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The budget for the IRS has been continually slashed since Reagan despite all research on the subject showing increasing funding to the IRS funding increased rev

The budget for the IRS has been continually slashed since Reagan despite all research on the subject showing increasing funding to the IRS funding increased revenue well beyond it's cost. The IRS has publicly stated on a number of occasions they do not go after the wealthy because they do not have the resources to win in the ensuing legal battles. This leaves the poor and middle class as the only groups they can target.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> budget for the IRS has been continually slashed since Reagan Congress is working on boosting it [1]. [1] https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11977 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11977
washbrain 4y ago
This is 100% the story. The IRS can help make sure everyone is playing fair if we sufficiently fund them. And they can stop policing all the little issues and go after the big ones if we sufficiently fund them. AND sufficiently funding them is expected to increase tax revenue above the cost of funding them. It's the most obvious and should be the most bipartisan approach. It's introducing no new taxes, it's equitable, it improves revenue (which could allow you hypothetically cut taxes.) It drives me up the wall that this isn't just a fast, handshake and proceed bit of legislation.
- SirSourdough 4y ago
  It effectively introduces new taxes for the powerful people currently getting away with dodging them, which should be a pretty clear indication of why we aren’t seeing stronger support.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > should be the most bipartisan approach Lol [1][2][3]. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/07/irs-taxes-budget-conservatives/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/07/irs-taxes... [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-infrastructure-deal-teeters-after-republicans-reject-irs-funds-2021-07-20/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-infrastructure-deal-teet... [3] https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/middle-class-americans-bear-brunt-irs-audits-analysis-shows https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/middle-class-americans-...
  - washbrain 4y ago
    I'm aware, I'm pointing out the hypocrisy in these specific cases.
- axus 4y ago
  If dodging/bungling taxes were a Civil matter instead of a Criminal matter, it might be easier to get support for better enforcement.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- rrrrrrrrrrrryan 4y ago
  For every $1 of additional funding, the IRS brings in $3. They're the only federal government entity for which this is true. Increasing their finding should be an absolute no-brainer, but many powerful people have a vested interest in keeping the IRS weak and small and underfunded, so that's what we've got.
  - jeffwask 4y ago
    The Panama papers should be all the proof we need. The Panama papers had enough data to chase tax cheats for decades. The Panama paper resulted in zero.
    - areyousure 4y ago
      > zero https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-taxpayer-in-panama-papers-investigation-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-tax... https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-accountant-in-panama-papers-investigation-sentenced-to-39-months-in-prison https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-acc...
      - jeffwask 4y ago
        Fine so one of the biggest financial crime leaks in history implicating the wealthy and powerful all over the world resulted in one unknown old man and his accountant getting a couple years. Cool.
jeffbee 4y ago
"Defund the Police" but for rich republicans.
- OrvalWintermute 4y ago
  In recent years after Reagan, both the Executive branch and Legislative branch have been dominated by the same party, at various times Congress | House | Senate | Presidency | Status 101st (1989–1991) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.H.W. Bush) Divided 102nd (1991–1993) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.H.W. Bush) Divided 103rd (1993–1995) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Clinton) Unified 104th (1995–1997) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 105th (1997–1999) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 106th (1999–2001) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 107th (2001–2003) Republicans Republicans / Democrats Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified / Divided 108th (2003–2005) Republicans Republicans Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified 109th (2005–2007) Republicans Republicans Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified 110th (2007–2009) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.W. Bush) Divided 111th (2009–2011) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Obama) Unified 112th (2011–2013) Republicans Democrats Democrat (Obama) Divided 113th (2013–2015) Republicans Democrats Democrat (Obama) Divided 114th (2015–2017) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Obama) Divided 115th (2017–2019) Republicans Republicans Republican (Trump) Unified 116th (2019–2021) Democrats Republicans Republican (Trump) Divided 117th (2021-2023) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Biden) Unified Please, lay off the partisanship.
  - jeffbee 4y ago
    And yet, oddly, only one party has the platform of "drowning the government in a bathtub" which, if you think about it, is isomorphic with "defund the police".
    - pessimizer 4y ago
      Grover Norquist is dead and was not a Republican politician, but an professional antitax lobbyist.
charlieyu1 4y ago
I have no idea why the poor are advocating tax rises when they are clear on the losing side
Silverback_VII 4y ago
It would not be a very smart move to go after your own supporters... I think politicians know this simple rule of power. they need the money and the connections of affluent ppl.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago

