Tax Collection

The rich and super rich not only benefit from tax cuts, loopholes, and subsidies that their lobbyists, tax lawyers, and accountants have secured for them, a study estimates that they also get away with not paying over $100 billion in taxes per year that they owe. Corruption on this scale gives would-be tax cheats the impression that violating the law is tolerated. When corruption is perceived as being normal, it spreads. We need a well-managed and well-funded IRS to enforce the tax laws. Underfunding the IRS promotes cheating, breeds cynicism, erodes faith in government, and tends to run up the government’s annual deficit.