Why the IRS

Author: Nicci Little

On August 9, Americans were stunned at the news of the raid at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. This story broke just two days after the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act. While all eyes were focused on President Trump, the Inflation Reduction Act was continuing its journey through congressional process. H.R. 5376 passed along party lines according to GovTrackUS.com.

Of the several points within the 273-page bill, a provision for the expansion of the IRS’s including armed agents. How does that fight inflation? Why would the IRS need its own force instead of working with local law enforcement or in partnership with state and federal enforcement agencies? Who does the IRS serve?

Historically the American spirit has been against taxes except in cases such as war and defense. On the IRS’ own website, the history of the IRS is proudly displayed, but the timeline does not dig into the political history surrounding the 1913 ratification of the 16th Amendment or FDR’s New Deal or finally July 9, 1953’s official date of creation.

From 1783 through 1817 Congress did enact taxes to pay for defense and war specifying goods to be taxed to offset debt which could cripple the fledgling nation. However, those levies and taxes had expiration dates. In 1817, Congress repealed all current and outstanding taxes. In 1862, President Lincoln issued a measure to pay for the Civil War while also establishing a permanent place for internal revenues as needed by the People. In 1872, Congress repealed this branch of the Department of Treasury.

In 1894, Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act which essentially passed a 2% tax on households making over $4,000 per year accounting for 1% of the population at the time. This act was the first time Congress passed a peacetime tax on American families which also abolished tariffs on foreign products such as coal, ore, wool, iron, and lumber. Sound familiar? Dropping tariffs from foreign traders like China and increasing taxes on The People? SCOTUS felt the same when in 1895 Pollock vs Farmer’s Loan ruled against Wilson-Gorman because the tax did not fairly or reasonably apply to all effect parties.

Pollock is overturned in 1913 when the 16th Amendment is ratified stating Congress’ power to lay and collect taxes regardless of appropriation (plan, assignment or distribution), census, and enumeration. In short, Congress can tax the People. At this time labor parties are gaining strength with unions mobilizing support against employers or industries; employment terms including low waters, long hours, and hazardous work environments. It is a time where western society is breaking away from monarchies into various forms of constitutional republics. War is around the corner; industrial world is realizing its limitations and hubris i.e.: Titanic. The Commons are angry and the rich live out of touch realities. Sound familiar?

It is against this backdrop politicians work with economist work together to try to solve this micro/macro issues, but it takes funding. During this period, terms like income, wage, and labor begin to blur. Prior to this period terms income = money from assets; wage = workers exchange time for labor as a good to the employer; labor = actual manual work. The 16th Amendment states that incomes can be taxed. However, during the 1930s under Franklin D. Roosevelt lawmakers began to erode the nuances between income, wage, and labor. In time these 3 words became synonymous to the government which trickled down to the American taxpayer.

Today Progressives like to point out that “the wealthy should pay their fair share.”

What is the “fair share?"

US’s 2019 income revenues were paid 96% by one group taxpayers which is the top half of the population while 3% - 4% is paid by the lower half of earners. Top earners making over 300K per year are paying 35% Federal income tax in addition to the other taxes from state and local revenue departments. Why does the IRS need 87,000 more IRS agents including its own enforcement branch?

Who is the IRS Serving? The IRS is serving Congress as defined in the 16th Amendment. In that vein, Congress should be representing and serving The People. Instead, we have a government who in 2012 targeted conservatives in tax audits, a Congress that sends billions to a country in a war that we have not declared, a border exhausted by invasion of unvetted individuals and bureaucrats that recommended the shut down and silencing of the American People all funded by taxpayer money taken as income by employers to the IRS. It is not a mystery of why some taxpayers are calling for the abolition of the IRS. We did it in 1872, we can do it in 2022. We can also overturn amendments as in the case of the 18th Amendment of which the 21st Amendment deemed the 18th null. Bottom line, together as The People we can do anything.

Our current politicians have overreached, and they are planning to use the IRS among other institutions to continue that overreach. Who has the power to effect change?

We The People.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent those of Resident Skeptics.

Follow Nicci Little at @grkfyre on Truth Social and Gab.

Source Material: Why the IRS

“H.R. 5376: Inflation Reduction Act 2022” GovTrack https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr5376/text (accessed 08.26.22)

“IRS History Timeline” IRS https://www.irs.gov/irs-history-timeline (accessed 08.26.22)

“The Constitution of the United States of America” originally ratified June 21, 1788

XVI Amendment passed by Congress 1909/ ratified by States 1913

“Image of Treasury Department 1864” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.23500400/?sp=1 (accessed 08.27.22)

“1894 Income Tax and the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act” Encyclopedia.com https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/1894-income-tax-and-wilson-gorman-tariff-act (accessed 08.27.22)

“Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act” Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wilson-Gorman-Tariff-Act (accessed 08.27.22)

“Pollock v Farmer’s Loan & Trust Co et. al” Cornell Law School/ Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/157/429

“Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., 157 U.S. 429 (1895)” Justia Supreme Court.

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/157/429/ (accessed 08.27.22)

Siegle, Todd “Labor vs Work Philosophical Ramble” 08/20 In Dark Times. https://medium.com/curious/labor-vs-work-a-philosophical-ramble-1-of-4-69459a9ce563 (accessed 08.28.22)

Anderson, Darrell “Wages vs Income: The Camels Noses Grow” 08.2020 Simple Liberty Org. https://medium.com/curious/labor-vs-work-a-philosophical-ramble-1-of-4-69459a9ce563 (accessed 08.28.22)

Prameet “Free Labor vs. Wage Slarvery” 3/11/21 https://prameetkumar.com/post/645398116372299776/free-labor-vs-wage-slavery (accessed 08.26.22)

“Who Pays Taxes in America in 2019?” ITEP https://itep.org/who-pays-taxes-in-america-in-2019/ (accessed 08.28.22)

Bird, Beverly “Breakdown who Pays Taxes the Most and Least in Taxes” 3/22 The Balance https://www.thebalance.com/breakdown-of-who-pays-most-taxes-4178924 (accessed 08.28.22)