IRS APOLOGIZES FOR TARGETING TEA PARTY GROUPS

aerial

More paranoia......


Conservative group says IRS approved nonprofit status after applying with ‘liberal-sounding name’

In May 2011, Drew Ryun, a conservative activist and former Republican National Committee staffer, began filling out the Internal Revenue Service application to achieve nonprofit status for a new conservative watchdog group.
He submitted the paperwork to the IRS in July 2011 for a research site called Media Trackers, which calls itself a "non-partisan investigative watchdog dedicated to promoting accountability in the media and government." Although the site has investigated Republicans like Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the site's organizers are unapologetically conservative.
"One thing we don't hide is: 'Yeah, we're conservative—free-market, free-enterprise, full-spectrum conservative,'" Ryun told Mother Jones magazine last year.
Eight months passed without word from the agency about the group's application, Ryun said. In February 2012, Ryun's attorney contacted the IRS to ask if it needed more information to secure its nonprofit status as a 501(c)3 organization. According to Ryun, the IRS told him that the application was being processed by the agency's office in Cincinnati, Ohio—the same one currently facing scrutiny for targeting conservative groups—and to check back in two months.
As directed, Ryun followed up with the IRS in April 2012, and was told that Media Trackers' application was still under review.
When September 2012 arrived with still no word from the IRS, Ryun determined that Media Trackers would likely never obtain standalone nonprofit status, and he tried a new approach: He applied for permanent nonprofit status for a separate group called Greenhouse Solutions, a pre-existing organization that was reaching the end of its determination period.
The IRS approved Greenhouse Solutions' request for permanent nonprofit status in three weeks.
In December 2012, Ryun simply made Media Trackers a project of Greenhouse Solutions and withdrew the Media Trackers application.
The reason for the difference in timing could have nothing to do with the group's name. Greenhouse Solutions was applying for "permanent" nonprofit status after existing as a nonprofit group for some time. Media Trackers, a new group, was just beginning the first steps in the application process. Having a previous file with the IRS could very well have been the reason Greenhouse's application was approved so quickly.
But when news broke last week that the IRS had applied heavier scrutiny to conservative groups seeking nonprofit status from 2010-2012, Ryun said he became convinced that his second application was approved quickly because he applied under the Greenhouse Solutions title, which he called a "liberal-sounding name."
"Within three weeks, Greenhouse received permanent nonprofit status from the IRS, and the IRS approval was transmitted to us from its Cincinnati office. We then rolled the Media Trackers project into Greenhouse and began work on a number of new projects," Ryun told Yahoo News in an interview. "Do I think we benefited from what many think is a liberal-sounding name? Absolutely."
The IRS website explains why some requests for tax-exempt status take longer than others to process.
"Sometimes, representatives of exempt organizations and practitioners question why certain applications for tax exemption are processed faster than others. Not all applications are the same," the site reads. "While many are complete when received and involve straight-forward scenarios, others may be incomplete or involve complex issues that require further development."
The IRS is currently under fire from both Democrats and Republicans, and Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday announced that he had directed the FBI to launch a criminal probe into the IRS. The same day, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration submitted a review of the IRS' practices, which found that the agency had used "inappropriate criteria" to determine which groups were eligible for nonprofit status. Current and former IRS officials are expected to testify about the issue before House committees starting Friday.

vant0037

aerial wrote:

vant0037 wrote:

The worst part about this IRS thing is that it gives unwarranted legitimacy to a fringe political group already known for it's paranoia...

Can the others defend themselves without throwing around accusation with unwarranted labels on people.....
There is proof it IS warranted and no one is paranoid.......the so called fringe can comprehend the facts.....sorry for those that can not...

Without delving into the merits of this particular issue, I made my comment with the other parts of tea party ideology in mind. I've had the misfortune of living in a state where Michele Bachmann is quite vocal and I can comfortably say, if she is the leading light of the tea party movement, then yes, tea party beliefs and points of view are largely based on paranoia.

