[pigdog]

This fits in with the idea of compliance costs which are about a like amount but not included in this figure.

[nickcarraway]

So sad.

[Osage Orange]

Well I figure I'm getting short-changed....and not getting my monies worth. So we are even.

[chemicalman]

Clinton said he wasn't paying enough.

[pigdog]

New thread ... come on in - that water's fine.

[carenot]

There's still a yawning gap between what some taxpayers owe and what they pay, according to the IRS.

Good.

[neodad]

those who pay less than their fair share

Who exactly determines what their "fair share" is?

[shooter223]

if Jefferson,Franklin & friends were around they would applaud

[Frohickey]

So, when is the IRS going to partner with the border patrol to clamp down on migrant workers and the ones hanging outside of Home Depot?

[Kokojmudd]

Boo hoo.

[thoughtomator]

I'm working as a consultant for the federal government right now and I would guess that no less than 90% of the money that is spent is a total and complete waste. I know people who play solitaire for a living on the federal dime. I am daily astonished by the ineptitude I encounter at almost every turn. When I expect things to get done in a reasonable amount of time (based on my corporate experience), people look at me like I have two heads. Productivity is definitely not a government value, and there are plenty of people who don't hesitate to admit that the government is effectively a charity jobs program.

Yes, I know the previous paragraph seems a bit off-topic but I felt a reminder as to where that money would otherwise go (the toilet) helps to put it in perspective.

[Snoopers-868th]

Wonder how much our legislators stiff the taxpayer?

[visualops]

the government is being shortchanged

**cough**sputter***

[tpmintx]

This fits in with the idea of compliance costs which are about a like amount but not included in this figure.

Let's see Hundreds of Billions of dollars of underpayment, and humdreds of billions of dollars spent trying to comply with the 475,000 (or whatever) pages of conflicting rules and regulations.

Hmmm... Maybe there could be a better way... Maybe we could just go with a simple tax system... Maybe we could just do a sales tax... or a flat tax...

NAHHH!

[CommieCutter]

Good. More money for the economy.

Let's talk about tax payer money that get's spent on items other than it was intended for --like in NO. Thanks CNN! ;-)

[satchmodog9]

When they start spending my taxes wisely, I will start paying the proper amount.

[varon]

The major source for the gap -- about 80 percent of it -- is from individual taxpayers underreporting their income.

Perhaps these taxpayers are just creating their own 'loopholes' since they don't have a lobbyist paying a congress critter to create one for them ;-)

[Jeff Gordon]

Tax cuts are good for the economy. Likewise tax evasion must be good for the economy.

[meyer]

Given the complication of the code, how can they possibly have any idea at what rate people "stiffed" the IRS?

[varyouga]

I'm playing the world smallest violin for the IRS

[sgtbono2002]

Get Jesse Jackson to pay his fair share.