( From a ) Marketplace IRS Article 3/20
IRS ancient computers
I recently heard a radio article about the IRS. Some departments in the IRS are working on computers built in the 80s. Wouldn’t you want the guys who police the taxes so the country can run…Wouldn’t you want those guys to have the “good stuff”? It’s always mystifying to me, how we can rearrange priorities that have no bearing on actual urgency. I mean, don’t get me wrong, while I will readily admit that the IRS is doing an important- no- essential job- part of me isn’t so worried about their having to limp along with lame equipment. I mean if they’re going call into question that yacht I rented as part of a business trip (– it was essential, honest!). Then I suppose that of they didn’t have the latest / greatest I’d be okay with it.
But someone has to pay for stuff like roads, law enforcement etc.
It’s not as though the computers print out the data in cuneiform, but isn’t it just a little bit embarrassing that our “accounts payable” department has to use machines only a few steps up from an abacus? Remember the original Battlestar Gallactica, the running joke was they were looking for COBOL. COBOL is an ancient computer lauguage, and guess who still ises it? You guessed it! The IRS.
On the flip side of this, I can see this as another instance; another proof of the phrase that “every dog has his day” and “our day” ending some years ago. We’re on our way to becoming another Greece or Spain.
The people referred to as the Greatest Generation were the greatest generation and it’s all been downhill from there. My generation “dropped the ball” and those coming behind me seemed to not be worried about even finding it (until very recently of course…Now that “shit’s gotten real”). At first the slide was slow, but like any slide, after it picks up speed it’s pretty much unstoppable
Like the way that we refuse to acknowledge Global Warming in any concrete and purposeful way, we ignore the changes because they happen slowly but after a while the momentum builds up and it becomes unstoppable.
So circling around to the IRS, It’s possible that we can draw a different conclusion from them having computers so old that “we” – not one of us would deign to use it except as a joke.
It’s possible that they are not thought to actually need better computers because “we” are not that great at cheating at our taxes (Greece is the undisputed champion here!), so “they have what they need under the circumstances”.
If this is the reason, then I, for one am mightily insulted. “I” am not smart enough, in your estimation, to successfully hide money so it can’t be taxed?
I’m certain that I could (if I had the inclination, of course!).
But still time rolls forward and all the IRS gives their workers is a computer that you might have used in High School- while Deep Purple was popular- the first time. Aren’t I worth the scrutiny? The securtity? These things aren’t secure! Aren’t I worth the effort? I’ve been waiting to publish this. I can’t really say why, but we all sure need our measly $1200 checks, while big corporation “who are too big to fail”….Where have I heard that phrase before? Oh nevermind. It’ll come to me. These big companies (airlines and the like) companies get what amounts to $1800 from every man woman and child in this green and greedy place.
Now I’m not disputing that we all need our ½ -of-a-rent-check-this-month, mailed out to us, what’s it being processed on? Can you say “Commodore 64”?
I knew you could!