> budget for the IRS has been continually slashed since Reagan Congress is working on boosting it [1]. [1] https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11977 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11977

washbrain 4y ago

This is 100% the story. The IRS can help make sure everyone is playing fair if we sufficiently fund them. And they can stop policing all the little issues and go after the big ones if we sufficiently fund them. AND sufficiently funding them is expected to increase tax revenue above the cost of funding them. It's the most obvious and should be the most bipartisan approach. It's introducing no new taxes, it's equitable, it improves revenue (which could allow you hypothetically cut taxes.) It drives me up the wall that this isn't just a fast, handshake and proceed bit of legislation.

SirSourdough 4y ago
It effectively introduces new taxes for the powerful people currently getting away with dodging them, which should be a pretty clear indication of why we aren’t seeing stronger support.
JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> should be the most bipartisan approach Lol [1][2][3]. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/07/irs-taxes-budget-conservatives/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/07/07/irs-taxes... [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-infrastructure-deal-teeters-after-republicans-reject-irs-funds-2021-07-20/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-infrastructure-deal-teet... [3] https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/middle-class-americans-bear-brunt-irs-audits-analysis-shows https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/middle-class-americans-...
- washbrain 4y ago
  I'm aware, I'm pointing out the hypocrisy in these specific cases.
axus 4y ago
If dodging/bungling taxes were a Civil matter instead of a Criminal matter, it might be easier to get support for better enforcement.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
rrrrrrrrrrrryan 4y ago
For every $1 of additional funding, the IRS brings in $3. They're the only federal government entity for which this is true. Increasing their finding should be an absolute no-brainer, but many powerful people have a vested interest in keeping the IRS weak and small and underfunded, so that's what we've got.
- jeffwask 4y ago
  The Panama papers should be all the proof we need. The Panama papers had enough data to chase tax cheats for decades. The Panama paper resulted in zero.
  - areyousure 4y ago
    > zero https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-taxpayer-in-panama-papers-investigation-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-tax... https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-accountant-in-panama-papers-investigation-sentenced-to-39-months-in-prison https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/us-acc...
    - jeffwask 4y ago
      Fine so one of the biggest financial crime leaks in history implicating the wealthy and powerful all over the world resulted in one unknown old man and his accountant getting a couple years. Cool.

jeffbee 4y ago

"Defund the Police" but for rich republicans.

OrvalWintermute 4y ago
In recent years after Reagan, both the Executive branch and Legislative branch have been dominated by the same party, at various times Congress | House | Senate | Presidency | Status 101st (1989–1991) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.H.W. Bush) Divided 102nd (1991–1993) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.H.W. Bush) Divided 103rd (1993–1995) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Clinton) Unified 104th (1995–1997) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 105th (1997–1999) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 106th (1999–2001) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Clinton) Divided 107th (2001–2003) Republicans Republicans / Democrats Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified / Divided 108th (2003–2005) Republicans Republicans Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified 109th (2005–2007) Republicans Republicans Republican (G.W. Bush) Unified 110th (2007–2009) Democrats Democrats Republican (G.W. Bush) Divided 111th (2009–2011) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Obama) Unified 112th (2011–2013) Republicans Democrats Democrat (Obama) Divided 113th (2013–2015) Republicans Democrats Democrat (Obama) Divided 114th (2015–2017) Republicans Republicans Democrat (Obama) Divided 115th (2017–2019) Republicans Republicans Republican (Trump) Unified 116th (2019–2021) Democrats Republicans Republican (Trump) Divided 117th (2021-2023) Democrats Democrats Democrat (Biden) Unified Please, lay off the partisanship.
- jeffbee 4y ago
  And yet, oddly, only one party has the platform of "drowning the government in a bathtub" which, if you think about it, is isomorphic with "defund the police".
  - pessimizer 4y ago
    Grover Norquist is dead and was not a Republican politician, but an professional antitax lobbyist.

charlieyu1 4y ago

I have no idea why the poor are advocating tax rises when they are clear on the losing side

Silverback_VII 4y ago

It would not be a very smart move to go after your own supporters... I think politicians know this simple rule of power. they need the money and the connections of affluent ppl.