It's a shame that a thing like this had to happen - which is wrong, might I add - because it may regalvanize a paranoid fringe element of American politics that was looking dead.

aerial

vant0037 wrote:

aerial wrote:

vant0037 wrote:

The worst part about this IRS thing is that it gives unwarranted legitimacy to a fringe political group already known for it's paranoia...

Can the others defend themselves without throwing around accusation with unwarranted labels on people.....
There is proof it IS warranted and no one is paranoid.......the so called fringe can comprehend the facts.....sorry for those that can not...

Without delving into the merits of this particular issue, I made my comment with the other parts of tea party ideology in mind. I've had the misfortune of living in a state where Michele Bachmann is quite vocal and I can comfortably say, if she is the leading light of the tea party movement, then yes, tea party beliefs and points of view are largely based on paranoia.

It's a shame that a thing like this had to happen - which is wrong, might I add - because it may regalvanize a paranoid fringe element of American politics that was looking dead.

being informed is not paranoia ..........better than turning a blind eye

vant0037

aerial wrote:

being informed is not paranoia ..........better than turning a blind eye

Again, I stand by my assessment that the tea party is not representative of an "informed" constituency.

kenny olav

This is an absolute non-scandal. No one should have been asked to resign. No one in the IRS should have apologized. Because of the bullshit Citizens United ruling, a swarm of bullshit political groups have been applying for tax-exempt status to take advantage of the ruling... none of these Tea Party groups care about social welfare... 100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit... None of them should be given tax-exempt status... the IRS was right to pay more scrutiny to their applications.

mikepegg44

kenny olav wrote:

100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit

I know that with comments like this you are probably just baiting, but I will bite.

On one side there is you, on the other, a giant non-partisan majority believes what the IRS employees did was wrong. Including the non-partisan inspector general, and the democratic president in the white house and many in congress. There is something wrong with what they did. Extra scrutiny to groups applying for tax exempt status is fine as long as it is applied equally, which it wasn't.

And it is simply your opinion that they weren't interested in social welfare by your own subjective bias. Voter education is widely accepted as a social welfare initiative. Just because you disagree with the education they offer doesn't mean it isn't as legitimate as groups touting the danger of a voter id law experiencing the tax exempt status advantage.

and as a simple aside, if you don't like people "taking advantage" of tax code quit supporting politicians involved in writing tax laws with the ambiguity akin to the sexuality of

OnTheEdge

I've decided i'm not going to pay taxes anymore. After all.....it's a voluntary system

Harry Reid....few fries short of a Happy Meal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg

aerial

UPDATED: IRS tax exemption/Obamacare exec got $103,390 in bonuses;

http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2529899?slideout=1

Bentleyspop

aerial wrote:

UPDATED: IRS tax exemption/Obamacare exec got $103,390 in bonuses;

http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2529899?slideout=1

Once again you like so many other regressives refuse to write the truth or do the research to get the truth.

It is not unheard of for Govt employees to get bonuses.
Yes she did get that much in bonuses but it was over 4 years

PLus in 2004 she received $47,900 bonus from George W. Bush
Guess you forgot to mention that part of the story :nono:

took me less then 1 minute to find this out

http://theweek.com/article/index/244369/the-irs-scandal-is-sarah-hall-ingram-the-next-head-to-roll

Mark Tapscott at The Washington Examiner reports that Ingram received $103,390 in bonuses between 2009 and 2012, including $34,440 in 2010, $35,400 in 2011, and $26,550 last year. Here's what the White House Office of Personnel Management says about bonuses that big: "If the recommended award is over $25,000, the Director of OPM reviews the nomination and forwards his/her recommendation to the President for approval." (Tapscott also notes that Ingram got a $47,900 bonus from George W. Bush in 2004.)

Cosmo

aerial wrote:

More paranoia.......

...
I'm too terrified to walk out of my own front door,
They're demonstrating outside I think they're gonna start the third world war,
I've been to my local head shrinker,
To help classify my disease,
He said it's one of the cases of acute schizophrenia he sees.

