Miller said that “foolish mistakes” were made by IRS employees who were trying to be “more efficient” in carrying out their duties. Now, he said, “the agency is moving forward.”...Is that shocked as in shocked or shocked as in shocked shocked?
Under sharper questioning by Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-La.), Miller denied that the IRS engaged in “targeting” conservative groups, saying that was a “pejorative term” and that the employees had centralized a “list” of applications in a “troublesome” manner....
Miller said later in response to tough questions from Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) that he did not believe any IRS information on the conservative groups was shared outside the agency. “That would be a violation of law,” he said. “I would be shocked if that happened.”
May 17, 2013
Former acting IRS commissioner Steve Miller testifies in Congress: "I do not believe that partisanship motivated the people..."
"... who engaged in the practices described in the inspector general’s report." He apologized for "the mistakes that we made and poor service we provided," and opined that "partisanship ... has no place at the IRS."
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140 comments:
This is good:
Mr. Obama didn't need to pick up the phone. All he needed to do was exactly what he did do, in full view, for three years: Publicly suggest that conservative political groups were engaged in nefarious deeds; publicly call out by name political opponents whom he'd like to see harassed; and publicly have his party pressure the IRS to take action.
Mr. Obama now professes shock and outrage that bureaucrats at the IRS did exactly what the president of the United States said was the right and honorable thing to do. "He put a target on our backs, and he's now going to blame the people who are shooting at us?" asks Idaho businessman and longtime Republican donor Frank VanderSloot.
The other quote I'm seeing attributed to him in the hearing today is this: "It was incorrect but not untruthful."
Let's see how that worked for Scooter Libby.
This makes no sense. Even Democratic leadership in Massachusetts has acknowledged that conservatives were targeted, and believe people should be fired and even go to jail.
We have a lot of dumb people in government.
Maybe more now than ever.
Forget these congressional inquiries, its tar and feathers time.
partisanship did not motivate the partisan targeting. how does that work?
This guy ain't good enough at the ly to stay out of prison.Just based on his responses to questions on his former reaponses to Congress he is going to face indictment for lying to Congress.His responses to other questions seem to say that he is not taking this seriously.He really believes his s--t don'r stink.
the targeting of the administration's enemies was completely apolitical.
Maybe someone should give Miller a newspaper so he can find out that private information on conservative groups has been shared with outside organizations. Does no one have -meetings- any more?
It wasn't 'targeting', it was an unfortunate process. Can't you see the difference?
So Miller is a lying progressive hack. got it.
He really is the Space Cowboy if he thinks anybody is buying (outside of garage and Retread) that.
Gangster of Love? Not even the She Devil of the SS.
Jay said...
This is good:
Mr. Obama didn't need to pick up the phone. All he needed to do was exactly what he did do, in full view, for three years: Publicly suggest that conservative political groups were engaged in nefarious deeds; publicly call out by name political opponents whom he'd like to see harassed; and publicly have his party pressure the IRS to take action.
Dare I add this is what (Godwin alert) did when it was time to do something about all those ethnic minorities.
Matthew Sablan said...
The other quote I'm seeing attributed to him in the hearing today is this: "It was incorrect but not untruthful."
Let's see how that worked for Scooter Libby.
More like Dan Rather.
President-Mom-Jeans said...
Forget these congressional inquiries, its tar and feathers time.
No, jail time.
Miller denied that the IRS engaged in “targeting” conservative groups, saying that was a “pejorative term” and that the employees had centralized a “list” of applications in a “troublesome” manner
So it was a mere coincidence that over an 18-month period, all applicants with the words "Tea Party" in their names were reviewed?
Abra Abra Cadabra
I wanna reach out and audit ya.
Interesting how quickly the Representatives spring into action and hold a hearing. At least it keeps them from writing more legislation.
From Kim Strassel:"Was the White House involved in the IRS's targeting of conservatives? No investigation needed to answer that one. Of course it was.
President Obama and Co. are in full deniability mode, noting that the IRS is an "independent" agency and that they knew nothing about its abuse. The media and Congress are sleuthing for some hint that Mr. Obama picked up the phone and sicced the tax dogs on his enemies.
