Exploding IRS scandal.

[monovillage]

The Exploding IRS Scandal

Yesterday’s congressional hearings turned out to be a disaster for the IRS and, more broadly, for the Obama administration.

We’re now hearing from real people (see here and here) who are telling real stories about real harassment. It’s all quite chilling, from efforts to intimidate donors and illegally releasing tax returns, to pressuring pro-life groups not to protest outside of Planned Parenthood organizations, to demanding to know about the prayer activities of citizens.

This kind of abuse of power, used in this manner, is something I can’t recall having seen in my three decades in politics. And the Obama administration’s first line of defense, which is that this was being conducted by rogue elements within the IRS, is collapsing. It’s clear that the intimidation tactics were widespread, coordinated and not confined to a few mid-level bureaucrats.

We’re still in the early stages of this scandal, but it seems obvious to me that it will do substantial and sustained political damage. The fact that the president, his top lieutenants and Senate Democrats set the tone for what has occurred–that they created and encouraged a culture of intimidation–is clear evidence that this scandal reaches far beyond the IRS. That happened to be the agency tasked with executing the acts of intimidation. But the inspiration for the abuse of power came from other, political quarters. We’ll simply need to follow the various leads to see where this all ends up. I’m still not sure if people fully realize just how massive this scandal is. But before it’s over, they will.

It's even worse than I thought and I thought it was pretty damn bad.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/06/05/the-exploding-irs-scandal/

 

[fskimospy]

You got that from an ultra right wing blog post? I didn't see a single fact in the whole piece, just a bunch of vague statements that THIS IS SUPER BAD.

This is just common drivel that Commentary churns out at a pretty constant pace. It's their job to tell the crazies what they want to hear.

 

[shadow9d9]

You probably thought it was pretty damn bad before it even happened.

That magazine btw- "It became a leading voice of neoconservatism by 1976."

You are desperate for a scandal, and keep trying to trump up non scandals.

You are the equivalent of someone who thought that whites were oppressed and then went to stormfront and now realize that you are REALLY oppressed!

The fact that you would even voluntarily read that magazine tells a hell of a lot about you!

 

[lotus503]

I'm no IRS fan but the attempt to blame any wrong doing on the federal government directly on the president is retarded.

The fail isn't pointing out what the IRS did, the fail is trying to pin it directly on Obama with no proof.

 

[brycejones]

Rage on brother monovillage, power to the tea!

 

[xBiffx]

Nothing surprising here.

 

[bshole]

Believe me if Obama's hands are dirty, it will be uncovered. Conservatives need to keep it in your pants for awhile longer. This article appears to be a case of premature ejaculation. What a complete joke. Lots of outrage and jumping to conclusions but no detailed reason for the outrage or conclusions. Probably just a modification of an earlier article detailing the scandal of Obama not being a real American citizen.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I'm no IRS fan but the attempt to blame any wrong doing on the federal government directly on the president is retarded.

The fail isn't pointing out what the IRS did, the fail is trying to pin it directly on Obama with no proof.

Agreed on all counts. Interestingly the IRS' targeting of liberal groups during the Bush administration drew nowhere near this level of hue and cry. http://www.salon.com/2013/05/14/when_the_irs_targeted_liberals/ Obviously that does not excuse the IRS' targeting of Tea Party groups, which should and will be fully investigated.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Nothing surprising here.

 

[First]

lol Benghazi.

 

[Incorruptible]

obama may not have been involved but this definitely was the work of people higher up. The people responsible for what happened must be held accountable and go to jail.

 

[Schmide]

Please don't say definitely dude.

 

[piasabird]

Do liberals even know what a fact is?

It is not just corruption in the IRS that is going on this is just one little sub-department in the one branch of one department. The press has known about this for like 4 years and done nothing. They are totally in bed with with O'Bammah.

Everything O'Bammah or the white house staff says is an out and out lie. This corruption like spending 50 million on conferences is an example of just how corrupt every branch of the government is.

Remember the GSO?

Then the military is taking forever for the Hasan Terrorist Trial, and they just gave the dirty Traitor 90 more days to prepare a defense. (Hasnt he had 2 years already to prepare a defense??? Is the Military really that stupid?

Then also in the Military is the sex abuse scandal going on. I have a solution for that . . . No more Gays and Women in the military. Problem solved.

Benghazzi is a major snafu as well. If they president would have said he made a bad call on it and apologized on day 2 instead of having everyone lie about it we would have probably given him a pass on it. I guess the Government only knows how to tell lies.

Also dont even ask for amnesty for undocumented masses until the fence is built on the southern border. It did not take China this long to build the Great Wall of China! Build the wall and then we can discuss it. Round up all the illegals and make them build their own wall like slaves.

 

[nehalem256]

Do liberal even know what a fact is?

Something that makes them uncomfortable?

 

[bshole]

obama may not have been involved but this definitely was the work of people higher up. The people responsible for what happened must be held accountable and go to jail.

