Here's an item that, unfortunately, won't get mentioned at the next Republican-sponsored "waste, fraud, and abuse in government" hearing on Capitol Hill. IRS Commissioner Mark Everson testified before Congress this week that it will cost significantly more money to use private companies to collect outstanding taxes than it would to hire additional IRS agents.

Perhaps part of the reason this is true is because those private companies will get to keep 22 - 24 percent of the taxes they collect whereas additional IRS collectors would get to keep none of it. It's hard to understand how this program, which was authorized by Congress in 2004, makes sense- unless of course you remember this Congress and president favor business interests - even at the expense of the government. It apparently does not matter if the government loses out - as long as somebody turns a profit!

IRS Says Private Debt Collectors More Costly