But that's not how things work in post-Watergate Washington. Mr. Obama didn't need to pick up the phone. All he needed to do was exactly what he did do, in full view, for three years: Publicly suggest that conservative political groups were engaged in nefarious deeds; publicly call out by name political opponents whom he'd like to see harassed; and publicly have his party pressure the IRS to take action. "
let Billy Mack question him
Also, the person really responsible is now heading up the Obamacare enforcement division at the IRS. Miller is a patsy.
Steve Miller is a joker.
If they'd subjected all 401(c).4 applications to the same amount of scrutiny, then it would've been non-partisan. They didn't. Left-leaning groups were approved far faster tha conservative groups. The questions asked were far more intrusive and in some cases, they turned over the information to opposition groups. For him to claim this wasn't a process driven by political bias and partisanship is a flatout lie.
FWIW Boustany is a fraternity brother of mine..
Miller denied that the IRS engaged in “targeting” conservative groups, saying that was a “pejorative term” and that the employees had centralized a “list” of applications in a “troublesome” manner
Uh huh, total coincidence!
Among the criteria used by IRS officials to flag applications was a "Be On the Look Out" list, or a BOLO, which was discontinued in 2012, according to the report. The criteria on the BOLO included:
-- Whether "Tea Party," "Patriots" or "9/12 Project" was referenced in the case file.
-- Whether the issues outlined in the application included government spending, government debt or taxes.
-- Whether there was advocating or lobbying to "make America a better place to live."
-- Whether a statement in the case file criticized how the country is being run.
-- Whether it advocated education about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Of course partisanship did not motivate people.
Liberals and leftists are not partisan. Only conservatives and Republicans are partisan, by definition. Liberals and leftists are always neutral, mainstream, and fair, by definition. They can never do any wrong. Ever.
Oh, apparently they have meetings. He just forgets what happened at them and forgets if he took notes at them.
Congress should send him home.
Miller is giving Holder a run for his money in the I donno department.
If the POTUS is responsible for every action of a PFC on a night shift 10,000 miles away, a POTUS ought to be responsible when his Senior Executive Service (SES) staff, in DC, mislead Congress. Of particular note was the General Counsel, a Political SES, (one of two), who was fully briefed in Aug 2011, but who didn't send up flares and allowed his boss to lie to Congress 6 months later...
I wonder how Martha Stewart feels when she sees so many people in the government lying all the time to the public and other government officials.
"[Miller] did not believe any IRS information on the conservative groups was shared outside the agency. “That would be a violation of law,” he said. “I would be shocked if that happened.”"
That's already been demonstrated to have happened. Austan Goolsbee discussed in public the taxes of Koch Industries; something he could have only learned from the IRS.
And for those (like MSNBCs' Lawrence O'Donnel) who defend the IRS by claiming they were overwhelmed with rising application numbers and were only trying to more sharply rationalize the process, it should be noted that the year such "targeting" began saw a decline in number of applications from the previous year..
It started with "rape" which required duplication to establish severity. It has since progressed to "shocked", which may or may not imply knowledge of an event. At what level of duplication -- or perhaps duplicity -- does an implication become substantial?
The semantic games play on... until someone, two, three, four lose their lives. Then we have murder murder or something.
Does anyone else feel that we have been forced to take a detour from reality? Perhaps we have entered The Twilight Zone, where "serving man" has an ulterior motive.
"FWIW Boustany is a fraternity brother of mine.."
It's not worth much. :)
But, if you told us what kind of person he is based on your acquaintance with him, that might be worth something.
I'd just stop the questioning and ask him: "What do you remember about the case?" This is ridiculous.
X:
Martha Stewart is unlike Barack "no knowledge" Obama. Wesley Snipes is unlike Timmy "innocent mistake" Geithner. Leverage has its privileges.
Acting IRS commissioner Steven Miller said indicated he did not know who was responsible for the targeting of conservative groups by IRS agents. ”I don’t have that name, sir,” he told GOP congressman Dave Reichert in today’s House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the scandal, which came to light last Friday.
Reichert persisted, “Did you ask anybody?”
“Yes,” Miller responded — he asked the senior technical adviser, Nancy Marks.
“And what did Nancy tell you, who’s responsible?” Reichert asked.
“That I don’t remember, to be honest with you,” Miller said.
-- Send him home and call Nancy Marks up.
"Whether it advocated education about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights."
Subversives!
“the agency is moving forward.”...
Mm, FORWARD!
