IRS targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny.

WTF's Avatar
  • WTF
  • 05-12-2013, 10:42 AM
If the Dims can shovel their manure, then the TPs has the right to shovel likewise. However, there is a problem when, during a Dim administration and during an election cycle, the TPs are onerously overburdened by intrusive government requirements and the Dims are allowed to keep shoveling unimpeded.



! Originally Posted by I B Hankering
While I agree...it appears that out of 300 plus groups looking for that status, 75 were looked into and none....let me repeat , none were denied. But I do agree it is not a slippery slope we want to go down. That said, nothing so far even remotly connects Obama with this or even the head of the IRS....a Bush appointee btw.
I don't know how we got side-tracked onto the definition of "conspiracy" but, since I started the thread, let me clarify something.

I wasn't really concerned with any conspiracy.

My point is that government protects government. Or, more precisely, public sector workers (i.e., government employees) - and especially their unions - have a natural inclination to take a dim view of groups that espouse limited government.

You really don't need a conspiracy if they all think alike. They are doing what comes naturally.

That is not to say that there wasn't SOME amount of direction and coordination (i.e., conspiracy) among IRS employees to direct extra scrutiny to conservative groups. I'm sure there was some amount of it. But that also doesn't mean the White House had to be involved.

Nonetheless, I think episodes like this go a long way towards demonstrating why there needs to be a reduction in the size and scope of government power. It they don't have the power in the first place, they can't abuse it.
That said, nothing so far even remotly connects Obama with this or even the head of the IRS....a Bush appointee btw. Originally Posted by WTF
Actually, the Bush appointee who had been IRS Commissioner stepped down last year. The position has not been filled, but a long-time IRS bureaucrat is now serving as acting Commissioner.

Still, as you note, nothing that's been reported as of today directly implicates the Obama administration. But person(s) friendly to big government certainly appear to have become actively engaged in this effort.

And that's just as you would expect, to the extent that federal government employees think they can get away with it. Organizations that might threaten the expansion of big government are quite frightening to these people.
I B Hankering's Avatar
While I agree...it appears that out of 300 plus groups looking for that status, 75 were looked into and none....let me repeat , none were denied. But I do agree it is not a slippery slope we want to go down. That said, nothing so far even remotly connects Obama with this or even the head of the IRS....a Bush appointee btw. Originally Posted by WTF
The IRS is under the purview of the Executive Branch. That may be the only connection, but it's significant in that the IRS has denied such selective harassment for two years and now admits more than rank and file personnel were involved (see article cited above). As Truman (D) stated when he was president, "The buck stops here!" Whereas, this administration, vis-à-vis White House spokesman Carney, has already tried to blame Bush who was two years out of office when these investigations began.

IRS investigators very selectively cued in on the words "Tea Party" and "Patriot" of these organizations and made some illegal demands for documentation beyond their purview.

It also remains that these organizations were unjustly harassed in the midst of an election cycle. Using the word "deny" is also a slippery excuse. Some of these organizations were badgered by the IRS to the point that they dropped their requests, and others are still awaiting approval: while not denied, they were not granted.
I just love the first sentence in this short piece:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...g-report-says/

Excerpt:

At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, according to documents in an audit conducted by the agency’s inspector general.

(End of excerpt.)

Whoa, Nellie!

We certainly can't abide having people seek to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, now, can we?

Links from above excerpt offer further details:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...6b8_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...add_story.html
I B Hankering's Avatar
I just love the first sentence in this short piece:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...g-report-says/

Excerpt:

At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, according to documents in an audit conducted by the agency’s inspector general.

(End of excerpt.)

Whoa, Nellie!

We certainly can't abide having people seek to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, now, can we?

Links from above excerpt offer further details:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...6b8_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...add_story.html Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight
+1
Yssup Rider's Avatar
[SIZE="3"]If the Dims can shovel their manure, then the TPs has the right to shovel likewise. However, there is a problem when, during a Dim administration and during an election cycle, the TPs are onerously overburdened by intrusive government requirements and the Dims are allowed to keep shoveling unimpeded. Originally Posted by I B Hankering
THERE YOU GO, CORPY, TALKING ABOUT FECES AGAIN!

FYI -- dipshit, it's ALWAYS an election cycle. Your boys run the House. Why haven't they stopped this heinous victimization of defenseless Republicans and Teawipes?

You poor conservatives are so oppressed in America! Pity nobody's tried to round you all up and out you in camps for reconditioning. Didn't you hear? That's next?

POOPSHORTS! Hysterical!
I B Hankering's Avatar
THERE YOU GO, CORPY, TALKING ABOUT FECES AGAIN!

FYI -- dipshit, it's ALWAYS an election cycle. Your boys run the House. Why haven't they stopped this heinous victimization of defenseless Republicans and Teawipes?

You poor conservatives are so oppressed in America! Pity nobody's tried to round you all up and out you in camps for reconditioning. Didn't you hear? That's next?