Well the milkman's a spy, and the grocer keeps on following me,
And the woman next door's an undercover for the K.G.B.,
And the man from the Social Security
Keeps on invading my privacy,
Oh there ain't no cure for acute schizophrenia disease.

I've got acute schizophrenia, paranoia too,
Schizophrenia, schizophrenia,
I've got it, you've got it, we can't lose,
Acute schizophrenia blues.

I'm lost on the river, the river of no return,
I can't make decisions, I don't know which way I'm gonna turn,
Even my old dad, lost some of the best friends he ever had,
Apparently, his was a case of acute schizophrenia too.

I got acute schizophrenia, paranoia too,
Schizophrenia, schizophrenia,
I've got it, you've got it, we can't lose,

They're watching my house and they're tapping my telephone,
I don't trust nobody, but I'm much too scared to be on my own
And the income tax collector's got his beady eye on me,
No there ain't no cure for acute schizophrenia disease.

No there ain't no cure for
Schizophrenia disease

kenny olav

mikepegg44 wrote:

kenny olav wrote:

100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit

I know that with comments like this you are probably just baiting, but I will bite.

On one side there is you, on the other, a giant non-partisan majority believes what the IRS employees did was wrong. Including the non-partisan inspector general, and the democratic president in the white house and many in congress. There is something wrong with what they did. Extra scrutiny to groups applying for tax exempt status is fine as long as it is applied equally, which it wasn't.

And it is simply your opinion that they weren't interested in social welfare by your own subjective bias. Voter education is widely accepted as a social welfare initiative. Just because you disagree with the education they offer doesn't mean it isn't as legitimate as groups touting the danger of a voter id law experiencing the tax exempt status advantage.

and as a simple aside, if you don't like people "taking advantage" of tax code quit supporting politicians involved in writing tax laws with the ambiguity akin to the sexuality of

I am happy to admit my subjective bias. I wish Obama would call bullshit on this non-scandal too. And I don't support the tax code as it stands... We should reform it, but the Tea Party wants to destroy it.

OnTheEdge

kenny olav wrote:

This is an absolute non-scandal. No one should have been asked to resign. No one in the IRS should have apologized. Because of the bullshit Citizens United ruling, a swarm of bullshit political groups have been applying for tax-exempt status to take advantage of the ruling... none of these Tea Party groups care about social welfare... 100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit... None of them should be given tax-exempt status... the IRS was right to pay more scrutiny to their applications.

Wake up and turn off msnbc bro. Even most dems in washington know that what the irs did was wrong. The Tea Party is bullshit?? I'll never understand you people that are against the people standing up for a more fiscal responible government. But let me guess....the OWS makes your dick hard...right? :roll: :fp:

mikepegg44

kenny olav wrote:

I am happy to admit my subjective bias. I wish Obama would call bullshit on this non-scandal too. And I don't support the tax code as it stands... We should reform it, but the Tea Party wants to destroy it.

You obviously haven't bothered to read the IG report or ANY articles directly relating to it so I will take what you have to say on the matter with a grain of salt.

It is clear to just about everyone but you that they targeted political opposition.

It isn't acceptable in what is supposed to be a republic free from gov't persecution for one's beliefs

gimmesometruth27

mikepegg44 wrote:

kenny olav wrote:

I am happy to admit my subjective bias. I wish Obama would call bullshit on this non-scandal too. And I don't support the tax code as it stands... We should reform it, but the Tea Party wants to destroy it.

You obviously haven't bothered to read the IG report or ANY articles directly relating to it so I will take what you have to say on the matter with a grain of salt.

It is clear to just about everyone but you that they targeted political opposition.

It isn't acceptable in what is supposed to be a republic free from gov't persecution for one's beliefs

these groups are not supposed to give money to candidates, correct?

mikepegg44

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

mikepegg44 wrote:

kenny olav wrote:

I am happy to admit my subjective bias. I wish Obama would call bullshit on this non-scandal too. And I don't support the tax code as it stands... We should reform it, but the Tea Party wants to destroy it.