Miller admitted everything, you just have to read and listen between the lines.
The most famous example is Harry Reid talking about Romney's tax returns.
However, on this more mundane level presently under discussion, I believe there is already sworn testimony that the Cincinnati IRS office passed at least some (c)(3) applicants' donor lists and other information on to Democrat action groups.
Is having early onset Alzheimer's now a requirement for working for the government?
This guy does not even bother to get briefed on the testimony already public before he goes up before Congress?
My original assessment was that this was not intentional partisanship. They truly were just trying to apply the law, but in their world-view, progressive organizations are inherently social welfare organizations, while small-government organizations are inherently political.
However, that assessment does not fit with the intrusive, and possibly illegal, questioning that the tea-party groups faced. Based on that, I'm not willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Original Mike said...
"[Miller] did not believe any IRS information on the conservative groups was shared outside the agency. “That would be a violation of law,” he said. “I would be shocked if that happened.”"
That's already been demonstrated to have happened. Austan Goolsbee discussed in public the taxes of Koch Industries; something he could have only learned from the IRS.
I don't really understand Miller's statement.
ProPublica also published a story admitting the IRS improperly sent them unapproved applications for 9 Tea Party groups. I don't think this is too big a deal since the applications seem to become public records once approved, but Miller's statement as reported makes no sense.
I think Miller must be claiming that the extra information gathered as part of the intrusive and improper examinations was not shared outside the IRS. This is interesting as it's the first time I've seen this fact asserted. I suspect the reporter doesn't really understand what's going on (as usual) and therefore unknowingly cut off an important descriptive element.
"This guy does not even bother to get briefed on the testimony already public before he goes up before Congress?"
-- He might have been briefed; he just forgot. You know, the Forgetful Flu is going around the IRS.
Just another lie.
I'm not saying that our Federal government in general hasn't seen it's share of corruption over the years, but this has got to be one of the most corrupt administrations in quite a while. It's certainly told the most lies of any I can think of. Over the past 4 years I can't count how many times our president or one of his officials have used semantics and equivocation to obfuscate the truth, and at other times have told outright absolutely shameless baldfaced lies. This kind of toxic atmosphere can only develop when you have a press that's asleep at the wheel.
I took better notes in my electives during my senior year in college with a teacher who promised us As just to show up than this guy.
This LPOS can say what he wants but the IG testified today that there was concerted effort to slow-walk applications - the illegal use of profiling right-of-center groups and to ask illegal questions and request illegal information.
So seriously fark Miller.
Let's waterboard this dumb bastard. It's the only way we'll get him to tell the truth.
BS, all the information was shared with one or more arms of the DNC, whether it is the DNC, OFA, MMFA, Propublica, etc. There was a disclaimer that all that information became public knowledge.
Also interesting to note that the President of the United States finds out about these things the same time we do. strains credulity.
In keeping with the theme.....
As soon as the usual suspects get their talking points from The Daily Kos, they will be flocking in to tell us all we're paranoid.
Wait for it.
Organizing for Action is already a 501(c)(4) and was formed officially 18 Jan 2013. How long did their 501(c)(4) authorization take for approval?
But Strassel's assesment is the same as my own. There was no need for a phone call or memorandum, public statements were enough to rally the troops.
God, do our betters in D.C. ever tire of treating us like we're all a bunch of complete morons?
"It was incorrect but not untruthful".
That's handy information to know. I'll keep it in mind the next time I sign my Federal return.
They truly were just trying to apply the law, but in their world-view, progressive organizations are inherently social welfare organizations, while small-government organizations are inherently political.
That shouldn't even matter, though, since a 501(c)(4) can be as political as it likes, so long as it doesn't engage in electioneering as anything more than a sideline, or coordinate its activities with a political party.
tiger said...
This LPOS can say what he wants but the IG testified today that there was concerted effort to slow-walk applications - the illegal use of profiling right-of-center groups and to ask illegal questions and request illegal information.
IIRC, some Tea Party Group got approved in 3 months in early 2010, then they instituted BOLO to speed up and centralize the process. The next group with Tea Party in their name got approved 27 months later...
"Miller is a patsy."
This is so obvious that I wondered how long it would take to see this in the thread. He is scheduled to retire in June.
