Can they be this dumb?

As we approach the ever enjoyable tax deadline, Democrats are pushing one of the most absurd and potentially politically damaging agenda items I can recall: a push for the Internal Revenue Service to have the largest budget in history.

Joe Davidson of the Washington Post reports that while President Trump wants to cut the IRS budget, Democrats are taking the contrary approach:

In a letter to the House Appropriations financial-services subcommittee Wednesday, 48 Democrats called for a different approach – boosting the IRS budget to $12.9 billion for fiscal 2018, which begins in October. That would be a $1.7 billion increase over this year.

Trump's proposed $239 million decrease isn't much in comparison, but it comes on top of years of cuts. The high point, $12.1 billion, was in 2010.

"An increase in funding for the IRS will reverse the short-sighted and damaging budget cuts which have increased our national debt, left the IRS ill-equipped to combat refund errors and fraud, drastically reduced taxpayer services, dangerously reduced audits, and limits the IRS's ability to implement new laws passed by Congress," said the letter led by Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.).

Of course, Davidson, who is a very liberal, pro-big government columnist, attacks Trump's plan to trim the IRS.  Davidson actually depicts the IRS as a money-making venture.  He quotes, as he does in every one of his columns, complaints about demoralized and overworked federal employees.

Trump should go on offense.  The IRS has really escaped punishment for leaking private tax information for political purposes  as well as its campaign against conservative grassroots groups to quash their free speech rights and help Democrats.

The fact that Lois Lerner escaped prison, that records were destroyed in a campaign to obstruct justice and allow other guilty parties to escape punishment, and that the smug John Koskinen retain his job as the IRS commissioner are scandals and farces.  (Does Koskinen have something on Trump?  That tactic supposedly helped J. Edgar Hoover keep his job way past his prime since he had "dirt" on many politicians, including presidents.)

Will there be much support in the hinterlands outside Washington for giving the IRS more money and power while the rest of America struggles to make a living, save for retirement, and fill out those needlessly frustrating tax forms?

Time to start the tweets, Mr. President.