On July 24, the IRS announced that it would “immediately curb the practicing of sending agents to make surprise visits to home and businesses,” in the words of New York Times reporter Alan Rappeport.
Hooray! Something all Americans can get behind irrespective of political affiliation. Right?
Of course not.
Rappeport describes the IRS’s scuttled practice as “central to its efforts to collect unpaid taxes” and singles out Republicans for claiming that the agency’s tactics “are overly aggressive.” The fact that Republicans are the ones objecting to the state’s liberal use of police powers is troubling; leftists used to — and still do, in other contexts — decry the government’s overreliance on its use of police powers and intimidation of citizens. If making “tens of thousands of unannounced visits to households” is instrumental to the collection strategy of the IRS, the agency has been doing something very, very wrong. Where are all the Democrats denouncing agents appearing at citizens’ doorsteps unannounced?
Rappeport continues: “Republicans have been fanning fears that the tax collector is hiring an army of 87,000 new agents to shake down small businesses and the middle class.” Are such fears unfounded? No: During the pandemic, government agents routinely appeared to forcibly shutter citizens’ “non-essential” businesses, religious services, and personal gatherings. The pandemic may be over, but the government’s draconian response is still fresh in the minds of many Americans. Peaceful opposition to to similarly heavy handed state intervention is justified and necessary to roll back the pandemic-era precedent.
However, specific allegations that all 87,000 new agents will be armed and showing up at people’s homes are unfounded: The AP reports that it is specifically special agents, of which “there are about 2,000,” of the Criminal Investigation division of the IRS that are so armed.
Firearms or no, how else is the IRS to ensure we give Uncle Sam his due? Shockingly, there are, in fact, other ways to increase compliance before surprising them at their home. Specifically, “mail[ing] letters to schedule meetings” and, if ignored, responding with “penalties or liens on their property.”If Daniel Werfel, Commissioner of the IRS, is serious about increasing “ ‘confidence in [the IRS’s] tax administration work,’” he should consider using the $80 billion dollars and 87,000 new agents to, I don’t know, inform taxpayers of their tax burden before they shortchange the IRS.
Making visits to tardy taxpayers is one thing; surprising American citizens at their places of employment and respite is another matter entirely. All should welcome an end to the latter practice.