Excise or Income: Dan Berman Explains the Tax Code They Don’t Teach You (Ep. 222)

In this live Friday night episode from Asylum Studios in Eagle Pass, I sit down with Dan “Taxation Is Theft” Berman—author, activist, and provocateur—to unpack his decade-long battle with the IRS, why he believes most Americans misunderstand the income tax, and how Supreme Court rulings frame the income tax as an excise rather than a direct tax. Dan walks us through W-2 vs. 1099 realities, withholding strategies, and how he’s secured refunds (even of Social Security/Medicare withholdings) by challenging IRS assumptions and paperwork—without resorting to sovereign citizen claims. We also explore the Federal Reserve’s incentive structure, inflation as engineered policy, and Dan’s blueprint to “Crash the Fed” through peaceful, practical steps including moving savings out of vulnerable instruments and into alternatives like metals and certain cryptocurrencies. Along the way, we hit state income tax parallels, property tax pain, campaign finance loopholes, and why broad public consensus—not politicians—ultimately changes policy.We close with resources to learn the legal history (Sixteenth Amendment, Brushaber, Baltic Mining), how to read your IRS transcripts, and where to follow Dan’s ongoing cases and tools. If you’ve ever wondered whether the system is rigged—or how to responsibly push back—this conversation is a crash course in tax skepticism, strategy, and personal responsibility.  Watch LIVE tonight at 7PM CT Rumble.com/JoeRooz YouTube.com/@JoeRooz FOLLOW US ON:X: https://x.com/joeroozFacebook: https://facebook.com/joeroozshowTwitch TV: https://twitch.tv/joeroozInstagram: https://instagram.com/notjoeroozTikTok: https://tiktok.com/joe.roozMinds: https://minds.com/joeroozGETTR: https://gettr.com/joeroozSpecial thanks to:Executive Producer Wayne RankinExecutive Producer Rosanna RankinExecutive Producer Carolina JimenezExecutive Producer Angela WetuskiExecutive Producer John SeeleyWant to be a guest on The Joe Rooz Show?Send Joe a message on #PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/member/joeCheck out our partners:Podhome.fmCreative EdgeMusic: https://youtube.com/@pogo️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5724294587940864(00:03:39) Live from Asylum Studios: Friday kickoff and week-from-hell recap(00:06:38) Show plans, platforms, and housekeeping before the guest(00:13:08) Guest intro: Dan "Taxation Is Theft" Berman joins(00:15:32) Dan’s backstory: pushing back, banks, courts, and systems(00:24:32) College, credentials, and why expertise isn’t just a degree(00:25:28) How Dan works big tech jobs while not filing the way you think(00:32:19) States vs. IRS: different teeth, same playbook(00:35:03) How the income tax was born: Civil War to the 16th Amendment(00:40:31) Withholding, war emergencies, and the psychology of refunds(00:46:21) Excise vs. direct taxes, privileges, and who really withholds(00:51:31) Beyond income tax: tickets, sales tax, and pushing back(00:58:02) Doing it wrong gets you burned: avoiding bad arguments(01:05:07) Biggest myth: don’t file or go to jail—what really happens(01:06:58) Books: "Taxation Is Theft" and the new "Crash the Fed"(01:11:13) Inflation as design: bonds, interest, and the Fed’s leverage(01:19:08) Rigged housing: FHA, 30–50 year loans, and bubbles(01:28:04) Hedging the crash: metals, crypto, and diversification(01:34:38) Politics and protest: campaigns, finance hacks, and activism(01:41:16) Property tax and ownership: if they can take it, do you own it?(01:47:09) Media narratives, redactions, and why most people miss it(01:48:32) Where to find Dan’s work and final calls to action(01:49:39) Host wrap-up: support the show, schedules, and sign-offs - Joe "Rooz" Russiello - Marisa Lee - Wayne Rankin - Rosanna Rankin - Angela Wetuski - Carolina Jimenez - Dan Behrmanhttps://www.joerooz.com/supporthttps://www.joerooz.com