Broken Budgetary Process Part I

Somehow or another, a clause was secretly inserted into the Appropriations bill just passed that would allow the appropriations committee to look at tax records.

There are two problems with this.

1. The clause doesn't contain the privacy rules that other committees have when engaged in IRS oversight. Evidently the Senate Finance committee and the House Ways and Means committee have this language. They also have direct oversight responsibilities on the IRS. Without the privacy clauses that ties the hands of Congress when investigating the IRS, information can be released without recourse.

2. NO ONE WILL ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LANGUAGE!!!!!

Rep Ishtook is the sub-committee chair that is responsible for IRS funding. But he keeps saying it was the IRS that came up with the language. However, isn't his and his staff's job to make sure the wording is correct. Talking Points Memo has a piece on this issue.

I'm really sick and tired of the blame game that goes on in Washington.