Shulman will be on next week and that is one of the folks who should go to jail. Another is Lerner and she is all lawyered up. The question is whether anyone has been foolish enough to leave an e-mail undeleted that leads to their hidy hole. Axelrod has already tried the old Nixon line "Nobody would be dumb enough to do this."
I imagine the forensic hard drive guys will be busy unformatting hard drives. These people all have pseudonym e-mail addresses and those will be a subject of search if the GOP has learned anything about computers by now.
Congressman Danny Davis (D) is lecturing IG J Russell George to get his ass back on the plantation.
Schumer(D) and Franken(D) urged IRS to target Tea Party groups in 2012.
What?
I think Miller should have stuck with "I don't know", and "I heard about it on the TV". Which seems to be working for the rest of the administration!!
The Internal Revenue Service official in charge of the tax-exempt organizations at the time when the unit targeted tea party groups now runs the IRS office responsible for the health care legislation.
Sarah Hall Ingram served as commissioner of the office responsible for tax-exempt organizations between 2009 and 2012. But Ingram has since left that part of the IRS and is now the director of the IRS’ Affordable Care Act office, the IRS confirmed to ABC News today.
Her successor, Joseph Grant, is taking the fall for misdeeds at the scandal-plagued unit between 2010 and 2012. During at least part of that time, Grant served as deputy commissioner of the tax-exempt unit.
NBC's Lisa Myers reported this morning that the IRS deliberately chose not to reveal that it had wrongly targeted conservative groups until after the 2012 presidential election.
If there was nothing partisan about it, how did a calculation regarding Obama's electoral fortunes figure into this withholding of information?
God, do our betters in D.C. ever tire of treating us like we're all a bunch of complete morons?
They don't think about it so they can't get tired of it.
It just happens. Like breathing. They'd all act the same way (and a couple do) if they were legally brain dead. It's in the brain stem somewhere.
Worst Steve Miller concert ever.
5/17/13, 10:56 AM
Blogger Nomennovum said...
"God, do our betters in D.C. ever tire of treating us like we're all a bunch of complete morons?"
Obama got re-elected didn't he ?
Next question.
Worst Steve Miller concert ever.
ZING!
Aridog,
I read the other day that OFA's application for 501(c)(4) status took three weeks, start to finish. The OFA that I was referring to in my earlier post was the Obama's election group "obama for america" rather than "organizing for america"
Good to know that in THIS case, Dems don't think disparate impact is proof of any kind of discrimination.
Funny how that hasn't been their position on damn near anything else for the last 40 years.
Someone should ask him if they're all idiots or liars, namely because someone asked that of the folks involved with Benghazi and got an answer, so, I'm curious if it will work again.
technically, since 1998 every American is entitled to one penalty-free perjury under the equal protection clause.
The request for the names of family members of the board members of an organization is serious delusion.
Who authorized the IRS to ask for this information?
How could this have passed any checks and balances?
This should all be a great education on the nature of gov't, but most people are simply not listening, or going
LALALALALALALALA
I can't hear you.
Couldn't this guy Miller just go to Mexico, or is he living in the USA?
"This guy does not even bother to get briefed on the
testimony already public before he goes up before
Congress?"
When lying, is not helpfull to be "briefed", because the truth may trip up the lie you want to tell... not to mention remnants of a concience may tug at you at the wrong moment in front of the cameras and betray you.
Its safer to appear unprepared.
Tricky Dick targeted political opponents; Trickier Dick targeted potential opponents, did a Gosnell to the new born Teapies.
Tricky Dick sent a few plumbers to stop leaks. Trickier Dick sent Attorney-Sergeant see-nothing Schultz's Justice Dept. down the drains to look for leaks.
Tricky Dick was rumored to send the IRS to turn dirty tricks. Trickier Dick's IRS turned dirty tricks to silence Moms and Pas.
Son of Watergate is worse than Watergate. But the MSM who is complicit in the cover up and intimidations of the Tea Party grass roots will cover for their own. Pretty soon, they will blame the legacy of the Bush's Justice Dept., and the failure of Congressional Republican watchdogs to oversight the IRS. They will call for investigation of the Bushes and the incompetent Republicans. They will accuse anyone criticizes Obama racist, anyone criticizes Hillary is waging war on women.
Lying liars and their lies, Mr Millers body language is incandescent. He is lying.
Steve Miller starts most of his responses with "so". That's a modern tic: "So, the thing we're doing is..." "So, I hate you because..."
