Jeff Duncan: “a few weeks ago Newsweek Magazine had on its cover these words: ``The IRS: Lawless, Abusive, Out of Control.'' Now…”

“a few weeks ago Newsweek Magazine had on its cover these words: ``The IRS: Lawless, Abusive, Out of Control.'' Now, these are not my words. This was Newsweek Magazine, a very mainstream publication. When Newsweek Magazine describes any Federal Agency as lawless, abusive, and out of control, things have gotten pretty bad. But when it is the IRS, an agency that touches all of us so personally, this is an especially horrendous situation. About 85 to 90 percent of the people want us to drastically simplify the Tax Code. There is no good reason why we should have a tax law that is so hopelessly complicated and convoluted and confusing. Yet will we do it? Well, Madam Speaker, do not hold your breath. The IRS would lose much of its power and some extremely big businesses would lose some of their tax breaks. Very powerful interests are fighting tax simplification, so we will probably do little more than just cosmetic changes around the edges.”