The Out-Of-Control IRS

[Shady]

That's the question, isn't it? As I said, this Republican Congress, in the abscence of producing any legislation

That's actually not true at all. Dozens of pieces of legislation have been passed and gone to the senate to die. Harry Reid is Obama's pocket veto. But you won't know about that kind of thing reading leftwing blogs. Bills that have bi-partisan support, and that would actually pass the vote of the senate have been set aside and not voted on on purpose thanks to the Democrat majority leader. But this is typical. The IRS participates in inappropriate activity, activity that they've already had to issue apologizies, and paid fines, and not we have emails and hard drives destroyed, but it's the Republicans fault!

Come'on man.

[Shady]

Anyways, this story gets even more interesting. Apparently the former IRS commissioner planted questions at a Q & A in an attempt to get out in front of the bad news that she knew was coming in the upcoming inspector general's report.

Lawyer confirms she asked planted question that broke open IRS scandal

The first revelation that the IRS was targeting Tea Party groups came in a planted question during a lawyers’ conference earlier this month, the attorney who asked the question confirmed Saturday with Fox News.

The inspector general report on the IRS targeting Tea Party groups and other conservative-leaning political organizations applying for tax-exempt status was complete, so the agency had the question added to the conference’s Q&A session as part of prepared strategy to start getting out the bad news, outgoing IRS Commissioner Steven Miller said Friday before the House Ways and Means Committee

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/18/lawyer-confirms-asked-planted-question-that-broke-open-irs-scandal/

This story gets more and more bizarre. But it must be the Republicans fault! Yes of course! That's why the IRS commissioner pleaded the 5th, and that's why the hard drives of 7 people sought in the inquiry were all destroyed! Because of the Republicans!

[monty16]

No, they're not opponents of most kinds of taxation, and no it actually doesn't make sense at all. What you're advocating is soft tyranny, and that's a pretty deplorable idea. You want the apparatus of the state to weight political speech, and that speech that's deemed to not be in the interest of said state, be hindered with extra processes. Where as speech that is weighed to be in the interest of the state, be made easier to engage in the overall poltical process. That's a frighteningly bad idea. But I'm glad you're being honest about your beliefs.

It sounds like an honourable position coming out of the teabaggers but it's not in my opinion. The giveaway is that they aren't discriminating enough to divorce themselves from racism, extremism, fanaticism, Glenn Beck, and other undesirables. That is their failing and will lead to their complete demise

The yellow flag they wave or the confederate flag they wave and love so much just doesn't go hand in hand with an honourable attempt to stop government tyranny. Their feigned nonsense of government coming in the night to take away all their guns just doesn't jibe with honesty. And the truth you are going to have to face Shady, is that they honestly do think that's what government wants to do to them.

Do you recall the similarity to the Reform party of Canada? Do you recall how it was a marriage of crazed extremists from both the extreme left as well as the extreme right? Same thing! It won't last long now as a significant political force. It may last as something akin to libertarianism that only screams out it's woes from the sidelines.

[dre]

No, they're not opponents of most kinds of taxation, and no it actually doesn't make sense at all. What you're advocating is soft tyranny, and that's a pretty deplorable idea. You want the apparatus of the state to weight political speech, and that speech that's deemed to not be in the interest of said state, be hindered with extra processes. Where as speech that is weighed to be in the interest of the state, be made easier to engage in the overall poltical process. That's a frighteningly bad idea. But I'm glad you're being honest about your beliefs.

No its not tyranny at all. A lot of these groups have an anti-government, anti-tax bent to them. Governments keep an eye on these things, understandably. Not just the IRS either but the justice department, the police, the FBI, the NSA, etc. And we see the same thing against potentially subversive left wing groups as well. And they have been doing it since before Obama was even in office. As for Tyranny... these groups were audited... the only way that any of them could face any real negative consequences is if they were commiting tax fraud, or not filing properly.

And the fact is that progressive groups were targeted as well, and the most heavily targetted groups were groups thought to spinoffs of acorn, and groups advocating medical marijuana.

Edited June 29, 2014 by dre

[Shady]

It sounds like an honourable position coming out of the teabaggers but it's not in my opinion. The giveaway is that they aren't discriminating enough to divorce themselves from racism, extremism, fanaticism, Glenn Beck, and other undesirables. That is their failing and will lead to their complete demise

The yellow flag they wave or the confederate flag they wave and love so much just doesn't go hand in hand with an honourable attempt to stop government tyranny. Their feigned nonsense of government coming in the night to take away all their guns just doesn't jibe with honesty. And the truth you are going to have to face Shady, is that they honestly do think that's what government wants to do to them.

