IRS admits wrongdoing but lies about its motives.
As we have all become painfully aware in recent weeks, the Obama Administration’s Internal Revenue Service has been targeting conservative groups with the words “tea party” and “patriot” in their names for extra scrutiny for quite some time now. That comes as no surprise to those of us who have long suspected that the current administration has taken unfair advantage of its power to try to make life miserable for those who disagree with its policies.
Well, at least now it’s out in the open and everyone knows that it’s true. The people who used to call us paranoid are backing off a little bit as they now understand that what we’ve been saying has not been the crazy ramblings of people with persecution complexes, but rather the truth.
But as you may be aware, it’s not just those groups with “tea party” and “patriot” in their names who have been targeted by the IRS as they’ve applied for tax exempt status. It’s been exposed that groups that are worried about government spending, debt or taxes, or – get this – groups that have lobbied to “make American a better place to live” have also been targeted, according to the details of a government probe.
My gosh! Imagine someone having the audacity to want to improve our country! Shame on them!
And, of course, the IRS lied about this situation until the truth came out. In mid-2012, then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman said that the IRS was not targeting conservative groups. But the investigation revealed that in mid-2011, a high-ranking IRS official knew that was exactly what was happening.
In addition to turning down conservative groups when they sought tax exempt status, the IRS asked these groups numerous inappropriate questions, including requesting that they provide their donor lists and other sensitive information. And even after the IRS was caught red-handed, the agency still blamed lower-level employees and denied that any “higher-ups” were involved. The IRS also insisted that the targeting was not politically motivated.
What!?! How could the targeting of conservative groups be anything other than politically motivated? It’s obvious that the IRS will admit wrongdoing only when it has become obvious to everyone what they’re doing, and then they’ll launch a new barrage of lies to try to put themselves in the best possible light.
Hopefully, the investigation will continue and we’ll get at the truth of who was involved and why they did it.
Were you surprised when this shameful IRS targeting was revealed? What was your reaction when you first heard about it? Do you think that now that this sort of thing is out in the open that the IRS will start behaving in a fair fashion? I’d love to hear your thoughts about this important topic.
All these Obama apologists make me slightly nauseous…
Paul you say many of us do not understand how government works .I have seen how it works are you not looking at the debt we have and the mass of people coming in without any plans of paying their fair share.I could go on but when you defend them you are part of the problem. They have grown to big and to many favors are owed to many people. When I vote and I always vote if they are in they are out and we all need to keep firing them until someone learns we have had enough. When this country handed me a weapon and then tied one hand behind our back to fight I saw first hand how they work. $30,000 retirement a year after 8 years in congress . Where do we go to make that retirement for the rest of our lives .I will tell you go to Washington.
Took me four years to negotiate a payment plan with the IRS and in the end, I had to hire an accountant as they continued to lie to me and try to set me up. It’s outrageous – and during this time thousands of dollars of penalties accrued, all of which they want me to pay back. If I had the money to hire an expensive tax lawyer, it would have been over in a very short time. But they enjoy taking on the little guy who can’t afford to defend himself. Where is the Inspector General? Where is the Tax Advocacy office?
Of course it is the duty of the IRS to carefully examine anyone who wants to be a non-profit and not pay any taxes. And if an outrageous number apply to be non profit for some political reason, they obviously have to be examined carefully. That is no reflection on whatever party happens to be in power.
“That is no reflection on whatever party happens to be in power.”
Oh yes it is especially when almost all if not all those targeted are from groups that could be or are opposed to those in power while none of the groups sympathetic to those in power are targeted.
Richard Nixon entertained the thought of using the IRS as an attack dog on his political and media enemies, of which he had many. His party, Republican, thwarted hsi idea as a dangerous precedent.
Barack Obama does not care about justice or the rule of law. he used the IRS as an attack dog on his political opponents (enemies) and uses the DOJ to cover up the tracks. He routinely dismisses Congress today because he no longer enjoys his super majority led by his Dogs From Hell, Reid and Pelosi. His inexperience with everything from economics to military has caused a massive expansion of food stamps and dead Americans.
