2003. in 2005, in 2007, and 2011. today, the fair tax act of 2013 lives on. it would also abolish the irs, the income tax, and repeal the 16th amendment that allows for the income tax in the first place. in other words, good-bye to the last hundred years of american governance. that, however, is an uphill battle, even for an empowered right wing. so instead of getting rid of the irs, republicans are very successfully hollowed out and hamstrung the agency. george w. bush did his part by slashing the number of lawyers who audited wealthy americans. today's republicans are picking up right where he left off. the house subcommittee last year pushed to cut the irs' budget by 24%, despite the warnings the cuts would devastate the agency. and even though they didn't get their 24% cut, in the bipartisan deal passed late last year, the agency's budget will be $950 million less than it was in