Power corrupts...

... and absolute power corrups absolutely.

This is a big deal.

Think that the Patriot Act put a damper on your civil liberties? The Patriot Act is small potatoes compared to this provision of the omnibus appropriations bill that was just approved by the Senate:

"Hereinafter, notwithstanding any other provision of law governing the disclosure of income tax returns or return information, upon written request of the Chairman of the House or Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service shall allow agents designated by such Chairman access to Internal Revenue Service facilities and any tax returns or return information contained therein."

The Republicans just got caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

What assholes.

Of course, this is symptomatic of the larger problem that has plagued congress for years. The bills they vote on are too large, too complicated, and rushed to the floor too quickly for anyone to have a clear understanding of what it is that they are expected to approve. This is the same problem that we had with the Partiot Act. No one had really read the whole thing. About all your representatives ever saw was a summary of a summary of a summary of a summary.

This has to end.

Write your congress-critter and tell them what you think.