She's been doing it for years. She also founded and directed the Richmond, Va.-based Community Tax Law project, the nation's first independent clinic for low income taxpayers. Taxes involve family, money, business. They involve homes, aging, death. It's certainly not dry.
Most people involved in the tax system are true philosophers of human nature.
There's been a problem-resolution unit at the IRS for more than 20 years. But the advocate's office underwent major changes in 1998 when the IRS was restructured. Since then, all the tax advocates across the United States report straight to Olson, not their district supervisors. And she reports directly to Rossotti. I think there still is a lot of opposition there.