Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups • Hacker News Board

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#11

Post by ryanisinallofus » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:15 PM UTC

temphn wrote: post #6

jbooth wrote: post #4

I wonder if this was an intended consequence of cutting IRS funding or whether those doing the cutting literally didn't think about it beyond "fuck'em!". And now I'm wondering which scenario is more dissapointing.

Why is the response to incompetence to increase funding? Incompetent businesses go out of business, they don't get more money. Others could do this job better - assuming we even want the job being done. The US became one of the most powerful nations in the world without any IRS for its first hundred plus years, gaining most of its revenue through tariffs rather than taxes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariffs_in_Unit…

"without any IRS for its first hundred plus years"

And rivers caught on fire, slavery was rampant, women couldn't vote, children died in factories. Don't romanticize history.

The idea may work, it may not. It's certainly my favorite libertarian idea after ending the drug war. But don't "look back to the good old days" like they were better. They weren't.

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#12

Post by jpdoctor » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:21 PM UTC

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #8

If huge corporations are hiding parts of their operations under a 501c status it SHOULD be looked into. Don't fall into the trap that Tea Party members fell into. This is not a scandal. Don't cry about it. No big deal.

It's a bit bizarre honestly. Operations are all deductions, and so write off against revenue. Why would somebody take expenses off they P&L?

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#13

Post by superuser2 » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:26 PM UTC

LaSombra wrote: post #3

Which is interesting since they use open source software.

Tax-exempt status is a privilege created by Congress for which some FOSS groups don't happen to qualify, despite the organizations' beliefs that they do. "Targeting" is a misleading word here - the IRS isn't trying to shut these groups down, it's just paying more attention to whether or not they have to pay taxes like everyone else.

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#14

Post by samatman » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:28 PM UTC

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #11

temphn wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is the response to incompetence to increase funding? Incompetent businesses go out of business, they don't get more money. Others could do this job better - assuming we even want the job being done. The US became one of the most powerful nations in the world without any IRS for its first hundred plus years, gaining most of its revenue through tariffs rather than taxes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariffs_in_Unit…

"without any IRS for its first hundred plus years" And rivers caught on fire, slavery was rampant, women couldn't vote, children died in factories. Don't romanticize history. The idea may work, it may not. It's certainly my favorite libertarian idea after ending the drug war. But don't "look back to the good old days" like they were better. They weren't.

Unless you're relating the end of slavery, women's suffrage etc to the founding of the IRS, this is a fallacious argument. It's perfectly reasonable to imply or outright state that some things worked better in the past.

I consider 19th century architecture objectively superior to that of the 20th century. You may disagree, but cholera is not relevant to that discussion.

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#15

Post by adestefan » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:29 PM UTC

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #8

If huge corporations are hiding parts of their operations under a 501c status it SHOULD be looked into. Don't fall into the trap that Tea Party members fell into. This is not a scandal. Don't cry about it. No big deal.

People complain that government doesn't do a good enough job, but then people complain when government tries to do a better job.

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#16

Post by pekk » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:34 PM UTC

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #8

If huge corporations are hiding parts of their operations under a 501c status it SHOULD be looked into. Don't fall into the trap that Tea Party members fell into. This is not a scandal. Don't cry about it. No big deal.

Strangely, "no big deal" is only the top post when it concerns open source. When it concerns the Tea Party, the top post is some political rant.

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#17

Post by pekk » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:35 PM UTC

superuser2 wrote: post #13

LaSombra wrote: post #3

Which is interesting since they use open source software.

Tax-exempt status is a privilege created by Congress for which some FOSS groups don't happen to qualify, despite the organizations' beliefs that they do. "Targeting" is a misleading word here - the IRS isn't trying to shut these groups down, it's just paying more attention to whether or not they have to pay taxes like everyone else.

"Targeting" was a misleading word with regard to the Tea Party groups, too. IRS wasn't trying to shut them down, it was just paying more attention to whether or not they have to pay taxes like everyone else (including groups with certain forms of political activity)

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#18

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:44 PM UTC

jpdoctor wrote: post #12

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #8

If huge corporations are hiding parts of their operations under a 501c status it SHOULD be looked into. Don't fall into the trap that Tea Party members fell into. This is not a scandal. Don't cry about it. No big deal.

It's a bit bizarre honestly. Operations are all deductions, and so write off against revenue. Why would somebody take expenses off they P&L?

[deleted]

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#19

Post by PencilAndPaper » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:45 PM UTC

adestefan wrote: post #15

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #8

If huge corporations are hiding parts of their operations under a 501c status it SHOULD be looked into. Don't fall into the trap that Tea Party members fell into. This is not a scandal. Don't cry about it. No big deal.

People complain that government doesn't do a good enough job, but then people complain when government tries to do a better job.

The key word being "tries". they need to be a bit more effective with their trying (if indeed they are trying to do good things).

Re: Why the IRS is Targeting Open Source Software Groups

#20

Post by ryanisinallofus » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 6:48 PM UTC

samatman wrote: post #14

ryanisinallofus wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"without any IRS for its first hundred plus years" And rivers caught on fire, slavery was rampant, women couldn't vote, children died in factories. Don't romanticize history. The idea may work, it may not. It's certainly my favorite libertarian idea after ending the drug war. But don't "look back to the good old days" like they were better. They weren't.

Unless you're relating the end of slavery, women's suffrage etc to the founding of the IRS, this is a fallacious argument. It's perfectly reasonable to imply or outright state that some things worked better in the past. I consider 19th century architecture objectively superior to that of the 20th century. You may disagree, but cholera is not relevant to that discussion.

Most 19th century architecture is completely unfeasible to build today. If only we had more of those non-union wage slaves to build are elaborate monuments like the good old days!

Dubai has that now I guess.