I.R.S. Agents Feel Pressed to End Cases

[maddezmom]

Source: New York Times

March 20, 2007
I.R.S. Agents Feel Pressed to End Cases
By DAVID CAY JOHNSTON
The head of the Internal Revenue Service faces questions in Congress today about auditors’ complaints that they are being forced to close corporate cases prematurely, allowing billions in tax dollars to go unpaid.

In interviews, these revenue agents warned that unless they were free to pursue what their instincts tell them, their focus would end up being only on known abuses, and new ones created by the tax advice industry would go undetected.

The agency countered that it had increased the number of companies whose tax returns it examined by a fourth since 2001, even though the number of auditors was virtually the same.

Agency officials said this was accomplished by cutting back slightly on audits of the very largest companies, which produce more than 80 percent of all corporate profits, while increasing audits of those with assets of $10 million to $250 million. At the same time, the officials say, they have shortened the average time to complete an audit from almost two years in 2001 to less than 18 months last year.

I.R.S. officials say the auditors who are complaining are mostly older agents unwilling to adopt new approaches.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/business/20tax.html?pagewanted=print

[Shipwack]

1. Sounds familiar...

"I.R.S. officials say the auditors who are complaining are mostly older agents unwilling to adopt new approaches."

Reminds me of the phrase:

"strong U.S. Attorneys . . . who exhibited loyalty... weak U.S. Attorneys who . . . chafed against Administration initiatives, etc.,"

currently found on the front page with regard to how US Attorney Generals were evaluated.

Having integrity, experience, and impartiality = "unwilling to 'adopt new approaches'".

Damn this Administration to hell.

[fasttense]

2. They seem in no hurry to to close poor and middle class personal cases prematurely,

They sure take their time with the poor and middle class individual audits. Sometimes going after the same person year after year. Remember when the IRS was accused of tracking a person's political affiliation. They were keeping lists of repukes and Democratic members. Have they stopped? I bet they are auditing a whole lot more Democratic members than repukes. Being a member of the Democratic party today is a kin to being a communist in the McCarthy era, at least to our repuke government institutions it is.

[annabanana]

3. Can we call "Standard Operating Procedure" on this?

By cutting back on investigations of the administrations nearest and dearest while blaming the career agents, they achieve the favored "two for one" effects.

nominated

[truthisfreedom]

4. Yeah, mostly older agents who know what they're doing and have seen crime before.

This TOTALLY smacks of bushco interference on behalf of corporations that have kept thugs in power.

[w4rma]

5. Another advantage that big buisness has over all other buisnesses. This is not a "free" market. (nt)

[SpiralHawk]

6. Special treatment for republicon cronies from the republicon IRS

How cute. How corrupt.

The republicons have no honor. No morals. No scruples.

What unAmerican scumbags they are.

[ORDagnabbit]

7. the IRS is an illegal organization.

www.freedomtofascism.com

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. How do you propose that we collect money to pay for social programs?

[ORDagnabbit]

12. heres some info

http://www.devvy.com/notax.html

Can this statement possibly be true? In order to answer this question, Americans must first understand what is the source of the money that funds the government and where it goes. Contrary to the sound bites issued by the two mainstream political parties, the reality of how the system actually works will not only open your eyes, but hopefully stimulate the American people to demand that the thievery underway come to an end.

Where do your "income" tax dollars go?


more at the link....


also check out http://www.moneyasdebt.net as well to better understand how our fiat money federal reserve money system works.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. Already had the lecture.

Maybe you can try to answer my question more directly next time.

Here's another question. What is your political affiliation? Would you happen to be a Libertarian who will resist taxes at all costs?

[ORDagnabbit]

14. if your not wanting information what are you wanting?

a fight? not giving it to you.

you either realize our country was given away to the bankers in 1913 or you dont.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Either you realize that we have to have some way of collecting money

to pay for social services, or you don't. So, I'm giving you an opportunity to explain how we go about collecting money to finance our government's programs.

[fudge stripe cookays]

21. He sounds like one of those folks I used to get letters from...

when I worked at the Evil Empire back in the 90s.

I'd get these registered "letters" that it would take a forklift to hoist, let alone READ. Aaahhh...the tax protestor!

The first one I received, I was like :wtf: but then they became a regular occurrence, and I knew where to send them.

These people would sit and study tax code for fun...quoting legalese because they could. Their mail was always addressed from "The Republic of Texas." They did not acknowledge that they lived in the USA.

I was fascinated by their logic (or lack of it). One letter I received was 675 pages long with all its attachments, quoting of Latin phrase this or Latin phrase that. Curious how many hours a week this poster spends studying tax code. And if he owns a car that drives on our roads and bridges that are ALSO paid for with tax dollars.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. And, yet, they'll find a following among the Republican ranks.

I've always said that Libertarians are co-opters of parties. I guess they're not the only leeches in the pool.

[Nevernose]

29. A lot of these guys are Las Vegans.

The FBI raided a publisher here (for not paying his taxes, and telling other people they don't have to pay their taxes). Aaron Russo (a whack job, even if "Trading Places" is one of my favorite movies) is based here. Art Bell lives and broadcasts from just outside of town.

Contrary to popular belief, Texas isn't where the kooks come from: the center for all weirdness in the universe is Las Vegas, Nevada.

[harpboy_ak]

18. oh, no, one of those "federal reserve notes aren't money" nuts

You guys are a bunch of looneys that can't read a simple constitutional or statutory paragraph without getting totally confused.

Sorry. PLONK.

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

26. are you positive that federal income taxes are used to pay for social programs?

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. How do you propose we collect money to keep our government

afloat? Or are you of the opinion that government should be drowned in the bathtub?

[Bridget Burke]

19. For those of us who don't want to watch a video...

Please summarize your case in a few well-written paragraphs.

[prolesunited]

11. Are you two

tag-teaming libertarians? So, how do you propose we fund things like schools, libraries, roads, food safety inspections, OSHA, etc.? Or will the free-market magically work it out, just like those "glory days" at the turn of the 19th century?

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Just ask them if they think that government should be drowned in the

bath tub. Because that means they don't believe in government handling social issues, either.

[Bridget Burke]

20. Sock puppets?

www.mohdi.com/archives/103

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

25. property tax pays for schools

fuel and state tax for roads.. etc

income tax pays interest on federal debt.

[Tigress DEM]

8. See all that money leaking from Fortune 500's, pay no attention to that.

Go after the little guys, THEY MUST BE CHEATING!


brought to you by:
Billionaires Above the Law

[kath]

23. Forced to close CORPORATE cases, but still pursuing the little guy like hell, I bet.

[Rambis]

24. The war on the middle class is going very well

one of my fave bumper stickers-

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

27. bankrupting your enemy is a very effective strategy in war

especially when the enemy is so willing to thoughtlessly handover their wealth

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[entanglement]

30. Recently, some tax cheat evaded a $100 million payment because some attorney blundered

Can't find the link, though