Commentary by, Peter Ripley.
Once again all this week the ongoing partial government shutdown was the lead headline in news outlets. I was going to make comments on how this shutdown would hamper taxpayers getting their refund from the IRS, since the IRS offices are closed. But, low and behold the IRS issued the following press release earlier this week. . .
IRS Confirms Tax Filing Season to Begin January 28
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-confirms-tax-filing-season-to-begin-january-28
WASHINGTON ― Despite the government shutdown, the Internal Revenue Service today confirmed that it will process tax returns beginning January 28, 2019 and provide refunds to taxpayers as scheduled.
“We are committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive their refunds notwithstanding the government shutdown. I appreciate the hard work of the employees and their commitment to the taxpayers during this period,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.
Congress directed the payment of all tax refunds through a permanent, indefinite appropriation (31 U.S.C. 1324), and the IRS has consistently been of the view that it has authority to pay refunds despite a lapse in annual appropriations. Although in 2011 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed the IRS not to pay refunds during a lapse, OMB has reviewed the relevant law at Treasury’s request and concluded that IRS may pay tax refunds during a lapse.
The IRS will be recalling a significant portion of its workforce, currently furloughed as part of the government shutdown, to work. Additional details for the IRS filing season will be included in an updated FY2019 Lapsed Appropriations Contingency Plan to be released publicly in the coming days.
“IRS employees have been hard at work over the past year to implement the biggest tax law changes the nation has seen in more than 30 years,” said Rettig.
As in past years, the IRS will begin accepting and processing individual tax returns once the filing season begins. For taxpayers who usually file early in the year and have all of the needed documentation, there is no need to wait to file. They should file when they are ready to submit a complete and accurate tax return.
The filing deadline to submit 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019 for most taxpayers. Because of the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 15 in Maine and Massachusetts and the Emancipation Day holiday on April 16 in the District of Columbia, taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17, 2019 to file their returns.
Software companies and tax professionals will be accepting and preparing tax returns before Jan. 28 and then will submit the returns when the IRS systems open later this month. The IRS strongly encourages people to file their tax returns electronically to minimize errors and for faster refunds.
Editor's note: And that was the only press release issued from the IRS since Dec. 21st.
Tuesday evening the President addressed the nation defending the need for the wall along the border of Mexico...
President Donald J. Trump’s Address to the Nation on the Crisis at the Border
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trumps-address-nation-crisis-border/
Text of message:
THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans: Tonight, I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border.
Every day, Customs and Border Patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them, and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.
America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation. But all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled, illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our southern border. More Americans will die from drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam War.
In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings. Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we don’t act right now.
This is a humanitarian crisis — a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.
Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States — a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico. Women and children are the biggest victims, by far, of our broken system.
This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration on our southern border. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.
My administration has presented Congress with a detailed proposal to secure the border and stop the criminal gangs, drug smugglers, and human traffickers. It’s a tremendous problem. Our proposal was developed by law enforcement professionals and border agents at the Department of Homeland Security. These are the resources they have requested to properly perform their mission and keep America safe. In fact, safer than ever before.
The proposal from Homeland Security includes cutting-edge technology for detecting drugs, weapons, illegal contraband, and many other things. We have requested more agents, immigration judges, and bed space to process the sharp rise in unlawful migration fueled by our very strong economy. Our plan also contains an urgent request for humanitarian assistance and medical support.
Furthermore, we have asked Congress to close border security loopholes so that illegal immigrant children can be safely and humanely returned back home.
Finally, as part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall. This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. It’s also what our professionals at the border want and need. This is just common sense.
The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year — vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress. The wall will also be paid for, indirectly, by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico.
Senator Chuck Schumer — who you will be hearing from later tonight — has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past, along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected President.
Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis. And they have refused to provide our brave border agents with the tools they desperately need to protect our families and our nation.
The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security.
My administration is doing everything in our power to help those impacted by the situation. But the only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and re-opens the government.
This situation could be solved in a 45-minute meeting. I have invited Congressional leadership to the White House tomorrow to get this done. Hopefully, we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security.
Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences, and gates around their homes? They don’t build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized.
America’s heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien, who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country.
Day after day, precious lives are cut short by those who have violated our borders. In California, an Air Force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia, an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading, and dismembering his neighbor. In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old girl.
Over the last several years, I’ve met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I’ve held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices, and the sadness gripping their souls.
How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?
To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken?
To every member of Congress: Pass a bill that ends this crisis.
To every citizen: Call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.
This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.
When I took the Oath of Office, I swore to protect our country. And that is what I will always do, so help me God.----Thank you and goodnight.
( watch video from CSPAN)
White House fact sheet: President Donald J. Trump Calls on Congress to Secure our Borders and Protect the American People.
THE CRISIS FACING OUR COUNTRY: We are facing a growing national security and humanitarian crisis at our Southern Border.
This crisis is only worsening as 2,000 inadmissible migrants arrive at our border every day and overwhelm our immigration system.
We do not have the resources needed to hold them, and legal loopholes and activist court rulings prevent authorities from promptly returning them.
Immigration courts are overwhelmed, with a backlog of over 800,000 cases.
