On Sunday's Meet the Press, moderator and former Senate Democrat staffer Chuck Todd parroted the kind of talking points you frequently hear from those in support of tyrannical regimes: if you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about. Todd put his own spin on that while interviewing Florida Republican Congressman Byron Donalds about the looming debt ceiling deadline. Todd took issue with Republicans wanting fewer IRS agents as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling.
This is where Todd absurdly claimed that taxpayers have nothing to fear about Biden hiring more IRS agents. "I have never understood the resistance of extra IRS agents unless you knowingly cheat on your taxes," Todd claimed.
Donalds didn't take that claim lying down and immediately corrected Todd: "That’s salacious and you know that. Most Americans by far pay their taxes and they do it honorably."
"What House Republicans and frankly the Republican Party is concerned about is having IRS agents go after middle-class families and small business owners," Donalds added. "When you have that many more agents, it's not to go after the rich. It's to go after the middle class. That’s what it's for."
Doubling down on his false narrative, Todd shot back "So if you're paying what you are supposed to pay, then you should have nothing to fear."
"You would make the assumption that IRS audits are up that they’re putting out more liens on the American people. That's not true. That data is not there," Donalds responded.
Todd claiming "should have nothing to fear" from the IRS isn't just being tolerant of potential government tyranny, it's complete ignorance of recent history. The IRS has a long track record of abusing its power for political ends. Giving that agency more agents to audit more American taxpayers isn't something people should tolerate.
This segment on NBC's Meet the Press was made possible by Angi. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript click "expand":
NBC’s Meet the Press
5/21/2023
10:07:57 a.m. EasternCHUCK TODD: But there’s one more thing House Republicans are asking for. Which is they want fewer IRS agents. They want fewer attempts to try to properly get tax receipts into the federal government's coffers. I have never understood the resistance of extra IRS agents unless you knowingly cheat on your taxes.
REP. BYRON DONALDS: First of all, that’s salacious and you know that. Most Americans by far pay their taxes and they do it honorably. What House Republicans and frankly the Republican Party is concerned about is having IRS agents go after middle-class families and small business owners. When you have that many more agents, it's not to go after the rich. It's to go after the middle class. That’s what it's for.
TODD: So if you're paying what you are supposed to pay, then you should have nothing to fear.
DONALDS: You would make the assumption that IRS audits are up that they’re putting out more liens on the American people. That's not true. That data is not there.
