From the IRS comes more evidence that the government continues to work very well for the very wealthy. After all, Bush calls them his "base." Why wouldn't he deliver? David Cay Johnston in The New York Times reports that the IRS is cutting the jobs of those who audit the "tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans." Speaking off the record to Johnston, some IRS lawyers accused the Bush administration of trying to "shield people with political connections and complex tax-avoidance devices from thorough audits." In other words, the IRS is making it easier for tax dodgers and tax cheats—as long as they're wealthy—to get away with their crimes.
Allowing rich Americans to avoid paying their fair share is unjust on its face. Making it easier for rich Americans who might be politically connected to the administration to escape IRS scrutiny is plainly unethical. But when considered on top of evidence Johnson uncovered earlier this year that the IRS unfairly targets low-income Americans, it's outrageous.
--Alexandra Walker |
Sunday, July 23, 2006 12:00 PM