He is too old to have acquired this recently, by assimilation. It's a telling tic. It says "I'm about to lie".
Jesus, how far do they think their bullshit will take them?
just a question, I see a lot of Representatives asking for emails, memos and so on. In this digital age, how are we to know that the administration hasn't doctored the emails? how exactly does the WH email system work?
The reason that everyone from Barack Obama on down is so ignorant of the facts relating to any of these scandals is that they are playing by Chicago Rules, the first of which is, "Don't leave no fingerprints." The reason that they had to get Al Capone for tax evasion rather than the dozens of murders he was responsible for is that he didn't leave fingerprints. Although Capone went to prison in 1932 and died in 1947, his spirit lives on. Recall that four of the last seven Governors of Illinois and innumerable Chicago city councilmen have gone to prison.
Ernie: If they're all going to jail, then they're not living by not leaving no fingerprints.
The Agency has learned its lesson. quoth Steve Miller.
So, let's move on!
Later he said theat he had asked a subordinate who was responsible ... but ... he doesn't remember the responsible party's name, a name, you would think, everyone now at the "Agency*" would know.
Holy freakin' crap, everybody in the government is a lying little shit. It is past time to dismantle the IRS, destroy the DOJ, kick out the EPA ... all of them ... and water the tree of liberty with their blood.
If I ever get married, I want to try this with my wife. "Is she prettier than me?"
"I don't know."
"What were you and that girl doing at work last night?"
"I can't recall."
"What did you talk about?"
"I didn't take any notes."
Lets try this litmus test:
Is your organization focused on
A) Helping individual citizens keep their hard earned money.
or
B) Figuring out ways to give away other peoples hard earned money.
Which group is likely to find an easy path to a tax exempt status with the IRS?
Matthew: Good point. I noticed it myself after I hit send. I was referring to the general atmosphere of lawlessness and corruption in Chicago which has apparently infected Washington. Hopefully the tradition of jail time will also move to Washington.
The only "lesson" the agency learned is that the only consequences they will suffer is a public shaming.
Which might actually be something, except that shame seems to be meaningless concept to them.
Little Steve is an agent down in DC.
You know he don’t know just exactly what no facts be.
But he ain't gonna let no taxpayer ‘scape his justice.
He makes his livin' off of the people's taxes.
Go on take the money and run Go on take the money and run Go on take the money and run Go on take the money and run Go on take the money and run Go on take the money and run
This lying little shit needs to go to jail.
Start with the low level employees, put the legal screws to them and they will sing like birds to rat out their superiors. And up the chain it will go.
Some time in general population will do wonders for the memories of all these "i don't know, i don't remember" motherfuckers.
Why isn't Sarah Hall Ingram in an unemployment line?
be simpler to just kick DC out of the country. who needs them?
What a douche. Do they just lie on impulse or is it second nature to them?
All of you insisting that he, and other government officials who have lied on this, will be indicted for perjury, just remember who would have to approve that actions: Eric Holder. All will walk.
Partisanship, like racism, is subjective. The Federal government uses statistically analysis to “show” hiring bias where no definitive proof of bias exist. In other words, if a business has fewer minority employees than is typical or less than the average community, bias is assumed. (This even though for a small company, the statistical error is too great to accept with 95% confidence level. A small company with 20 employees, 6-minory is cited because the average is 10 with a standard deviation of 2.1 placing the company well within the 95%tile. No bias demonstrated but below average therefore “guilty.”)
Now, to my point, since the government uses statistical criterion for hiring, it should apply the same to demonstrate partisanship, abet correctly. Release how many applicants failed or withdrew their applications and the time it took for approval. From what I have gathered, but cannot prove, there is a statistically significant difference in both. That is more “conservative” groups failed/withdrew and took longer than would be indicated by chance.
If fair the chance that blinding selecting from failed/withdrew or took-longer pile is a conservative group versus choosing from all applicants should be indistinguishable. This is basic quality control. It may be a new concept to much of government with its history being just older than the Republic itself. In that it is not the case, demonstrates not only was the selection bias, but that multiple levels of quality control failed to flagged this.
We are to believe that low level employees implemented a policy that their supervisors failed to identify and that no on-going QC was being done to flag these outliers. When the internal system failed, the external system was far too slow to gain traction. Citizen complaints were filled in the nut-job folder.
