BDO tax prep clients try to assert privilege – IRS is trying to force a CPA firm to disclose its client list so they can be busted for using questionable tax shelters. This has been a long running debate, whether CPAs can legally shield their clients’ information from others in the same manner as attorneys can. I have always believed that if the clients sign a power of attorney (Form 2848) authorizing the CPA to act on their behalf, they should be afforded the exact same client-attorney confidentiality privileges as with a regular attorney.

It’s been very disheartening over the past few months to hear and read so many people moaning about the GOP’s abandonment of one of its former cornerstones, the support for smaller, less expensive government. Bush and the top GOP have pulled out all stops to expand the size of the Federal government well beyond any constitutional justification, in an attempt to literally buy votes from supporters of the JackAss Party.

What is more depressing than this change in party philosophy is the reaction by the critics. Most of them claim to be disgusted by this change, but say that they will stick with the GOP because it is still the lesser evil, when compared to the outright socialism of the DemonRats. The idea of changing their support to a party that truly believes in the concept of smaller and less expensive government is just too radical for them to even consider.

A perfect example was a few days ago, when Rush Limbaugh spent a lot of time decrying the GOP’s wild spending binges. However, when a caller asked Rush why he didn’t support a third party that does believe in smaller government, such as the Libertarians, Rush said such a thing would be unthinkable. Rush gave the impression that he would much rather give a big open-mouth kiss to Queen Hillary or Janet Reno than even consider supporting any party other than the Republicans. I like and admire Rush very much, but his claim of being a conservative first and a Republican second doesn’t seem to be very honest if he is supporting the GOP as it abandons conservative principles.

Attitudes like this are just encouraging the GOP leaders to continue with their out of control spending. With no downside from the possibility of losing voters, and plenty of upside from the new voters they are buying, what motivation do they have to change? None.