Some things politicians do are offensive no matter which side of the political divide they reside. The letter I recently received from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a prime example. Inside was a two-sided letter from President Biden – or Presidente Biden if you flipped it over to the Spanish side. It was on a cheesy facsimile of White House stationery.
First of all, putting a letterhead of the White House in an IRS envelop is a bit of a fraud. This was an open letter from Biden on White House stationary. The format and the content were not the normal fare of the tax collecting agency. In fact, it is a bit unnerving to get a letter from the IRS. They are not known for their warm holiday greetings. Although I have no issues with the IRS – nor them with me – I was a bit unnerved. When I saw what was inside, I was … to use the expression … pissed off.
Now before I jump all over Biden’s sagging posterior, we need to remember that President Trump did the same thing one year ago. Both the Trump and Biden letters amounted to political bragging – one step short of campaign material.
The IRS explains that the letters were sent out to confirm the address to which stimulus checks were sent. Of course, that could have been done without a mass-produced letter from the President. And even that excuse seems weak since there was no response card to correct an address. If the stimulus check went to a wrong address, so did the Presidents’ letters.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki took the indefensible position that the letter was NOT about President Biden, but simply good information for the public. Anyone who received and read the letter would know that Psaki told a big fat lie – a whopper.
The IRS letter starts out with self-praise. “… I signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a law that will help vaccinate America …” Is that an IRS issue?
Biden writes about the direct payments of $1400 – and $600 in December. Though the $600 was during the Trump administration, Biden claims credit for the entire $2000. “This fulfills a promise I made to you …”, he wrote.
Biden later writes, “When I took office, I promised the American people that help was on the way. The American Rescue Plan makes good on that promise.”
Are you keeping in mind that – according to Psaki – none of the IRS letter has anything to do with Biden?
To give the communication a scintilla of legitimacy, Biden expresses hope that the recipient has already received their money from Uncle Joe … ooops … I mean Uncle Sam. But if not, Biden provided a number you can call if you have a problem. I did. It only deals with stimulus checks – but does so in the same manner the IRS handles all calls. You get a recorded message and told to call again later … and later …. and later. Or you can go to the IRS website to be ignored via the Internet.
The letter includes Biden’s plans for future economic gifts to we the people. He talks about getting kids back in school. If this did not come through the IRS on White House stationery, we might have mistaken this letter for a political fundraising request – or a get-out-the-vote piece.
There is a notable difference between the Trump letter and the Biden letter. Last year, the anti-Trump news media got all over Trump for abusing the IRS. This time, they are either echoing Psaki’s bovine stuff or ignoring the subject altogether.
I just happen to be a person whose political principles are not malleable depending on which side does something wrong. I think it is wrong … wrong … wrong … for an administration to put presidential braggadocio in an IRS communication. I know it is not illegal, but I still see it as a vulgar abuse of both the IRS and the White House stationery – and a waste of taxpayer money.
So, there ‘tis.