Obama's IRS Targeted the Tea Party

[Jim in CT]

I thought Obama didn't see people as "red", or "blue", but simply as "Americans".

Obama's political mentor, Bill Ayers, used bombs to deal with people who dared to disagree with him. Obama uses the might of the federal government.

IRS knew Tea Party targeted in 2011 | Fox News

Sorry Spence, that I had to rely on (ha-ha, wait for it!) "Faux News!" Chortle, chortle!

[JohnR]

Hard to think this is Obama, directly. Surely one of the minions, but this is indicative of a major problem with politicizing the government.

The government we deserve. Frackwits.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Hard to think this is Obama, directly. Surely one of the minions, but this is indicative of a major problem with politicizing the government.

The government we deserve. Frackwits.

"Hard to think this is Obama, directly"

I'm sure you're correct.

But this is a man who has no use for those who disagree with him (the Republicans need to sit in the back of the bus, those who cling to guns and religion do so because they are bitter and racist, etc, etc), so it's not at all inconsistent with anything we know about him.

[spence]

Do we know if this was even political?
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Do we know if this was even political?
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I noticed that you had no problem leaping to the conclusion that the Benghazi hearings were a nothing more than a political witch hunt. You seem awfully slective with the manner in which you apply these things...Why is that, do you suppose?

[Nebe]

Meh.
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[Raven]

IRS is a dirty dealin , unfair ,cheating group
if there ever was one....

the tax code is a friggan Joke

[justplugit]

Another Witch Hunt, I can't take it.

[Raven]

not only that...but they simply love to order
a full investigation like they're free.

[Sea Dangles]

Wasn't the person most responsible a Bush appointee?

[spence]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Wasn't the person most responsible a Bush appointee?

Wouldn't matter, if it's an opportunity to embarrass the POTUS and waste taxpayer money then let's go for it.

I think the odds that it wasn't partisan aren't bad. To get tax exempt status your spending has to be focused on Social Work rather than Politics. And I think we'd all agree that there are a lot of groups that just ignore this...actually, in a lot of cases it's a joke.

With the eruption of organizations claiming to be affiliated to the Tea Party I'd say this would be some ripe territory to bust cheaters and help Uncle Sam increase revenues.

-spence

[buckman]

Originally Posted by spence

I think the odds that it wasn't partisan aren't bad. To get tax exempt status your spending has to be focused on Social Work rather than Politics. And I think we'd all agree that there are a lot of groups that just ignore this...actually, in a lot of cases it's a joke.


-spence

Like Planned Parenthood . I agree
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[spence]

Originally Posted by buckman

Like Planned Parenthood . I agree
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Quite different. Most of all Planned Parenthood spending goes towards STD prevention and treatment, cancer screening, contraception and women's health.

How much does PP spend on political influence?

That's the point.

-spence

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by buckman

Like Planned Parenthood . I agree
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Or Heritage Foundation, or American Solutions for Winning the Future or Occupy, or......

This is a big deal, and the appropriate people should be canned. But to call this "Nixonian" show the tapes or email where it came from anywhere near the White House. I also read one report where one of the higherups called for it on all political groups, not just conservative...

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Wouldn't matter, if it's an opportunity to embarrass the POTUS and waste taxpayer money then let's go for it.

I think the odds that it wasn't partisan aren't bad. To get tax exempt status your spending has to be focused on Social Work rather than Politics. And I think we'd all agree that there are a lot of groups that just ignore this...actually, in a lot of cases it's a joke.

With the eruption of organizations claiming to be affiliated to the Tea Party I'd say this would be some ripe territory to bust cheaters and help Uncle Sam increase revenues.

-spence

"if it's an opportunity to...waste taxpayer money then let's go for it."

Spence, we are all glad that you are so committed to avoiding the wasting of taxpayers money. We all know that's a cornerstone of your agenda...

"I think the odds that it wasn't partisan aren't bad"

I, for one, am shocked that you don't believe it's partisan.

If the Tea Party doesn't deserve tax-exempt status, don't give it to them. But don't single out conservative groups for investigation...

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

I think the odds that it wasn't partisan aren't bad. -spence

According to the Inspector General report, "IRS’s scrutiny went beyond keywords to target ideology.”

So according to the inspector general (who probably knows almost as much about this as you do), ideology was the basis for IRS targeting. The Denver Post ran that on their front page.

Still think there's good odds that it wasn't political?

There's no evidence that Obama had anything to do with this. But any child knows it was political.

Read more: Media can't ignore Obama IRS, Benghazi scandals | Fox News

[Raider Ronnie]

Yup

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

So according to the inspector general (who probably knows almost as much about this as you do), ideology was the basis for IRS targeting. The Denver Post ran that on their front page.

Still think there's good odds that it wasn't political?

You think they were out to stick it to the Tea Party?

Evidence so far just makes it look like an overburdened group was trying to be efficient. That they were targeting ideology doesn't mean it was political...

-spence

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by Raven

not only that...but they simply love to order
a full investigation like they're free.

Rav, I was just being sarcastic as that is what the Libs would say.
This is not good stuff, and the fact they were targeting certain political
groups is profiling at it's best. This had to come from somebody at the top.

The IRS will be the monitors for Obamacare , think they are hiring 16,000
more people, and they are the ones who will hold our personal health record information. Not good, not good at all.
I like when Congress is doing investigations, keeps them from having the time to write more Bills and Regulations, along with finding new ways to raise our taxes.

