Political Memes

You aren’t even googling before making shit up now.

Dude. You are clearly not understanding me. My statement - that you specifically quoted above - summarizes each and every point your link makes. You act like you're disagreeing with me, but you're supporting points I've already made. The disagreement you are having on this issue is entirely within your own head.

For example, from your link:

If the IRS believes you have erroneously claimed a home office or other deduction, it can ding you for anywhere between $500 and $5,000. This penalty can jump to 75% if the taxpayer deliberately and fraudulently attempts to reduce their tax liability.

My previous statement (Emphasis added):

They may not allow you to claim it as a business expense, but they can’t argue fraud unless you used it for personal use despite claiming business. So don’t do that. Don’t use it for personal use when you claim it as a business use.

Your link is just quantifying the penalties for ignoring my advice. Don't "erroneously claim a home office or other deduction". Go ahead and claim them, just make sure your claim isn't erroneous. You are perfectly entitled to make a valid claim.

I’m entering this from the assumption that you are steering the argument into something completely unrelated because you were proven wrong.

That might just be a piss-poor assumption. You should probably go back and see if that assumption is actually justified. (Narrator: It wasn't.)

IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU CAN LEGALLY DODGE TAXES BY RUNNING A BUSINESS. THE OP STATED THAT W2 EMPLOYEES DON’T GET THE DEDUCTIONS OF A BUSINESS.

This would only be a valid statement if "being a W2 employee" precluded the individual from also running their own business. As the employee is not precluded from running a business, the W2 employee can get the deductions of running a business. You have no grounds to say that they can't get the deductions of a business, when they can, in fact, get the deductions of a business simply by operating as a business.

Perhaps it would be useful to show you that a business is not always entitled to deduct something. For example, where a business (subcontractor) is hired by another business (prime contractor) and that prime contractor provides various direct compensation to the sub, the sub cannot deduct the expense in question. The subcontractor is, effectively, an employee of the prime contractor, even though both are businesses. Expenses made by the prime cannot be deducted by the sub. Remember that.

If the prime contractor provides eye protection and other PPE to the subcontractor, the subcontractor cannot deduct that PPE as a business expense. If the prime contractor provides transportation to and from the main job site, the subcontractor cannot claim transportation costs.

When you cannot claim your commute costs as a W2 employee, it is because the IRS requires those costs to be included in your negotiated direct compensation with your employer. Your pay specifically includes compensation for your normal commute. You are "reimbursed" for your normal commute costs, and don't get to claim them yourself.

As a W2 employee, you can claim transportation costs to other job sites unless you are specifically reimbursed for your travel to those other job sites. If you are reimbursed, you don't also get to claim it. Your employer gets to claim that reimbursement as a deductible expense.

If you don't like that, don't work as a W2 employee. Work as a contractor: a business. A contractor is allowed to deduct the expense of all non-reimbursed transportation costs, and is not expected or required to demand explicit reimbursement for transportation or other expenses in their negotiated fee.