At tax time, both the Post and the NYT looks at efforts to crack down on tax cheating. The Post tells us that "Unpaid Taxes Tough to Recover."
The NYT tells us that increases in IRS auditing efforts have been focused on middle class taxpayers. It also reminds us that the IRS does nearly 600,000 audits a year of people reporting income of less than $25,000. The main target of these audits is improper claims for money under the Earned Income Tax Credit. The maximum possible haul from this sort of fraud is $4,600, if a person claims the maximum credit and is actually entitled to nothing.
I’m writing to you today with a sense of urgency that I haven’t felt since I began my journalism career. As executive editor of The American Prospect, I’ve witnessed firsthand how independent journalism serves as a crucial bulwark against the erosion of our democratic institutions. Today, that role is more vital than ever. Can you step up today and show your support?
The winds of authoritarianism are blowing stronger. We’re seeing alarming signs of a coordinated effort to silence critical voices and undermine the very foundations that support progressive causes. As Bob Kuttner presciently wrote in our August 2024 issue, a weaponized IRS could attack the very foundations of the progressive movement. We need readers to step up and help us dig in for the long haul.
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–David Dayen, Executive Editor
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