You obviously haven't bothered to read the IG report or ANY articles directly relating to it so I will take what you have to say on the matter with a grain of salt.

It is clear to just about everyone but you that they targeted political opposition.

It isn't acceptable in what is supposed to be a republic free from gov't persecution for one's beliefs

these groups are not supposed to give money to candidates, correct?

correct

edit:

not sure your point?

gimmesometruth27

mikepegg44 wrote:

correct

edit:

not sure your point?

point is, if your group is anti tax and has said so hundreds of times and you are going to support certain candidates, why apply for non-profit status? even if you get it, you can lose that status if you break the rules.

why did the irs under bush revoke the tax free status of a black church for speaking out against the iraq war?

mikepegg44

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

mikepegg44 wrote:

correct

edit:

not sure your point?

point is, if your group is anti tax and has said so hundreds of times and you are going to support certain candidates, why apply for non-profit status? even if you get it, you can lose that status if you break the rules.

why did the irs under bush revoke the tax free status of a black church for speaking out against the iraq war?

Voter education on certain issues is a legitimate social welfare initiative. At least it is if you are pushing a democratic agenda apparently because progressive applications were approved during the time when NO groups with tea party sounding names were approved.

Not sure why bush was brought up...I don't care about partisan bullshit like bush did this in 2002 or Clinton did this in 1996...don't give a fuck. This is happening right now. Anytime a specific group is targeted for persecution by any gov't agency because of their name and implied political beliefs it is wrong.

They weren't given the chance to lose their status because they were purposefully delayed in the application process because of the name of their group. this is wrong no matter who it happens to...

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. I am just glad that most of those on the left side of the aisle understand that this is wrong in theory.

Extra scrutiny to groups is fine if it is applied equally, it appears here that it was not and that is wrong.
Agents of the IRS acted out of turn here and should be let go. I am not saying this is something that the President should be held accountable for, but people at the IRS should ABSOLUTELY be held accountable.

gimmesometruth27

perhaps the gop is barking up the wrong tree? perhaps people want congress to focus on the economy and not another witch hunt?

Republicans’ Hatred of Obama Blinds Them to Public Disinterest in Scandals

http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-hatre ... 37919.html


Red-faced Republicans, circling and preparing to pounce on a second-term Democratic president they loathe, do not respect, and certainly do not fear. Sound familiar? Perhaps reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s second term, after the Monica Lewinsky story broke? During that time, Republicans became so consumed by their hatred of Clinton and their conviction that this event would bring him down that they convinced themselves the rest of the country was just as outraged by his behavior as they were. By the way, what was Clinton’s lowest Gallup job-approval rating in his second term, throughout the travails of investigations and impeachment? It was 53 percent. The conservative echo machine had worked itself into such a frenzy, the GOP didn’t realize that the outrage was largely confined to the ranks of those who never voted for Clinton anyway.

These days, the country is even more polarized, and the conservative echo chamber is louder than ever before. Many conservatives made it all the way to Election Day last November unaware that their White House nominee was falling short. How could Mitt Romney possibly lose when everyone they knew was voting for him? Except that he did lose, and it wasn’t even a very close race. Five other post-World War II presidential elections had closer outcomes.

The simple fact is that although the Republican sharks are circling, at least so far, there isn’t a trace of blood in the water. A new CNN/ORC survey of 923 Americans this past Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, pegged Obama’s job-approval rating at 53 percent, up a statistically insignificant 2 points since their last poll, April 5-7, which was taken before the Benghazi, IRS, and AP-wiretap stories came to dominate the news and congressional hearing rooms. His disapproval rating was down 2 points since that last survey.

In Gallup’s tracking poll, Obama’s average job-approval rating so far this year is 50 percent. For this past week, May 13-19, his average was 49 percent, the same as the week before. The most recent three-day moving average, through Sunday, May 19, was also 49 percent. Over the past two weeks, even as these three stories/scandals have dominated the news, they have had precisely zero effect on the president’s job-approval numbers. His ratings are still bouncing around in the same narrow range they have been for weeks.

