three years with support from the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. Shao joins us to discuss why Tax Day for her is a day of resistance.

Transcript

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AARON MATÉ: As we continue now to look at issues of finance and justice, we turn now to taxes. Today is April 15th, and many Americans are rushing to file their federal income taxes by the midnight deadline. But others are using the day to protest the use of tax dollars to fund war. The War Resisters League estimates at least 45 percent of the 2015 federal budget would be used for current and past military expenses, including drones and bombs, as well as interest on the national debt, some 80 percent of which stems from military spending.

AMY GOODMAN: To voice their opposition to this, some Americans, like our next guest, are taking a stand by personally refusing to pay their federal taxes. Lida Shao has been a war tax resister for three years. She’s had support from the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. She’s been active in working with youth and in food democracy and popular education, and currently is pre-med at Columbia University.

We welcome you to Democracy Now! So, you’re not going to be mailing your taxes in today, at least your federal taxes.

LIDA SHAO: Yes. Thanks so much. I’m so honored to be here. No, I’m not going to be. I actually just printed out the peace return this morning, and I think I might file that instead. And maybe I’ll send them—

AMY GOODMAN: Peace return?

LIDA SHAO: It’s a document that the NWTRCC put together that’s—you can file instead of the 1040, and it’s—

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