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You know it absolutely would be used to target political opponents from both sides.
by sieabahlpark 7y ago
You know it absolutely would be used to target political opponents from both sides.
- nappy 7y agoThe performance of the IRS is a strong counterargument to this.
- abtinf 7y agoThe IRS has done this exact thing. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy
- freddie_mercury 7y ago"In January 2014, James Comey, who at the time was the FBI director, told Fox News that its investigation had found no evidence so far warranting the filing of federal criminal charges in connection with the controversy, as it had not found any evidence of "enemy hunting", and that the investigation continued. On October 23, 2015, the Justice Department declared that no criminal charges would be filed. On September 8, 2017, the Trump Justice Department declined to reopen the criminal investigation into Lois Lerner, a central figure in the controversy."
- sverige 7y agoActually, no, it isn't. Many conservative organizations were targeted by the IRS under the previous administration. https://www.npr.org/2017/10/27/560308997/irs-apologizes-for-aggressive-scrutiny-of-conservative-groups https://www.npr.org/2017/10/27/560308997/irs-apologizes-for-...
- Swenrekcah 7y agoIs it possible that it was due to warranted concerns that these groups were misusing the tax-exempt status?
- sverige 7y agoIt seems possible until you realize that the IRS publicly apologized for targeting them and paid a settlement to 427 of the organizations. Four hundred twenty-seven is far beyond any random accident or mistake.
- seanmcdirmid 7y agoNo, I mean sure, if you think a conservative administration settling with conservative groups is a valid admission of guilt, go for it! But for many of us, it just seems like Trump trying to define truth unilaterally to pander to his base. See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy Spoiler: both liberal and conservative groups were subject to extra scrutiny via keyword triggers, but only conservative groups got a settlement for whatever reason only Trump knows. Trump was smart enough not to let it go to court (lest any facts get argued for real).
- Fjolsvith 7y ago> No, I mean sure, if you think a conservative administration settling with conservative groups is a valid admission of guilt, For the actions committed under the previous liberal administration.
- toomuchtodo 7y agoWhen was the last time the OPM and it’s data corpus was weaponized politically (data breach incompetence aside)?
- abtinf 7y agoTrump revoking security clearances for nakedly partisan purposes. That isn’t a use of the OPM data, but what it enables. It is easy to imagine a future administration blacklisting political opponents from obtaining mortgages.
- toomuchtodo 7y agoThis can already be done with voting and party affiliation records and mortgage guidelines administered by FHFA (Fannie/Freddie/HUD), but isn’t. Government is accountable to an electorate, private businesses are not (see: Equifax).
- abtinf 7y agoIf government is so accountable, why are there only three credit rating agencies? Why does equifax still exist? Government created this oligopoly and won’t let any new players into the market.
- toomuchtodo 7y agoAnyone can start a CRA, there is no legislation or regulation stopping competitors from popping up, although I agree it’s government’s fault there is no legislation to provide a corporate death sentence for egregious data breaches.
- SamReidHughes 7y agoYep. Just like the FDIC was against the gun industry.