From The Reader Comments

FredMarshall1937 said...

"Here's what you have to understand. When you don't file your tax return, we send you a notice telling you we haven't received it. If we don't receive it within 30 days, then we look at your file and see how much we THINK you MIGHT owe. Then we inflate it, quadruple it, whatever, and send you a notice showing the inflated amount. The idea is to scare the pants off you and get you to come on in and take care of business." - (Name Withheld), Revenue Officer, Atlanta District, IRS, June 1997, as audio recorded by me.

"So, let me get this straight. If you look at the record and you THINK I MIGHT owe, say, $2,000, then you send me a bill for $8,000?"

"Yes, or $20,000. We just want to get you to get yourself into compliance by filing a 1040."

"But if I fail to file even then, and you decide to indict me for failing to file, does the indictment show the $2,000 I owe, or does it reflect the $8,000 or $20,000?"

"Oh, if we have to indict you, it'll probably be $65,000."

This man had no clue he was being recorded. We were in the parking lot standing by my car. We had started with a conversation about Vietnam (we had both served there) and he had given me his card (which I have preserved in case I ever need to verify his fingerprints on it).

The American public has no idea what a runaway rogue agency the IRS really is. I videotaped the Senate hearings in 1997 and 1998 from the C-SPAN coverage, and what the current IRS employees testified to will curl anyone's toes. Several Senators told other witnesses (tax payers with horror stories) that they wished they could help, but that they had no control or influence over the IRS.
What more does it take to convince people that the IRS is NOT a U.S. Government agency?

Look at any form or pamphlet or letterhead of the IRS and you will not see "United States" on any of them anywhere. Look at anything from the United States Customs and you will ALWAYS see "United States" or "U.S." But not with the IRS. You'll see "Department of the Treasury" but you will NEVER see "Department of the Treasury of the United States."

Wonder what would have happened if Ed Brown had cross-examined the first IRS witness against him and asked "Please identify, for the jury, the principal for whom you are acting as agent here today, and remember you are under oath so a wrong answer constitutes PERJURY."

I'd love to hear the mumbling that would follow. The IRS witness could not have answered that one.

Thanks to FredMarshall1937 in the reader comments.