Surveying 19th-century America, Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at the proliferation and importance of civic associations, writing: “Everywhere that, at the head of a new undertaking, you see the government in France and a great lord in England, count on it that you will perceive an association in the United States.”

It took a few centuries, but America is starting to look more like France and England did in Tocqueville’s time. Our would-be lords are seizing the prerogative to carry out the public good — as they see it, of course. And they’re enlisting the IRS to do the dirty work.