Outrage over this revelation of IRS misconduct has come from both sides of the aisle. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) said that the IRS’ conduct “contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government.” Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) echoed this sentiment, saying “The actions of the IRS are unacceptable and un-American.” Monday President Obama joined in the resounding chorus against the irresponsible behavior of the Internal Revenue Service. “If in fact IRS personnel engaged in the kind of practices that have been reported on and were intentionally targeting conservative groups, then that’s outrageous. And there’s no place for it.” The president went on to say that the agency would be held “fully accountable” for its actions.
For one glowing moment the whole of Washington was magically aligned. Of course, this state of affairs could only last for a few political heartbeats before the war began anew.
While Democrats are taking the sensible approach to this problem, many Republicans (particularly those who want to run for president in 2016) have kicked the paranoia machine into high gear. They’re taking the foolishness and stupidity of some mid-level IRS functionaries and turning it into a grand scheme to suppress speech that reaches all the way to the Oval Office.
Representative Michael Turner (R-Ohio) wants to pass a bill making it illegal for an IRS official to target groups for increased examination based on their political beliefs. The goal of the bill is to prevent the recent IRS mistakes from ever happening again – but it clearly would not. After all, the IRS plainly stated that the shortcut maneuver was stupid in the extreme, but never political in nature. There is no proof it was political, and no one so far has offered any evidence to contradict the IRS’ statement. Newt Gingrich might disagree, but thankfully we do not live in a country where the suspicions of Newt constitute guilt or innocence.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) wrote the Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew demanding the resignation of IRS Commissioner Steven Miller. The sellout Senator shrieked that the IRS “cannot operate with even a shred of the American people’s confidence under the current leadership.” Mind you, these IRS infractions primarily occurred under Douglas Shulman (who knowingly lied about these charges a year ago), a Bush 43 appointee. It would make much more sense for Rubio to demand charges be brought against Shulman, but that might affect how many 10,000 dollar plates he can sell at his next Wall Street fundraiser.
Former House Majority Leader and ousted chairman of the reactionary non-profit FreedomWorks Dick Armey got on Fox News Monday morning and ranted about how the IRS misconduct was “politically-mandated suppression of the expression of resistance to big government.” Of course he failed to mention how the federal government massively ballooned during his time in the House under Bush 43. When the Fox News host explained to the frothing-at-the-mouth Dick that the White House was surprised by the IRS’ actions, Armey blurted out “I imagine that they probably don’t know any more about that than they do about Bangladesh or any number of other things.”
8 Comments
This too shall pass.
The GOP is good at hair-on-fire hysteria and accusations, but always fall short when it comes to factual evidence. Typically they fall back on just making stuff up that won’t hold up in a court of law, but remain useful to the right-wing media in their endless propaganda campaigns.
“Scandals” such as Fast and Furious, ACORN, New Black Panthers, and Obama’s birth certificate are examples that come to mind. They create a lot of noise and distraction but nobody is ever successfully prosecuted because that is not the point. The point is to create narratives for the right-wing propaganda machine that can be used over and over while never having to actually prove anything.
They aren’t prosecuted because Eric Holder won’t prosecute. The Obama administration is the cover-up administration, aided and abetted by the left-wing media propaganda machine. One news channel does not a right-wing propaganda machine make, but on the left there is the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, HuffPo, The Nation, New Republic, Slate, MTV, etc. That’s a real propaganda machine, not your imaginary left-wing wet dream one-channel machine.
The problem with lemmings like you is that you don’t demand enough action from the Republican politicians that you support.
They whine to their supporters (while seeking donations) that the Obama administration is the most corrupt since Watergate. They compare Benghazi!! to Watergate. They even dragged out old Darth Cheney, who was actually there for Watergate and the original 911 attacks, to say that Benghazi!! is the worst thing he’s ever seen in his life.
That’s great, that’s a lot of inflammatory talk to fire up the party faithful and bring in the political contributions. That’s a lot of talk. A LOT of TALK. Now, what are they going to do about it? They control the House of Representatives where the articles of impeachment against federal officials are drawn. All they have to do, is DO IT.
Why don’t the Republicans impeach Holder and Obama and Clinton?