We need the repeal of the 16th Amendment and the abolition of the Federal Reserve and the IRS.
Calling the president names is a bully tactic that detracts whatever value there might have been in the comment. The IRS is ridiculously powerful but the president nether created nor empowered it. Surely there is some hope that at some point the black-and-white thinking oops this forum will stop and national conversation will result. Lets keep the drama on the stage and act like: adults with functioning brains shall we. The worst enemy most of you posting here have is no concept of how our government works. Naturalized citizens have to know more than I see in most of the posters on this topic appear to. You strive to ask your racism in political babble speak. I have seen two intelligent posts on this topic… the rest are just hate pretending to be republicans.
Interesting, first you insult people for having a different view, then you try to take the position that YOU know best, because you feel your huge brain places you somehow above the rest. And apparently you somehow see “Racism” in the post above. First, lets understand a couple things, I DO know how the Government works – And I’m pretty sure it doesn’t include illegal Executive Orders/Memos which make law, and I’m also sure that sharing information from the IRS to the Whitehouse is illegal too – evidence of which we currently have. The only reason this President is still in office is because they can’t get enough votes to impeach him within the party line, that, and nobody want Uncle Joe as President. You have a viewpoint? Fine, express it – but don’t expect a pass from anyone because you want to insult them.
We strive to ask our racism in political babble speak? Thanks for the chance to laugh, Jade. The IRS should hire you to do their public relations.
It’s all about intimidation and control by the Obama administration!
I am conservative. The Republicans have not been conservative since Reagan. They are in fact wild eyed radicals who will destroy the constitution, and turn this county into a 3rd world feudal society, with peasants and lords. No middle class. Kiss it goodbye troops. You have been distracted by the phony pretend to be news services while the wealth pick your pockets. Sales tax is regressive and hits the poor the hardest. The middle class has lost ground ever since Reagan. Wake up Bush was the worst president we ever had. Reagan comes next. Obama is a weak president and I do not like many of his policies but he can not even compete for title of worst president. If you are unhappy with the IRS, thank Bush. His first act in office was to call IRS and tell them to audit 100% of the poorest taxpayer returns. Many were a year getting their refunds. He diverted the IRS, from doing their job to harassing the working poor and small businessmen. Prior to that the IRS was well organized and had many intelligent and experienced employees who were knowledgeable and honest. When they diverted from their job to harassing the poorest taxpayers most quit and went to better jobs. The only ones who stayed were the ones who were close to retirement, and the ones who were too dumb to get a job anywhere else. The ones who were close to retirement have retired. We now have and organization of idiots who do not understand taxes and can not even answer simple questions accurately. Here is something for you IRS haters to chew on. For many years now the IRS has been confiscating money that the citizens have deposited to pay future or anticipated taxes. They claim a 3 year statute of limitations on these deposits. There is no such law. Money you deposit with them is your money and remains your money until you need it or ask to have it refunded. The law they quote says you can only ask for the refund of taxes you have paid for 3 years from the time you have paid the taxes or the time you filed the tax return. There is no law and never has been a law allowing them to confiscate your money you have on deposit. They have used this subterfuge to confiscate billions of dollars from honest taxpayers. Chew on that for a while and forget about Obama who may be mediocre, but is far from being the worst president. There are to many worthy contenders for that title.
The worst presidents up until Obama were considered to be Buchanan and then later Lyndon Johnson. I’m with those who think Obama is worse than either of them. Why not tell us who you think are the worst presidents so we can get a glimpse of where you’re coming from?
The leader of our SFVTPP group was one of the targeted groups. She even testified before congress. I personally saw the stack of questions and read more than enough to see that what they were asking was not legal in any way. Our group voted to go to ACLJ to represent us. We are still in court waiting for justice. About 2 years now.
