The Washington Post recently highlighted that the IRS is in a state of turmoil, with effects beginning to manifest in the day-to-day functioning of the agency. A decrease in the staff by fifty percent is in progress, causing a tangible drip in the level of phone service. IRS employees are found to be idling, standing in line to access commonly shared computers instead of delivering prompt service, thanks to the Department of Government Efficiency’s demands for constant updates. Sadly, not every IRS worker has been provided with their own computers, contributing to this inefficiency.
Taxpayer interactions in response to the weakened state of the workforce have started to display noticeable changes. IRS receipts, including both already-paid taxes and dues from tax returns that have been filed, have showcased a dramatic fall compared to the corresponding period during the last fiscal year.
The argument around staff reductions leading to an optimized IRS is, in truth, subject to serious questioning. With fewer hands on deck to address calls and emails, the delivery of taxpayer services is undoubtedly headed for a decline. The prospect of delayed reimbursements is starkly real, and will effectively translate into a significant blow to the common people.
Worst of all, less efficient tax collections signify a drop in government revenue. Considering the fact that government expenditures are far from being in check, the fiscal deficit we’re dealing with is only poised to deepen if the situation persists.
NPR’s Michel Martin aimed a probing question at Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar, regarding Mahmoud Khalil. She asked whether criticizing the government can be deemed a reason for deportation. Unfortunately, Edgar did not have any specific answers to her pertinent question.
Martin didn’t let go easily, pressing Edgar on the concrete behavior of Khalil that has led the government to consider his removal from the country. However, all that Edgar managed to offer was a nebulous statement about Khalil allegedly fostering anti-semitism at his university.
He averred that Khalil was endorsing terrorism, though he left her query about the explicit nature of the ‘terrorist activity’ that Khalil was said to be supporting unanswered. Martin was keen on unravelling the minimum standards that must be met for a legal permanent resident like Khalil to face deportation.
She tried multiple times to understand from Edgar whether any form of government criticism might render a person susceptible to deportation. But sadly, Edgar showered her question with nothing but incessant evasiveness.
Turning back the clock to the grim moment when the national emergency declaration for COVID-19 reached its five-year mark, it’s been a bleak chapter in the nation’s history. This anniversary sparks a contemplation as to how leaders were far from successful in their management of the situation.
One such name, California Governor Gavin Newsom, seemingly has no distinct plans to honor this momentous, albeit grim, occasion. Not quite the statesmanship we’d expect in times of turmoil.
When one looks at the happenings in New York, particularly their failed tryst with marijuana legalization, questions arise about what went horribly wrong. The ramifications are hard to overlook and the city’s leadership failure is all too visible.
Refreshingly, a new documentary promises to shed light on the situation, offering insights that would be much appreciated by the general public. One would hope that it succeeds in highlighting the trials and tribulations brought on by misguided policy decisions and leadership failures.