IRS confesses to inappropriately targeting conservative groups.

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HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,302
32,810
136
So what exactly is your position? The IRS was mistaken when they apologized?

Here it is...

Why is this the only time where profiling is wrong?

They were targeted not because they were conservative but as a way to handle the workload.

They should not have done it.
 

TerryMathews

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,464
2
0
Here it is...

Why is this the only time where profiling is wrong?

They were targeted not because they were conservative but as a way to handle the workload.

They should not have done it.

Its a good thought on the surface but dig deeper.

EVEN if the intent was to ensnare PACs, any idiot could have come up with some liberal buzzwords to catch liberal PACs.

Right-to-life
Right-to-work
For equality

The list was poorly planned, at best. I see no issue with investigating to see if poor planning is a cover for political motivation.

To make my point crystal clear, profiling isn't wrong. Flawed profiling is. You want PACs? Come up with some trigger terms to catch both sides.
 

PokerGuy

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
13,650
201
101
The list was poorly planned, at best. I see no issue with investigating to see if poor planning is a cover for political motivation.

It goes way beyond "poor planning" or using a bad list. That might explain the targeting, but it does not explain the subsequent abuse. The subsequent abuse clearly shows that conservatives were targeted, that it wasn't just that they went about selecting applicants for further scrutiny. Now we're seeing that it wasn't just low level employees, and it wasn't just one or two offices either.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,935
55,288
136
Its a good thought on the surface but dig deeper.

EVEN if the intent was to ensnare PACs, any idiot could have come up with some liberal buzzwords to catch liberal PACs.

Right-to-life
Right-to-work
For equality

You realize that right-to-life and right-to-work are conservative buzzwords, not liberal ones, right?
 

TerryMathews

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,464
2
0
It goes way beyond "poor planning" or using a bad list. That might explain the targeting, but it does not explain the subsequent abuse. The subsequent abuse clearly shows that conservatives were targeted, that it wasn't just that they went about selecting applicants for further scrutiny. Now we're seeing that it wasn't just low level employees, and it wasn't just one or two offices either.

You have to take baby steps with Homer...
 

TerryMathews

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,464
2
0
You realize that right-to-life and right-to-work are conservative buzzwords, not liberal ones, right?

Lol, good catch.

That clearly should have been
Right-to-unionize
Right to choose

That said I will leave my original post intact and take my lumps like a big boy.
 
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FerrelGeek

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2009
4,669
266
126
what i find entertaining is she was asked to resign by Obama and she said fuck you . I do what i want! (ok my words not herS).

And with a response like that, any worthwhile leader would have tossed her arrogant a** out the door. But we're talking about Obama here, so, um, yeah.

Serious question: is she still at a level where she's nearly impossible to fire or is she at the 'appointee-type' level.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
It goes way beyond "poor planning" or using a bad list. That might explain the targeting, but it does not explain the subsequent abuse. The subsequent abuse clearly shows that conservatives were targeted, that it wasn't just that they went about selecting applicants for further scrutiny.
No, it really doesn't, at least based on what we know so far. You're letting the right-wing persecution complex cloud your ability to distinguish fact from innuendo. All we currently have are a handful of anecdotes. We have a lawyer representing several right-wing groups making lots of very loud allegations about the treatment of her clients. She is overtly biased, however, so her claims need to be viewed with skepticism. That does not mean she is certainly lying, only that she may be lying, and at a minimum is almost certainly spinning the story for maximum self benefit.

In addition, we don't yet know what sort of "abuse" was inflicted upon left-wing groups. We do have at least two or three anecdotal stories about left-wing groups who were also subjected to substantial follow-up questioning. Of course at least one of these parties declined to characterize it as abuse, saying he found it thorough but reasonable. Is that because his organization was subjected to less "abusive" follow-up, or is it just that he doesn't wave the gratuitous victim flag? We just don't know yet.

That's the difference between anecdotes and data. Anecdotes are often cherry-picked by people with agendas. Therefore, one cannot draw solid conclusions from them. What we need is data, a thorough, non-partisan review of all organizations targeted, or at least a statistically random sample of them, to collect the data we need to understand how much fire there is behind all the smoke.


