Dear All,

I've been sitting on Don Cline's message (below) about IRS Computer failures until I could look into this situation further. As of 9/8/99, I

have heard from two colleagues (in TX and UT) that they have also received typewritten letters from the IRS within the last 8 days, both letters requesting information that the IRS should have already had in its database. I have no personal experience beyond this information, but I believe that it's significant enough to pass along.

Jen

"On Sep 05, Don Cline wrote:"

As significant as the Waco revelations may be, Chris Stark has raised the question of why now? Why not a year and a half ago, when the information first (allegedly) became available? He ties it, tentatively, to the candidacy of George W. Bush, Jr.

I consider it far more likely that it is a smokescreen to distract the media from what may be the biggest story of all: It appears the Internal Revenue Service is "down".

So far I have about a quarter-ton of anecdotal evidence to indicate the IRS computers are either down across the board or, alternatively, they have simply lost access to their taxpayer database. The latest indication arrived yesterday in the form of a typewritten letter on blank paper (no IRS letterhead; no standard IRS computer format) advising me (without going into details) that "It will take us about three weeks to retrieve (the information you request) together with any audit reports."

This is the third manually-typed letter I have received from the IRS in the last month.

The information I requested should be staring them in the face from their computer screen. It _was_ staring them in the face from their computer screen, along with several other pieces of information they still haven't picked up, prior to July 1st, which was the beginning of their fiscal year 2000. Since July 1st, they have claimed to have no record of it -- I had to provide them with copies. And now they want three weeks to retrieve the information I just gave them.

The anecdotal evidence does not derive entirely from _my_interaction with the IRS. Ever heard of the IRS returning a check to a known "tax protester"? It has now happened to an individual in New Mexico, with the comment that the IRS "has no record" of any tax liability involving that individual.

Numerous contacts with the IRS by other people with whom I am in communication have resulted in what amounts to pure-dee "stonewalling". The IRS has no information about someone; the taxpayer has to provide the information the IRS should have already had, and then the IRS comes back with a dismissive answer designed to keep the taxpayer on hold for another three-four weeks. This appears to be a holding operation, as though the IRS is waiting for some other element to position itself, as though "when TSHTF what we do here won't matter any more".

The Department of Justice may also be "down", or otherwise distracted: My lawsuit against the IRS had a hard deadline for the Department of Justice last Thursday. They failed to meet it. They failed to call me and request an extension. I haven't heard from them.

The IRS being down, if it is down, is a you-bet National Security Issue. I figure the "STUFF" is going to hit the FAN sometime within the next 30 seconds to 30 days. WACO is being used as nothing but a temporary distraction, in my view, to keep us from paying attention.

Keep your powder dry.

Don Cline

-- Tax Girl (taxgirly2K@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999

Answers

Maybe it is really "down", but aren't screw-ups and inefficiency the SOP of this agency ? Aren't there years worth of similar anecdotes (missing files, "we'll get back to you", wrong info etc.) from the past ?

-- Count Vronsky (vronsky@anna.com), September 14, 1999.

Please help me on this matter. How does this help me (please put things into context) as I finish my preparations. ie., should I speed up things even faster than I already am (I can to some degree).????? Thanx

-- thomas saul (thomas.saul@yale.edu), September 14, 1999.

"should I speed up things"? YES

-- BiGG (supersite@acronet.net), September 14, 1999.

1st the rain & wind--then the hurricane.thanks for the warning sen. bennet.---but only 3 day,s NOT.1 a domino--2 a domino.

-- I SEE IT. (dogs@zianet.com), September 14, 1999.

Well, I don't know that IRS may not be having some problems, but I do know they are not "down", nor have they lost their taxpayer database. I have, within the past few weeks, received two letters from IRS in Utah (incidentally, computer-printed forms)that indicate they certainly do have my info in their database...correctly, too! Wish they would lose just a bit of it, though :-(

-- RUOK (RUOK@yesiam.com), September 14, 1999.

If you still think you are subject to and liable for income taxes, wake up!
http://www.ottoskinner.com
http://www.edrivera.com

-- A (A@AisA.com), September 14, 1999.

Tax Girl: Do you like to mudwrestle?

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.com), September 14, 1999.

http://www.taxgate.com/

Using due process of law, they haven't lost a case yet (I'd say thats a good track record), because the IRS cannot and will not take a case to trial if due process is sited.

-- OR (orwelliator@biosys.net), September 14, 1999.