Yesterday was a rough day. I had little sleep, because of wrenched leg, and severe coughing, because I’m on no water. Doing physical therapy with a bum leg zero fun. I want a cup of coffee!
To make matters worse, the Republicans actually have something valid, about which to bitch.
The Internal Revenue Service’s special scrutiny of small-government groups applying for tax-exempt status went beyond keyword hunts for organizations with “Tea Party” or “Patriot” in their names, to a more overtly ideological search for applicants seeking to “make America a better place to live” or “criticize how the country is being run,” according to part of a draft audit by the inspector general that has been given to Capitol Hill.
The head of the division on tax-exempt organizations, Lois Lerner, was briefed on the effort in June 2011, seemingly contradicting her assertion on Friday that she learned of the effort from news reports. But the audit shows that she seemed to work hard to rein in the focus on conservatives and change it to a look at any political advocacy group of any stripe…
Inserted from <NY Times>
The Republicans are being complete hypocrites. What Democrats have does does not begin to hold a candle to Republican crimes,such as politicizing the entire federal government with campaign training, or firing seven US Attorneys, because they refused to file bogus charges against Democratic candidates, right before the election.
Nevertheless, we can’t ignore it the way Republicans would. We are better than that, so the people responsible must be severely disciplined.
15 Responses to “Personal Update–5/13/2013”
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Will Republicans order investigations into voter fraud and suppression? They are especially adept at that and get their knickers in such a twist over calls for investigation.
There seem to be a lot of these ultra conservative "social welfare" groups run by the likes of Karl Rove, Grover Norquist, and others that really are nothing more than campaign finance and tax scams for the political right. "Social welfare" and ultra conservatives is a total non sequitur.
It would also seem that liberal groups were also included, although perhaps not at the same rates. Such scrutiny by the IRS must truly be non partisan. After all, taxes are not a partisan matter, although the non tax paying issue does seem to be more associated with the Republican/Teabaggers and the elite 1%.
Thanks for the blog, it's my first visit here thanks to the 'other' Lynn 🙂 I hope you get well soon! Best Wishes!
Poor TC! No water and still coughing – and the coughing hurts and the leg hurts too – poor chap! Still praying for you and visualising the new flat (sorry, apartment)! I do hope the doctors get it right this time(!).
I do agree that if any Democrats are trying to behave like the Repuglicons and be sneaky they must be stopped as well. God bless those seven US Attorneys who refused to file bogus charges against Democratic candidates just before the election!
Pat,
We do use the word "flat" for an apartment here in Chicago – buildings are known as 3 or 4 flats and NY's are familiar with the term as they use it too. I imagine that we use "3 flat" rather than "3 apartment" as to a building's occupancy because, well, 3 apartment just sounds stupid. 🙂 Just don't ask us to do an English to metric conversion on the temp or to meters – that totally fucks us up, even though we all learned it in school. Don't get me started on why we still use the English system that even the Brits have abandoned; we're "special" and not in a good way.
I don't have a problem with the IRS examining non profits more closely – in fact, I think they should go further in granting non profit status. Over the past 30 years or so, non profit status has been abused by all, including bogus "churches" that claim non profit status. What I would like to see is several big churches taken down (i.e., their non profit status taken away) and removed of their status to make an example of what not to do. In fact, and I know I'll get shit for this, I'd like to see churches removed from non profit status unless they are doing missionary work or other work that benefits social welfare (soup kitchen, temp housing, etc.). If they are not benefiting social welfare, either here or in a foreign country, buh bye 501 (3) or (4) C status. Proselytising doesn't count; if you aren't benefiting the poor (as Jesus did), then good bye non profit status. Otherwise, you are just a group of people worshipping, and as far as I'm concerned, that doesn't count because you are just another group doing something and that in itself does not qualify you for tax exempt status. I think we'd see a whole bunch of churches get their shit together and actually benefit someone other than themselves.
