The Power to Destroy

by William V. Roth Jr.

The IRS is one of the most powerful agencies in the U.S. government, and since its founding it has been plagued by accusations of abuses of power. In 1997 Senator William Roth spearheaded the most extensive reform effort in IRS history, resulting in the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring Bill, which passed the Senate 97-0 on May 7, 1998. Designed to increase taxpayer protections, provide oversight of the agency's managers and employees, and open up the culture of secrecy that has come to characterize the modern tax-collecting agency, the legislation has ushered in a new era in income tax.

In The Power to Destroy, Senator William V. Roth, Jr., offers a behind-the-scenes account of a story that has captivated America. He outlines a brief history of how the IRS became a law unto itself and how it has destroyed the lives of ordinary Americans -- many of whom will never recover from their experiences. The horror stories from taxpayers and agency employees that Roth's investigation uncovered elicited a public outcry that demanded immediate action, from Capitol Hill to the White House, and Roth details how these stories translated into specific initiatives that served as the foundation for the actual restructuring legislation.

Genres: Law, History

290 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

Reviews

[William Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I not only read but wrote.