Each month, many of us unknowingly contribute to the war policies we resolutely oppose, because there is a 3% federal excise tax on local telephone service (usually landline) that helps to pay for them. Most cell, flat rate, and mixed use services do not have this tax.
Telephone tax resistance has a long history in the peace movement, and over the years the related campaigns gained the name “Hang Up On War.” Read more on the history page.
Today, thousands of people continue to Hang Up On War by refusing to pay the small amount on their local telephone bill listed as “Federal Excise Tax” or “Federal Tax.” This federal excise tax, like many others, pays into the general fund of the U.S. government — the same place your federal income taxes go. The monies in the general fund help to pay for the Pentagon, the militarization of our culture, and war.
Refusing to pay this tax is an act of civil disobedience, and another way to strengthen nonviolent resistance to the “endless war” policy of the U.S. government. It’s another way to send a message to Washington that says “not with my money.”
