The New and Improved IRS
A Rant by Bill:
The IRS has purchased five million rounds of ammunition.
The Left is at it again, promising that the 87,000 new IRS agents (who will be required to be armed and use deadly force when necessary) will not target anyone who earns under $400,000 a year - a bald-faced lie when you look at the numbers (something the Left never does, because they prefer making up their own numbers). Oh, and note that the IRS has purchased five million rounds of ammunition (another source says $700 million worth, which seems to be over the top), and the targets, of course, will be American tax-payers. (What's interesting is that among the current armed agents, there have been more accidental discharges than shootings - which is what you would expect with a bunch of left-brained bureaucrats.)
Here are the facts. 90% of all IRS audits are for incomes less than $200,000 a year - making a liar of Biden right off the bat, since he has bragged dozens of times that no tax increases will apply to anyone earning less than $400,000 a year. Oh, and 52% of tax collections come from people who earn less than $50,000.
Those in the know are speculating that the new and improved IRS will be, as my best friend says, Lois Lerner on steroids. The Democrats have signaled to us over and over again that they are more interested in punishing Republicans and remaining in power than serving the people. Therefore, it is likely that the IRS will be given a list of all small businesses whose owners contributed to the Republican party and go after them with a vengeance. They'll likely concentrate as well on individual Republican taxpayers who made campaign contributions, followed by all other Republicans, regardless of income.
The IRS is one of the most unnecessary institutions in America. Many advanced nations have abandoned income taxes in favor of a tax which is much more fair - the value-added tax, or VAT. With a VAT, there are no IRS agents, no tax accountants, no lawyers, and no Turbo Tax, no taxes deducted from paychecks, and no sweating bullets over filling out an unbelievably complicated mass of paper designed by a government bureaucracy. Instead, when you buy a car, the VAT is collected at the time of sale. When you buy a refrigerator, same thing. Every time you make a purchase, your tax burden is automatically collected.
And the VAT is a fair tax as well. A low income American pays a much lower VAT than a high income American, because rich people buy more stuff, more expensive stuff, and more often - than poor people. The government gets its paws on the money just as fast as from payroll taxes, but the people are no longer burdened with the April 15 madness and the fear that they will be audited - now by someone with a gun. Moreover, it is possible to vary the percentage VAT by class of product, so low income people will pay a very small tax on food and basic consumer products, while the fat cats will pay a higher VAT (luxury tax) on yachts, Rolls-Royces, and rare paintings.
What are the chances that our "representatives" (I put it in quotes because I honestly believe I am no longer represented by the federal government - which has morphed into the deep state enemy of the people) will see the light, abolish the IRS, and institute the American VAT? Near nil, and for a number of reasons. First of all, most of the politicians in Congress lawyers, and most of them believe that they are privileged and above the people. They really are not concerned about the number of people who express hatred for their government every April 15. Secondly, the IRS bureaucracy will pull out all the stops to remain employed, and they will do whatever is necessary to pooh-pooh the VAT.
Off topic: The Trump Raid aftermath. The Republicans have reportedly collected $100 million in donations since the raid last Monday. Both the DOJ and the FBI have lost the trust of at least half of the American people, and I would not be surprised to see budget cuts and de-funding of all the alphabet agencies in our so-called intelligence community. (The DOJ has become the Department of Injustice, and the FBI is now the Federal Bureau of Intrusion.)
If the Republican party overcomes the Left's intended steal of the 2022 election, it should immediately reform the alphabet agencies and at minimum replace the top one or two floors to weaken the deep state. On the other hand, Republicans are generally not fighters; they sit around and wring their hands while the bandits on the other side of the aisle drive the country down to communism. So if they take the House and Senate, they will probably spend more time stealing money than trying to reform the government.
The Left steals money from the middle class and gives it to the lower class, and the Right steals from the middle class and gives it to the rich - and all the politicians take their cut.
For me, the dream team in 2024 would be Trump as president and DeSantis as vice president, so there would be two swamp-drainers instead of one. I would also hope that Trump places Kristi Noem, South Dakota Governor in his cabinet, as well as Devon Nunes and Jim Jordan - if they would be willing to serve. I love it that so many people - especially those in government - despise Donald Trump, because to drain the swamp, you can't be beloved. If the deep state hates you vehemently, you're doing the right thing.
I have little hope that we can bring the deep state to heel by democratic means. After all, of what use is it to elect someone who has been corrupted by a rigged political system that is controlled by large corporations and special interest groups. They bribe the candidates with campaign contributions, and when the pols are in office, the same entities write the laws that will favor their industries and their companies. Our government will only change if, as, and when it begins to fear the people. Until then, it will remain a corrupt force in our society. The big question is this: How do we get the government to fear the people? You tell me.
Bill