Re:Tax preparation industry alarmed over plan for IRS free t...
by XorNot on Friday March 31, 2023 @03:25AM
(#35383787)
Questioning why agents of any government department that does field work might need to be armed, in the US, land of "buy a gun at Walmart" seems like an odd take, when you have people open carrying to go to Starbucks.
Re:Tax preparation industry alarmed over plan for IRS free t...
by midoridensha on Friday March 31, 2023 @05:11AM
(#35384447)
No, I think it's just because of an overall lack of centralization and the tendency for US federal agencies to continue to grow in power instead of coordinating with other agencies, resulting in a massive amount of duplication of functions and capabilities.
In a well-designed government, the IRS would not have any armed agents. If they have an operation where they need armed support, they'd simply call up some other agency (perhaps the FBI, or even local police or SWAT teams) that specializes more in armed agents and operations, and partner with them to conduct the operation. IRS agents don't need to shoot at people; they can let some other highly-trained people do that, and then come in after the bullets have stopped flying and seize documents and analyze them.
Historically, it makes plenty of sense. Financial crimes can’t always be solved behind a desk - there was a time when most tax evasion investigations were against gangsters running illegal liquor operations, for example. Al Capone was arrested by treasury agents, not the FBI.
Whether it still makes sense in 2023 is another question that I’d never really thought about until this moment, but my knee jerk reaction is…maybe it does? Hoover taught us what happens when you concentrate too much power in a single law enforcement agency.