GET READY FOR A NEW STYLE OF IRS AUDITING

by Helen Klein
 
Well, I had read somewhere a while ago that Bush and Company were considering outsourcing the IRS, with my usual reaction of "What more can this President do to screw things up?" Every week, I am amazed by some new angle this regime has concocted to hurt the average person and undermine democracy. Their creativity in this direction seems limitless.

Well, I just read in Sunday's New York Times (which still has some real news buried in there somewhere...) that yes, the IRS will begin outsourcing some of our tax collection!! According to an editorial in the Week in Review section, this will begin in a few weeks. So it is likely that down the road someone in another country, perhaps India, will be calling us on the carpet for our 1040's. Why should the government do anything when a private company can make a profit on it? Furthermore, the IRS will be reducing the size of the staff which audits returns of the wealthiest segment of our society-- their numbers will be cut in half. To me, this is a green light for the super rich to cheat-- even more than they already do-- on their taxes, or more politely, twist the rules, as hardly anyone will be checking up on what they are doing. This travesty will certainly reduce the amount of income our government receives, so there will be less money for needed programs.  Of course, this regime has been fighting tooth and nail to reduce or destroy these programs anyway, so why should I be surprised? Supporting the energy and arms industries are the primary concerns of this regime, and oh, maybe prescription drug, construction and credit card companies.
 
It also seems to me that there must be a security risk somewhere in this plan, for another country to have access to our tax records. Think about the social security numbers and personal financial records being looked over by who knows who. I don't know about you, but this makes me very uncomfortable. What about our privacy rights? Won't this information be sold by unscrupulous people working for these new companies? Who is going to monitor our new overseers? This appears to be another example of "Trust me." I guess "security risk" is like a faucet this administration knows how to turn on and off at will, depending on their needs/desires at the time. Remember their attempt to turn port security over and what a political disaster that was for them? This tax collection issue, however, seems to be gliding below the radar.

We are creeping inexorably toward earned income being the only means of supporting our government, which of course is a long term goal of Bush and Company. Yes, anyone who works for a living is getting squeezed. Changes in pensions, health care and bankruptcy laws are leaving average people high and dry. The discretionary spending money of the middle class is being eroded while the wealthy have more, as if they need it. As it is, the super rich are paying much less in taxes than they used to on their unearned income. Remember when a true English gentlemen did not work as it was considered beneath him? Well, here we go again... 

This regime continues to march toward it selfish goals of dismantling needed government institutions, enhancing corporations at every turn and making the super rich ever richer, while wages for working Americans actually decrease! The impact of these changes on our country appears irrelevant. Bush shows little concern for our future. He is milking his eight years in office for all he can. Like with the war in Iraq, he is taking no responsibility for the aftermath of his decisions. The mess will simply be handed over to the next administration.

What can we do? Let's boot some of the guys and gals who have shown themselves to be consitent rubber stamps ofr all Bush's schemes out of office in the November election. I can name one in particular who needs to go-- Sue Kelly in New York's 19th congressional district. She is a robotic, undiscerning supporter of all Bush's and DeLay's worst policies. I am supporting John Hall and my fingers are crossed that on September 12, he wins the Democratic primary for this Congressional race.