What I’m about to say is going to sound insane, even coming from someone admittedly of the liberal persuasion, but here goes: Politics aside (if that’s possible), I’m not convinced that the IRS is an inherently evil institution. While many of us no doubt have various (and differing) opinions on how the tax structure should change, it occurs to me that, in my own experience in dealing with the IRS on behalf of myself or others over the years, and in the experience of more than a few friends and colleagues, IRS staff typically have been polite, competent, solutions-oriented and sometimes even empathetic.

I know no one at the IRS and am as inclined as the next person to have concerns about tax policy – and am at least as inclined as most to abhor dealing with money issues. Still, I wonder if we might be well-served by at least questioning the easy, less-than-thoughtful vilification of an agency that most of us would agree does a necessary job.

As I said, crazy talk.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

This musing actually is dated, but remains apt….Between recently learning of Mario Cuomo’s death, again seeing Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and having the usual new year aspirations, I guess I need get moving on that whole “living a life of meaning” thing. (No pressure there.)

Or, perhaps, maybe I should abandon that whole earnest do-gooder quest and sleaze it up like Jimmy/Saul. After all, if Atticus Finch can morph into a regressive racist, maybe I’ve still got a chance of getting rich representing drug dealers or, egads, some equally heinous entity – like BP or their ilk.

Who knows, maybe it’s not too late to attain bobble-head status!