Larry Summers Questions House GOP's Intent To Rescind IRS Funding: 'On What Sane Ground Can They Object To...'

Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers has questioned House Republicans' intent to prioritize ending “unnecessary” federal programs, including cutting down $80 billion in funding for the Internal Revenue Service.

“I just learned @HouseGOP's first initiative may be to protect tax cheats by trying to rescind last year’s investment in IRS modernization. On what sane ground can they object to restoring audit rates for millionaires when they have fallen by ~80% in the last decade?” Summers tweeted.

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At present, the major bottleneck for the Republican-led House of Representatives is the fact that they cannot move ahead unless the new Speaker of the House has been decided upon. The House of Representatives adjourned on Tuesday after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) failed in three consecutive votes to gain enough support to be elected as the Speaker.

Summers further questioned the move by citing former President Donald Trump’s case, asking why funding the IRS looks so difficult.

“Why isn’t giving the IRS money to answer the phones, use 21st-century technology, and collect taxes from cheaters appealing to all but deadbeats? Does today’s Republican Party really believe too much effort goes into collecting taxes from families like the Trumps?” Summers asked in a tweet.

Failed Votes: According to CNBC, the failed attempts mark the first time in a century that the majority party in the House could not elect a speaker on its first vote. The strong opposition to McCarthy from a core group of Republicans expanded over the course of the day, the report said.

Summers added there will always be unethical people, ideas and acts. “What makes all significant ethical failures happen in public and private life is that people who know better won’t rock the boat, and acquiesce. House Republicans know better, and I hope they vote accordingly,” he said.

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Photo: World Economic Forum via Wikimedia Commons