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More Money for IRS Spurs Conspiracy Theories of 'Shadow Army'
The New York Times via Yahoo ^ | August 21, 2022 | By Alan Rappeport and Tiffany Hsu

Posted on 08/22/2022 9:08:00 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

WASHINGTON — It has been called President Joe Biden’s “shadow army,” described as a strike force to shake down small businesses with assault rifles and likened to a militia of auditors on search-and-destroy missions.

Decades of Republican antipathy toward the Internal Revenue Service have reached new levels of enmity with the passage of a Democratic-backed bill that gives the agency $80 billion to beef up its ability to go after tax cheats.

But Republicans, who have long accused the IRS of unfairly targeting conservatives, have seized on the law to fan unfounded conspiracy theories about the threat that mom-and-pop shops and middle-class Americans will face from an emboldened tax collector.

The scale and speed at which rumors about the agency have spread portend the political and logistical challenges that the Biden administration will confront as it embarks on the biggest overhaul of the IRS since its inception.

From Twitter and TikTok to newsletters and cable news, Republicans have embraced the notion that a bigger IRS is poised to be weaponized against them, often distorting facts to make their points.

The Biden administration has been trying to debunk disinformation and tamp down fears. It insists that the revamped IRS will be focused on better customer service and that honest taxpayers will have less to fear because audits will be better targeted at those who are evading taxes.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: alanrappeport; irs; irsgunthugs; irsstormtroopers; journalism; loislerner; media; press; shadowarmy; tiffanyhsu
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1 posted on 08/22/2022 9:08:00 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

So very sad when all we really need is a “national” sales tax and eliminate the “income” tax. That way everybody pays based on their wealth!


2 posted on 08/22/2022 9:11:10 AM PDT by high info voter (Delivery )
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

If NY Times ever feels the need to address a political situation as a “conspiracy theory” - its confirmation you can treat it as FACT.


3 posted on 08/22/2022 9:11:53 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Republican antipathy toward the Internal Revenue Service”

Only Republicans have antipathy towards the IRS?


4 posted on 08/22/2022 9:11:58 AM PDT by caver
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To: PGR88

Sickening aholes!


5 posted on 08/22/2022 9:13:55 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (D.I.S.T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N.S.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

But Republicans, ...have seized on the law to fan unfounded conspiracy theories about the threat that mom-and-pop shops and middle-class Americans will face from an emboldened tax collector.


So the IRS training film showing a ‘landscaper’ in handcuffs over ‘improper purchases of trucks’ is unfounded?

” It insists that the revamped IRS will be focused on better customer service...”

Well, as its name implies the IRS is all about service. /s


6 posted on 08/22/2022 9:16:11 AM PDT by hanamizu
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It’s not like the IRS has ever targeted conservative groups or anything...../s


7 posted on 08/22/2022 9:17:29 AM PDT by Lurkinanloomin ( (Natural born citizens are born here of citizen parents)(Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

$80 billion to the IRS
$66 billion for the entire Russian military

Think about that


8 posted on 08/22/2022 9:18:00 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (We are being manipulated by forces that most do not see)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Didn’t Obama talk about a “civilian army that was as well staffed and funded as the military”? I can’t find clips, scrubbed?


9 posted on 08/22/2022 9:18:10 AM PDT by TiGuy22
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

But Republicans, who have long accused the IRS of unfairly targeting conservatives...

Becuase it was proven in court the IRS *did* target conservatives.


10 posted on 08/22/2022 9:24:23 AM PDT by Flick Lives (FJB and the corrupt FBI)
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To: All

VIDEO: I.R.S. Training Video Shows Armed Arrest of Small Business Owner
https://rumble.com/v1gosdn-i.r.s.-training-video-shows-armed-arrest-of-small-business-owner.html


11 posted on 08/22/2022 9:28:09 AM PDT by janetjanet998
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

They just bought a ton of ammo and had adds about deadly force.

So what part of “Armed Federal Agents” using “dealdy force” makes all you rubes think of an “Army”?

Come on, man!

They’re from the Goobermint and here to help you.


12 posted on 08/22/2022 9:30:36 AM PDT by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: Flick Lives
Because it was proven in court the IRS *did* target conservatives.

Gregg Phillips said the other day that even after Catherine Engelbrecht beat the IRS in court - they stiffed her.

Turnabout is fair play, I say.

13 posted on 08/22/2022 9:31:00 AM PDT by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

debunked
misinformation
disinformation
CONSPIRACY THEORY!

no dissent

resistance is futile

you wouldnt want to get canceled, would you?


14 posted on 08/22/2022 9:31:14 AM PDT by joshua c (where did my tagline go? if you see it please call someone else. i was tired of it.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

They’re not conspiracy theories anymore.

They’re spoilers.


15 posted on 08/22/2022 9:31:39 AM PDT by mewzilla (We need to repeal RCV wherever it's in use and go back to dumb voting machines.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
unfounded conspiracy theories

That word, "unfounded" - I do not think it means what you think it means. That 87,000 is roughly the manning of 6 infantry divisions and it isn't an army? It's a doubling of the size of the IRS specifically for enforcement and inasmuch as the IRS's use by the Democrats as a political weapon is anything but "unfounded", yeah, there's a little concern here.

In fact, it's the acquisition of an attack dog paid for by its victims. In China they make the families of the executed pay for the ammunition. Same concept.

16 posted on 08/22/2022 9:31:41 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The NYT is just a joke at this point. They just ignore the 87,000 armed IRS goons that are part of this.


17 posted on 08/22/2022 9:33:31 AM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Conveniently leaving out the "armed" part of the equation, I'm sure. But, this is to be expected from the Government Times.
18 posted on 08/22/2022 9:33:56 AM PDT by Major Matt Mason (To solve the Democrat problem, the RINO problem must first be solved.)
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To: high info voter

Lot’s a folks here think that is a tax on the poor...basically


19 posted on 08/22/2022 9:35:54 AM PDT by Osage Orange
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

So when Alan Rappeport and Tiffany Hsu get audited by one of the 87K new agents, do they show this article as their “get out of jail free” card?


20 posted on 08/22/2022 9:40:24 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (Rush, we're missing your take on all of this!)
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