Now the real scandal is, not that the government would do this, but the nut-jobs are right, which will slow down progressive policies.
But honestly, we can take assurance that President Obama had nothing to do with this.
“Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” Paraphrase Henry II
“Will no one rid me of this turbulent Tea-Party?” Paraphrase President Obama
Funny how Muslim groups were given an easy pass, even Muslim groups devoted to Islamic supremecism and Sharia, yet American citizens devoted to the constitution were targeted by the IRS.
But it wasn't partisan targeting.
@Methadaras
Jesus, how far do they think their bullshit will take them?
With garage, pretty god-damned far!
Even those of us who often disagree with President Obama have to admit that giving Steve Miller the boot was a great decision. Did they know when they defenstrated him how awful a witness he would be?
All will walk. -- Strelnikov
No doubt. I am certainly no wild-eyed optimist. Consequences are only for the politically unconnected.
Steve Miller can look forward to a very lucrative carreer on Wall Street.
Lie like an eagle.
Just wait until next year when Obamacare is more fully implemented. They claim that they aren't crooks just incompetent so the supervisor is given a big bonus and promoted, so not to worry. Oh yeah, they need more taxpayer money so they can hire more people which might help mitigate some of their incompetence.
headline from allahpundit:
Scarborough on IRS scandal: This makes it harder to trust the government on gun background checks, doesn’t it?
dreams:
Redistributive Incompetence is a prerequisite for plausible deniability.
X:
DC is merely a dysfunctional convergence. It may also be a cause, but it is not exclusive. The problems are pervasive and progressive.
Government is never to be trusted. Isn't that a guiding principle of the government structure our Founder's set up (and that the left wants to dismantle)?
Worst Steve Miller concert ever.
Ha. Word.
Lie like an eagle.
Wittiest, as usual, Mr. Z.
We conservatives have been saying for years that it would take naked tyranny by the ruling Democrats to convince the country that unbridled government control was a bad thing.
Well, we now have naked tyranny on display for anyone with a brain to see it.
The only question is if this country has enough brains left for truth to have any consequences.
Based on my conversations with people, I'm afraid that we are short a considerable number of brains. The "dumbing down" of America was done precisely so these sorts of things could happen.
And now they are.
RecChief said...
Aridog ... The OFA that I was referring to in my earlier post was the Obama's election group "obama for america" rather than "organizing for america"
Correct me if I err<...but Organizing for Action is made up of and organized by the same people as Obama for America. "OFA" is the acronym in common...same acronym for the same people technically re-organized by the Democratic National Committee. In other words...Obama's campaign organization re-drawn with a very slightly different name.
For proof...query http://www.barackobama.com/faq/ in your browser and see what home screen pops up? Hint: It is also "OFA" ... the new one, not the old one. Also check CNN Politics ...one is the other...viola'!
At this point I'd almost tend to think that the civic engagement involved in putting a mob in the street to grab this guy and hang him from a lamp-post pour encourager les autres would be preferable to modern American indolence.
avwh said...
Good to know that in THIS case, Dems don't think disparate impact is proof of any kind of discrimination.
Funny how that hasn't been their position on damn near anything else for the last 40 years.
I think the current circumstance is even worse than this. The IRS action seems similar to the often quoted fact that two resumes identical except for the name will result in much greater rejections for the one with an ethnically identifiable name.
We have leftists falling over themselves to excuse the IRS's action. Does anyone believe they'd defend the results of the resume study?
Well, we now have naked tyranny on display for anyone with a brain to see it.
Conservatives assumed poorly.
Progressives targeted "low information voters" wisely.
It's a math game and the Conservatives are losing.
There is a disgusting cretin by the name of Chip Berlet that specializes in digging up dirt on the right. What previously was assumed - poorly I will add - was a practice limited to Chip Berlet is now evidenced as a practice of the IRS itself when led by a Democratic administration.
I want to thank Mitt Romeny for running a terrible campaign, enabling Barrack Obama's re-election so that the country can see where the American Progressive Left and it's love of big government leads. There is a chance that some will see the light.
I worked for a guy who's lawyer-wife threw all the job applications with a male name on them in the trash.
She was being efficient, too, because men don't work crap part-time jobs for long, right? But women will.
