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Thorndike: When Congress Reformed the IRS Without Starving It
Joseph Thorndike, “When Congress Reformed the IRS Without Starving It” (Tax Notes, May 11, 2026):
On a hot summer day in late July 1953, employees of the IRS began walking the streets of Boston, ringing doorbells and putting two simple questions to anyone who answered: Have you filed your 1952 return? Can you prove it? A yes to both brought an end to the interview. Anything else guaranteed a harder look from agency officials.
The doorbell campaign was not a new idea (prior analysis: Tax Notes, Sept. 3, 2007, p. 891). Since 1864, the law had required every federal tax assessor to periodically “cause his deputies to proceed through every part of his district and inquire after and concerning all persons therein who are liable to pay any internal-revenue tax.” The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR, as it was known until July 9, 1953) had conducted some door-to-door surveys in the many decades since. But efforts were haphazard and intermittent; the agency had never developed a regular program of systematic canvassing.
Until 1953, that is, when newly installed officials in the Eisenhower administration began “rummaging around in the tax laws,” looking for ways to boost compliance and raise new revenue. A well-publicized canvass seemed like just the ticket.
CNN report says 16 US military sites in Middle East damaged
Defense Affairs Magazine: “An investigation by CNN claims that 16 US military facilities across the Middle East were damaged in attacks carried out by Iran and allied groups, with some sites described as effectively unusable. The report, based on satellite imagery and multiple sources, says the strikes targeted sensitive and high-value infrastructure, raising fresh questions about the resilience of US military assets in the region. According to the investigation, imagery reviewed by CNN showed damage to advanced radar systems, communication infrastructure, and aircraft stationed at several bases. A congressional aide cited in the report said the affected sites account for a significant portion of US military facilities in the region, adding that the extent of the damage has led some military discussions to consider whether certain installations should be shut down. The report did not independently verify the full scope of the damage but described a pattern of repeated targeting of strategic assets.
The investigation also highlighted contrasting estimates of the financial impact. US Department of Defense figures cited in the report place the cost of damage and operational disruption at around 25 billion dollars, while unnamed sources told CNN that internal assessments may suggest figures closer to 40 to 50 billion dollars. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, cited in parallel reporting, claimed the true cost to the United States could exceed 100 billion dollars, arguing that official figures underestimate the scale of losses. The CNN report also pointed to growing unease among some US partners in the Gulf. It cited a Saudi source who said the conflict has exposed vulnerabilities in reliance on US security guarantees, describing the alliance as not fully “immune” to regional escalation…”
8 Things You Should Know About Trump’s Effort to “Take Over” the Midterm Elections
ProPublica: “When President Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 election, the institutional guardrails of American democracy held — but just barely. If faced with the same tests today, those guardrails and the people who held the line would largely be missing, a ProPublica examination found.
At least 75 career officials who once held roles at federal agencies related to election integrity and safety are gone. Two dozen appointees — including many who either actively worked to reverse the 2020 vote or are associates of such people — have been hired to replace them.
And once-fringe actors now have access to vast powers. As the midterms approach, current and former government officials and election security experts expressed concerns that Trump appointees who’ve espoused debunked conspiracy theories about balloting are now in positions to control the narrative around the vote’s soundness.
It’s hard to debunk false claims “coming with the seal of the federal government,” said Derek Tisler, counsel and manager with the Brennan Center for Justice’s elections and government program. “I certainly worry what damage that could do to voters’ confidence.” Here are some of the key things you should know about the Trump administration’s efforts to, as the president said, “take over” the midterms. Read the full investigation here.”
