How Tax Cheats Are Using Your Money to Fund Republicans (AlterNet)

[marmar]

How Tax Cheats Are Using Your Money to Fund Republicans

By Lucy Komisar, AlterNet. Posted April 17, 2007.



When it comes to tax cheats, the government has been vocal about catching the little guys but hasn't mentioned the big-time frauds, like Swift Boat financier Sam Wyly, who happens to be a top-tier Republican contributor.

Every year, just before Tax Day, the Internal Revenue Service conducts a dog and pony show to demonstrate how it is cracking down on tax cheats.

Routinely, the IRS focuses on stories that involve crooked tax preparers and small-time taxpayers who try to erase a few hundred and occasionally even a few thousand dollars from their bills.

This year was no exception. At a press conference on April 3, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson announced civil injunction suits against five corporations in Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago and Raleigh that are franchises of Jackson-Hewitt, the nation's second-largest tax preparation firm, which the IRS accused of routinely faking returns for some of its 100,000 clients.

Jackson-Hewitt is a quickie, low-fee operation. The IRS says stores accepted false W-2s and faked data to get clients the earned-income credit for the poor. The amount underpaid through returns prepared by 125 stores was estimated at $70 million.

While the story made national headlines, the government targeted an operation that catered to little guys, the poor and lower middle class. However, they failed to mention some big-time tax cheats whose fraud was much greater, but who happen to be top-tier Republican contributors. What the press conference should have announced was: "Swift Boat" financier Sam Wyly cheated the U.S. of at least $300 million in taxes." And, "The money that paid for the "Swift Boat" campaign was your money!"
...(snip)...

For Democrats concerned about national health insurance and social welfare, blocking offshore tax evasion belongs at the top of the domestic agenda. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus ought to call hearings to move S-681 down the legislative track.

The next Democratic president needs to sign the bill. He or she also must get America's G-8 partners to agree to end access by nontransparent financial centers to the world's major banking systems. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/story/50645/

[formercia]

1. This is why the shift in priorities at Justice

pulling investigators off of White Collar Crime. Junior knows this is his base and they will continue to fund his agenda as long as the federal Government stays off their backs.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. kick kick, and triply kicked.

White Collar criminals are definitely making our local communities more hostile environments.

[formercia]

3. This is also why we can't elect a Corporate Lackey

as our next President. The party would go on forever. We need someone who can put a stop to this abuse.