Targeted by IRS? Bill Maher, Elayne Boosler suggest conservative groups were asking for it

Brett T. | 9:48 PM on May 15, 2013

Million-dollar Obama donor Bill Maher might want to call the president on his Obamaphone and tell him to calm down. The president zipped on stage today to tell the nation how angry he was that the IRS was targeting specific groups based on ideology, calling the agency’s actions “inexcusable” and demanding the resignation of the acting IRS commissioner. That’s quite an overreaction, isn’t it, considering those Tea Party nuts were just asking for it all along … like when Geraldo Rivera let us know wearing a hoodie is like wearing a “shoot me” sign.

It’s not news that a Bill Maher tweet isn’t funny, but this one isn’t even original. Comedian Elayne Boosler had the same take yesterday.

The IRS audits based on "red flags" that get their attention. If u carry big sign saying NO TO TAXES!! yea, u might get audited.

— Elayne Boosler (@ElayneBoosler) May 14, 2013

Hilarious, huh? If you disagree with a government policy, you’re just asking to be intimidated into silence, right? The current scandal wasn’t about using audits to silence dissent, though. Reports indicate that the IRS flagged groups that criticized how the country is being run, held up applications for tax-exempt status through two election cycles and demanded that conservatives turn over lists of children along with reading lists, photos and Facebook posts. Oh, and the IRS might have stolen 60 million confidential medical records. But those Tea Party clowns are racist, so it’s OK, right?

@billmaher So its ok for the gov to abuse its power to abuse anyone at any time… good to know where you stand bill…

— † Naz G'ul † (@SausageTaco) May 16, 2013