I've Never Minded Paying Taxes-- I Love My Country
Actually, I did mind paying taxes when I was a teenager. The War Against Vietnam was raging and I had nightmares thinking that even a sales tax on a book would contribute to innocent men, women and children being slaughtered by psychotic war criminal Henry Kissinger. So I moved abroad and paid taxes in Holland. When I moved back to the U.S. I needed food stamps to make ends meet for a while. Eventually the ends met and I never begrudged the IRS the 6 figure checks had had to write them. The first time I paid a million dollars in taxes I communed with my long dead grandfather because I knew how proud he would be of me and to remind him how I had never forgot the real-life patriotism he taught me.
Yesterday Clean Budget Coalition member Public Citizen sent supporters an e-mail: 74 new poison pill riders in House spending bills. It helps define what the Republican Party is, at least in terms of its policy agenda. These are all in the appropriations bills Congress has started debating. This a lot of homophobia, a lot of gun-nuttery, a lot of anti-regulatory dangers, plenty of xenophobia, plenty of QAnon-grade conspiracy, some Climate Crisis denialism and, overall, a lot of taking things away from the American people:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
The Health Research Rider would prohibit funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
The Packers and Stockyards Act Report Rider would falsely claim that the act requires farmers to meet the impossible burden of proving that harms they experienced from meatpackers or poultry companies also harmed competition in the entire industry.
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
The “Politically Sensitive Investigations” Rider would block funding for any politically sensitive investigation until the U.S. Department of Justice establishes a policy requiring non-partisan career staff to oversee such investigations. The potential targets of such investigations would include elected officials or their family members, political candidates or their family members, political organizations, religious organizations, and members of the media.
The Merger Guidelines Rider would block funding for revising the Merger Guidelines issued by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department. The previous guidelines allowed unprecedented monopolization, creating massive corporations at the expense of small businesses, startups, and consumers. The agencies issued updated merger guidelines aimed at strengthening enforcement against illegal mergers on July 19, 2023.
The EU Digital Markets Rider would block funding for any action that supports the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which aims to ensure a higher degree of competition in European digital markets by preventing large companies from abusing their market power and allowing new players to enter the market.
The Antitrust Employees Rider would block the Justice Department from using funds to add new employees to its Antitrust Division. This rider would ensure that the department is even more outmatched by enormous corporations willing to spend princely sums for lawyers to protect their monopoly positions.
The COVID Vaccine Rider would block funding to enforce any COVID-19 vaccine mandates or passports.
The China Coordination Rider would block the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Space Council from coordinating in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company without explicit authorization by law or by the FBI.
The Guantanamo Bay Rider would block the transfer or release of any prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay since June 2009 or setting up alternative detention facilities.
The Red Snapper Rider would delay urgently needed fisheries management measures in the South Atlantic potentially for years. South Atlantic red snapper is overfished and needs new management measures to rebuild fish stocks.
The Firearms Registry Rider would block funding for a federal firearms registry.
The Health Research Rider would prohibit funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
The Solar Imports Rider would block funding to implement a two-year delay on imposing anti-dumping and other countervailing duties on solar panels imported from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Iran Rider would ban funding for any formal or informal negotiations with the government or representatives of Iran.
The Transgender Lawsuits Rider would block funding for suing a state or local government over transgender laws.
The Student Religious Beliefs Rider would block funding to discriminate against or denigrate the religious or moral beliefs of students who participate in programs for which financial assistance is provided or the parents or legal guardians of such students.
Defense
The Guantanamo Bay Rider would block the transfer or release of any prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay since June 2009 or setting up alternative detention facilities.
The Guantanamo Bay Closure Rider would block the closure or realignment of Guantanamo Bay.
The Health Research Rider would prohibit funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
The Armed Forces Anti-Extremism Rider would block funding for the appointment of a deputy inspector general in the U.S. Department of Defense whose job is to prevent and respond to supremacist, extremist, and criminal gang activities by members of the Armed Forces.
