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Articles from February 2012
Does America Have More Poverty than Turkey?
Liberals like Chris Matthews mock conservatives when they point out that the left uses uber-radical Saul Alinsky’s scorched earth tactics in order to shove their statist agenda down our throats, but here is yet another case in point that shows that is precisely what they are doing. Dan Mitchell of Cato reports that the OECD has produced…
Read Full Article Categorized in: News, PoliticsDid Media Matters Pay $850,000 to Silence IRS Whistleblower?
From Paul Caron: Media Matters Paid Former Domestic Partner $850k ‘Blackmail’ Settlement After Threat to Inform IRS: Fox News, Media Matters Boss Paid Former Partner $850k ‘Blackmail’ Settlement: Media Matters chief David Brock paid a former domestic partner $850,000 after being threatened with damaging information involving the organization’s donors and the IRS – a deal…
Read Full Article Categorized in: NewsBeware of Tax Help Scammers
Eva Rosenberg of SmartMoney recently wrote about why you should avoid tax relief firms like Roni Deutch, Tax Masters and J.K. Harris and those unamed scammers (they just have 800 numbers because they don’t want you to know who they are because then you can do some research about them and discover the record of grievances…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Back Taxes, Blog Posts, IRS Settlements, Tax Debts, Tax ProblemsSmart People Make Better Choices
I found something on Greg Mankiw‘s blog that seems to explain why so many Americans bought homes and signed mortgages they could not afford thereby causing the housing crisis: In today’s NY Times, Robert Shiller reports: Even after taking into account factors like income and education, the authors concluded that people with relatively high I.Q.’s typically…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Philosophy, Politics, The EconomyIs Obama’s IRS Harassing the Tea Party?
In a 2009 commencement address President Obama jokingly threatened to audit Arizona State University for not giving him an honorary degree on the grounds that his record was incomplete (he had been President for just two months). Now it appears there may have been more than a kernel of truth in the joke: Virginia Republican U.S.…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Politics of TaxesTaxation, the Privilege of Being American & Class Warfare
The Weekly Standard via Instapundit: Tim Geithner says that because Americans are privileged to be Americans the rich should pay hire taxes: That’s the kind of balance you need. Why is that the case? Because if you don’t try to generate more revenues through tax reform, if you don’t ask, you know, the most fortunate Americans to…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Philosophy, Politics of TaxesTax Protester Cindy Sheehan Exploits Son’s Death to Avoid Paying Taxes
“Bush’s main goal is to kill as many servicemen as possible.” – Cindy Sheehan – “My son was killed in 2004. I am not paying my taxes for 2004. You killed my son, George Bush, and I don’t owe you a penny…you give my son back and I’ll pay my taxes. Come after me (for…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Absurd Tax Protester Arguments, NewsIn Your Face Governor Tells Undertaxed Billionaire to Pay Up or Shut Up
Chris Christie’s in-your -face-I-don’t-take-no-crap-from-anyone schtick is getting old. If I hear him tell some John or Jane Doe to shut up and mind their own business again, I think I’ll lose a gasket. But Warren Buffett’s woe-is-me-I-am-so-undertaxed schtick has gotten even older. So, I was pleasantly pleased when I heard the rotund Governor smack down the octogenerian Ukelele player…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Satire, Tax HumorMore than a Quarter of a Million Federal Employees Owe Back Taxes
Paul Caron reports that more than a quarter of a million current and former federal workers are behind in their taxes: Over 279,000 federal workers and retirees owed more than $3.4 billion in back income taxes in 2010 (up from $3.3 billion in 2009, $3.0 billion in 2008, and $2.7 billion in 2007). The cabinet departments with…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Back TaxesJ.K. Harris Shuts Down Operations
J.K. Harris is the second player in the tax resolution business to have been forced to shut down operations ss a result of thousands of consumer complaints and dozens of government investigations. Paul Caron of TaxProf Blog reports: JK Harris Tax Resolution Firm Closes its Doors Consumer Affairs, JK Harris Suspends Operations, Prepares to Liquidate: Tax-Preparation Firm Swamped by Consumer…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Back Taxes, Tax Problems, Tax TipsSeven Major Tax Uncertainties
David Rosenberg On Taxation-Shock-Syndrome: While nothing is more certain than death and taxes (and central bank largesse), David Rosenberg of Gluskin Sheff uncovers The Unlucky seven major tax-related uncertainties facing households and businesses that will likely lead to multiple compression in markets (rather than the much-heralded multiple expansion ‘story’ which appears to have topped the…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Tax PolicyWhen a Tax Lie is a Statistic You Don’t Like
Heritage: Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes Heritage Foundation: Chart of the Week — Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes: (Hat Tip: Paul Caron)
Read Full Article Categorized in: News, Politics of TaxesBeware of Nutty AICPA Scam Notices
Has anyone else gotten an email spam like this? You’re receiving this notification as a Certified Public Accountant and a member of AICPA. Having trouble reading this email? Termination of Accountant status due to income tax fraud allegations Dear AICPA member,We have been notified of your alleged involvement in tax return fraud on behalf of one of your…
Read Full Article Categorized in: NewsEliot Spitzer Says Citizens United was Rightly Decided
Citizens United was rightly decided by the Supreme Court not because the decision was subjectively good or bad for the country, but rather because it objectively comports with the text and meaning of the U.S. Constitution. It never ceases to amaze me how many self-proclaimed legal scholars do not understand the role of the Supreme Court.…
Read Full Article Categorized in: Supreme CourtThe Stupidity of Taxing Medical Innovation
Taxing Medical Progress to Death by Michelle Malkin: Two years ago this month, as public debate over Obamacare raged, former President Bill Clinton rushed to the hospital because of a heart condition. He immediately underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. It was a timely reminder about the dangers…
Read Full Article Categorized in: healthcare reform, Politics of Taxes, Tax Policy
