M A Hossain
In recent statements, Vice President Kamala Harris reassured the American people that her values have remained unchanged. Yet, this assurance, juxtaposed with the Biden-Harris administration’s controversial use of government agencies against political opponents, strikes a concerning chord. With memories of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) political targeting scandals under the Obama-Biden administration still fresh, Harris’ continued expansion of the IRS is a move that raises alarm bells, especially given the agency’s history of mismanagement.
As vice president, Harris played a crucial role in advancing the administration’s economic agenda. In 2022, she cast the tie-breaking vote for the “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA), a piece of legislation that introduced a dramatic expansion of the IRS. Democrats allocated an unprecedented $80 billion to the IRS, allowing the agency to hire 87,000 new enforcement agents. This decision has stirred deep concern, as the expansion of the IRS seems like a curious priority when considering the agency’s troubled past and its potential for abuse.
The IRS has long been criticized for its failure to manage its resources effectively and for engaging in politically motivated actions. During the Obama-Biden administration, conservative groups were unfairly targeted for audits and enforcement actions. The scandal drew nationwide outrage and cast a shadow over the agency, leading to investigations and calls for reform. Under President Trump’s Department of Justice, the IRS was held accountable for these actions, but the lingering distrust of the agency remains.
This history is not lost on those who remember the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon faced impeachment charges, partly due to his efforts to weaponize the IRS against political opponents. The idea that an institution with such a track record could now be granted additional power and resources is, to many, deeply concerning.
Kamala Harris, through her tie-breaking vote for the IRA, paved the way for the expansion of this agency. One of the more controversial initiatives enabled by this expansion is the IRS’ “Direct File” tax filing pilot program. Pushed by far-left figures such as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, this program empowers the IRS to create its own tax preparation software. While proponents argue that this will streamline tax filings, critics point out the inherent conflict of interest in having the IRS both collect taxes and offer preparation services. More importantly, this initiative increases the government’s access to sensitive taxpayer information.
The “Direct File” program poses a significant threat to taxpayer privacy. As the IRS develops its own tax preparation software, the agency is required to gather even more personal data. This creates a dangerous concentration of power in an institution known for mishandling sensitive information. The risk of data breaches is real and present-President Donald Trump’s own private tax information was leaked in 2019, showcasing how damaging such breaches can be.
The larger issue, however, lies in the way the “Direct File” program obscures the reality of how much Americans pay in taxes. By simplifying tax filing processes and issuing refund checks as if they were gifts from the government, the program potentially disconnects taxpayers from the true cost of federal taxes. This dilution of transparency may prevent Americans from understanding how much of their income is actually being taken by the federal government.
While Harris has been actively involved in expanding the IRS, her efforts on border security have been far less successful. In early 2021, President Biden assigned her the task of addressing border security. From 2021 to 2023-during the same period that the IRA was being passed and heralded by the administration-there were roughly 8 million migrant encounters at the US-Mexico border, a staggering 3.5 times higher than during the Trump administration. These numbers underscore a significant failure in addressing the nation’s pressing immigration crisis.
Despite Harris’ claims of supporting increased Border Patrol personnel, her actions tell a different story. With $80 billion allocated to the IRS, critics argue that this money could have been better spent bolstering border security, especially given the influx of illegal immigrants. Tens of thousands of enforcement agents are needed at the border to curb illegal crossings, yet the Biden-Harris administration prioritized IRS agents instead.
By choosing to spend these resources on IRS enforcement rather than securing the border, Harris has drawn criticism from conservatives who argue that she has neglected one of the most critical issues facing the nation. With nearly half of Americans citing illegal immigration as a top concern, Harris’ focus on IRS expansion seems misplaced.
Public perception of the IRS has worsened in recent years, with the agency becoming one of the least popular federal institutions. Independent reports from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) have further compounded these concerns. These reports criticize the IRS for failing to accurately track the true cost of the “Direct File” program and for overstating taxpayer interest in such a system.
As of August 2024, polls indicate that half of Americans hold an unfavorable view of the IRS. This unpopularity, combined with the agency’s history of political targeting and its expanded power under Harris’ influence, creates a troubling scenario for taxpayers. Leading Republicans have been vocal in their efforts to undo the IRS expansion, while conservative groups have long criticized “Direct File” programs as intrusive and unnecessary.
Kamala Harris’ record, from her tie-breaking vote on the IRA to her failure to address the border crisis, reflects a set of priorities that many Americans find concerning. Instead of addressing the nation’s most pressing issues, such as illegal immigration, Harris has focused on expanding an unpopular and mistrusted federal agency. By pouring $80 billion into the IRS and ignoring the border crisis, she has solidified a legacy that, for many, raises questions about her values and leadership.
At a time when the American people are looking for solutions to real problems like illegal immigration, Harris’ decision to empower the IRS sends the wrong message. Rather than ensuring that law enforcement resources are allocated where they are needed most-at the border-she has instead chosen to prioritize an agency with a history of abuse and overreach. As the 2024 election cycle continues, this decision will undoubtedly remain a point of contention for voters concerned about both border security and government overreach.
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