Eventually, people will figure it out. Not today, though. They’re far too busy trying to balance how to survive with how to remain wilfully ignorant and perpetually entertained, while impressing the neighbours to care about the diferrence between fiat currency and money. https://twitter.com/ElectroPig/status/515584929506545664
http://vimeo.com/63749370 Tears for America posted a link to a video which has now been removed. It must have been good
Hey Frank, perhaps you should field this question. After all you have patriot in your tax name. Have you seen any differences the way the IRS has treated you? Have you done any investigations in the way that they have treated you?
All I can say about this matter is what is new or news worthy when my Government lies to me about their actions. It is one thing when they demand that I tell them the truth; but it is a different matter entirely when I expect the same thing from them. Is it perhaps as an authority figure they lose face, (self-respect, creditability) in the eyes of the world or its very own citizens. Or is it that our Government is a constant reminder that it is made up of people that make a lot of mistakes that they dare not admit to? Furthermore, that these people can be replaced should they be caught undermining the integrity of their office or the idea(s) that they are held to a higher standard that the rest of us? What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
What I will tell you in a public forum is…..
I love the IRS. They are so fair and efficient and speedy and just a model of everything a government agency *should* be.
Duly noted. LOL
Good answer! LMAO
To many misconceptions about the root problem of the “taxing authority “of the IRS; equally too many misconceptions about the fiat currency that this nation uses.
Read G. Edward Whites book Creature From Jykell Island, Educate yourself about the root cause and then once you have the facts, do your damndest to correct the problem.
The power to tax is the power to destroy. If the government produced something it would sustain itself as everybody who earns a living has to do.
We cannot operate the government without taxes. The fair tax will not work as everyone’s idea of a fair tax is different from everyone else. The flat tax is the simplest way to go as it would eliminate the IRS completely and the current tax structure would be completely eliminated. But, the existing Congress (House and Senate) needs to be replaced with newly elected people as they would never pass such simple legislation. they all like the loopholes and pork barrel as they like to get re-elected. Then we need to amend the Constitution to limit terms of office. The biggest problem is that we need FIRST an aware electorate. this we do not have now. Why do you think Obama was elected in the first place.
We all realize that taxes are a necessary evil however the disparity lies in the way they are administered by our Government. We absolutely need “The Fair Tax” or even the Flat tax in order to preserve an fair sharing of the burden across the board for every person on American soil. (Taxing Americans who have departed America is not only disgraceful but is also a whole other subject) The tax system as controlled by the IRS is not only full of corruption but actually incentivizes people into looking into the loop holes of this terribly convoluted system that our IRS has imposed. Get ride of the IRS and tax people for their purchase even if the price of everything goes up 10% to15% it would still be cheaper to our Nation than the present fraudulent system that we have in place now.
This a true story, no exaggeration… Once, the IRS sent me a notice that I had misstated my income and that I needed to send in a revised return and an additional $5k+. My CPA and I could not find any problems with any part of my return, much less a misstatement of income. Just contact the IRS and find out specifically to what “misstated income” referred to…easy, right? The IRS said they couldn’t talk about the return until I sent in the revised return. Same answer to the CPA. Same answer to my congressman’s office. As I was working my way through the ombudsman and other IRS offices, my bank accounts were seized. After two years of investigating, I never got an explanation from the IRS.
Does that sound right to you?
Like all other misconduct by this administration the IRS has been given a pass. Was anyone surprised?
What would this nation do without taxes? Everything would be private or wild, such as marauding gangs, highwaymen, and endless gunfights. I am of the opinion that the IRS is too lax when it comes to so-called not-for-profit organizations that break all the rules about not participating in political issues to influence elections. I also support Oliver Wendell Holmes statement: “I love paying taxes; they buy me civilization.” What’s your alternative?
My alternative is to get rid of the IRS. You do know that IRS stands for “Internal Revenue Service”, right? I guess in your opinion we didn’t have civilization in the U.S. until the early 20th century. BTW, we do have marauding gangs, endless gunfights and things worse than highwaymen…and among the latter may be the IRS.