I can believe that someone was trying to be efficient and pick out organizations that seemed political, and it's likely or possible that personal biases influenced those lists in a subconscious way. But that's what leadership is for and there really isn't an excuse, just like their was no excuse for that lawyer lady to throw away the applications filled out by males, not to realize that the IRS had to go out of its way not to appear to be picking one side over the other.
In the annals of cynicism, the Democratic charge that the Republicans are trying to politicize the IRS persecution of the Tea Party sets a new benchmark for brazen hypocrisy. I thought Clinton had retired the Brazen Hypocrite Award, but records are made to be broken.
Limbaugh just mentioned that one of the questions asked of these groups by the IRS was "What is the content of your members prayers?"
Certainly all Romney's fault. No doubt at all.
Methadras said...
Jesus, how far do they think their bullshit will take them?
So far they've got the Presidency, the Senate and 4 1/2 S. Ct. Justices.
"Well, we now have naked tyranny on display for anyone with a brain to see it."
Yes. I would argue that only one of MANY warning signs for 'tyranny' was front and center with the issuance of ObamaKare 'waivers'.
Its just that now, its come completely full circle. And I know what you are saying - if its not recognized by the dumbed-down masses *now*, then the idea of our Republic is over.
"So far they've got the Presidency, the Senate and 4 1/2 S. Ct. Justices."
The AG, Labor Secretary/unions, the water carriers in the 'media', the indoctrination that somehow passes for 'education', etc etc etc
They've pretty much got it all covered.
And if we all *do nothing* from here on out, this will be a muslim nation.
Aridog,
You're correct. But Obama for America wasn't a 501(c)(4). perhaps I misread your earlier post. However, Organizing for America received tax exempt status in about 3 weeks, from what I read earlier in the week.
Miller indicated today that Roady was in fact instructed by the IRS to ask the question, and the Lerner knew about the question in advance.
“Who told her to ask the question?” asked Republican representative Kenny Marchant.
“I don’t know, actually, I’m not sure, might have been Lois Lerner,” Miller responded. He went on to say that the IRS intended simultaneously to inform Congress, but admitted the agency only inquired about the congressional calendar.
The planted question reveals coordination at high levels of the IRS with regard to the disclosure of the sensitive information. Lerner and Miller testified before Congress two days before Lerner addressed the ABA, but said nothing about the IRS’s scrutiny of Tea Party groups.
But the President only learned of it the same time we did?
This is just awesome corruption!
Now I'm almost 60 years old and have kept up with politics since Kennedy but man NEVER have I seen a more corrupt government.
Nixon? Aw he don't hold a candle to Obama. Obama is at the whole bottom of the list of presidents. Just the worst that has ever been seen.
Expect after the next election the word 'Obama' will become a racist term not to used to call someone a name. You know, like 'Hey, you are just acting like an Obama'.
Yea, and maybe they will try to erase it from the dictionary, like the "N" word.
Truth to power and hope for some change.
Is all of this not EVERYTHING we warned Ann about in 2008?--If not in exact detail but in the potential under Obama and his true believers for unbridled tyrannical leftist statism run amok?
Limbaugh just mentioned that one of the questions asked of these groups by the IRS was "What is the content of your members prayers?"
Please tell me that's a joke. I know funny, and I'm not wholly sure that's a quip. Cuz if it's true...well, then it's indicative of a much bigger problem. Refreshing the tree of liberty and whatnot.
SNL sure got plenty of comedy skit ideas from Miller's testimony. I wonder if they will use it?
Like Smokey Robinson, Barry's on the outside lookin' in.
Shouldn't that lede be:
Soon-to-be Former Acting Commissioner?
I know that people don't like analogies to Hitler, but I do. So here it is, Hitler never, ever gave an order to do harm to the Jews. Yet the party that he represented found a way to kill a few of them and Hitler was blamed for the killing. So it would seem that Obama is looking at the same spectrum of guilt by association or guilt by incompetence. I am surprised to find that no one in our government, from the president on down have no idea was is happening.
Matthew Sablan said...
If I ever get married, I want to try this with my wife. "Is she prettier than me?"
"I don't know."
"What were you and that girl doing at work last night?"
"I can't recall."
"What did you talk about?"
"I didn't take any notes."
This too shall fail. Don't get married and avoid the whole mess.
