Those of you concerned about the Internal Revenue Service’s information processing and archiving practices should probably be just as worried – if not more so – about the training of their agents who carry firearms. As cnsnews.com relates, “Special agents at the IRS accidentally shot their firearms 11 times between 2009 and 2011, and at least three of the cases ‘may have resulted in property damage or personal injury.’ Agents actually fired their guns accidently (sic) more often than they intentionally fired them in the field, according to an audit by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).” It’s been said that the power to tax is the power to destroy. It seems that our friends, the revenoors, are doing their best to demonstrate the truth in that old adage.
Is it sad that the average gun-loving american can shoot better with less accidents than those contracted by the government?
I would think that with all of the tax money spent of militarizing tax collection, they could at least afford well trained agents. Finger off the trigger, weapons holstered unless someone has actually threatened you! Not difficult.
Wikipedia says there are about 2,600 armed agents in the IRS… more than I thought, so the percentage that have accidentally fired is like .4, though that’s in a 2 year period.
I wonder what the true accident rate would be among non-LE gun owners, seeing as how they probably don’t tend to report discharges as much (if they happen out in the woods, for example).
An ND in the woods is much less serious than in someone’s house.
Not saying it’s good, but government agents absolutely need to meet a higher standard.
If I understand the study, these incidents were only for 597 special agents–from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.–2009 through 2011.
the study is only of offices of less than 1/4 of the agents. so it is not 0.4 bad shootings per24 months, but 1.8 bad shootings per 24 months. That appears to be about 10 times the rate of non law enforcement and about 40 times the rate of concealed carry licensees
It is if you can make a gerbil look brilliant in comparison.
Most gun loving Americans aren’t willing to work for a government bureaucracy. The unfortunate result is that those spots are then filled by bureaucrats.
Well, there are a few gun guys who are stuck in the interminable mire of government bureaucracy.
Yep, you and me and a bunch more, but never enough.
Actually, I find the fact the then general citizen can shoot better than “those contracted by the government” gives me a great sense of comfort.
Gee I’ve been first before. Usually accompanied by a comment. The IRS doesn’t need to shoot straight when they have Lois Lerner to wreck your life.
Anyone surprised?…………
If so………why?
The IRS was testing some smart guns to help with this issue, but the hard drives crashed.
+1
Well, they have nifty-looking badges, anyway….
So if a federal agent accidently shoots himself in the woods and no one else is there to witness it, is he/she still an idiot?
just shooting at dogs claimed on people’s tax returns. . . .
More truth to that than we will ever know. Oh, I see you are trying to claim Lassie the Collie as a dependent. Well, we will take care of her.
They were playing Math Blaster.
I didn’t really need to be wiping the tears from my face or the snot off my mo’ but that line definitely caught me unawares.
Congratulations, sir.
They’re asinine fools. That explains a lot. I speak from experience.
Was any of those a desk pop?
THAT was an excellent question.
IMO, the IRS does not need armed agents. Nor do many other administrative agencies that have armed agents. For the rare situation in which they need support, they should call the FBI.
We have way too many federal Barney Fifes in agencies that have no business pulling guns on citizens.
In fact, we even have too many federal law enforcement agencies. FBI, DEA, ATF, Marshalls, etc.etc. Why not just ONE federal law enforcement agency and then cut out all of the duplicative management structures.
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