Now we're seeing that it wasn't just low level employees, and it wasn't just one or two offices either.
It sounds like it, though even this seems rather vaguely supported. Yes, we've heard (from this same biased attorney?) that her clients received letters from multiple offices. What we haven't seen addressed is whether those offices were initiating anything on their own, or whether they were acting on referrals from the Cincinnati office. For example, perhaps the Cincinnati office contacted the other offices and requested local follow-up to allow more interactive discussion.

There is also the claim that at least one of the letters was "signed" by Lerner. Of course they also concede that it appeared to be a stamped signature rather than something personally signed. In the business and government world, there's lots of bulk correspondence generated automatically, with reproduction signatures. Is that what happened in this case? We don't know yet. All we have is an unsubstantiated allegation.

In short, my point remains that we need a thorough investigation to separate fact from allegation. Right now, from my perspective, we still have far more smoke than substance. I absolutely agree we need to get to the truth so we can prevent future instances of partisan targeting.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
And with a response like that, any worthwhile leader would have tossed her arrogant a** out the door. But we're talking about Obama here, so, um, yeah.

Serious question: is she still at a level where she's nearly impossible to fire or is she at the 'appointee-type' level.
Gee, don't you think you need to know the answer to that question before you spew your usual stupid partisan attacks? Obama cannot unilaterally fire her because she is protected by Civil Service regulations. You'd know that if you'd actually made any effort to be informed about this story before sharing your ignorance. As much as you hacks whine about Obama acting like a dictator, this is but one of countless examples proving that he is anything but.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,302
32,810
136
Its a good thought on the surface but dig deeper.

EVEN if the intent was to ensnare PACs, any idiot could have come up with some liberal buzzwords to catch liberal PACs.

Right-to-life
Right-to-work
For equality

The list was poorly planned, at best. I see no issue with investigating to see if poor planning is a cover for political motivation.

To make my point crystal clear, profiling isn't wrong. Flawed profiling is. You want PACs? Come up with some trigger terms to catch both sides.

After Citizens United the vast majority of apps were conservative/tea party groups. When there is 1 McVeigh to 10 Muslims the right says its ok to profile Muslims. So what's the difference? It was a numbers game not political affiliation.

I happen to agree the list was ill conceived. They should have just processed as they came in and not worry about how many completed.
 

FerrelGeek

Diamond Member
Jan 22, 2009
4,669
266
126
My opinion of what I would like to see done may not jive with what could actually be done. It's not really that hard to figure out unless you're an idiot libertroll always looking to spew out bile. And I'm deeply sorry I insulted your messiah or your little heroine, Lois. She was obviously doing god's work so it's ok for her to be an arrogant b*tch. And if she can't be fired, that's yet another symptom of how FUBAR our government is.

Gee, don't you think you need to know the answer to that question before you spew your usual stupid partisan attacks? Obama cannot unilaterally fire her because she is protected by Civil Service regulations. You'd know that if you'd actually made any effort to be informed about this story before sharing your ignorance. As much as you hacks whine about Obama acting like a dictator, this is but one of countless examples proving that he is anything but.
 

Bowfinger

Lifer
Nov 17, 2002
15,776
392
126
My opinion of what I would like to see done may not jive with what could actually be done. It's not really that hard to figure out unless you're an idiot libertroll always looking to spew out bile. And I'm deeply sorry I insulted your messiah or your little heroine, Lois. She was obviously doing god's work so it's ok for her to be an arrogant b*tch. And if she can't be fired, that's yet another symptom of how FUBAR our government is.
/golfclap

Peachy, yet another blowhard nutter who's not only low information but also low integrity. You're the one who foolishly blasted Obama for not tossing "her arrogant a** out the door" (when he lacks the authority to do so). Rather than manning up to accept accountability for your dumb attack, you instead threw a tantrum at me for calling you on it, spewing a string of childish insults (none of which bear any semblance to reality). When you grow up, you may realize it wasn't my fault you had no clue what you were talking about. Until then, you'll remain a perfect RNC puppet.

:D
 

palehorse

Lifer
Dec 21, 2005
11,521
0
76