Identity Theft No Excuse for Not Paying Your Taxes

Semi-News/Semi-Satire ^ | 7 July 2012 | John Semmens

[John Semmens]

The problem of identity theft is growing. In 2011, the IRS reported that more than 600,000 taxpayers were affected. This is more than ten times as many as 2008—the last year under the Bush Administration. Nonetheless, the Obama IRS isn’t showing any mercy for people whose identities have been stolen

“Just because your identity has been stolen doesn’t excuse you from paying your taxes,” said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. “You are still liable for taxes on the amount of income shown in our records.”

The amount shown in the IRS records for you may be a problem, though. Identity thieves using your Social Security number boosts the amount of income reported under that number, pushing you into a higher tax bracket. The IRS wants the taxes due on this higher income.

“It’s not the government’s fault that your identity was stolen,” Geithner insisted. “Why should the government be penalized for your mistake? By law, the government is entitled to a specified share of every dollar earned no matter what the source. We intend to get that share and will do whatever it takes to ensure that we do.”

Geithner argued that “holding the victims of identity theft responsible is fiscally prudent. Our first priority is to secure funds for the government’s use. Besides, if we let taxpayers off the hook for tax liabilities resulting from identity theft they might not be sufficiently motivated to correct the problem. So, in a way, we are helping to stimulate people to take better care of their personal data.”

if you missed any of this week's other semi-news posts you can find them at...

http://constitutionclub.org/2012/07/07/semi-news-a-satire-of-recent-news-26/

[SES1066]

For this to be satire, it has to push beyond the boundaries of the real world, i.e. Gulliver and Lilliput. Therefore, this is NOT satire, this is merely being ahead of the official regulations.

[FlingWingFlyer]

ROTFL! Brought tears to my eyes. When satire and the truth collide...

[ReformationFan]

But Senator Reid says taxation is “voluntary”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6q0slMhDw8

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This is merely a mandate for individuals to enforce feral tax law against people who steal their identities.

This is merely prudent fiscal policy.

Why should the feral government waste its resources enforcing the law, when they can get identity theft victims to do it for them.?

[fini]

It really is getting harder to determine satire from reality.