system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: I have an urge to change my tax forms at work so that they don't take any taxes out. I'll save that money, and put it back in when the shutdown is over. I kinda feel like everyone should do this.

I feel like everyone could do this, and basically tell the government that if they can't play nice and share their toys, they can't play with them at all.

There is a potential that they won't care, because my income is still being reported, and I'm ultimately still responsible for - and will pay - said taxes (because I live in a society). Given that, the whole gesture may pretty much be a waste of my own time (both now and next Jan-April), and they will neither be affected, nor care.

On top of that, while I am not in the following group, a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck (if that) and might end up spending the money, and then end up owing tens of thousands of dollars that they don't have any more. So I don't really recommend doing this unless you're doing well financially and have good self-control with your spending.

But I'm fucking irritated, and I feel like I should do /something/.

I suppose the most direct route to changing my mind is altering this impulse to something more productive. Thoughts?

**Edit:** So, technically my "view" has changed from a practical standpoint (vis a vis, I can't do what I wanted to do, because Federal is pay-as-you-go whether I want to or not, and I live in WA so I don't have state tax either way). My moral dilemma remains, but it doesn't seem like anyone is keen to address it, so... I guess we're done here?

**Edit 2:** Ok, apparently I am (or rather, my employer is) only obligated to pay quarterly if my estimated liability says I need to, but if I change my exemptions to something higher, the estimation will be zero. The real value will be calculated at the end of the fiscal year and I can pay then. Technically, my original plan would still work, be legal(ish?), potentially net me some interest during the year, and probably still not phase the government (unless a bunch of people did it at once). Some very good points being made, so I guess we're not quite done here...

Also, it's the middle of the night and I woke up randomly. I saw the replies in my email, but I'm putting off responding directly to them until the morning proper (because sleep), but I will :)

**Edit 3:** Insomnia. Replied. Wee.

Keep'er goin'...

**Edit 4:** Holy fuck. Ok, someone please verify this thought I just had: Without getting into specifics, I make six figures. That means my liability is tens of thousands of dollars each year. If I hang on to that, and make just 1% interest in a year, that's THOUSANDS of dollars of interest that I'm giving away.

If the only thing we accomplish here is that I pay my taxes on full, but keep that interest, I consider that a win.

**Edit 5:** Yeah that was some huckleberry-bad sleepy-time math. It would have been potentially HUNDREDS* of dollars xD

\* Maybe, if I was really careful and deliberate.

But some good hints to look into investing. Not 100% on track, but good advice non-the-less.

Speaking of the thesis, responses seem to boil down to the following;

* You have to pay federal tax with each paycheck if your estimated liability says so, but;
* I could technically pull this off if I modified my exemptions, but;
* Modifying my exemptions inaccurately is still illegal and fine worthy (despite most people getting away with it because it's not often pursued), and;
* It would probably be a huge hassle, and;
* Since I'm paying anyway, and there isn't a massive amount of others doing this, it wouldn't really matter, but;
* It's good to think about civil disobedience and take interest and participate in your government, generally.

Auxiliary tip:
* If one has a fair amount of paycheck surplus generally, they should invest (safely, I'm thinking 401k and CDs, etc).

Anyone else have something to add?
gpt
I think you may be misunderstanding the appropriations bills. It's not that the government has no money, it's that it's not allowed to spend it (on certain things; other things are moving along just like normal) right now. 

> An appropriation bill, also known as supply bill or spending bill, is a proposed law that **authorizes the expenditure of government funds. It is a bill that sets money aside for specific spending**. In most democracies, **approval of the legislature is necessary for the government to spend money**.

Passing the bill and ending the shutdown won't just make money appear in the government's account; it's already there waiting to be spent on appropriate projects and services. 

If you could eliminate your withholding, which others have pointed out that you can't, the government would still get your money at tax time next year. Your withholdings going into the government's "account" doesn't affect whether the government can spend that money; Congress decides this and the president agrees by signing the bill into law. 

Additionally, even without your paycheck withholdings, the government is still collecting revenue in the form of other taxes, fees, and loan payments. 

Even though individual income taxes make up the bulk of government revenues, keeping this money from the government short-term won't do much because they have already forecast that money to come in by next April; they don't need it right now.