POOPSHORTS! Hysterical! Originally Posted by Yssup Rider
It was a direct reference taken from WTF's post, you dumb golem fuck; whereas, your dumb-fuck golem ass is still unintelligently and repeatedly drawing on your previous imbecilic and juvenile posts. But that is why your dumb-fuck golem ass was elected:
WTF's Avatar
  • WTF
  • 05-12-2013, 05:47 PM
Actually, the Bush appointee who had been IRS Commissioner stepped down last year. The position has not been filled, but a long-time IRS bureaucrat is now serving as acting Commissioner.

. Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight
.
I think my point was that during that time , it was the Bush appointee.

I still find it hard to believe that any (left or right) deserve tax exempt status. Do you really believe that any of the organizations are apolitical?

For home work let us try and find a political endorsement for Obama from a Tea Party like organization. How hard do you think it will be to find Tea Tards at a Mitt Rally? Same with Code Pink...I doubt you will find where they were for Mitt.

All these groups try and do is stir up shit so they raise money for one political party or the other.

Maybe COG can contribute for once to this forum and tell us the advantages they get with tax exempt status.
WTF's Avatar
  • WTF
  • 05-12-2013, 05:57 PM
The IRS is under the purview of the Executive Branch. That may be the only connection, but it's significant in that the IRS has denied such selective harassment for two years and now admits more than rank and file personnel were involved (see article cited above). As Truman (D) stated when he was president, "The buck stops here!" Whereas, this administration, vis-à-vis White House spokesman Carney, has already tried to blame Bush who was two years out of office when these investigations began.

. Originally Posted by I B Hankering
Well if the orders did not come from the WH or the head of the IRS, then the buck stops with who actually did do this.



It also remains that these organizations were unjustly harassed in the midst of an election cycle. Using the word "deny" is also a slippery excuse. Some of these organizations were badgered by the IRS to the point that they dropped their requests, and others are still awaiting approval: while not denied, they were not granted. Originally Posted by I B Hankering
IB, if I apply for a passport....I can not say that I was denied while waiting. Nor can I say I was denied if I became tired of waiting and pulled my application. Lry us wait and see if any of the 75 or so who were flagged out of the 300 total were left leaning.

Let me remind folks on here that everything is political. I am not defending this action, I'm just not suprised. It just cracks me up when one side says they are just looking for the truth and not playing politics, while playing politics!
Doove's Avatar
  • Doove
  • 05-12-2013, 06:04 PM
Would you care to explain why you consider this Nixonian action racial profiling?

And for that matter, did you mean to insinuate that you're perfectly OK with it? Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight
How is it not the equivalent of racial profiling?

And why do you assume i'm ok with racial profiling?
I B Hankering's Avatar
Well if the orders did not come from the WH or the head of the IRS, then the buck stops with who actually did do this. Originally Posted by WTF
True enough. IMO it was a non-issue until the article cited above reported that the IRS revealed that it continued to conduct these investigations AFTER telling Congress they were not conducting these investigations. They got caught, lied about doing it and then continued to do it. Someone is guilty of malfeasance.

IB, if I apply for a passport....I can not say that I was denied while waiting. Nor can I say I was denied if I became tired of waiting and pulled my application. Lry us wait and see if any of the 75 or so who were flagged out of the 300 total were left leaning.

Let me remind folks on here that everything is political. I am not defending this action, I'm just not suprised. It just cracks me up when one side says they are just looking for the truth and not playing politics, while playing politics! Originally Posted by WTF
Would imagine most of the remaining 225 are in some manner religiously oriented.
WTF's Avatar
  • WTF
  • 05-12-2013, 06:35 PM
True enough. IMO it was a non-issue until the article cited above reported that the IRS revealed that it continued to conduct these investigations AFTER telling Congress they were not conducting these investigations. They got caught, lied about doing it and then continued to do it. Someone is guilty of malfeasance.

Originally Posted by I B Hankering
Agree....

IMO, the person who originated singling out the Tea Party should be fired.
Yssup Rider's Avatar
did you catch the score of the game today?

POOR SOONERS
POOR SOONERS

can you say



beat your BEST pitcher

can you guess who the preseason favorite in football is?

can you guess who the preseason favorite in basketball is?

how did your cross country team do this year? We won the NCAA championship

how did your wrestling team do? We came in 2nd

shall I bring up golf?

I will give you men's gymnastic's, the faggots

there is a new sheriff (marshall) in town Originally Posted by cptjohnstone
Are you fuckers really arguing over "college" supremacy in Casinoklahoma?

Holy CHIT!
Randy4Candy's Avatar
Are you fuckers really arguing over "college" supremacy in Casinoklahoma?

Holy CHIT! Originally Posted by Yssup Rider
Don't pay any attention to nostones, he's infatuated with photoshop or something. They're rather easily entertained.