Regardless of whether or not partisanship motivated IRS employees to go after grassroots organizations, partisanship quite obviously dictated their decision to only go after groups from *part* of the political spectrum.
David7134,
Teh people in the Cincinnati office are following the same defense as well: "we were following orders"
Impeaching Obama is the only way to get some straight answers and publicize the extent of dem political corruption in government. Maybe if we rub the public's nose in this mess, some of them will wake up. Even Charley Rangel is outraged, of course he had his troubles with the irs so his response may be mostly spite.
Many dems employeed by the feds have acted as dem political hacks for many years. For example, world famous global warming alarmist hacks Hanson and Trenberth are fed employees.
Too bad dumb asses who vote for the dems don't realize they are facilitating a one party dictatorship. Once we complete that downward spiral, it probably will take many, many years to restore our republic.
Way past time for conservative states and pols to claw back power from the fed gov and fed judiciary, that is our only hope to stay free.
Dem commentors on this board destroy any shred of credibility they might have had by failing to vigorously criticize this abuse of power by the dems.
Although Capone went to prison in 1932 and died in 1947
...of syphilis.
Somtimes, the corruption overwhelms the system and destroys its host.
Wow, Miller's answer to why he withheld info on scandal, he said "I answered the questions you asked"
Sounds like: Depends on what your definition of "is", is
but again, Miller is put in that position precisely so that his can be 'fired'. Again, why does Sarah Ingram still have a job? If the people who were involved in this were fired AND stripped of their federal pensions, or at least reduced to the lowest level, the others would quickly figure out that continued malfiesance is a one way ticket to sitting on your porch in your old age, and get back to being professionals instead of hacks masquerading as professionals.
Nailed it, you have, Professor!
wyo sis said...
Limbaugh just mentioned that one of the questions asked of these groups by the IRS was "What is the content of your members prayers?"
Scott M said...
Please tell me that's a joke.
Nope ... http://youtu.be/zHSp50EzJxU ... That was real. We really need to drain the Democrat Septic Tank (otherwise know as Washington DC).
Miller testified that there was no partisan motive.
And then testified that he was not sure who actually authorized or did the targeting.
But if he doesn't know who did it, how is he so damn sure about their motives?
Dem commentors on this board destroy any shred of credibility they might have had by failing to vigorously criticize this abuse of power by the dems.
Yes. It's depressing to witness.
I believe the only dem or left-of-center commenters who've in any way acknowledged the IRS did anything wrong are phx and Robert Cook.
Same with Benghazi-- I believe Cook and phx are the only ones who've acknowledged, even if belatedly, at the very least, the admin's dishonesty re Benghazi.
(This is no surprise in Cook's case, who's long been as fierce a critic of Obama & Dems as he is of Republicans.)
It's heartening to see some bedrock of basic honesty on the other side of the political-ideological divide. On the other hand, reading some other commenters the past few days has been sickening.
Miller testified that there was no partisan motive.
And then testified that he was not sure who actually authorized or did the targeting.
But if he doesn't know who did it, how is he so damn sure about their motives?
"Wow, Miller's answer to why he withheld info on scandal, he said 'I answered the questions you asked'"
What it sounds like is a criminal defendant following the advice of his lawyer to answer with the minimal possible words and not volunteering any information. Is that the standard we want government officials to use? Really?
In that context (an oversight hearing) he was supposed to be a public servant performing the duties entrusted to him by the law. He was supposed to be in that position because he had competence and integrity. What does that say about him and his conception of his public duty that he thought it was a good idea to act like a criminal defendant? What does that say about what his bosses think? Like you said, his answers were very, very Clintonian. And a very big disappointment.
"Too bad dumb asses who vote for the dems don't realize they are facilitating a one party dictatorship."
Of course they realize it.
Whenever some Democrat decries what he calls "the right-wing extremism of today's Republicans," I always ask him:
On what issues would a "non-extreme" Republican Party disagree with the Democratic Party?
To date, I have never gotten an answer.
Ms. Althouse, you owe Michelle Obama's Mirror a hat tip. MOTUS ran the "Casablanca" video two days ago in relation to the IRS tyranny. I immediately commented on MOM's blog today while watching the hearing on CSPAN. When I heard Steve Miller say "Shocked, Congressman, Shocked!" I fell out of my chair laughing. MOTUS is not only a mirror, she's a crystal ball!
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