	Reprinted from www.libertylobby.org, home of The SPOTLIGHT archive
Home About us Archives Search Links Support us Contact us Books	Big Brother Ducks for Cover The uproar against the Internal Revenue Service is so strong, politicians and the mainstream media have to take notice. By Andrew Arnold Years of persistence by patriots paid off October 21 when Republicrats in Washington announced the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will have to assume taxpayers are innocent under new guidelines expected to be in place next year. Republicans in Congress were taking bows for this breakthrough as The SPOTLIGHT went to press. After House Minority Leader Rep. Dick Gephardt (R-Mo.) joined the movement the White House was left with no option but to jump on the anti-IRS bandwagon. "I'm glad President Bill Clinton has completely changed his position." said Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas). Archer chairs the House Ways and Means committee. But the real heroes of this fight are people like you: those who have petitioned Congress for years demanding fairness from revenuers. You educated politicians and editors about IRS abuses. Then you forced fence-sitting politicians to take a stand. The result was an increase in pro-taxpayer rhetoric and much-publicized Senate hearings on IRS tactics earlier this year. Some America-first lawmakers heard you long ago. Rep Jim Traficant (D-Ohio), for instance, introduced a bill in 1995 that would have shifted the burden of proof from the taxpayer tot he IRS (SPOTLIGHT, May 1, 1995). At the time, IRS Commissioner Margaret Richardson, a Clinton Appointee, told Congress making the government prove taxpayers were guilty would "undermine the federal income tax system." Mrs. Richardson called the burden of proof a fundamental principle that underlies the tax system. What a difference a couple of years can make. "Too many Americans are losing faith in our tax system," Gephardt said after supporting the reform effort. "Today we are striking a blow for reform." Liberty Lobby, publisher of The SPOTLIGHT, has opposed the federal income tax for 42 years. In 1977, Jim Tucker, then editor of the newspaper, testified about IRS abuses. This testimony had a role in Congress passing the Taxpayers Bill of Rights in 1989. Several of the recommendations Tucker made are now being pushed by mainstream pols.

Reprinted from www.libertylobby.org, home of The SPOTLIGHT archive

Big Brother Ducks for Cover

The uproar against the Internal Revenue Service is so strong, politicians and the mainstream media have to take notice.

By Andrew Arnold

Years of persistence by patriots paid off October 21 when Republicrats in Washington announced the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will have to assume taxpayers are innocent under new guidelines expected to be in place next year.

Republicans in Congress were taking bows for this breakthrough as The SPOTLIGHT went to press. After House Minority Leader Rep. Dick Gephardt (R-Mo.) joined the movement the White House was left with no option but to jump on the anti-IRS bandwagon.

"I'm glad President Bill Clinton has completely changed his position." said Rep. Bill Archer (R-Texas). Archer chairs the House Ways and Means committee.

But the real heroes of this fight are people like you: those who have petitioned Congress for years demanding fairness from revenuers. You educated politicians and editors about IRS abuses. Then you forced fence-sitting politicians to take a stand.

The result was an increase in pro-taxpayer rhetoric and much-publicized Senate hearings on IRS tactics earlier this year.

Some America-first lawmakers heard you long ago. Rep Jim Traficant (D-Ohio), for instance, introduced a bill in 1995 that would have shifted the burden of proof from the taxpayer tot he IRS (SPOTLIGHT, May 1, 1995).

At the time, IRS Commissioner Margaret Richardson, a Clinton Appointee, told Congress making the government prove taxpayers were guilty would "undermine the federal income tax system."

Mrs. Richardson called the burden of proof a fundamental principle that underlies the tax system. What a difference a couple of years can make.

"Too many Americans are losing faith in our tax system," Gephardt said after supporting the reform effort. "Today we are striking a blow for reform."

Liberty Lobby, publisher of The SPOTLIGHT, has opposed the federal income tax for 42 years. In 1977, Jim Tucker, then editor of the newspaper, testified about IRS abuses.

This testimony had a role in Congress passing the Taxpayers Bill of Rights in 1989. Several of the recommendations Tucker made are now being pushed by mainstream pols.