Posted on 11/21/2004 5:21:35 PM PST by ConservativeMan55
FLASH: Rep. Istook, R-Okla. was responsible for the insertion of the provision... Developing...
-- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday that "accountability will be carried out" against whoever slipped a provision into an omnibus spending bill that would have allowed two committee chairmen to view the tax returns of any American.
If they all took their jobs seriously, they'd all be looking at the crap Congress is trying to stick to us taxpayers. I'm all for the line item veto, yet, I'm against the idea of sticking amendments onto bills that have NO RELATIONSHIP to one another.
I understand the need to do it, but it's still idiotic.
We've seen it a gazillion times, these people have 'tunnel vision' when writing some Bill and a misplaced verb or noun leaves the barn door open for all kinds of future mischief. And when it's too late they go, "oops that wasn't my intent".
Heck, I just went through a similar situation with a Bill in IL. My State Rep wrote a Bill with 'good intentions' in mind, it was 'hijacked' and changed 100%. She then had to work her patoot off to DEFEAT her own bill, which she was able to, thank God.
Which kind of good intentions did Istook have? What was he trying to do?
Dubya needs to take Istook to the woodshed and leave his bruised butt on public display.
If some flunky did it, he should be fired. If the man did it himself, he should be censured.
If he hired staffers who would do something this blatantly un-American, he should still resign. Istook is responsible for his minions (and refusing to accept that responsibility is an even greater offense than the act itself).
I want to know who stuck in the H1B bull$hit!
And remember the Pubbie leadership in general, if they permit Istook to retain any position more powerful that Sub-Chairman of Paper Clips and Rubber Bands after pulling this stunt.
If he believes both of these statements, he needs to go back to the Oklahoma village that is missing its idiot.
"Hereinafter, notwithstanding any other provision of law governing the disclosure of income tax returns or return information, upon written request of the Chairman of the House or Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service shall allow agents designated by such Chairman access to Internal Revenue Service facilities and any tax returns or return information contained therein."Note the explicit repeal of all privacy protections and the availability of the loophole to any friend, contributor, or passing acquaintance of the Appropriations Committee chair.
[emphasis added]
If this is an "innocent error", I'm the King of Romania.
The IRS uses standard procedures to insure that confidential documents are not just lying around where any schlub wandering in off the street can read them.
The best case that can be made for Istook is that he got bamboozled by IRS bureaucrats (who would presumably get some favor in return for opening the door to this political abuse). Even if that's true, he's responsible for legislative language introduced under his name, and his head needs to roll for it.
The concept of having the individual tax returns locked up separately from the administrative documents (the latter being the ones that should be available to the oversight committee) didn't occur to you?
If it's out of character for Istook, look for a Dem spy on his staff.
From what I read his "intent" was to give Congress the authority to inspect any IRS office and its personnel (like for incompetence or say tax payer abuse), not an individual's tax returns.
So to me, anything that makes the IRS 'behave' is a good intention.
The audacity for anyone in congress to suspiciously write in language granting access to tax returns by congress is just not believable, and I don't think that is what happened.
If you look at the language in a generic way, it seems to be only granting clearances into the facility and access to the files.
Since the building is jam packed with returns, (that is all they do essentially, returns then would be everywhere.
I think this is as they said, "a tempest in a tea pot", and the offending language has been caught.
Unfortunately,it was caught by a jerk. A real honest to goodness jerk who I have known for over 40 years.
Kent Conrad, we used to call him "*unt", was a year behind me in school. he was a manipulator then and now. One of the worst little wormy SOB's on the planet and Class President, during my formative years in Bismark N.Dak.
He and his minions(staff)are very likely to have set this up.
I can guarantee that he is the kind that will do something like this!
Kent was also involved in the secret computer file BS that was uncovered prior to the election.
Agreed.
Well, the msm will have a field day with this republican.
Am I incorrect in thinking that staff is chosen, not assigned?
You are right on about Conrad...
Picture a madras patterned shirt with a pocket protector full of greasy pens and a white belt with white shoes.(and a clip board)
He was always whining about perceived mistreatment and he learned the favor/payback game at a early age.
The product of rich parents and spoiled rotten.
LOL! Senate qualifications!
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