I have always done taxes properly. Haven’t received anything yet and my taxes files as soon as possible. Problem is my husband had to quit his job and we have 50k in medical bills that we are paying. First time in years we are owed some of the money we put it. But no… we are the only ones who haven’t received any news yet, but all my friends and family who filed after me have received their refunds. IRS needs to go, completely! When will we get the government to actually do something right?? Oh… sorry, that won’t happen
I too am tired of the audits and meaningless hassle. Frank, in your post “IRS admits wrong doing…” What investigation are you quoting and referring to? Where can I find it and read it first hand?
This was more a conglomeration of stuff I’ve been reading. Start here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/irs-targets-conservative-groups/
I personally think that if u make under 40,000 a yr. u shouldn’t be taxed. Taxing people is only 100 yrs old in this country. How did they survive before that? Hummm
THIS is a great idea!
We are being audited AGAIN! We get audited about every two years (they usually audit for the previous 2 years at each audit). Perhaps it’s time to see if there is a measureable disparity in the number of conservative causes and Republican donors v liberal causes and Democrat donors.
I appreciate your candid dissection of info (mis-info?) that is flowing from whatever segment of the government that is dishing it out, and showing us the relevance to or the importance of such info to our lives right here in the good old USofA. Altho I’m quite new to your forum, you do seem to bandy about the political word “conservative” as it appears it applies to your organization, but your political presence seems to be a bit more robust, possibly even “liberal-ish”. Am I projecting mixed messages here? Or is your organization even a-political? I only bring this up, because I’ve considered myself to more liberally oriented (somewhat, progressive, if you will) and yet I find your espousals quite invigorating & ahead of the pack, helping all of us to become more self reliant & less reliant on a government bloated, constipated, & maybe even out of touch…and I say that because I think I here you folks saying, “WHEN TSHTF” & NOT, “IF TSHTF”. Please let me know in your forum, here, if I’m off base…God Bless & God Speed…
The 16th amendment does not give the IRS the power to raise taxes nor the president but only the congress
I think the government will keep right on doing what they want, no matter what we say! Like Obama says, “we are too stupid to know better!!”
I’ve suspected this kind of shenanigans from the time I first started paying attention to national politics during Clinton’s first term. It’s likely been going on for much longer than that and likely from presidents on both sides of the political spectrum. However, only now, in the second term of the worst president in American history, have the perpetrators been brazen, and incompetent, enough to do it on a wide enough scale to make deniability implausible.
The 16th Amendment gives the IRS its power to confiscate 100% of citizens’ income…read it yourself. That is why the tax code remains so complicated, and all the so-called reforms do nothing to help the citizenry. It must be repealed (it is debtors’ prison, it presumes guilt, rather than innocence & violates privacy laws.
The fair tax is the only way to get rid of the IRS
Read the book “Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino. He exposes our government and all it’s lies!! He was a
Secret Service agent ON PRESIDENTIAL PROTECTION DUTY and got tired of all Obama’s lies. HE COULDN’T STOMACH IT ANYMORE AND Quit!!!
Liars lie! LESS than 10% of school children today believe in ABSOLUTE right and wrong – big part of the “it takes a village” agenda is to make us immoral – detach us from any moral anchors whatsoever:
THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVIE ON AMERICA EVER.PERIOD.
Watch it and see if I am not right. Share with everyone in your sphere of influence.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER find out what you can do to restore the America of our Founders principles
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This is all part of Odummies agenda to be DICTATOR. It ‘s all about C-O-N-T-R-O-L!!!!
There is only one way to pull the teeth from IRS…it is to repeal the 16th Amendment, whjch empowered it. Support HR-25 (FairTax), whose main mission is to eliminate Fed taxes, including payroll taxes…replace which an affordable Sales tax; giving you a ‘prebate’ every month to cover your necessities.