They Are Out To Get Us

Sneaking funding for an additional 87000 IRS auditors into the deceivingly mislabeled “inflation reduction act” is yet another example of, as the WSJ so eloquently phased it, “the progressive demand for more revenue,” and their requirement “to punish business is insatiable.” The left’s constant portrayal of business as “tax cheats” and “not paying their fair share” is at best cynical in a post-Covid world of only 62% job participation and government handouts. And remember that government data has been spun now that we don’t count people not actively looking for work in our unemployment statistics. Doesn’t it strike anyone on the left as irony that our government continues to squeeze an ever-declining share of the makers in order to support the takers? And as government gets bigger and more intrusive, who exactly will be the low-hanging fruit in this auditor deployment scheme?  Small business, of course. Less likely to have hoards of attorneys and accountants on retainer to defend what may be merely be sloppy bookkeeping, the only choices will be to pony up the fines or descend into bankruptcy. And all for what amounts to pocket change. And who are these businesses?  Your doctors, your dry cleaner, your electrician, your mini-mart in the corner, your favorite restaurant. Yeah, those guys. All those conveniences that make our lives better.  And if they manage to stay in business after suffering the government-sanctioned revenue assault, what will be their most likely response?  To increase the cost of their goods and services to compensate for the financial hit. And everyone say it together: That’s called inflation. A friend of mine, a dentist, had the IRS descend on him for an audit a few years ago. He was perhaps the most meticulous bookkeeper I had ever met. He recorded the date and cost on the popsicle sticks when he treated his staff and filed them. Yeah, that fastidious.  After three days of auditors and accountants pouring through his books, they found nothing but minor clerical errors. The cost to him was major loss of office production and a four thousand dollar bill from his accountant. Is that really effective use of government resources? And who is it that gets inconvenienced by this level of harassment?  Liberals will be the first to complain about canceled appointments, having to wait for services and access to life’s conveniences. When exactly will it occur to them that their policies are at fault for a steady deterioration in services and an increase in cost on virtually everything? They are under the mistaken impression that government policies and especially bigger government, will fix everything. But you just can’t fix stupid.