The man who once tried to abolish the IRS has just been sworn in as its new Commissioner, setting up what could be the most dramatic federal agency transformation in decades.
At a Glance
- Billy Long, a former Missouri congressman who sponsored legislation to abolish the IRS, is now the agency’s 51st Commissioner.
- Long was confirmed by a 53-44 Senate vote despite having no tax administration experience.
- The IRS has hemorrhaged tens of thousands of employees under previous administrations, creating a severe staffing crisis.
- Long has pledged to create a “new culture” at the agency, focusing on taxpayer service over aggressive enforcement.
From ‘Abolish the IRS’ to Running the Show
In a move of delicious irony, Billy Long, the former Missouri congressman who spent years railing against the IRS, was sworn in as its new commissioner on Friday. During his time in Congress, Long was a co-sponsor of the “Fair Tax Act,” a bill that would have completely eliminated the agency. Now, he’s in charge of it.
Billy Long sworn in as IRS commissioner, taking over an agency he once sought to close | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/W4KQFzlBTR
— KOAT.com (@koat7news) July 19, 2025
This is exactly the kind of bold, outsider appointment that drives the D.C. establishment insane. After decades of the IRS operating as a weaponized enforcement arm against conservatives, having someone who understands its overreach at the helm is a breath of fresh air. The Senate confirmed him by a 53-44 vote despite predictable hysteria from Democrats about his lack of “experience.”
A Staffing Crisis and a Mandate for Change
While the media obsesses over Long’s qualifications, they conveniently ignore the disaster the IRS has become. The agency is in the midst of a severe staffing crisis, having lost tens of thousands of employees in recent years, crippling its basic operations.
Long inherits an organization with rock-bottom morale and a reputation for targeting conservatives. His promise, in an official message to IRS employees, to develop a “new culture” that is more taxpayer-friendly isn’t just rhetoric; it’s an absolute necessity for an agency that has lost its way.
A Conservative Vision for an Agency in Crisis
Long’s appointment signals a fundamental shift. Instead of the Obama-era weaponization against tea party groups or the Biden-era plan to unleash 87,000 new agents on American families, the focus will now be on customer service. Long’s real-world background as an auctioneer and a small businessman gives him an insight that career bureaucrats simply lack.
The establishment’s panic reveals their true fear: they don’t want someone who might actually reform the IRS. They want a compliant bureaucrat who will maintain the status quo of aggressive enforcement and political targeting. Sometimes, to fix a broken system, you need someone who is brave enough to say it should be abolished in the first place.
