IRS “Lookout Lists” Also Included Liberal Groups. So, Was It Bipartisan “Targeting?”

A new round of documents from the IRS, that aren’t really new, doesn’t really change the basic narrative on the IRS “targeting” story.

A New Conspiracy Theory: IRS Tea Party Targeting Helped Win The Election For Obama

A new theory circulating on the right asserts that IRS targeting of Tea Party groups had an impact on the 2012 elections by diminish the Tea Party’s effectiveness. It’s mostly nonsense.

Will Elijah Cummings Release IRS Transcripts Later Today? (Updated)

Today is the deadline for Darryl Issa to respond to a request from Elijah Cummings to defend a decision not to release IRS interview transcripts. What happens if Issa doesn’t respond?

Why Won’t Chairman Issa Release The Full Transcripts Of Interviews With IRS Employees?

Without full transcripts, the excerpts released by the House Oversight Committee are worthless.

The BOLO List And The Question Of Optics VS Effectiveness

The TIGTA audit reveals the BOLO “Tea Party” list was right 81% of the time. But does that change anything?

1/3 of Flagged 501(c)(3)&(4) Applications were from Non-Conservative Groups

Tax analyst Martin A. Sullivan finds that 1/3rd of “potentially political applications” approved by the IRS were from non-conservative groups.

So Far, Issa’s IRS Transcripts Contain A Whole Lot Of Nothing

Just about all of the substantive information in the excerpts was already revealed in the TIGTA audit.

Douglas Shulman’s 157 Visits To The White House: Less Than Meets The Eye

Apparently, some people don’t want to let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

The Wetumpka Tea Party and Defining “Potential Political Cases”

When does politics become the “primary activity” of a 501(c)4?

Diving Deeper into the TIGTA IRS Audit

Inside the Treasury Department’s Inspector General for Tax Administration investigation into the IRS scandal.

How Apple Avoids Paying Taxes

The US Senate wants to know why Apple and other big technology companies are paying so little into the US Treasury.

501(c)4 vs 501(c)3 vs 527

Almost no one can confidently explain, let alone define, the specifics of the 501(c)4 designation.

IRS Scandal More About Political Bias Than “Incompetence”

What happened at the IRS looks a lot more like deliberate political bias than simple incompetence.

The IRS Scandal Expands

Partisan targeting by the IRS should not be permitted to stand.

IRS Apologizes For Inappropriately Targeting Tea Party Groups

For several years, Tea Party and other conservative groups have contended that they were being targeted for investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and it turns out that they were right.

Sales Taxes On Internet Purchases Seem To Be An Inevitability

The days of tax-free online shopping are coming to an end.

Poor Pay High Taxes, If We Redefine ‘Taxes’

The American tax code contains perverse incentives and barriers to getting out of poverty.

Stealth Tax Hikes

The new $450,000 income threshold is a political fiction.

Revenue Problem or Spending Problem?

Kevin Drum argues that, “We Don’t Have a Spending Problem. We Have an Aging Problem.”

The Art Of Compromise

You can’t always get what you want.

Obama’s Meet the Press Interview

Obama shows some spine.

With Five Days Left, No Fiscal Cliff Deal In Sight

With less than a week left, the odds of a deal to avert the “Fiscal Cliff” seem longer than ever.

Is Boehner’s Position As Speaker In Danger?

Last night’s defeat of “Plan B” demonstrated yet again that John Boehner does not really control his caucus.

House GOP Fails To Find Enough Votes To Pass “Plan B”

The Republican leadership in the House suffered a big loss tonight:.

Grover Norquist Gives The GOP A Pass On Raising Taxes

Grover Norquist has seriously undercut the credibility of the ATR anti-tax pledge.

Boehner Puts Tax Rate Increases On The Table

The latest offer from John Boehner includes a significant concession.

Republicans Ignoring Political Reality In Fiscal Cliff Negotiations

From a political point of view, the GOP’s position on taxes makes no sense at all.

Republicans Will Cave On Tax Hikes For High Income Earners

Whether it comes now or in January, President Obama is going to win the tax debate.