IRS confesses to inappropriately targeting conservative groups.

[HomerJS]

False equivalence. Audits happen after the fact. They are done on paperwork already accepted which doesn't stop business unless, after the audit process, something is found. It's not a preemptive measure to order an audit.

and since all conservative groups were granted tax-emempt status it didn't stop their business

 

[HomerJS]

not even in the same ballpark. stop being dishonest.

In previous post I quoted Republicans in 2004 demanding inquiry by the IRS into the NAACP

 

[PokerGuy]

They did, and you can pull up a gazillion news reports on how many of the democratic, liberal parties, as well as many other groups they denied or held up applications on.

Interesting, so you're saying their own internal investigation that showed conservative groups were being targeted and that it was completely inappropriate was just all lies? :biggrin:

That they did wrong and inappropriate things (and thus, not their job) is not in dispute. The questions are, how high up did it go, who was involved, and how will they be held accountable. The "they were just doing their jobs!" angle has already been shot down by the inspector general and the IRS itself.

 

[xBiffx]

and since all conservative groups were granted tax-emempt status it didn't stop their business

Up until that status was granted, it sure did, which is exactly the point of the thread.

Conservatives groups had to wait a hell of a lot longer meaning they couldn't conduct business. Liberal groups didn't meaning they could conduct business right away. If you can't see the advantage of this, especially during an election then you are a complete moron.

Keep grasping at straws.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Oh boy - Obama pulls out a sacrificial lamb to "force" resign.... even though he was already leaving in June! Lulz, go figure :awe:

 

[HomerJS]

Up until that status was granted, it sure did, which is exactly the point of the thread.

Conservatives groups had to wait a hell of a lot longer meaning they couldn't conduct business. Liberal groups didn't meaning they could conduct business right away. If you can't see the advantage of this, especially during an election then you are a complete moron.

Keep grasping at straws.

NAACP was targeted because of anti-Bush speeches they were giving. That investigation stifles their agenda.

Since people here are alleging Obama ordered the IRS to target conservative groups we have politicians using the IRS to effect a political end. In both cases the same action.

Make request....IRS investigates. Not apples/oranges but likely fuji/granny smith

 

[monovillage]

NAACP was targeted because of anti-Bush speeches they were giving. That investigation stifles their agenda.

Since people here are alleging Obama ordered the IRS to target conservative groups we have politicians using the IRS to effect a political end. In both cases the same action.

Make request....IRS investigates. Not apples/oranges but likely fuji/granny smith

You see there's a difference. The NAACP was investigated because of actions they actually did or in other words "probable cause". The Jewish/conservative groups were investigated and persecuted by the IRS because of their views on government, but without cause. There is a difference.

 

[piasabird]

I care about ben ghazzi because half of the government is involved in telling lies and covering it up. The big question is what was stephens actually doing? How was the CIA involved? Are we running Guns to terrorists? If so Why? How come the president cared more about fund raisers than his own State Department People. Americans arent that stupid! We all know the White House knew this was a Terrorist Attack and covered it up. Why did they Cover it up if they were not doing something illegal?

 

[xBiffx]

NAACP was targeted because of anti-Bush speeches they were giving.

Your whole position relies on this bullshit conjecture.

 

[ivwshane]

Your whole position relies on this bullshit conjecture.

Except for the fact that the speech was referenced in the letter they sent. But other than that, yeah complete conjecture.

 

[ivwshane]

I care about ben ghazzi because half of the government is involved in telling lies and covering it up. The big question is what was stephens actually doing? How was the CIA involved? Are we running Guns to terrorists? If so Why? How come the president cared more about fund raisers than his own State Department People. Americans arent that stupid! We all know the White House knew this was a Terrorist Attack and covered it up. Why did they Cover it up if they were not doing something illegal?

If they were doing something illegal why wouldn't they continue covering it up? Did what they were doing all of the sudden become legal after a few days?

So in your world we have:

1) the admin doing something illegal but you don't know what.
2) a cover up for something but you don't know what and a cover up that only lasted a few days.

Where does the fact that this admin has been very forthcoming with info (email exchanges) fit into your narrative?

 

[OutHouse]

If they were doing something illegal why wouldn't they continue covering it up? Did what they were doing all of the sudden become legal after a few days?

So in your world we have:

1) the admin doing something illegal but you don't know what.
2) a cover up for something but you don't know what and a cover up that only lasted a few days.

Where does the fact that this admin has been very forthcoming with info (email exchanges) fit into your narrative?

do you support what the IRS did?

 

[Fern]

NAACP was targeted because of anti-Bush speeches they were giving. That investigation stifles their agenda.

Since people here are alleging Obama ordered the IRS to target conservative groups we have politicians using the IRS to effect a political end. In both cases the same action.
-snip-

No, it's not the same thing.

Apparently the NCAA was targeted because of actions they committed while a nonprofit.

The new groups applying to be nonprofits have not started yet. So, they can't be targeted for something they've done. They've done nothing yet.

When you complete those applications you are asked what you intend to do. Then about 5 years later (IIRC) the IRS contacts you again to provide info about what you have actually been doing. The IRS wants to see that your stated intentions on the application matches up with your actual actions.

Fern

 

[Fern]

The resignation of Steve Miller appears inconsequential. If he lied before Congress he should go. However, I've heard he is remaining to finish out his (temporary) term.

In any case, they need to be looking at the Exempt Organization Division of the IRS.

Fern

 

[michal1980]

irs official in charge of that group, now running health care office

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...-party-targeting-now-runs-health-care-office/

better pay for your own insurance conservatives. IRS will now delay your care while they ask you what you ate for breakfast on some random day 10 years ago.