Do you recall the similarity to the Reform party of Canada? Do you recall how it was a marriage of crazed extremists from both the extreme left as well as the extreme right? Same thing! It won't last long now as a significant political force. It may last as something akin to libertarianism that only screams out it's woes from the sidelines.

The use of the term teabagger is against forum rules. Reported.

[monty16]

The use of the term teabagger is against forum rules. Reported.

Is it? As far as I knew, the use of the term was judged to be allowable so far. If the decision to not allow it is made then I will surely abide by that decision. So let's find out now shall we?

[dre]

The use of the term teabagger is against forum rules. Reported.

ROFLMAO.

[monty16]

The use of the term teabagger is against forum rules. Reported.

Was that your honest opinion or did you lie to us Shady? I think it's acceptable if it was just a misunderstanding on your part.

[Argus]

That's actually not true at all. Dozens of pieces of legislation have been passed and gone to the senate to die. Harry Reid is Obama's pocket veto. But you won't know about that kind of thing reading leftwing blogs. Bills that have bi-partisan support, and that would actually pass the vote of the senate have been set aside and not voted on on purpose thanks to the Democrat majority leader.

Could you give us a list of these "bipartisan" bills the congress has passed? It seems to me, in casual observation, that pretty much the only bills they pass are ones which they know damn well the Senate will ignore or the president will veto.

Getting bills through the Senate and President would require that they do that four letter thing, you know, the one they get clawed down from within for even suggesting -- compromise.

[Argus]

Anyways, this story gets even more interesting. Apparently the former IRS commissioner planted questions at a Q & A in an attempt to get out in front of the bad news that she knew was coming in the upcoming inspector general's report.

If you don't think this has been done every day in Washington for the past hundred years you're pretty damned naive.

[Bitsy]

The Democrats did the same thing under Eisenhower. Stuart Symington was constantly investigating lack of military preparation,

Link, please.

[Shady]

Could you give us a list of these "bipartisan" bills the congress has passed? It seems to me, in casual observation, that pretty much the only bills they pass are ones which they know damn well the Senate will ignore or the president will veto.

Getting bills through the Senate and President would require that they do that four letter thing, you know, the one they get clawed down from within for even suggesting -- compromise.

Sorry Argus, but on this one, you're just very wrong...

A fear of voting has gripped Democratic leaders in the Senate, slowing the chamber's modest productivity this election season to a near halt.

With control of the Senate at risk in November, leaders are going to remarkable lengths to protect endangered Democrats from casting tough votes and to deny Republicans legislative victories in the midst of the campaign. The phobia means even bipartisan legislation to boost energy efficiency, manufacturing, sportsmen's rights, and more could be scuttled

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20140629_Senate_Democrats_skittish_on_voting.html

they were denied any votes on an annual military policy bill that usually is shaped over weeks on the Senate floor. A bipartisan bill on Iran sanctions has yet to receive floor consideration. And Democrats, eager to replace a tax on medical devices that helps pay for the Affordable Care Act, have been denied a vote.

“I would like to take one of the bipartisan bills and allow for a more open amendment process,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota and a primary sponsor of the medical device tax repeal. “I think that would be a good way to do it and more forward.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/us/politics/reids-uncompromising-power-play-in-senate-rankles-republicans.html?_r=0

I don't expect many to know this stuff, because it doesn't fit into the pre-conceived notion that exists and usually pushed in some of the partisan media circles. Regardless, these are the facts. Anyways, hopefully we can keep this thread on the IRS, and not drift onto other unrelated topics. Especially false ones.

[Bitsy]

As Reid says, the Republican amendments are 95% gotcha amendments. Why are Republicans afraid of an up or down vote on clean legislation is the question to be asking not why Reid won't allow a vote on legislation with "wrecking amendments".

In legislative procedure, a rider is an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under the consideration by a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill.[1] Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision that would not pass as its own bill. Occasionally, a controversial provision is attached to a bill not to be passed itself but to prevent the bill from being passed (in which case it is called a wrecking amendment or poison pill)

.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider_(legislation)

[Argus]

Sorry Argus, but on this one, you're just very wrong...

Doesn't look that way to me. Just from reading your cites what it looks like is that in the runup to the fall elections the Republicans are chomping at the bit to get recorded votes on certain hot-button issues which they hope to use against weaker Democrats in that election. This is political games, not legislating.

[monty16]

It's not either party that is corrupt, it's the entire system. And it's time they really did dig up all their guns that they have buried in their potato gardens. Their government is just going to come and get them all anyway!

Soon! Real soon!