I’ll tell you why, because they have NOTHING but a lot of inflammatory accusations. They don’t have any evidence unless they start manufacturing it, which oops, they actually tried that with the leak to Jonathan Karl at ABC News, and we saw how that turned out.
I’ll tell you what pal, instead of crying and moaning that Eric Holder won’t prosecute the criminals, why don’t you pressure Republicans in Congress to do their job and hold those who you think are guilty to account? I guarantee that it will never happen. It’s all smoke and mirrors my friend. An impeachment trial requires actual evidence that inform the result of the trial, but false accusations go on forever in right-wing world. And that’s all they really want.
The problem with sycophants like you is that you cover up and deny one obvious case of corruption after another.
As for your silly challenge, maybe you didn’t notice, but (A) the Republicans in Congress ARE holding hearings, and (B) the Senate is controlled by Democrats. By the way, where has Darth Biden been lately? Fumbling and bumbling, I’m sure. Probably doesn’t need to hang around since Emperor Obama covers things up as he tries to destroy the opposition. Before impeachment hearings can be held there has to be public reports made that detail all the evidence. So far there is just the IG report. IRS agents in Cincinnati have been threatened with losing their jobs if they speak out and have not been subpoenaed to testify before Congress. That will happen soon enough. Then there will be prosecutions.
Even if there is a mountain of damning evidence most of the Democrats will stand fast as left-wing obstructionists and refuse to do anything to harm their Beloved Leader. Do you seriously think that Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi would ever say anything negative about their Fuhrer? He could shoot up a kindergarten and they’d still worship him, as I’m sure sycophant screed writers such as Lucy Raed would too. He could drop nukes on the Dalai Lama and they’d still excuse whatever he did.
In the meantime Emperor Obama goes around the country begging for donations and complaining about those wascally Wepublicans in his continuing plan of turning this formerly great nation into a third world country. Audit the opposition to make sure donors are afraid to give to Republicans. Never give approval (nor even an answer) for conservative 501(c)(4) applicants so they can’t even appeal denials while give fast approvals to left-wing applicants, so opposition groups cannot form or meet. Sick the DOJ after FOX news reporters and threaten them with prison while allowing the left-wing lemmings (see, I used your word) in the press to continue to sing his praises unabated.
But when all is said and done I don’t know why you are asking me questions about Republicans since I am not a Republican. You just assumed it since I don’t defend corrupt Democrats. I used to consider myself a Kennedy Democrat, but I found out how he illegally used the IRS to go after his enemies. Turns out that illegally using the IRS to harass enemies is a longstanding Democrat tradition going back to FDR.
I’ll say it again, pressure Republicans to impeach. According to you it’s one obvious case of corruption after another. So, bring it on! Don’t Republicans have any courage in their convictions? Or, are they afraid that an impeachment would expose the fact that they have no evidence of crimes? All they have is a hatred for Obama that knows no bounds. It’s put-up, or shut-up time for Republicans. They are all talk and no action. Do-nothing Republicans.
Why don’t you pressure Democrats to impeach? Don’t Democrats have any courage? It would be the most courageous thing Democrats could do to impeach a corrupt president — especially when it’s one of their own. Put aside the partisanship and do what’s right. We know that their hatred for George Bush — who still gets blamed for everything — knows no bounds, but now it’s time to step up and do what’s right. But they won’t. All talk and no action. They don’t really care about justice. Do-nothing Democrats.
What are you, 12? Your response falls under the category of, I know you are, but what am I. Grow up.
Why would Democrats impeach the president? Are you presuming that they believe that there is truth to GOP accusations of malfeasance? Virtually no one outside of the right-wing bubble believes that.
No, jazz, I’m an adult. See, adults can recognize right and wrong. Adults can recognize corruption. Children don’t. If you had grown up then you’d be able to see something so plainly obvious. Since you don’t, it’s clear that you haven’t.
Contrary to your assertions an increasing number of Democrats in fact ARE recognizing malfeasance. As of late Rachel Maddow, Tom Brokaw, Maureen Dowd, Woodward AND Bernstein and others have all commented on it, going so far as to call it criminal. Get your head out of your left-wing bubble and see the light, man.