[RIJIMMY]

Officials at the Internal Revenue Service knew in June 2011 that their agents were targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny on tax documents, the report indicates.

Lois Lerner, director of tax-exempt organizations for the IRS, publicly admitted Friday for the first time that agents used the keywords "tea party" and "patriot" to flag applications for further review, but she stressed that was done as a "shortcut" for picking the applications to review, not out of "political bias."

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Lois Lerner, director of tax-exempt organizations for the IRS, publicly admitted Friday for the first time that agents used the keywords "tea party" and "patriot" to flag applications for further review, but she stressed that was done as a "shortcut" for picking the applications to review, not out of "political bias."

So, if that is true, then it is key, but proving intent is tough. If they were keying off of Occupy, or MoveOn then I guess it would be fairer...

either way, I still haven't seen anything about this being Obama's idea...

[Mr. Sandman]

It's O's admin and you voted these Aholes back in.

Whoops I was just targeted!!

[buckman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

It's O's admin and you voted these Aholes back in.

Whoops I was just targeted!!

No it's always some low-level employee'. Those that are ultimately accountable, are never held accountable. Just ask them...
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[Nebe]

Their motives were due to the fact that the tea party is anti government anti taxes.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Their motives were due to the fact that the tea party is anti government anti taxes.
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I consider myself a tea partier. We are not anti-government, nor are we anti-taxes.

We opposed to stupid, wasteful spending, which results in exorbitant taxes.

Nebe, you are being grossly misled by whomever you get your information from. Tea partiers believe in reasonable tax levels, from which the money should be spent wisely, to help as many people as possible. Despite how hard you or Spence might try, there is nothing sinister, selfish, or greedy about that. What's sinister is the feds taking obscene amounts of money from us (most of it borrowed from the Chinese)which serves no purpose, other than to enrich politically-connected friends of politicians.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

I consider myself a tea partier. We are not anti-government, nor are we anti-taxes.

We opposed to stupid, wasteful spending, which results in exorbitant taxes.

Nebe, you are being grossly misled by whomever you get your information from. Tea partiers believe in reasonable tax levels, from which the money should be spent wisely, to help as many people as possible. Despite how hard you or Spence might try, there is nothing sinister, selfish, or greedy about that. What's sinister is the feds taking obscene amounts of money from us (most of it borrowed from the Chinese)which serves no purpose, other than to enrich politically-connected friends of politicians.

And yet you are a bush supporter?! LOLOLOLOLOL.
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Nebe

And yet you are a bush supporter?! LOLOLOLOLOL.
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Yeah, you seem to really think you got me there, don't you. Chortle, chortle!! You got me all right!! Except you didn't. Not even close...

George Bush made blunders as they all do, and he added much to our debt. But what did he accomplish?

He built an anti-terror infastructure from scratch. By any standard, that structure has been a success. Obama certainly has left it largely intact, so Obama thinks it works.

He is credited with saving more than one million lives in Africa, for his work with AIDS. If I have to postpone retirement for a few months to pay my taxes for that endeavor, I say "sign me up!"

He liberated Iraq. Obviously, that wasn't the stated mission of the war, but the fact is, he freed a nation of Muslims from other, monstrous Muslims.

That's some of what Bush did.

Obama added trillions more to the debt than Bush did, and he hasn't done nearly as much good for nearly as many people.

Nebe, you tell me...where am I wrong?

I told you I'm against stupid waste. I just don't see that Bush pissed away trillions...if you think he did, tell that to the million Africans he saved.

Obama spent almost a trillion on a stimulus, and what do we have to show? No meaningful change in unemployment, and a huge decrease in median wages. Not a wise investment in my book.

Nebe, go ahead. Tell me where I'm wrong.

[buckman]

The woman who is an absolute charge I believe her name is Sarah Ingram, has been promoted to be in charge of the Obamacare division of the IRS. While in charge of nonprofits at the IRS she received an average of $35,000 a year bonuses....bonuses that could only be approved by the Pres.
She will now be in charge of approving health care decisions.
Thank God none of this was politically motivated
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[justplugit]

Originally Posted by buckman

The woman who is an absolute charge I believe her name is Sarah Ingram, has been promoted to be in charge of the Obamacare division of the IRS. While in charge of nonprofits at the IRS she received an average of $35,000 a year bonuses....bonuses that could only be approved by the Pres.
She will now be in charge of approving health care decisions.
Thank God none of this was politically motivated
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Obamacare is such a mess before it starts, and now the fox is going to guard
the hen house.
Time to defund it. Take care of the 10% who don't have healthcare with a special
program and leave the other 90% to what they have. Then go to a fair or flat tax.

[spence]

Originally Posted by buckman

The woman who is an absolute charge I believe her name is Sarah Ingram, has been promoted to be in charge of the Obamacare division of the IRS. While in charge of nonprofits at the IRS she received an average of $35,000 a year bonuses....bonuses that could only be approved by the Pres.
She will now be in charge of approving health care decisions.
Thank God none of this was politically motivated
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I'm not sure that's true. My understanding is that the Whitehouse has little influence over the IRS for obvious reasons. Most government bonuses are automatic (rather than discretionary). There is a special award bonus program that the President does sign, but the recipients are nominated by their leadership up through the ranks...given her pay and the bonus numbers thrown out it doesn't sound like she was awarded a special bonus.

The formula here is becoming pretty clear. Assume the "scandal" then toss out bits of information accurate or not regardless of context to further the story.

That's not how you investigate, it's how you confuse.

-spence