The Asheville Tea Party, Inc. joined other groups today in a nationwide protest in front of IRS offices. Chair Jane Bilello claimed the group experienced some of the targeting that has told Americans what the current administration thinks about the First Amendment. Bilello said the organization lost its 501(c)(3) status and was told it would have to file as a 501(c)(4), but the paperwork never arrived. Since 2009, the organization had been filing as a 501(c)(3). The IRS even accepted the organization’s filing fee therefor this year.

Bilello does not exactly consider the organization to be political. It attempts to educate the public about such radical, white wingnut cases as what was running through those misogynist, racist founders’ minds when they spoke of liberty and justice for all; the justification for the laughable attempt to restrain tyrants known as the Constitution; silly American traditions like separation of powers, checks and balances, personal liberty and responsibility; and other things that would probably break twitter or facebook if anybody were so misguided as to try to post.

Radical threats to our American way of life, pursued by ATP and appropriately silenced by holy IRS obstructionism include:

  • Elimination of all earmarks and “pork projects” from federal legislation and an enforceable commitment to transparency
  • Elimination of all bailouts and “stimulus”
  • Adoption of a simple, Constitutional system of taxation
  • Reduction of corporate income tax rates
  • A national debt reduction plan with measurable goals
  • Elimination of the Federal Reserve Bank’s practice of printing new currency
  • Commencement of an audit of the Federal Reserve Bank
  • Adoption of an energy policy based upon free market principles.

After reading that list, I am surprised the IRS viewed the ATP as a threat. They should have encouraged them to pursue an audit of the Fed, as if the Fed isn’t powerful enough to find guys to hide things from auditors. Furthermore, I have heard of no plan to transition from a national income tax to a “Fair Tax,” without causing catastrophic unemployment necessitating even greater welfare doles. With today’s doublespeak, the last bullet point could be construed to be a transfer of the energy sector to the government, which is what they want.

Actually, I’m just jealous because the IRS did not count me worthy of the same treatment.