I asked this questions a few years ago and got zero responses. I am really hoping that this attempt will be better.
In the 80’s and 90’s every now and again I would hear horror stories about how the IRS would treat people behind on or delinquent on their taxes. In 1997 there was a Senate hearing which basically confirmed the horror stories. Link 1Link 2Link 3
A few years after that I made a post asking if the hearings made a difference and helped to stop the abuses that were going on. I guess no-one knew or cared, but I’m still curious. So I’ll give this one more try. Did the hearings make a difference?
I’m sorry. But I didn’t want you to get a zero response thread again. Most people, when they don’t know, just don’t post. I’m assuming that was the case before.
Yeah, me too. I haven’t heard any horror stories after the hearings, but to be honest my social circle is smaller than it use to be so if people were/are still talking about abuses I would be less likely to hear about them.
Anyway, I guess I’ll just assume that they no longer primarily target poor people and that they no longer use “Gestapo like” tactics.
I know that there are some who feel what abuses did occur was overhyped by Republicans to get the reform so that audits would be less likely. I don’t really have any evidence one way or the other, but I did find this from the New York Times (Aug. 15, 2000):
MentalGuy, I never head that accusation before. I had heard these stories from average people, like a school teacher of mine, and never gave much though to their political leanings. But hearing the horror stories long before the hearings makes me feel like there probably was at least some truth to it.
Wesley Snipes, is that you? Oh wait, you said they were patient and responsive. Never mind.
