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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsConservative IRS supervisor flagged groups with 'progressive' in name for higher scrutiny
A self-described conservative Republican in the IRS, in charge of reviewing the tax exempt status of non-profits, instituted a policy of flagging groups with the word "progressive" in their name for a highly level of scrutiny.
The preceding paragraph is true, according to information gathered by the Inspector General and Congressional investigators. Each fact is factual.
It is, however, slanted (by me) to paint a picture. He also designated "tea party" and other terms as flags.
I offer this just to note how the 'scandal' could have broken. But did not... of course. The "scandal" was even more slanted than what I just did.
My version is actually a better news story than the story we were delivered, since it has an identified villain with identified political leanings, as opposed to relying entirely on a free-floating assumption that Obama is up to no good.
That said, I do not think the guy did anything wrong enough to warrant much outrage from anyone, right left or middle. Legally, I doubt any of the flagged groups deserved tax status as entirely apolitical charities, which is what the law says. The only scandal is that most of the flagged groups got the sought status, in contravention of the law. The IRS was too lax, not too restrictive. (And since I think the rich should be audited more than the poor I cannot pretend that I think IRS review should be entirely random.)
MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)Because I'm not feeling it.
Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)NT
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)And sarcastic.
I didn't think the OP was calling for anything.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)I wish Obama hadn't fired the Acting Head of the IRS, which legitimized the scandal.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)they want you to think it is Obama's big government that goes after poor little teaparty groups
Scuba
(53,475 posts)... pointed out when he was aked about the extra scrutiny.
More self-destruction by Democratic leadership.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)being a public relations debacle
Kingofalldems
(38,547 posts)Where is the outrage?
ljm2002
(10,751 posts)...specifically, that your version of the story is more accurate; and that they did nothing wrong by targeting any groups that seemed to have political leanings, left or right.
But our news is manufactured these days, and once the meme got out there "OOoooh, the IRS was targeting Tea Party groups", well that's that. It's what the public thinks happened, end of story.
It is upsetting to see how easily manipulated people can be.
underpants
(183,225 posts)None of this ever made any sense - this is the just the RW pulling their normal "victim" M.O.
Chathamization
(1,638 posts)and then when it breaks that liberal groups were also targeted, it gets stuck somewhere in the back or the "in brief" section. And there won't be any negative repercussions for the media or others that joined in this fake scandal - including far too many Democrats.
I should add that the report that caused the uproar clearly stated that other groups were targeted and that the majority of cases that were targeted didn't involve Tea Party groups. It was even pointed out on DU multiple times, but many people ignored it.