Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk - A weekly Column

Congress Passes Paul Provision to Reject UN Taxes

June 15,  2006    

Washington, DC:  Congressman Ron Paul continues to lead the fight against United Nations global tax proposals, which could add another level of taxes to the state, local, and federal taxes Americans already pay.

The US House of Representatives last week passed the Foreign Operations appropriations bill, which fund the nonmilitary activities of our federal government overseas—including our United Nations dues.  Paul crafted language that prohibits the Treasury from paying those dues if the UN attempts to implement or impose any kind of tax on US citizens.  That provision was included in the final Foreign Operations bill, which Congress passed last week.

“The UN continues to build the foundation for global government, and a worldwide tax is the key to their entire agenda,” Paul stated.  “This is not hyperbole-- in fact, the UN’s own website is quite open about the organization’s ambitions.  The UN has established a system of international laws and international courts; now it needs an enforcement mechanism in the form of an international army.  If UN bureaucrats succeed in creating a worldwide tax, they will become totally unaccountable to national governments and their citizens.”

The UN has sought to impose a global tax for years.  The infamous “Tobin Tax,” imposed on cross-border currency transactions, has been the dream of UN globalists since the late 1970s.  The Tobin Tax was designed to create an independent source of funding for UN bureaucrats, who resent having to rely on what they see as paltry UN dues paid by member nations.  A tax on currency exchanges conservatively would raise $300 billion annually, giving the UN an ongoing stream of income. 

Political differences thus far have prevented the Tobin Tax from becoming a reality, but many other UN tax proposals have been considered.  In 2004 a group of G8 nations agreed to explore a UN tax on airline tickets, which also could raise billions every year.  Paul’s legislation sends a strong message to the world that the American people will not accept any form of UN taxation.