The Defense Contractor Climate Emissions Rider would block funding for a rule to require federal defense contractors to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks and set science-based targets to reduce their emissions.
The Pride Flag Rider would restrict which flags can be flown over federal facilities – and notably excludes pride flags.
Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve Rider would require the U.S. Energy Secretary to sell one million barrels of refined petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and then permanently close the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve. The Northeast Reserve protects consumers by having a federal backstop available to be released into the northeast market to combat high prices or provide supply in an event of a disruption.
The Energy Loan Guarantee Rider would through funding cuts effectively shut down the U.S. Energy Department’s Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program – a critical tool for accelerating deployment of clean energy and decarbonization technologies.
Financial Services and General Government
The Outbound Investment Review Rider would prohibit funds for the U.S. Treasury Department outbound investment review program until a briefing is provided.
The Standalone Authority Rider would prevent the Federal Trade Commission from abandoning its guidance on “standalone” Section 5 authority.
The Prior Approval Rider would prohibit funds to implement, administer, or enforce the Federal Trade Commission's “Use of Prior Approval Provisions in Merge Orders,” which would negatively impact the mergers process.
The D.C. Policing Rider would prohibit the District of Columbia from implementing its policing bill, the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
The Out-of-State Gun Permits Rider would allow an individual with a valid weapons carry permit from any state or territory to possess and carry a concealed handgun in areas governed by the District of Columbia and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
The Retail Investor Information Rider would prohibit funds for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to collect retail investor personal information even when there is evidence of wrongdoing and would require that an analysis of privacy concerns be submitted to Congress. The SEC collects this information for tax purposes.
The Small Business Rules Rider would direct the U.S. Small Business Administration to issue an economic impact report on small business concerns stemming from rules issued by the agency during the last two fiscal years.
The Cocaine Discovery Rider would require the White House to submit a report on the investigative materials associated with the cocaine discovery on July 2, 2023.
The IRS Guns Rider would prevent the IRS from purchasing firearms or ammunition above the levels in the agency’s possession as of July 13, 2023. This rider stems from the right-wing conspiracy theory that the IRS is stockpiling firearms to initiate an assault against Americans and to prevent Americans from accessing ammunition during an ammo shortage.
Homeland Security
The COVID Vaccine Rider would block funding for any requirement that employees of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) receive COVID-19 vaccines.
The COVID Travel Rider would block funding for any rules current or future that advance safer travel to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Guantanamo Bay Rider would block the transfer or release of any prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay since June 2009 or setting up alternative detention facilities.
The ICE Prosecutorial Discretion Rider would block funds for implementing the Biden administration's “Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law’’ that the U.S. Supreme Court approved as lawful on June 23, 2023.
The Border Wall Rider would prohibit any funds being used or transferred to any other federal agency, board, or commission to dismantle existing parts of the current border wall.
The CBP One Application Rider would block funds being used for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One Application or any successor application to parole immigrants into the U.S.
The ICE Detention Rider would direct DHS to prioritize detention of immigrants and ensure that the average daily population of detainees is maintained at full capacity throughout the year. It also specifies that immigrants in the Alternative to Detention program have mandatory ankle monitoring throughout the duration of all immigration proceedings.
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
The Glacier National Park Reservation Rider would prohibit the park from implementing a reservation system to address overcrowding.
The Bison Rider would prohibit the U.S. Department of the Interior from establishing a working group to help restore bison populations.
The Mercury and Air Toxics (MATS) Rule Rider would block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing and implementing its new rule to reduce mercury and other toxic air pollution, including lead, chromium, arsenic, and soot from coal- and oil-fired power plants.
The Lead Ammunition and Tackle Rider would prevent agencies charged with wildlife protection from banning toxic lead in ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands unless an impossible set of criteria are met.
The Carbon Pollution Rule Rider would block the EPA from finalizing and implementing new carbon pollution limits for coal- and gas-fired power plants.
