It’s obvious that Donald Trump is a different president. His divergence from the norm manifests itself in various ways. He’s even broached the possibility of eliminating the Internal Revenue Service. Count us among the tens if not hundreds of millions of Americans who wish him godspeed if he chooses to dissolve this truly abusive agency.
Trump’s IRS commissioner nominee, Billy Long, whose appointment passed another hurdle Tuesday, might give us a little more insight into Trump’s plans for the IRS. Long, a former Republican House member from Missouri, cosponsored more than a decade ago a bill that would abolish the IRS and enact a national sales tax administered primarily by the states.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed in February that Trump wants “to abolish the Internal Revenue Service.” The president also ordered the halt of the hiring of 87,000 new IRS employees that the Biden administration wanted to sic on Americans.
During the second Obama term, ABC News noted that the “IRS has long history of political dirty tricks,” with presidents using “the agency as a weapon against political enemies.” The story ever-so-lightly touched on the administration’s targeting of conservative groups that opposed Barack Obama’s policies. In this particular instance of corruption, “the former president used the Exempt Organizations division of the IRS to delay or deny the approval of tax-exempt status for more than 100 new organizations between 2010 and 2012,” explains taxpayer advocate Dan Pilla.
This taxing power of the IRS has:
- Destroyed “individual freedom in health insurance” through Obamacare.
- Invaded our privacy.
- Denied due process (“The IRS engages in many summary judgments, and enforces them prior to any judicial determinations,” says the Cato Institute’s Chris Edwards).
- Shifted the burden of proof to the accused.
- Produced a horrifying system in which taxpayers are required to pay in full the alleged tax, penalties, and interest before a jury trial, a guaranteed constitutional right, can be requested.
- Permitted it to conduct unreasonable searches and seizures using its authority under the tax code “to obtain records of every description from any person without showing probable cause and without a court order,” says Edwards.
- Violated the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination by requiring Americans to file tax returns under penalty of perjury. “Citizens face a legal dilemma,” Edwards says. “On the one hand, refusing to file a return would expose a citizen to prosecution for failure to file. On the other hand, disclosing information sought in tax returns constitutes a waiver of Fifth Amendment protections.”
- Created an antagonistic and often hostile relationship between the federal government and the American people it’s supposed to serve, not subjugate.
The IRS is also a thief, stealing time and economic opportunity. According to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation:
- “The average 1040 filer now faces $290 in out-of-pocket costs and spends 13 hours preparing a return.
- “Taxpayers will spend an estimated 7.1 billion hours complying with the tax code for Tax Year 2024 – equivalent to $316 billion in lost productivity based on private sector labor costs.
- “Americans will face at least $148 billion in out-of-pocket expenses for filing, including tax software and professional services – bringing the total compliance burden to $464 billion, just shy of last year’s record.”
The Tax Foundation estimates total compliance costs are a $546 billion drag on the economy, nearly 2% of GDP.
A national sales tax would greatly reduce Washington’s power to destroy. So would a low-rate flat income tax, though less so. Tariffs could also replace the income tax, but only if the size of government were radically slashed (which would be a welcomed development).
Of course the government would still need a revenue collecting agency, but it would not have to be the cruel behemoth that exists today. A new agency would be leaner, not as mean, and far less political. This should be another 80-20 issue, with only the worst among us on the 20% side.
Issues & Insights was founded by seasoned journalists of the IBD Editorials page. Our mission is to provide timely, fact-based reporting and deeply informed analysis on the news of the day – without fear or favor.
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Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. EU Targets Russia With Sanctions, Lower Oil Price Cap - UPI
The European Commission unveiled its latest in a series of sanctions against Russia targeting energy exports, infrastructure, and finances.
The measures aimed at pressure on Moscow to end Russia's war in Ukraine include a proposal to lower the current $60 oil price cap to $45 per barrel and a ban on using the Nord Stream pipelines between Germany and Russia. "Oil exports still represent one-third of Russia's government revenues," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a news conference in Brussels, Belgium.
2. Magura V7 Advances Ukraine’s Drone Capabilities - TIPP Insights
Kyiv has advanced its drone capabilities with a new sea drone that, unlike earlier models designed to ram warships with explosive charges, is now equipped with missiles, enabling it to target aircraft.
3. New Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic Visits Ukraine For First Time - UPI
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will mark his first-ever official visit to Ukraine on Wednesday since he took the presidency nearly eights years ago to take part in a European summit.
Vucic will pay a one-day visit to Serbia's war-torn northern neighbor, where he will participate in the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in Odesa, the Serbian presidential office announced. European political experts say Vucic's presence signals an EU-realignment for Serbia, which has largely remained neutral, with respect to Russia's full-scale invasion and war in Ukraine.
4. Russian Lawmakers Authorize Creation Of National Messaging Service - RFE/RL
Russian lawmakers passed legislation to set up an official chat platform—"a multifunctional information exchange service"—similar to WhatsApp.
The new service would let Russians use it for various bureaucratic or legal purposes, such as signing electronic signatures to legal documents. The legislation doesn't specify if the new app should be government-run.
For years, Russian authorities have chafed at the presence and independence of major technology and Internet companies like Microsoft, Facebook, YouTube, and similar tech giants, many of which are U.S.-based.
5. Trump Says U.S.-China Deal 'Is Done' - BBC
President Trump said that, subject to final approval from President Xi Jinping and himself, the U.S. will get the rare earth metals it needs, while Chinese students can take up their places at American colleges.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, the president said: "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me. Earlier, the U.S. and China said they had agreed in principle a framework for de-escalating trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies.
6. China Increases Presence In Brazilian Ports - UPI
Its latest move in Latin America was the acquisition of a 70% stake in Vast Infraestructura, which operates the Port of Açu's only private transshipment terminal for very large crude carriers in Rio de Janeiro.
