Trump to sign E/O lifting 501-c (3) tax restrictions on churches

[Anti Federalist]

Trump to sign order lifting ban on political activity by churches

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-religion-idUSKBN17Z2O2?il=0

By Steve Holland | WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump is expected to take executive action on Thursday to effectively lift a ban on political activity by churches and other tax-exempt institutions, a senior White House official said on Wednesday.

Trump will mark the National Day of Prayer by issuing guidance to federal agencies like the Treasury Department on how to interpret a law that says churches and religious organizations risk losing their tax-exempt status if they participate in political campaigns.

The order is expected to give the Treasury Department guidance on how strictly to enforce the 1954 law known as the Johnson Amendment, the White House official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as details of the action were still being worked out.

Trump frequently complained about the amendment during his campaign for the presidency, bolstering his support among religious conservatives who contend it violates free speech and religious freedom rights.

Changing the law altogether would require action in the Republican-led U.S. Congress.

Civil liberties and gay rights groups fear Trump's order could include provisions to allow government agencies and businesses to deny services to gay people in the name of religious freedom. The groups have argued that such a move would be unconstitutional.

It was not clear on Wednesday whether the order would include that type of measure, the official said.

 

[TheCount]

The law: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501

(3)Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

...

(h)Expenditures by public charities to influence legislation

(1)General ruleIn the case of an organization to which this subsection applies, exemption from taxation under subsection (a) shall be denied because a substantial part of the activities of such organization consists of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, but only if such organization normally—

(A)makes lobbying expenditures in excess of the lobbying ceiling amount for such organization for each taxable year, or

(B)makes grass roots expenditures in excess of the grass roots ceiling amount for such organization for each taxable year.​

(2)DefinitionsFor purposes of this subsection—

(A)Lobbying expendituresThe term “lobbying expenditures” means expenditures for the purpose of influencing legislation (as defined in section 4911(d)).


(B)Lobbying ceiling amountThe lobbying ceiling amount for any organization for any taxable year is 150 percent of the lobbying nontaxable amount for such organization for such taxable year, determined under section 4911.


(C)Grass roots expendituresThe term “grass roots expenditures” means expenditures for the purpose of influencing legislation (as defined in section 4911(d) without regard to paragraph (1)(B) thereof).


(D)Grass roots ceiling amountThe grass roots ceiling amount for any organization for any taxable year is 150 percent of the grass roots nontaxable amount for such organization for such taxable year, determined under section 4911.​

It looks like right now 503(c) organizations are allowed to spend 30% of their total charity spending doing lobbying and grass roots work. If they spend more than that then they risk losing their non-profit status.

I don't see how an EO can change the interpretation of this but I guess we'll see. So much for all that complaining about executive action and the President just writing law from his desk, I guess...

 

[GunnyFreedom]

Finally some friggin good news, even if his methodology is absurdly broken.

 

[tod evans]

Civil liberties and gay rights groups fear Trump's order could include provisions to allow government agencies and businesses to deny services to gay people in the name of religious freedom.

Two completely different entities.

Shut down "government agencies" and GTFO of business matters instead of trying to yoke them together...

 

[Zippyjuan]

Changing enforcement- not the law:

Changing the law altogether would require action in the Republican-led U.S. Congress.

Most of his EO's have been more symbolic in nature rather than changing actual laws and designed to appeal to his base.

 

[donnay]

It goes against the 1st Amendment. The IRS should be abolished.

 

[AuH20]

Finally some friggin good news, even if his methodology is absurdly broken.

He doesn't have a methodology.

 

[Anti Federalist]

I don't see how an EO can change the interpretation of this but I guess we'll see. So much for all that complaining about executive action and the President just writing law from his desk, I guess...[/FONT][/COLOR]

Trust me, I am in full agreement with Gunny, the methodology is utterly broken.

However, I am in favor of anything that restores even the slightest bit of freedom to people.