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
The Smithsonian Rider would prevent the museum from partnering with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Rider would prohibit listing the animal under the Endangered Species Act.
The Ethylene Oxide Emissions Rider would block the EPA from enforcing its proposed rule to limit the hazardous air pollutant.
The Rat Poison Rider would block the EPA from restricting rodenticides that pose health risks to humans and other mammals and birds.
The Tailpipe Emissions Rider would block the EPA from implementing its proposed rules to reduce harmful air pollutants from light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles.
The Conservation Land Use Rider would prohibit the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from implementing the Conservation and Landscape Health rule, which allows the agency to better prioritize conservation of public lands.
The Grizzly Bear Rider would delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of Grizzly Bears under the Endangered Species Act.
The Pride Flag Rider would restrict which flags can be flown over federal facilities – and notably excludes pride flags.
The Health Research Rider would prohibit funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
The Independent Contractor Rider would require that no funds be used to block a Trump-era rule published in the final days of his administration that made it easier for employers to misclassify workers as independent contractors, removing them from minimum wage and other labor protections. This would include blocking a rule currently still being finalized by the U.S. Department of Labor that would replace the previous one with clearer protections from misclassification for workers.
The Federal Employee Benefits ESG Investing Rider would block implementation of the U.S. Department of Labor’s ESG investing rule for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, which has been the subject of failed Congressional Review Act attempts.
The H-2A Visas Rider would block implementation of the Labor Department’s rule on H-2A visas to strengthen protections and wage calculations for temporary foreign workers. This rule is facing a Congressional Review Act challenge. Overturning it would take away an estimated $38 million wage increase from impacted H-2A farmworkers.
The Gun Control Rider would block any funding for the advocacy or promotion of gun control.
The EcoHealth Rider would block funding for the EcoHealth Alliance, which leads scientific research into the connections between human, animal, and environmental health and develops solutions to prevent pandemics and promote conservation.
The Medicare and Medicaid Vaccines Rider would block funding for a rule requiring Medicare and Medicaid providers to ensure COVID-19 vaccination of their staff and offer vaccines and educational information to patients, clients, residents, and staff.
The ACA Discrimination Rider would block funding for a rule that bans discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The School Prayer Rider would block funding to prevent the implementation of voluntary prayer and meditation programs in public schools.
The Embryo Research Rider would ban research on human embryos.
The Drug Legalization Rider would ban funding to promote the legalization of any Schedule I controlled substance, including marijuana, except in cases when there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic benefit or federally funded clinical trials are underway.
The Health Research Rider would prohibit funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and any lab controlled by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela or any gain-of-function research involving a potential pandemic pathogen in these countries.
Legislative Branch
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
Military, Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
The Gender Affirming Care Rider would prohibit funds for surgical procedures or hormone therapies for the purposes of gender affirming care.
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs
The Pride Flag Rider would restrict which flags can be flown over federal facilities – and notably excludes pride flags.
Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies
The Same-Sex Marriage Rider would prohibit denial of funds to anyone with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman.
The Pride Flag Rider would restrict which flags can be flown over federal facilities – and notably excludes pride flags.
But what I didn’t find in it is a major Republican Party priority and I’m assuming that’s something they’re going to deal with separately. They are determined to hamstring the IRS by rescinding $67 billion of the $80 billion— most of it in enforcement money— that the IRS was voted in the Inflation Reduction Act. The IRS has been using the money exactly how it was meant to be used: recouping tens of millions of dollars from millionaire tax cheats. So far the IRS reported having recouped $38 million from more than 175 wealthy scofflaws just since January.
Yesterday, the IRS announced, as part of its efforts to transform operations since the Inflation Reduction Act funds started flowing that it’s ending the decades-long practice of unannounced revenue officer visits to taxpayers, which is expected to decrease taxpayer confusion and enhance safety measures. IRS Commissioner Dan Werfel: “We are taking a fresh look at how the IRS operates to better serve taxpayers and the nation, and making this change is a common-sense step. Changing this long-standing procedure will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees. These visits created extra anxiety for taxpayers already wary of potential scam artists. At the same time, the uncertainty around what the IRS employees faced when visiting these homes created stress for them as well. We have the tools we need to successfully collect revenue without adding stress with unannounced visits. The only losers with this change in policy are scammers posing as the IRS.”
