PolitiFact calls U.S. Rep. Martha McSally’s recent claim comparing the number of IRS employees vs. the number of people dedicated to “countering violent extremism” in America “mostly false.”
A revenue agent, the research service told McSally, “typically is an accountant who audits and examines the tax returns of individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt entities to determine whether they are meeting their tax obligations.”
In other words, the work of the 10,000 IRS agents is much broader than merely checking whether a taxpayer improperly claimed a tax deduction for making a charitable donation.
It’s also not necessarily surprising the number is as high as it is, given that millions of people and entities file federal income taxes. And only a federal agency, not state or local authorities, would be involved in auditing federal returns.
That’s in contrast to the approach taken in countering violent extremism.
Now for the second part of McSally’s claim — that there are fewer than two dozen people “focusing on countering violent extremism” in America, which isn’t exactly the same as fighting terrorism.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, citing a White House strategy document on countering violent extremism, says violent extremists are “individuals who support or commit ideologically-motivated violence to further political goals.”
So, countering violent extremism is an effort to prevent such violence.
We asked for more clarification from Amy Pate, research director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland. She said: Think of a 20-year-old, marginalized, radicalized American who one day shows up at the airport with a ticket to fly to Turkey and join ISIS.
Countering violent extremism is aimed at preventing that sort of thing from occurring. It’s done through a variety of outreach and education programs, social media and other efforts, aiming to get down to the local and even the individual level — such as showing parents how to spot whether a son or daughter might be becoming radicalized.
“The more local it is, the more successful it’s going to be,” Pate told us.
Indeed, the White House strategy document, issued in 2011, outlines how the federal government will “support and help empower American communities and their local partners in their grassroots efforts to prevent violent extremism.”
The White House also said, in February 2015, that “communities provide the solution to violent extremism; and CVE efforts are best pursued at the local level, tailored to local dynamics, where local officials continue to build relationships within their communities through established community policing and community outreach mechanisms. The federal government’s most effective role in strengthening community partnerships and preventing violent extremism is as a facilitator, convener, and source of research and findings.”
In other words, unlike auditing federal tax returns, which is done at the federal level, countering violent extremism has a federal component but is designed to be an effort that is spread out throughout the country.
You could say that McSally was engaging in a bit of rhetorical flourish for the sake of emphasizing the importance of increasing the effort against ISIS’ push to recruit operatives to act in the United States as they did in Paris earlier this month.
And the IRS is certainly an easy target, given that it’s hated by so many Americans.
But you’d think that McSally would be less hostile to the idea of making sure Americans pay their tax bill.
Unlike many of her Republican congressional colleagues, McSally has expressed a desire to see the federal government spend more, at least in Southern Arizona, McSally’s career and education has been funded by the federal government, both during her admirable military service and now while she is in Congress.
And without federal tax dollars, you couldn’t add more people to the fight against terrorism.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2015.
Her comment is dead nuts on the money
Sorry but I’m stuck on….”if you like your doctor……you will be able to keep your doctor.”
Mostly false or calculated lie by the President?
I’m stuck on how her “her admirable military service and now while she is in Congress.” seems to fit the definition of “violent extremists are “individuals who support or commit ideologically-motivated violence to further political goals.””
The main problem with the IRS is not that there are too many employees (which is true) but that they are being used by left wing political appointees to suppress conservative voters.
Even the President called this a scandal until his far Left supporters called him to heel by pointing out that the people committing these crimes were his own appointees. Recall that initially the White House blamed this on low level IRS agents in one city (Cleveland I recall). After this initial statement Obama changed his mind, or “evolved” once again and now maintains nothing wrong was done. This abrupt turnabout is derigueur for our President who is not embarrassed at all by his own inconsistencies.
If the IRS code was not almost 74 THOUSAND (to be exact 73,944) long we would not need 10,000 IRS agents and the Feds could spend more money protecting and not harassing American taxpayers.
The POTUS will do whatever George Soros tells him to do. Right now it’s “destroy America.” Can’t wait to see what next year brings.
Frank, apparently you missed the whole investigation which found an equal amount of liberal groups investigated. It took time to learn what was going on.
Dan Hyde, you do realize that all donations are reported and that Soros gave very little to President Obama? He gave 45 million to fight George W. being re-elected which was the most he has given in a long to any candidate.. Compare that to the Koch brothers billion. Look up these facts please. Also read the whole history of the Koch brothers and Soros. THe Koch brothers should scare all.
Yes, you could say Ms. McSally IS engaging in “rhetorical flourish” but since there is no reason to say such a thing why engage in such rhetorical flourish?
Guardians, Koch Bros are capitalist. That scares George and the socialists. So all donations are reported? Just like all emails are saved on PCs? Come on, let’s not be naive.
Guardians, Apparently you missed the fact that Lois Lerner’s Blackberry and hard drive were destroyed. Kind of odd to do that when she had nothing to hide.
As to your assertion that both conservative and liberal groups were targeted is absurd and even the FBI and DOJ investigation found evidence of “mismanagement and poor judgement”. What do you think that refers to? Stealing paper clips from the office?
They could not prove she was a crook because a lot of the evidence had been destroyed. What a surprise!
Finally a Special Investigator should have been appointed but this will never happen will it.
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has recognized George Soros’s Open Society Institute and another affiliated organization as undesirable groups, banning Russian citizens and organizations from participation in any of their projects.
https://www.rt.com/politics/323919-soros-foundation-recognized-as-undesirable/
In Russia Soros has been promoting capitalism and property rights, all the while working in the US to fund opposition to and destruction of, it. Go figure.
Frank Stagg is correct. The IRS had illegally targeted conservative groups and denied or delayed, for years, approving 501c3 and c4 requests.
She should be prosecuted.
Whether it’s a Soros or Koch, do you feel like you have a democratic say in how America should operate?
Regardless of who the IRS is “Focusing” their efforts, do you feel like this government entity has the best interest of the people, and no corporations, in mind?