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Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

#3

Post by strangeloops85 »

So the White House (where doge sits) has direct access to anyone’s tax returns. I assume this can be used to blackmail or threaten anyone they don’t like?

Imagine the outcry if the Biden White House had tried to do this, especially because Trump has never (to this day!) posted his tax returns..

Re: Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

#4

Post by AnimalMuppet »

strangeloops85 wrote: post #3

So the White House (where doge sits) has direct access to anyone’s tax returns. I assume this can be used to blackmail or threaten anyone they don’t like? Imagine the outcry if the Biden White House had tried to do this, especially because Trump has never (to this day!) posted his tax returns..

Hmm. Tinfoil hat time...

Musk could use this to get Trump's tax returns. That could be blackmail material on Trump. (And the Supreme Court, in the same way.) He could leverage that into getting an even freer hand to do whatever he wants.

Now who's ruling the country? People talked about "President Musk", but that was just sarcasm (we think). But he could use this to really be "the power behind the throne", with money, media clout, and blackmail material on all the office holders.

Is that just tinfoil-hat level paranoia? Or is it what's really going on? (Or, between the two, is it not necessarily what's going on, but still a real concern?)

Re: Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

#7

Post by hooverd »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #4
strangeloops85 wrote: post #3

So the White House (where doge sits) has direct access to anyone’s tax returns. I assume this can be used to blackmail or threaten anyone they don’t like? Imagine the outcry if the Biden White House had tried to do this, especially because Trump has never (to this day!) posted his tax returns..

Hmm. Tinfoil hat time... Musk could use this to get Trump's tax returns. That could be blackmail material on Trump. (And the Supreme Court, in the same way.) He could leverage that into getting an even freer hand to do whatever he wants. Now who's ruling the country? People talked about "President Musk", but that was just sarcasm (we think). But he could use this to really be "the power behind the throne", with money…

Trump is happy to golf and sign EOs.

Musk... Has probably cooked his brain on a combination of stimulants and ketamine and Neo-Nazi Twitter. He's living on entirely frictionless life because of his money and thinks his scions will be the princes of Mars.

Re: Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

#8

Post by Terr_ »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #4
strangeloops85 wrote: post #3

So the White House (where doge sits) has direct access to anyone’s tax returns. I assume this can be used to blackmail or threaten anyone they don’t like? Imagine the outcry if the Biden White House had tried to do this, especially because Trump has never (to this day!) posted his tax returns..

Hmm. Tinfoil hat time... Musk could use this to get Trump's tax returns. That could be blackmail material on Trump. (And the Supreme Court, in the same way.) He could leverage that into getting an even freer hand to do whatever he wants. Now who's ruling the country? People talked about "President Musk", but that was just sarcasm (we think). But he could use this to really be "the power behind the throne", with money…

When Trump illegally "paused" funding for electric vehicle charging networks, I wondered if it was (among other possibilities) an attempt to get some extortion leverage over Musk.

The inner dynamics must be fascinating, even without one of Musk's broodlings telling Trump to shush his mouth on TV.

Re: Musk's DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS

#9

Post by strangeloops85 »

Terr_ wrote: post #5

Missing word: "Illegal" access. Henchmen violating privacy laws is just as illegal as of they were murdering people in the street. There's no "because your boss is a clown" exception.

Political appointees including the IRS commissioner have never had direct access to the system before given its sensitivity. There are likely legal ramifications that will be worked through the courts on this.
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