Is it just me or is the media doing everything to hype up this IRS scrutinizing Tea Party issue?

[Tony_FLADEM]

We don't even know everything that happened and the media is acting like this is the biggest scandal since Watergate. I'm not a tax expert but are groups applying to be tax exempt supposed to get no scrutiny? If most of the groups applying for tax exempt status are conservative it seems if you apply logic most of the scrutinizing would be of conservative groups since there are more of them.

[Skittles]

1. it's not you

[Tx4obama]

2. The head of the IRS, Douglas Shulman, when targeting happened was appointed by Geoge W. Bush

Our Democrats on TV need to be getting that fact out to the public 24/7

[Cha]

15. YEAH! And, Social Media Needs to RAMP IT UP, too..

Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman, who was appointed by President Bush in 2008 and held by President Obama, left the agency in Nov. 9, 2012. Any pre-election misconduct would have had to occur on his watch. The current acting commissioner is Steven T. Miller -- a permanent replacement has not been nominated.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/rubio-calls-on-irs-commissioner-to-resign?ref=fpblg

Tx

[Unrepentant Fenian]

3. I'm with you on this, they're really hyping it up!

[GoCubsGo]

4. Of course they are.

The very corporations who own most of the media are the ones funding these supposedly not-for-profit groups. It's not surprising at all. In fact, it explains why we are even hearing about it in the first place. How often do you hear about people being investigated by the IRS? Never. I'd bet money some of them got caught, and they're trying to turn it into a big scandal to distract people from what's really going on.

[RedCappedBandit]

20. ++++++

[kentuck]

5. I think most of them know it is a big bunch of baloney...

But they continue to hype the story because it appears the orders are coming from the higher ups??

[Politicalboi]

6. These same people didn't give a rats ass

About ACORN and the GOP dismantling it falsely. I think it's a great idea to monitor "terrorist" and their spending.

[Anansi1171]

7. The scandal pump is primed and the media's running with anything against this Prez.

On it's face it sooo plays into the right's narrative du jour. Just keep your eyes open and watch the distortions and magnifications by commentators and repetition of right-wing talking points by the so-called liberal media.

[magellan]

8. Do you remember the media hype when the IRS audited the NAACP back in 2004?

Me neither. That audit was triggered by complaints from the right that the NAACP had strayed into politics by criticizing Bush**. (Hat tip to Grasswire: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2838618)

It wasn't dropped like a hot potato as the scrutiny of TP groups has been. Bush** didn't jump in and call it "outrageous". That audit went on for TWO YEARS until the IRS concluded that the NAACP hadn't broken any rules.

[Half-Century Man]

9. In legal parlance it's called "poisoning the well"

By making sure that the general public is driven into competing positions about the audits. When/If criminal charges are brought arguments for a change of venue become possible. As it would be a federal case, the argument that, an impartial jury is impossible, would take the verdict to the bench (Judge decides guilt or innocence). Conservative finance groups can't risk a jury.

[emulatorloo]

12. Yes, you nailed it.

[Half-Century Man]

14. Obvious

They are as subtle as Karl Rove in a t-back.





Now get rid of that visual.

[Just Saying]

10. But wait! I thought the MSM was liberal?!?

I couldn't believe how excited the reporter I saw was about this story. And let us not forget these are the same people that said nothing while the last regime lied us into wars, failed to get BinLaden, spied on Americans, etc.

[emulatorloo]

11. It is what they do. Amplifying Republican Talking Point rather than Fact-checking them

It makes me ill.

[corkhead]

13. NPR this morning only paused from the story long enough to do Bengazi! Bengazi! Bengazi!

[Cha]

17. Benghazi!!111

[Cha]

16. You know why? RAT-INGS.

[lpbk2713]

18. As usual, the MSM lets the GOP define the issues of the day.

They assume if the GOP wants to know then the whole country wants to know.

The shit never changes.

[CBHagman]

23. You know, I agree with that.

The media really bought into the coordinated smears on Al Gore and John Kerry. Negative campaigning is treated as a narrative rather than what it is, propaganda.

Then there's the way the media acts as though Republicans own fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and excellence in international diplomacy when in reality there are massive and recent GOP failures in all those areas.

[Savannahmann]

19. What if?

What if is a dangerous game, I know that. But let's take a minute and imagine if the IRS was targeting groups with a progressive agenda. We would be tearing up sidewalks. Especially if they were demanding information that they had no legal right to.

The principle we as Liberals, should be pushing, is one of equality before the law. According to the IRS IG report, as referenced on ABC news, there was no equality. The IRS was going after groups based upon their beliefs. That is so unconstitutional that it boggles the imagination.

Now, I am not a fan of the Tea party, or any of their off shoot splinter groups. I am a huge fan of the Constitution, and I am an enormous fan of the bill of rights. What I am concerned about is this. We could lose the White House in 2016. If we don't stop this crap now, fire those who did it, and bust down to dogcatcher those who knew about it, and ignored it, then we all could well suffer in a few years. Then if we aren't careful, we could have it entrenched as understood, that political power means you get to harass and violate the law to get those who disagree with you.

I want to defeat the Tea Party. But I want to do it fairly. I want to show their ideals are at best, seriously flawed, and at worse, plainly idiotic. I do not want to see the Government targeting groups based upon beliefs, because if we let that happen, we'll be the next targets. We've already seen that crap, with the House Un-american Activities investigation led by McCarthy. Let this crap go on, and you'll see that again, and again we'll be the targets in the future depending on how the next election goes.

[FSogol]

21. Sounds like a good time to announce that FSogol is now tax exempt.

No one should investigate whether this is true or not. Accept it!

[bemildred]

22. That's what they do, isn't it? One scandal or crisis ends, they trot out the next one.

No more debt limit or budget deficit crisis, the economy taking off like a new Ford, so we move on to the next soap opera, with the Mighty Wurtlitzer blaring on all channels 24x7.

[Iliyah]

24. They are not covering

nothing about obstruction from the GOP nor what the sequester have done. Corporate media.