The Hoyt Fiasco: Writing for assistance

Making it count

1. Why we must write letters
2. Letter results
3. Some tips
4. How to crank them out
5. Make them have impact
6. Requirements

1. Why we must write letters

a. The powers that be DO respond to letters, if they get enough of them. They do not respond to silence.

b. This campaign by the IRS will not end, even if you "settle." If you think this is about a "tax debt," you are not thinking. We must win in court, and we need legislative pressure to do that. The PDFT attys write the most amazing and impressive briefs--the very fact those don't end this fiasco immediately should tell you there is something terribly wrong and you are the deer in the crosshairs.

c. We must do this now. The IRS is speeding up collections and that makes our defense more difficult. We need to end this fiasco on reasonable terms, and legislators can help us toward that end. But, we have to compete for their attention and they are pulled in every direction.

d. Bear in mind, we are competing for attention with folks who deliberately abuse the tax laws (that includes IRS employees, IRS attorneys, IRS Collections people, tax protestors, and tax cheats--we are not in this group). So, a single letter about your plight will just get lost in a sea of letters from people who should not be writing.

2. Letter results

Hoyt victims are getting responses that include phone calls, Senate inquiries into the IRS, and other actions.

3. Some tips

a. First, realize it does not take much time to do this. Don’t procrastinate—set a schedule on your calendar and stick to it.

b. Keep the letter short. A long letter won't get read.

c. Just pick out an item from an IRS letter, and write about that, if nothing else comes to mind. You can also go through the Hoyt Fiasco Web site, which has enough material for hundreds of letters.

d. Do not present a multitude of issues. Make each letter have one theme, and tell the reader what specific action you expect to be taken. Ask for a reply.

e. Ask questions like, "Can you show me the law that says the IRS can deny a theft loss when one of the perpetrators of that loss is in prison for life on 52 counts of fraud?"

f. Avoid inflammatory language. This means don’t take digs at the IRS or refer to people as morons or other negative attributions they may fully deserve--none of that matters and will only detract from your point. Focus on the issues, because those are what you need assistance with. The occasional inflammatory letter can help you, by showing your indignation. Just don't make that your focus.

g. Think in terms of "play nice." Show some class, and you can expect to get treated with class.

h. An aide or other "screening person" reads incoming letters with a highlighter and directs the letter to the "correct" agency regardless of the address or any specific instructions. If your letter says "IRS" or "tax" anywhere in it, your letter will go to the TAO or the IRS, rather than to the intended recipient. So, don't write about the IRS or your taxes. Write about malfeasance in a government agency, the Hoyt Fiasco, and other matters.

4. How to crank them out

a. One victim writes a one-page letter at lunch and e-mails it home. He reviews it in about 5 minutes. You can write the letter very quickly, because you are writing about one issue.

b. Use the templates and mail merge tools available here. You may also want to scan your signature in and save it as an image to include in your own personal letter template.

c. Do not try to save time by copying letters someone else wrote. The result is diminished effect for both letters.

5. Make them have impact

a. Feel free to refer to a specific page on the Hoyt Fiasco Web site, but give a brief explanation of what's on that page so the reader understands the reason for going there. These officials are extremely busy, so make it as easy for them as possible to understand what you want them to know.

b. It's not so much important that you come across like an ace writer, as that you simply make your point that something is wrong and you want to know by what authority the IRS can do this or that. Quite simply, they have no authority for doing what they are doing. We need to get our legislators to realize that and intervene.

c. When your unique voice comes across as a genuine person with a genuine problem, only then can you expect genuine help. Don’t worry about perfection, but do review your letter to make sure it’s easy to understand before you mail merge it and start sending it everywhere.

d. Write often. One victim sent over 900 letters in the first five months of 2002. There is no reason you can’t send out a batch every week or two.

e. Finally, have confidence. You are an adult and what you say is important. Don’t beg, but stick to the facts and ask for results.

6. Requirements

a. You must send each government official a Privacy Act Notice, or you cannot get any official to act on your behalf. These notices are in a mail merge file for your convenience. Download the empty form, add an image of your signature, merge, and then mail. Simple as that.

b. You must not divulge information that Monty or Gary deems as private for the Hoyt victims.

c. You must not present yourself as representing the Hoyt victims or the PDFT.