Accountability in Absentia

Dick-Baynton-Print-MugThe venomous IRS misconduct of delaying tax-exempt approval for Tea Party and other conservative groups was termed a local ‘rogue activity’ by employees in the Cincinnati office. Lois Lerner, head of the IRS division of tax-exempt organizations ‘took the 5th’ before a House investigating committee on May 22 and received the penalty of vacation with full pay. The transgression turned out to go all the way to IRS Chief Counsel in Washington, William Wilkins, one of only two Presidential appointees to the IRS.

There is evidence that the IRS provided special information on tax-exempt organizations to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in spite of legal prohibitions against it. Further evidence has surfaced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is receiving pressure to discourage public corporations from supporting independent political organizations. There is no such pressure toward unions. A real threat is that the same IRS executive responsible for delaying and withholding approval for conservative groups will be responsible for implementing Obamacare.

According to the ‘Affordable Healthcare Act’ of 2010, members of Congress and their aides are required to participate in the ‘insurance exchanges’ provided for in the law. Members of Congress and their staffs complained about the increased costs. The President graciously intervened and provided them with taxpayer support of $4,900 for individuals and $10,000 for families. Senators and House members receive $174,000 annual salaries and maintain staffs of about 22. Budget and General Accounting Office staff number about 6,000. That adds up to about 18,300 people at an average of $7,500 for the generous taxpayer subsidy of $137 million for Congressional healthcare.

An announcement from the State Department this week stated that the four workers disciplined with eight months of paid R&R following the Benghazi disaster are back at work. The issue was sent to the Accountability Review Board (ARB) for ‘special’ review. Veteran diplomat Thomas Pickering and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen led the board’s review. Can you imagine a board appointed by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finding anyone culpable and warranting job loss? These are government workers and their jobs are inviolable.

The announcement by Secretary of State John Kerry may signal protection for higher-ups that were AWOL during this disaster. There have been no interviews reported, no names or suspects listed and only an indictment of an anonymous person regarding the Benghazi attack. Perhaps if evidence of a mock investigation is disseminated, interest will wane and the unsuspicious public will go back to watching TV game shows.

The Benghazi tragedy, the IRS debacle, the killing of the Border Agent associated with the Fast and Furious deception and other outrageous failures by high officials in the administration were termed  ‘phony scandals’ by Mr. Obama. The comment was made during a speech at Knox College in Illinois on July 24 and has been used by Press Secretary Jay Carney along with the words ‘fake scandals’.

The names of those who met untimely deaths on September 11, 2012 in Benghazi were J. Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods. The Border Patrol Agent killed on December 14, 2010 was Brian Terry. Any person who refers to these events causing the needless loss of life as ‘phony scandals’ lacks the moral fiber to be the leader of any nation. It is an insult to loyal citizens to stand by and observe the arrogance of the President, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Press Secretary and other officials who shirk accountability.

Our nation has evolved into two distinct classes, The Elite Political Class and Everybody Else. The Elite Political Class enjoys the benefits of ‘The Blame Game,’ The Cover-up,’ ‘Accountability in Absentia,’ ‘Career Camouflage’ and ‘Riposte Rhetoric.’ One half of Everybody Else pays the taxes to support The Elite Political Class and the other half of Everybody Else.

– Dick Baynton

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Related Articles