But according to homerJS as long as eventually you get care, you'll be ok.

 

[spidey07]

irs official in charge of that group, now running health care office

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...-party-targeting-now-runs-health-care-office/

better pay for your own insurance conservatives. IRS will now delay your care while they ask you what you ate for breakfast on some random day 10 years ago.



But according to homerJS as long as eventually you get care, you'll be ok.

Just came to post this. We all said this was coming and the end result; you're now seeing obamacare's intended result and groundwork laid.

 

[ivwshane]

do you support what the IRS did?

No.

 

[xBiffx]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/irs-tax-exemptionobamacare-exec-got-100390-in-bonuses/article/2529899

Should be an interesting investigation into what the bonuses were for. Especially on top of an already exorbitant salary.

 

[spidey07]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/irs-tax-exemptionobamacare-exec-got-100390-in-bonuses/article/2529899

Should be an interesting investigation into what the bonuses were for. Especially on top of an already exorbitant salary.

Not really seeing a problem with that. I'm sure the liberal will be along anytime now to denounce executive compensation and bonuses.

What's more important is what targets were assigned and met to have such an increase in bonus?

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Looks like the IRS was targeting pro-life groups as well. They even made one of them promise to forego their constitutional rights as a condition for getting tax exempt status. Scumbags.

https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/2...-pro-life-advocates-as-congress-investigates/

In one case, the IRS withheld approval of an application for tax exempt status for Coalition for Life of Iowa. In a phone call to Coalition for Life of Iowa leaders on June 6, 2009, the IRS agent “Ms. Richards” told the group to send a letter to the IRS with the entire board’s signatures stating that, under perjury of the law, they do not picket/protest or organize groups to picket or protest outside of Planned Parenthood. Once the IRS received this letter, their application would be approved.

 

[piasabird]

So if I get caught robbing a bank and apologize that will be OK with you?

 

[xBiffx]

So if I get caught robbing a bank and apologize that will be OK with you?

As long as you share the loot, sure enough.

 

[monovillage]

This is a good commentary piece by Peggy Noonan, it echoes my own opinion, but is much better written.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323582904578487460479247792.html

This Is No Ordinary Scandal
Political abuse of the IRS threatens the basic integrity of our government.

We are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate. The reputation of the Obama White House has, among conservatives, gone from sketchy to sinister, and, among liberals, from unsatisfying to dangerous. No one likes what they're seeing. The Justice Department assault on the Associated Press and the ugly politicization of the Internal Revenue Service have left the administration's credibility deeply, probably irretrievably damaged. They don't look jerky now, they look dirty. The patina of high-mindedness the president enjoyed is gone.

Something big has shifted. The standing of the administration has changed.

As always it comes down to trust. Do you trust the president's answers when he's pressed on an uncomfortable story? Do you trust his people to be sober and fair-minded as they go about their work? Do you trust the IRS and the Justice Department? You do not.
The president, as usual, acts as if all of this is totally unconnected to him. He's shocked, it's unacceptable, he'll get to the bottom of it. He read about it in the papers, just like you.

But he is not unconnected, he is not a bystander. This is his administration. Those are his executive agencies. He runs the IRS and the Justice Department.

A president sets a mood, a tone. He establishes an atmosphere. If he is arrogant, arrogance spreads. If he is to too partisan, too disrespecting of political adversaries, that spreads too. Presidents always undo themselves and then blame it on the third guy in the last row in the sleepy agency across town.

The IRS scandal has two parts. The first is the obviously deliberate and targeted abuse, harassment and attempted suppression of conservative groups. The second is the auditing of the taxes of political activists.
.........................

The president, as usual, acts as if all of this is totally unconnected to him. He's shocked, it's unacceptable, he'll get to the bottom of it. He read about it in the papers, just like you.

But he is not unconnected, he is not a bystander. This is his administration. Those are his executive agencies. He runs the IRS and the Justice Department.

A president sets a mood, a tone. He establishes an atmosphere. If he is arrogant, arrogance spreads. If he is to too partisan, too disrespecting of political adversaries, that spreads too. Presidents always undo themselves and then blame it on the third guy in the last row in the sleepy agency across town.

The IRS scandal has two parts. The first is the obviously deliberate and targeted abuse, harassment and attempted suppression of conservative groups. The second is the auditing of the taxes of political activists.What happened at the IRS is the government's essential business. The IRS case deserves and calls out for an independent counsel, fully armed with all that position's powers. Only then will stables that badly need to be cleaned, be cleaned. Everyone involved in this abuse of power should pay a price, because if they don't, the politicization of the IRS will continue—forever. If it is not stopped now, it will never stop. And if it isn't stopped, no one will ever respect or have even minimal faith in the revenue-gathering arm of the U.S. government again.

And it would be shameful and shallow for any Republican operative or operator to make this scandal into a commercial and turn it into a mere partisan arguing point and part of the game. It's not part of the game. This is not about the usual partisan slugfest. This is about the integrity of our system of government and our ability to trust, which is to say our ability to function.

 

[fskimospy]

So Peggy Noonan thinks the IRS conducted business improperly because Obama is mean to Republicans.

That has to be one of the dumbest articles I've ever read.

 

[monovillage]

So Peggy Noonan thinks the IRS conducted business improperly because Obama is mean to Republicans.

That has to be one of the dumbest articles I've ever read.

and here I thought you were going to spew your usual Democrat lies about conservatives never being targeted by big government.