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Yes, but is it more effective to catch and eat a 10lb trout, of which there are plenty and they're easy to identify using established laws and technologies (tip

by vgeek 5y ago

Yes, but is it more effective to catch and eat a 10lb trout, of which there are plenty and they're easy to identify using established laws and technologies (tip: they hang around Jackson Hole), or try to dip net and fillet 300 creek chubs scattered all over the place? You are right in that it isn't only about the money. It has to be the surveillance aspect with the revenue generation as an added bonus. If something like this doesn't succeed now, then next time will it be for national security or the safety of the children? We love to enforce the laws against the poor. This just seems like another avenue by which to do so. Look at how frequently crimes like robbery are mentioned in the news-- but what about much more endemic crimes typically perpetuated by the ownership class, like wage theft (https://i.redd.it/grnr8kxbl6zz.jpg https://i.redd.it/grnr8kxbl6zz.jpg), and how little you hear about them.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
In this case it's as easy as sending automated threatening letters "we see you've done X Y and Z transactions, we think these are taxable, please provide payment amount A or appeal it by doing B" The rich people and rich companies (10lb trout in your example, since it may not be clear to everyone that 10lb is no small trout) have big enough dollar amounts at stake to be worth fighting for and will fight but the cost of running that process will be just a formality compared to all the $100-500 checks they'll receive. I don't think it's about the surveillance aspect or the money except as a means to the end of having more power to control who gets economically marginalized. Look at the difficulty the government had enforcing executive policy and controlling the narrative during the pandemic (compare with the first few years of the war on terror for example). They don't want to get caught with their pants down the next time around.
thomascgalvin 5y ago
The IRS has had its ability to go after big fish gutted. They simply don't have the resources to properly audit and prosecute a billionaire. But Joe the Electrician who does most of his work under the table? That's easy, so that's where they focus.
- ravar 5y ago
  You would think it would be self financing, is it lack of resources or lack of will?
stevespang 5y ago
Vgeek, Unless that big 10 Lb. trout has a whole team of high priced smart lawyers, many of who used to work for the IRS. Small fish don't have the money for lawyers and so cave in and pay up - - - easy money for the Gov't. <We love to enforce the laws against the poor> Oh, and by the way, the $600 bank item was first proposed by none other than Joe Biden, the same guy whose only real legislation he sponsored in the US Senate was his 1994 crime bill to increase sentences for drug crimes and resulted in a disproportionate number of poor blacks being incarcerated for decades. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/25/us/joe-biden-crime-laws.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/25/us/joe-biden-crime-laws.h...

by vgeek 5y ago

throwaway0a5e 5y ago

In this case it's as easy as sending automated threatening letters "we see you've done X Y and Z transactions, we think these are taxable, please provide payment amount A or appeal it by doing B" The rich people and rich companies (10lb trout in your example, since it may not be clear to everyone that 10lb is no small trout) have big enough dollar amounts at stake to be worth fighting for and will fight but the cost of running that process will be just a formality compared to all the $100-500 checks they'll receive. I don't think it's about the surveillance aspect or the money except as a means to the end of having more power to control who gets economically marginalized. Look at the difficulty the government had enforcing executive policy and controlling the narrative during the pandemic (compare with the first few years of the war on terror for example). They don't want to get caught with their pants down the next time around.

thomascgalvin 5y ago

The IRS has had its ability to go after big fish gutted. They simply don't have the resources to properly audit and prosecute a billionaire. But Joe the Electrician who does most of his work under the table? That's easy, so that's where they focus.

ravar 5y ago
You would think it would be self financing, is it lack of resources or lack of will?

stevespang 5y ago

Vgeek, Unless that big 10 Lb. trout has a whole team of high priced smart lawyers, many of who used to work for the IRS. Small fish don't have the money for lawyers and so cave in and pay up - - - easy money for the Gov't. <We love to enforce the laws against the poor> Oh, and by the way, the $600 bank item was first proposed by none other than Joe Biden, the same guy whose only real legislation he sponsored in the US Senate was his 1994 crime bill to increase sentences for drug crimes and resulted in a disproportionate number of poor blacks being incarcerated for decades. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/25/us/joe-biden-crime-laws.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/25/us/joe-biden-crime-laws.h...