KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION

Ross: IRS funding lost in debt limit bill, tax cheats rejoice

Jun 1, 2023, 7:36 AM | Updated: Jun 2, 2023, 9:57 am

The debt limit bill has passed the House, and it’ll probably pass the Senate. It was a classic bi-partisan compromise, and I was actually impressed by last night’s debate.

I found myself agreeing with some of the cuts – like clawing back the COVID-19 relief money. If it’s true that there are able-bodied people who aren’t working and are still collecting COVID checks, it’s time to get back to work. I agree with Republican Representative Garret Graves (R-LA).

More from Dave Ross: IRS has new no-pursuit policy with debt ceiling deal

“We have legislation before us today that will strengthen and instill work requirements for welfare,” Graves said. “We have legislation before us today that will rescind funds for additional IRS agents because I have never had a constituent say gosh, ‘I wish I could have more audits.'”

And then, he goes and brings up the IRS again, as did Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA).

“Let’s talk about the IRS,” Scalise said. “In my years in public service, at the state level or in Congress, I’ve never got a single call from a constituent going, you know what, the thing we really really want you to do is to go add more people to the IRS.”

Unless you have a tax question and you’re trying to get an answer, but you can’t get through because no one’s home, so you hire an accountant – except he can’t get an answer either because no one’s home!

And then Kevin McCarthy himself.

“This bill eliminates the funding that would have been spent this year to hire Biden’s army of new IRS agents. Overall, we’ve cut more than $20 billion from Biden’s IRS slush fund,” McCarthy said. “To date, they haven’t been able to hire a single one of Biden’s 87,000 new IRS agents. And I’ll come back year after year to keep it that way because the government should work for you, not go after you.”

And a whole new generation of budding tax cheats raised their voices in heartfelt amen!

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

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Ross: IRS funding lost in debt limit bill, tax cheats rejoice