IRS workers see double standard on tax errors

Chicago Tribune by Tom Hamburger, Ralph Vartabedian | Apr. 17, 2009 (News Report)

The Treasury secretary, who oversees the IRS, didn't pay all his taxes. Neither did five other top nominees for the Obama administration, or their spouses.

Now, as Wednesday's tax deadline looms, some Americans are wondering why they should comply with the arcane requirements of the Internal Revenue Service when top administration officials failed to do the same. Even some IRS employees are upset at what they see as a double standard.

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Posted by Fabrice Florin

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Gary Clark
2.7
 by Gary Clark - Apr. 18, 2009

This too brief article states that Americans question the IRS enforcement of "arcane requirements" on both IRS employees and mundane citizenry, when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and HHS appointee Kathleen Sebelius walked unscathed from their tax "oops" omissions.

This warrants a "Duh", since the powerful and wealthy rarely suffer consequences that beset mere mortal citizens.

IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman , “The American people are pretty smart,” he said. “They understand that people who are nominated for high office are going to be put under a level of scrutiny. They also understand the tax code is incredibly complex.”

Gee, I’m pretty smart enough to comply with that incredibly complex tax code, so why do they get a get out of jail card?

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