Democrat's IRS spying scheme is a point of contention for Joe Manchin

Senator Joe Manchin

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WVa.) spoke out against a financial plan offered by his party that would have enabled the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect data on the inflow or outflow of American citizens' financial transactions.

The provision first surfaced as part of the Democrats' $3.5 trillion reconciliation plan. To assuage moderates' fears, Democratic leaders and classification members have feverishly pitched the package as actually settled for, with no significant impact on the budget or federal debt.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, “This surveillance program crosses a line,” calling the program “un-American.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that Democrats “want to finance their spending spree by effectively treating every ordinary American as if they were under IRS audit.”

Manchin angrily rejected the initiative during a meeting of the Economic Club of Washington on Tuesday. Manchin believed that the IRS should be reinforced significantly. Manchin pushed on the reconciliation bill.“The IRS is going to be able to do the job that they’re supposed to be doing.”

Manchin's resistance to his party's spy scheme basically kills the bill before it ever gets off the ground. Because of their sharp one-vote Senate control, Democrats cannot risk anything short of complete party support for the final bill.

26 Oct 2021