IRS 'Weaponization': Suddenly a Problem When Trump Does It?
The story signals alarm bells over Team Trump's proposed changes at the IRS, claiming it would make political targeting easier. Conveniently overlooked is the historical precedent: Richard Nixon's administration famously used the IRS against political enemies, as documented by Senate Watergate investigations. More recently, critics on the right have alleged similar targeting during the Obama
administration (though fact-checked with less clarity), while progressive watchdogs continue to question how the IRS disproportionately audits low-income individuals versus wealthy tax evaders. The concern about weaponizing federal agencies appears to wax and wane with who occupies the Oval Office, offering a striking display of selective outrage. One might wonder where this impassioned defense of
federal agency neutrality was when other administrations faced similar accusations. It seems the 'weaponization' alarm only blares loudly when it's a political opponent's hand on the trigger, rather than a systemic issue inherent to unchecked executive power. Perhaps the real problem isn't just who wields the club, but that the club exists.