Let's think about that for a second. If every church in the Catholic (and I'm singling them out only because they are one of the largest churches) faith did something to help the poor – either here or in other countries – think of the massive effect on poverty they could accomplish. That's the true meaning of non profit status. Groups raising money for research – ok too. People starting churches in their garage – sorry, hit the bricks. The criteria for gaining tax exempt status is too easily abused. Forming polictical orgs – out of the question; in fact, if you have ANY polictical affliliation, you are out. Preaching from the pulpit – nope; caught doing so, 10 year suspension of your tax exempt status. Think of all the money that would flow into the Treasury from the abusers!
Wouldn't that rock the walls of Jericho!
I have no problem with churches doing some lobbying when it is for things like affordable social housing, or affordable food and medical that benefit the poor and marginalised. But I DO have a problem when churches insert themselves into issues like women's reproductive rights and abortion. That is very clearly a political move.
Lisa, I totally agree with you. INstead of spending the money on gargantuan buildings and lobbyists they could be providing housing for the homeless and food for the poor. I think any church that tries to influence and election should automatically lose their non profit status and have to pay taxes.
I had the auspicious priveledge of working for the IRS during the infamous Nixon years. I was a registered Democrat. Every year at election time, I would be notified about 3 days before Election Day that I would have to go away on Monday to somewhere so that my home district could not be reached on Election Day. No voting for me during his power years! There were actualyy times when i was told to leave on that Monday!
There was no political involvement then. Was there?
I came across this article in The New Yorker which I thought might be interesting. <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/05/irs-scandal-tea-party-oversight.html">"The Real IRS Scandal"</a>
Thanks Lynn,
"If that definition sounds murky—that is, if it’s unclear what 501(c)(4) organizations are allowed to do—that’s because it is murky."
We have plenty of welfare for the wealthy…. sigh
Thanks everyone. Bust day. Improving. Hugs.
TC, not having coffee is punishment, purely and simply. I hope you are feeling better today. Yes this mess with the IRS is not a good reflection on the Democrats, but let us not forget Watergate and all the other adventures of the Republicans. The Benghazi investigation is a witchhunt to stop Hilary. I am really concerned about the mess with AP. If they can listen to phone calls and monitor emails and voice mails for the AP with no repercussions than Freedom of the Press is out the window. Yet another constitutional right, along with the right of privacy in our own homes, that is gone. Looking forward to having you back on your feet. Edie
Hey TC, is being deprived of coffee classified as cruel and unusual treatment? Or maybe torture?
As I recall, the US signed the UN Convention Against Torture. Maybe you have a case against the hospital!
Glad to hear that you're improving. Your two little nephews and your little neice say "Meow, meow meeeoooooow!" which translated means "Get well soooon!" I agree with them!
Hi Hi Lynn and Tom … I am slacking and still havent posted in Care2.. too busy being in the streets and running around with radicals and dealing with nasty Tea Party Wisconsin Corruption.. having them saying they need PITY! OMG! No WAY!… here.. got a couple articles to combat THAT IDEA pfffftttt no way for a PITY PARTY FOR TEA PARTY! … not on this granny's shift.. -_- ..
'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Monday, May 13th, 2013
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51877953/ns/msnbc-hardball_with_chris_matthews/t/hardball-chris-matthews-monday-may-th/
Liberals Outrage On IRS Tea Party Scrutiny Unjustified & Foolish (VIDEO)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/14/1208884/-Liberals-Outrage-On-IRS-Tea-Party-Scrutiny-Unjustified-Foolish-VIDEO
also.. Good Luck Tom.. geesh No Coffee? No Water? ugh :/ hurry up and get the hell outta there… sounds like GITMO!
I had forgotten about the firing of those lawyers who were mostly non-republicans. Conveniently, no republicans will remember it either.
How ironic is it that the head of the morally pout-raged Benghazi investigation is a former arsonist and car thief?