Interesting article on the position of a conservative Republican House Member - Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) - supporting the earmarking process in Congress. Simpson even goes so far as to say outlawing earmarks may be unconstitutional.

Simpson, a member of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee (a prime suspect for earmarks and pork spending each year), believes earmarks have positive results, such as leaving money in the control of local officials rather than Washington bureaucrats, focusing spending on short-term, targeted projects instead of never-ended Washington programs, and keeping Representatives intimately involved with the spending of taxpayer dollars.

Simpson favors increased transparency of earmark requests and approval, and even posts his own requests on his website.

There have been scattered reports the last few days of hushed IRS decision to allow tax preparation companies or individual accountants sell part or all of your personal information from your tax returns to third party entities or marketers. (Your Tax Files For Sale? IRS Says Go For It.)

The revelation of this decision has sent consumer advocate and public interest groups running - and rightly so. A joint statement filed by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), and the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) to the IRS, they remarked:

The regulation creates exceptions to a law that is currently highly protective of taxpayer information and prohibits commercial preparers from disclosing a consumer’s tax return information or using it for any other purpose than preparing the taxpayer’s return

Share you thoughts on this rule change with Dillion Taylor, Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration), Administrative Provisions and Judicial Practice Division at the IRS by dillon.j.taylor@irs.counsel.treas.gov or by phone at 202.622.7752.