We must secure our border to protect our communities and make sure no more Americans fall victim to crimes committed by illegal aliens.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested 266,000 aliens with criminal records in the last two years.
This includes aliens charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, nearly 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings.
Deadly drugs are flowing across our borders, taking far too many American lives.
300 Americans die every week from heroin, 90 percent of which comes across our Southern Border.
We are facing a humanitarian crisis as human smugglers exploit our immigration system for profit and drive migrants to make the treacherous journey north to the border.
1 in 3 migrant women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek to the border.
20,000 migrant children were illegally smuggled into the country last month alone.
RESOURCES NEEDED: The Trump Administration has requested additional funds relative to the Homeland Security funding bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The Administration has requested $5.7 billion for construction of approximately 234 miles of new steel barrier on the Southern Border, a $4.1 billion increase over the Senate bill.
To protect our communities, the Administration requested $675 million to deter and detect narcotics, weapons, and other materials crossing our borders.
Among the Administration’s requests for more resources are:
$211 million to hire 750 additional Border Patrol agents
$571 million for 2,000 additional ICE personnel
$4.2 billion for 52,000 detention beds, personnel, transportation, and detention alternatives
$563 million for 75 additional immigration judges and support staff
TIME TO ACT: President Trump is calling on Congress to fulfill their duty to the American people and finally take action to secure the border.
The President is calling on Congress to stop the political games and come together and address the crisis we are facing.
Congress has a responsibility to protect the safety and security of the American people and it needs to meet that responsibility by providing the funding needed to secure the border.
Congresswoman Pelosi ( Speaker of the House) responded to the President's address:
Pelosi Statement on Democrats' Continuing Actions to Re-Open Government
San Francisco – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on Democrats' continuing actions to re-open government:
"While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for 'years', Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers.
"Next week, House Democrats will begin passing individual appropriations bills to re-open all government agencies, starting with the appropriations bill that covers the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. This action is necessary so that the American people can receive their tax refunds on schedule. The certainty of the tax returns of hard-working families should no longer be held hostage to the President’s reckless demands. This bill will then go to the Senate where it has already been passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.
“The senseless uncertainty and chaos of the Trump Shutdown must end, now."
https://pelosi.house.gov/news/press-releases/pelosi-statement-on-democrats-continuing-actions-to-re-open-government
(see video clip from C-SPAN)
Editor's Note: Apparently, the democrats in Congress doesn't buy Trump's defense of the wall. So how does the rest of the nation feels? The following are some news reports about the presidential address:
PJ MEDIA: Bye-bye, Twitter. Trump Immigration Speech a Good Move
PATRIOT POST: Border Wall: Monument for the People, Not Pols
THE HILL: Five takeaways from Trump’s Oval Office address.
Boston Globe: We’re doing American Carnage!’: An immigration lawyer hate-watches Trump’s speech
Washington Times: Trump hits all the right notes in border speech.
WORLD NEWS HEADLINES
(From the UN News center)100 years on, UN labour agency mission focussed on growing inequality, says Director-General
As it celebrates its centenary year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) must help to tackle inequality in the world of work through the efforts of its 180-plus members, said Director-General Guy Ryder on Wednesday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1030062
Madagascar: UN chief commends leaders, State institutions following ‘historic milestone’ election.
Following a run-off election for the Presidency of Madagascar which saw former leader Andry Rajoelina declared the winner on Tuesday, the UN chief has commended all those who contributed to the “peaceful and orderly” voting process that began at the end of November.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1030032
DR Congo: Ebola response resumes despite ‘risky environment’
Despite a precarious security environment and continuing pockets of mistrust on the part of affected populations, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Tuesday that all Ebola-affected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province are now accessible to health workers.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1030052
THE COMMITTEES: ‘All roads lead to the Fifth’
At the United Nations, there is a popular saying – all roads lead to the Fifth – the “Fifth” here is the General Assembly’s main Administrative and Budgetary Committee, where all financial and programme matters concerning the UN system, are discussed. In this feature series on the work of the General Assembly, the UN body made up of all 193 Member States, UN News gives you an inside look at the critical work of the Fifth Committee.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1029982
UN Chief ‘strongly rejects’ Guatemala decision to expel anti-corruption body.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has “strongly rejected” the Guatemalan Government’s decision to unilaterally terminate the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an independent body set up by the UN and Guatemala to investigate illegal security groups and high-level corruption in the country.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/01/1029962
IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION:
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WE THE PEOPLE
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is a bias, ill educated outspoken member of Congress, that just supports a radical hateful agenda, not for "We The People". The agenda of Alexandria is to work against, and not with the GOP, and to literally "dance" and take her job as a light entertainment "gig" that gives her a title, housing, and a large paycheck.A 30 year old adult, does not get to coddle herself, present herself as a victim, and use unbecoming language, nor "dance" on Twitter. She engages with a "hate group" which goes against the Constitution, and bullies members of Congress like Steve Scalise & our President, with actual hate speech. We cannot allow for Congress to conduct themselves in this manner, ever. She needs to be removed. (petition link)
I signed this petition, I agree anyone who shows disregard to our Constitution, and shows incompetence doesn't belong in congress.
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