 

[Anti Federalist]

He doesn't have a methodology.

 

[Matt Collins]

It looks like right now 503(c) organizations are allowed to spend 30% of their total charity spending doing lobbying and grass roots work. If they spend more than that then they risk losing their non-profit status.

Except that no non-profit with more than 3 brain cells would ever do that because it allows all of their books to be open to the IRS and subjects them to endless audits.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

Good in principle, probably of no help to us in practice (...most of the churches today aren't exactly bastions of liberty).

 

[timosman]

Good in principle, probably of no help to us in practice (...most of the churches today aren't exactly bastions of liberty).

Your pastor is probably an FBI informant.

 

[eleganz]

Where is the line between church and state drawn?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Good in principle, probably of no help to us in practice (...most of the churches today aren't exactly bastions of liberty).

The Pope says that your liberty is a bad thing...

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...-latest-evil&p=6461312&viewfull=1#post6461312

 

[Brian4Liberty]

There should be no taxes. That being said, special exemptions reak of cronyism and fraud.

 

[timosman]

There should be no taxes. That being said, special exemptions reak of cronyism and fraud.

This is a blasphemy!

 

[r3volution 3.0]

The Pope says that your liberty is a bad thing...

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...-latest-evil&p=6461312&viewfull=1#post6461312

Pope's a commie

 

[jonhowe]

Was this enforced? I enjoy watching the Jim Bakker show for a good laugh these days, and his PRIMARY message throughout 2016 was "VOTE TRUMP!" The show is put forward as (and is, as far as I can tell) a church service being broadcast on TV, so I was mighty confused as to how that was allowed.

(Not that I think speech should be limited, even for Jim Bakker; I'm just wondering this change will do much, if it wasnt enforced previously.)

 

[donnay]

Was this enforced? I enjoy watching the Jim Bakker show for a good laugh these days, and his PRIMARY message throughout 2016 was "VOTE TRUMP!" The show is put forward as (and is, as far as I can tell) a church service being broadcast on TV, so I was mighty confused as to how that was allowed.

(Not that I think speech should be limited, even for Jim Bakker; I'm just wondering this change will do much, if it wasnt enforced previously.)

It was selectively enforced. The powers-that-be were concerned because they know the history about the Black Robed Regiment and did not want that happen again.

So they made sure to coerce the men in cloth by getting them to be snitches with the Clergy Response Teams.







26,000 Pastors for Martial Law Continuity of Government
https://www.prisonplanet.com/26000-pastors-for-martial-law-continuity-of-government.html

Ban on Political Endorsements by Pastors Targeted
https://www.prisonplanet.com/ban-on-political-endorsements-by-pastors-targeted.html


New Legislation Authorizes FEMA Camps In U.S.
https://www.prisonplanet.com/new-legislation-authorizes-fema-camps-in-us.html

FEMA sources confirm coming martial law
https://www.prisonplanet.com/fema-sources-confirm-coming-martial-law.html

 

[jonhowe]

It was selectively enforced. The powers-that-be were concerned because they know the history about the Black Robed Regiment and did not want that happen again.

So they made sure to coerce the men in cloth by getting them to be snitches with the Clergy Response Teams.







26,000 Pastors for Martial Law Continuity of Government
https://www.prisonplanet.com/26000-pastors-for-martial-law-continuity-of-government.html

Ban on Political Endorsements by Pastors Targeted
https://www.prisonplanet.com/ban-on-political-endorsements-by-pastors-targeted.html


New Legislation Authorizes FEMA Camps In U.S.
https://www.prisonplanet.com/new-legislation-authorizes-fema-camps-in-us.html

FEMA sources confirm coming martial law
https://www.prisonplanet.com/fema-sources-confirm-coming-martial-law.html

Why wouldnt it be enforced against the widely known guy with a nationwide TV show, then? I mean, he was out and out endorsing Trump and instructing people to the polls.