WP Bill Gives Lawmakers Access to Tax Returns

[Pirate Smile]

WASHINGTON - Congress passed legislation Saturday giving two committee chairman and their assistants access to income tax returns without regard to privacy protections, but not before red-faced Republicans said it was all a mistake and would be swiftly repealed.

The Senate unanimously adopted a resolution immediately after passing a 3,300-word spending bill containing the measure, saying the provision "shall have no effect." House leaders promised to pass the resolution next Wednesday.

-snip-
Some Democrats didn't accept the assertion that the provision was a mistake and demanded an investigation.

"We weren't born yesterday, we didn't come down with the first snow," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. "This isn't poorly thought out, this was very deliberately thought out and it was done in the dead of night."

-snip-
Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the measure will "bring us back to the doorstep to the days of President Nixon, President Truman and other dark days in our history when taxpayer information was used against political enemies."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1160-2004Nov20.html

[Dinger]

1. So This Is A Done Deal?

My tax info, among other things if "fair game"?

[JohnnyCougar]

3. No...it's not

They found out some Congressman from Oklahoma stuck it in there on purpose, and it will be taken out.

[shesemsmom]

2. I thought they agreed

to table the bill until December, at least that portion of it

[Pirate Smile]

4. I couldn't include the entire article - here is more.

"The spending bill covering most federal agencies and programs will not be sent to President Bush until the House acts on the resolution repealing the tax returns language.

"There will be no window where this will be law," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said. He referred to the provision as the Istook amendment and congressional aides said it was put in the bill at the request of Rep. Ernest Istook Jr., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's transportation subcommittee."

I always trust them, don't you? You never know what those Republican "staffers", oh, I mean Istook will do. Who the hell is that guy?

I like this quote from Stevens "... Do I have to get down on my knees and beg," he said.

[shesemsmom]

5. Yes

thanks...that was what I thought I heard. I thought there was gonna be a fist fight a time or two lol

[Pirate Smile]

6. It was entertaining for a while.

I like the WP headline anyway. The Repukes should be on the defensive. People should be scared.

[usregimechange]

7. Oops, it just fell in the bill, sorry.. BS nt

[justgamma]

8. I wonder how many Pubs stood against

like Grassley did? I think this was a test to see what they could get away with. Or it could be a red herring. We get that taken out and the abortion part gets left in.

[Voltaire99]

9. Bringing back "the dark days" of President Nixon

I would expect selective audits, firings, and other mischief will be on the horizon as the more eager elements of the right begin to flex their muscle.

Time for the Democratic Party to fight, or become irrelevant. And when I say fight, I don't mean John Kerry-style "healing" and "unity."

[Moderator]

10. DUplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1009068