IRS may cut lawyers who audit the rich

[geekgirldany]

The federal government is moving to eliminate the jobs of nearly half the lawyers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who audit tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans, specifically those subject to gift and estate taxes when they transfer parts of their fortunes to their children and others.

He said the money saved by eliminating the estate-tax lawyers would be used to hire revenue agents to audit income-tax returns, especially those from people making more than $1 million.

Interesting... full article below:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003145999_irs23.html

[Snagglefoof]

Bush 'omics

Regardless of how you feel about the fairness of the Estate Tax (or any other tax for that matter), this is typical of the Bush Administration as far as tactics to achieve his wishes through the cabinet levels those things he could NEVER achieve via legislation.

After trying to waive overtime requirements and finding out Congress would never pass his legislation, he successfully removed overtime for 8 million Americans by having his Department of Labor issue new regulations. This became effective in 2004.

He is finding out that Congress is not going to eliminate the Estate Tax, so he will simply cut back on enforcement and filers will now have carte blanc ability to undervalue real estate, overestimate liabilities, file incorrectly, not properly incorporate gift tax, etc. without any fear of reprisal. The service only has three years to begin with, and is hopelessly behind.

You may be Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, but I don't want to hear ANYONE in synch with the present administrative point fingers at the Supreme Court and blame them for "Legislating from the Bench." None of them seem to mind legislating from the Executive Branch.

[veritas]

Bol

"After trying to waive overtime requirements and finding out Congress would never pass his legislation, he successfully removed overtime for 8 million Americans by having his Department of Labor issue new regulations. This became effective in 2004."

Why Snag, do we need the federal government to tell us how to pay overtime? Or for that matter why do we need the federal government to set a minimum wage?

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Snagglefoof]Regardless of how you feel about the fairness of the Estate Tax (or any other tax for that matter), this is typical of the Bush Administration as far as tactics to achieve his wishes through the cabinet levels those things he could NEVER achieve via legislation.
QUOTE]

You are absolutely right about this. The Bush administration is a like a spoiled child. They can't get their way with eliminating the estate tax, so they pull a transparent stunt like this.

[jainen]

I can't figure out

I can't figure out why so many people are still subject to the estate tax, since we have such a variety of sophisticated arrangements with trusts and other entities.

[veritas]

[QUOTE=Unregistered]

Regardless of how you feel about the fairness of the Estate Tax (or any other tax for that matter), this is typical of the Bush Administration as far as tactics to achieve his wishes through the cabinet levels those things he could NEVER achieve via legislation.
QUOTE]

You are absolutely right about this. The Bush administration is a like a spoiled child. They can't get their way with eliminating the estate tax, so they pull a transparent stunt like this.

You know your on to something here. I wish they would do some more stunts. Maybe with the AMT to start. I'm hoping for a major temper tantrum. The dems have been doing it for years.

It's good to be king!

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=veritas]

You know your on to something here. I wish they would do some more stunts. Maybe with the AMT to start. I'm hoping for a major temper tantrum. The dems have been doing it for years.

It's good to be king!

Ummm. Which war did the democrats start based on lies perpetuated by the president, white house staff, and party?

[veritas]

[QUOTE=Unregistered]

Ummm. Which war did the democrats start based on lies perpetuated by the president, white house staff, and party?

VietNam, Bosnia for a couple

[jainen]

World War II

World War II also -- there is now proof that Roosevelt had advance knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack.

And what about Korea? Not one American in a million can say why Truman went to war there, although we are still mobilized two generations later.

[sea-tax]

Veritas and Jainen good points spot on. It is funny how some people have selective memory. Or they simply choose to forget history. So I say long live Georgy Boy!

[Unregistered]

Veritas and Jainen good points spot on. It is funny how some people have selective memory. Or they simply choose to forget history. So I say long live Georgy Boy!

He sure is popular in the polls, isn't he?

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=veritas]

VietNam, Bosnia for a couple

Read the post again carefully again, and don't quit your day job to become a history professor just yet.

[Unregistered]

World War II also -- there is now proof that Roosevelt had advance knowledge of the Pearl Harbor attack.

And what about Korea? Not one American in a million can say why Truman went to war there, although we are still mobilized two generations later.

Roosevelt is widely recognized as one of the greatest presidents of the last century. Comparing him to Bush is like comparing Einstein to Pee Wee Herman (or Dan Quayle).

Go back to your history book, son. The Korean War was U.N. sanctioned.

[jainen]

Of course

Of course, Roosevelt beat the Nazi menace even though it took extreme measures to overcome our national isolationism. Korea wasn't really an American war, it was an international effort that succeed in isolating that communist threat. President Johnson did not know the Gulf of Tonkin incident was a military lie, and it was the Republican administration that vastly escalated and eventually lost the Vietnam war. Bosnia was not very noble but at least it was short and achieved its specific goals. I don't think history helps justify our mid-east adventure.

[Unregistered]

Of course, Roosevelt beat the Nazi menace even though it took extreme measures to overcome our national isolationism. Korea wasn't really an American war, it was an international effort that succeed in isolating that communist threat. President Johnson did not know the Gulf of Tonkin incident was a military lie, and it was the Republican administration that vastly escalated and eventually lost the Vietnam war. Bosnia was not very noble but at least it was short and achieved its specific goals. I don't think history helps justify our mid-east adventure.

Well put and agreed. We'd probably all be deserving of a tax cut if the useless and excess military spending was reduced.