Maybe that will change. Maybe these allegations will start getting traction with voters. But it might just be that Americans are more focused on an economy that is gradually coming out of the longest and deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Most economists say the current quarter will show a slowdown in economic growth from the first quarter’s 2.5 percent pace, but they expect the economy to be stronger in the second half of this year. People may be encouraged by housing prices rising and the stock market setting record highs—and their retirement accounts may actually be looking better. The University of Michigan’s widely watched Consumer Sentiment Index is at the highest level since 2007, before the recession. The Conference Board’s more volatile Consumer Confidence Index is also generally moving up, although it isn’t at the record level of the Michigan index. The National Federation of Independent Business’s Index of Small Business Optimism, which took a deep plunge after the election, increased last month and is on an upward trend since the beginning of the year. Maybe the people and businesses polled have written off Washington as a political cesspool, and so these stories don’t affect them much. Perhaps they see this town as a place that can’t seem to get anything right.

One wonders how long Republicans are going to bark up this tree, perhaps the wrong tree, while they ignore their own party’s problems, which were shown to be profound in the most recent elections. Clearly none of these recent issues has had a real impact on voters yet. Republicans seem to be betting everything on them, just as they did in 1998—about which even Newt Gingrich (who was House speaker that year) commented recently to NPR, “I think we overreached in ’98.”

Republicans and conservatives who are so consumed by these “scandals” should ask themselves why, despite wall-to-wall media attention and the constant focus inside the Beltway—some are even talking about grounds for impeachment—Obama’s job-approval needle hasn’t moved. The CNN/ORC poll suggests that people are aware of and watching the news, but they aren’t reacting, at least not yet. Clearly Republicans hope the public will begin to respond. But at what point do they decide that maybe voters might be more interested in other issues or worries than about politicians on one side pointing fingers and throwing allegations at those on the other side? At what point might the GOP conclude that it is just digging the hole a little deeper?

kenny olav

OnTheEdge wrote:

kenny olav wrote:

This is an absolute non-scandal. No one should have been asked to resign. No one in the IRS should have apologized. Because of the bullshit Citizens United ruling, a swarm of bullshit political groups have been applying for tax-exempt status to take advantage of the ruling... none of these Tea Party groups care about social welfare... 100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit... None of them should be given tax-exempt status... the IRS was right to pay more scrutiny to their applications.

Wake up and turn off msnbc bro. Even most dems in washington know that what the irs did was wrong. The Tea Party is bullshit?? I'll never understand you people that are against the people standing up for a more fiscal responible government. But let me guess....the OWS makes your dick hard...right? :roll: :fp:

The only group that's had it's application denied is a liberal group. They were targeting political groups... as they should be. It just so happens that the latest fad of political groups trying to ride the gravy train is Tea Party groups.

The Tea Party will never accomplish anything and neither will OWS.

Godfather.

kenny olav wrote:

OnTheEdge wrote:

kenny olav wrote:

This is an absolute non-scandal. No one should have been asked to resign. No one in the IRS should have apologized. Because of the bullshit Citizens United ruling, a swarm of bullshit political groups have been applying for tax-exempt status to take advantage of the ruling... none of these Tea Party groups care about social welfare... 100% of Tea Party groups are bullshit... None of them should be given tax-exempt status... the IRS was right to pay more scrutiny to their applications.

Wake up and turn off msnbc bro. Even most dems in washington know that what the irs did was wrong. The Tea Party is bullshit?? I'll never understand you people that are against the people standing up for a more fiscal responible government. But let me guess....the OWS makes your dick hard...right? :roll: :fp:

The only group that's had it's application denied is a liberal group. They were targeting political groups... as they should be. It just so happens that the latest fad of political groups trying to ride the gravy train is Tea Party groups.

The Tea Party will never accomplish anything and neither will OWS.

some people said the same ting about the civil rights movement when Lincoln was shot.

Godfather.