For the past few years, Dana Stahl and I have been discussing the comments that frequently pop up in left wing news stories (New York Times, et al) claiming that all the horror stories about IRS abuses over the years were bogus and that IRS has nothing but the sweetest people working for it and should be allowed to have much more money and power to carry out its function of bringing in money for the exalted Federal government.  That is of course a big load of donkey crap.  I have personally seen many examples of those things that were covered in the news stories and congressional hearings.  If anything, those stories downplayed the true horror of what some people had to endure due to some power-mad IRS personnel.

I liked Dana's latest take on this.

Yesterday, I attended an Edward Jones tax seminar for year-end tax planning, which was a nationwide telecast.  One segment featured Sheldon Cowan, a former IRS Commissioner.  You may recall the 1997 IRS abuse hearings held by Congress.  Comm. Cowan mentioned those hearings in this interview.  His comment was that the hearings were on the "supposed abuse by the IRS.  And they were just that: supposed."  He went on the claim these abuses didn't happen, even citing how lawsuits filed over IRS abuses resulted in no settlement for Taxpayers and in proving there were no abuses.  During the call-in portion of the seminar, I tried to get thru so I could ask the panel (since Cowan wasn't there) if:  1). why didn't Cowan give some specific examples of false charges of abuse,  2). what % of the charges were proven to be untrue (10%, 20%, 30% - all of them???), & 3). why weren't the accusers then charged with perjury, since I understand false testimony before Congress is under oath and subject to various perjury laws.  Unfortunately, the line was busy, but the EJones rep sent a wire instead.  I'm supposed to get a response.  Anyway, just like some prior articles you & I have discussed about how the IRS abuse hearing had false charges leveled against IRS, this matter continues to pop up sometimes.  Nonetheless, I'm interested if anybody will put his money where his mouth is and cite some real examples accordingly.  I'd sure like to find the truth about this matter.

- posted by Kerry M. Kerstetter, MBA~CPA~ATP~ATA @ 12/10/2004 05:50:00 PM Send this post: