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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Katelew who wrote (112034)	5/27/2009 3:55:09 PM
From: cosmicforce	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541602

>> names of political donors<< If a secret or self-selective tax exempt organization were to say explicitly or implicitly: "Instead of the normal membership dues contribute to the XYZ campaign and show us your check for credit." there would be all the elements necessary to thwart the election laws. Since churches and by-invitation civic groups are closed by their nature, we have the same mechanisms in place as the Neo-Nazis in my hypothetical would have used to undermine an election. How someone votes is private. The campaigns at which they throw money at is not if it is done above the limits in the Election Laws. If a church has instructed the congregation to send money to XYZ campaign then it crosses the line and it is a coordinated action and not an isolated personal choice. Churches better be very careful since they are tax exempt organizations. I'm actually against this tax exempt status for churches for a number of reasons, both pragmatic and legal. IMO, they should have open financial books like any other non-profit corporation is required to carry. I think church tithes being deductible is dangerously close to a violation of the Establishment clause of the Constitution because religious groups receive exemptions for all sorts of things (like property tax) that secular groups do not receive. If a deal were swung in which in lieu of tithing (or if one were to receive instruction to tithe less) based upon some political behavior, then one could interpret this as the act of a PAC.