The $714 million deal puts China Merchants Port Holdings, or CMPort, in charge of a vital asset for Brazil's energy exports, as nearly 30% of the country's crude oil passes through Açu. In 2018, CMPort - one of the world's largest port operators and a Chinese government-backed company - acquired 90% of TCP Participações, which operates South America's largest container terminal at the Port of Paranaguá.
7. China Fighter Jet Has Near Miss With SDF Patrol Plane: Japan Gov't - Kyodo News
The Japanese Defense Ministry said a Chinese military aircraft had a near miss with a Japan Self-Defense Forces patrol plane over the high seas in the Pacific, flying just 45 meters away after taking off from a moving aircraft carrier.
The warplane from the aircraft carrier Shandong also made other dangerous maneuvers, such as flying across the front of the SDF aircraft, on Saturday and Sunday, the ministry said, adding that the government lodged a protest with China and demanded an end to such flights.
8. Pope Leo XIV Names First Chinese Bishop, Signalling He Is Continuing Vatican's Accord - A.P.
Pope Leo XIV made his first appointment of a Chinese bishop under the Vatican’s 2018 agreement with Beijing, signalling he is continuing one of Pope Francis’ most controversial foreign policy decisions.
The Vatican expressed satisfaction that Leo’s nomination of Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan as auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou was recognized by Chinese authorities. Pope Francis had riled conservatives when he approved a deal in 2018 over bishop nominations, which had been the most divisive issue in Vatican-China relations since diplomatic ties were severed when the Communists came to power.
9. EU Tells Israel To Reverse Move To Cut Off Palestinian Banks - AFP
The EU urged Israel to undo a move by a far-right minister that threatens to paralyze Palestinian financial institutions.
Israel’s Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich had announced Tuesday that Israel had canceled a waiver allowing its banks to work with Palestinian ones. The Palestinian financial and banking system is dependent on the regular renewal of the Israeli waiver. It protects Israeli banks from potential legal action relating to transactions with their Palestinian counterparts, for instance in relation to financing terror.
10. U.S. Image Takes A Blow In Many Nations — Study - D.W.
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the United States has seen a marked drop in popularity in many countries during President Donald Trump's second term.
The survey, carried out in 24 countries, showed overall ratings of the U.S. falling in 15 countries since last spring. Mexico, Sweden, Poland, and Canada displayed the biggest increase in negative views. Opinions about the U.S. in the UK, Greece, Hungary, South Africa, Argentina, and India showed little change.
11. Iran Threatens To Strike U.S. Bases In Region If Military Conflict Arises - Reuters
“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us ... all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said during a weekly press briefing.
The planned sixth round of Iran-U.S. nuclear talks is due this week, with Trump saying negotiations would be held on Thursday while Tehran says they will take place on Sunday in Oman.
12. Trump Says ‘Less Confident’ About Iran Nuclear Deal - Reuters
President Donald Trump said he was less confident that Iran would agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal with Washington, according to an interview released.
When asked if he thought he could get Iran to agree to shut down its nuclear program. “I don’t know. I did think so, and I’m getting more and more — less confident about it.” In the podcast interview, Trump said Iranians seem to be using delaying tactics. Trump repeated that the U.S. would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, whether or not a deal is reached.
13. Iran Widens Dog Walking Ban, Targeting Pet Owners Across The Country - RFE/RL
Iranian authorities have significantly widened a ban on walking dogs in public, extending restrictions from the capital, Tehran, to at least 18 cities nationwide, including major urban centers such as Esfahan, Hamedan, Ilam, and Kerman.
The move builds on a 2019 police directive that first prohibited dog walking in Tehran and now encompasses bans on transporting dogs in vehicles and, in some cases, the closure of pet shops and unauthorized veterinary clinics.Dog ownership and walking have long been contentious in Iran, particularly since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Many religious authorities regard dogs as "unclean" and symbols of Western cultural influence.
14. South Korea Turns Off Propaganda Loudspeakers To North - BBC
The suspension of the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border to North Korea comes a week after South Korea elected its new president Lee Jae-myung, who had campaigned on improving inter-Korean ties.
Pyongyang considers the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts an act of war and has threatened to blow them up in the past. They were paused for six years but resumed in June last year in response to Pyongyang's campaign of sending rubbish-filled balloons across the border to the South.
15. Cuban Internet Price Hikes Restrict Daily Life - UPI
Internet price hikes of up to 800% have sparked student protests in Cuba led by the Federation of University Students.
Students and professionals across the island say the hikes – implemented by the state-run telecommunications company ETECSA – are severely disrupting academic work, research and public health services. The new rates have made basic Internet packages unaffordable for many. A 3GB plan now costs $19, while the average monthly salary in Cuba is $14.
16. First View Of The Sun's South Pole Filmed By Spacecraft - BBC
The first ever video and images of the Sun's south pole have been sent back to Earth by the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter spacecraft.
The new images will enable scientists to learn how the Sun cycles between periods of raging storms and quiet times. This is important because intense solar activity can affect satellite communication and knock out power grids on Earth. The new images show a shimmering bright atmosphere which in parts reaches temperatures of a million degrees Celsius.
17. Childhood Trauma Linked To Higher Risk Of Endometriosis In Adult Women - UPI Health
A new study found that women who, as children, experienced substance abuse, had a teenage or mentally ill parent, financial problems or a death in the family were linked to a 20% increased risk of an endometriosis diagnosis compared to women who had not been exposed.
The study published in the British medical journal Human Reproduction builds on earlier findings that women who experienced physical and sexual abuse as children had a 79% higher risk of developing the painful condition, which affects one in 10 reproductive-age women in the United States.