Thanx for that scoop, Incorrutiple. I am curious to know how you found out that "higher up" people were involved. That is some pretty astounding information that I wasn't aware of before.

 

[Incorruptible]

Thanx for that scoop, Incorrutiple. I am curious to know how you found that "higher up" people were involved. That is some pretty astounding information that I wasn't aware of before.

Do you really believe it was just those low level workers in Cincinnati? It came from higher up.

 

[highland145]

Something that makes them uncomfortable?

Not like when Gramps was touching them....



kidding, kidding.

 

[Schmide]

Do you really believe it was just those low level workers in Cincinnati? It came from higher up.

That's definitely not a fact dude.

 

[thraashman]

Do liberal even know what a fact is?

Yes, it's a thing that conservatives don't use, understand, or accept.

 

[thraashman]

Agreed on all counts. Interestingly the IRS' targeting of liberal groups during the Bush administration drew nowhere near this level of hue and cry. http://www.salon.com/2013/05/14/when_the_irs_targeted_liberals/ Obviously that does not excuse the IRS' targeting of Tea Party groups, which should and will be fully investigated.

Yeah, just proof that Republicans don't really care that targeting occurred and are just using this for political purposes.

 

[Oldgamer]

I liked what McDermott had to say: http://thebigslice.org/mcdermott-statement-at-hearing-with-organizations-singled-out-by-the-irs/

Quote: “Freedom of speech is, no doubt, one of most important fundamental rights. It is unacceptable in every way for a government agency to unfairly scrutinize any organization because of their political affiliations. The IRS has unequivocally made a mistake here. I am sorry your organizations were singled out like this, and while I think this was a case of foolish account management and dangerously careless shortcuts, I will not hesitate to say that the IRS was wrong.

“But as I listen to this discussion, I’d like to remind everyone what we are talking about here. None of your organizations were kept from organizing or silenced. We are talking about whether or not the American taxpayers would subsidize your work. We are talking about a tax break.

“I get the feeling that many of you and my Republican colleagues don’t just believe you should be free from political targeting, but that you should be free from scrutiny of any kind.

“The purpose of C3 and C4 tax exemptions is to enable easier promotion of public good, not political work. It is the responsibility of the IRS to determine which groups are choosing the correct exempt status and which are trying to manipulate the system to avoid taxes and hide political organizations and their campaign donors. Without oversight, a status meant for charities becomes a machine for political money laundering. And if you think that’s farfetched, you can talk to Speaker Gingrich. He was fined $300,000 by the Ethics Committee for funneling money from a C3 to his Political Action Committee.

“Each of your groups is highly political. From opposing the President’s healthcare reform, to abortion restrictions, to gay marriage, you’re all entrenched in some of the most controversial political issues in this country – and with your applications you are asking the American public to pay for that work. Many of you host and endorse candidates. The line between permitted political activity and non-permitted political activity can be very fine, and it’s important that tax payers know which side you fall on.

“If there was an organization promoting taxpayer funding for abortions, wouldn’t you want to be sure they weren’t using their tax-free money to campaign for a candidate? What about a group that wanted to promote voting without I.D.’s? What if, in the midst of an increase of Communist candidates, new Communist clubs wanted tax-free status? Wouldn’t you want to be sure that the self-declared tax-free classifications of those groups were correct?

“The mistake here was that the staff organizing the applications used the names of the groups rather than the work they do – and asked improper questions to figure that out. It was wrong.

“But let’s not get lost. During the Bush administration liberal groups were targeted without any concern by Mr. Issa or anyone else in this committee. The Republicans are looking for a conspiracy where there isn’t one. Mr. Issa said he can feel in his gut that someone’s broken the law. Which is more likely: that midlevel employees took stupid, irresponsible shortcuts or that there’s an administration-wide plot to take down community organizers? Let’s not forget that this all happened under Republican IRS Commissioners and was investigated by a Republican Inspector General.

“What happened to you was unfair and incredibly inconvenient, but it was a mistake. Our job is to make sure this never happens again. Anything else, like the circus happening at the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is political theatre.”

 

[sunzt]

Do you really believe it was just those low level workers in Cincinnati? It came from higher up.

God made them do it?

 

[monovillage]

You got that from an ultra right wing blog post? I didn't see a single fact in the whole piece, just a bunch of vague statements that THIS IS SUPER BAD.

This is just common drivel that Commentary churns out at a pretty constant pace. It's their job to tell the crazies what they want to hear.

I guess you missed the youtube videos of the Congressional hearings.

 

[Jimzz]

If by explode you mean backfire then yes...

Republican hearings backfire as IRS testifies that more groups need to be investigated

http://syndicatednewsservices.com/2...ies-that-more-groups-need-to-be-investigated/


Probe of IRS could backfire

http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/...cle_7b4624bc-cde7-11e2-aff8-001a4bcf887a.html

 

[monovillage]

I'm having a great time watching the Democrats/Obama supporters trying to find the silver lining in the IRS storm clouds, spinning like tornadoes in support of the most corrupt administration in my lifetime.