Last week, Erica Payne, president of Patriotic Millionaires noted that when the Democrats passed the bill giving the IRS the funding, “For years, Republicans had been deliberately underfunding the IRS to allow their wealthy donor friends to get away with not paying the taxes they owed. Their deliberate hamstringing of the IRS created a situation where the tax gap— the difference between taxes paid and taxes owe— is estimated to be as high as $1 trillion, with 70% of it coming from just the top 1% of taxpayers… Even before the Inflation Reduction Act had passed, Republicans and right-wing activists began spreading lies about the $80 billion investment, claiming that armed IRS agents would be knocking down the doors of everyday taxpayers. Now, they’re attempting to rescind this critical investment to continue to let their tax-dodging millionaire and billionaire friends off the hook.”
She also noted that “The $80 billion in funding for the IRS is not only being used to enhance enforcement efforts and recoup unpaid taxes by wealthy tax cheats; it’s also being used to improve the overall IRS experience for everyday taxpayers by reducing call times, processing returns faster, and issuing refunds faster. Paying taxes is a civic duty and a benefit to societal health. Almost all ordinary Americans pay the taxes they owe every year. Why should wealthy criminal tax evaders be allowed to shirk this patriotic responsibility without consequence?”
A week or so ago, the Associated Press reported that “The IRS is showcasing its new capability to aggressively audit high-income tax dodgers as it makes the case for sustained funding and tries to avert budget cuts sought by Republicans who want to gut the agency.” That’s not the way to woo GOP members of Congress. That’s exactly what they don’t want to see the IRS doing. “In one case,” reported Fatima Hussein, “an individual had used money owed to the government to buy a Maserati and a Bentley, and roughly 100 high-income people tried to get favorable tax treatment through Puerto Rico without meeting certain tax requirements. Many of those cases are expected to face criminal investigation.” Hopefully their accountants will wind up behind bars as well.
House Republicans built a $1.4 billion reduction to the IRS into the debt ceiling and budget cuts package passed by Congress this summer. The White House said the debt deal also has a separate agreement to take $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years and divert that money to other non-defense programs.
Now, the agency is trying to show the value of the Inflation Reduction Act funding for taxpayers as appropriations season closes in, and to show the impact of its efforts to do more to audit high-income taxpayers. Last summer Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen gave the IRS leadership instructions not to increase audit rates on people making less than $400,000 a year annually, and to focus on high-income taxpayers.
A team of academic economists and IRS researchers in 2021 found that the top 1% of U.S. income earners fail to report more than 20% of their earnings to the IRS.
The IRS said its workers answered 3 million more phone calls than in the last filing season, cut wait times to 3 minutes from 28 and cleared the backlog of unprocessed 2022 tax returns that had no errors. It is opening new taxpayer assistance centers and holding events to help people who live far from the agency’s in-person offices.
“The mixed results here of some taxpayers, still frustrated, and some taxpayers seeing dramatic improvements tells us we have more work to do,” Werfel said.
The IRS’s enforcement staff has shrunk by about one-third since 2010 and has been operating with outdated technology that the agency said it is gradually automating.
In April, the agency released a report outlining how it would spend the money allotted through the Inflation Reduction Act, such as bringing more paper-based systems online and answering taxpayers’ phone calls promptly.
Other plans are more ambitious, including exploring ways to create a government-operated electronic free-file tax return system, which is currently being piloted.
The idea of providing additional money for the agency has been politically controversial since 2013, when the IRS under the Obama administration was found to scrutinize political groups that applied for tax-exempt status.
A Treasury Department inspector general report found that both conservative and liberal groups were chosen for scrutiny.
