Faith Based Payouts to "moral leaders" akin to payments of media

[Divine Discontent]

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/custom/blogs/woman/entries/2004/09/24/should_church_sermons_be_monitored_for_political_endorsement_speeches_that_violate_irs_taxexempt_rules.html

Diane Glass says: Politics is very much like religion in that you have divergent philosophies with a similar focus, each with its own special interest, each with its own agenda. Which is why non-profit 501(c)(3) entities must remain impartial. Nonprofits are formed with the understanding that their agenda is to provide a general benefit to the public. Partisan politics is a demonstration of a bias to particular groups, with particular interests. <snip>


Now comes the rash of shocking news stories that the White House has authorized departments to pay for radio & newsprint commentators to tout the Bush doctrine.

Anyone notice that the Bushco machine is paying (off) people who have voices that get heard by people in churches across this nation, across the airwaves, and in the newspapers? Will someone please stand up in our Senate to dethrone this type of behavior with justice!

Imagine if you're a poor white lady with 3 kids and no husband in a southern white Baptist church, and you tend to think rationally and compassionately about not judging others but your Pastor is receiving a million dollars from Bushco and he is looked up to by you and your kids, and he tells you that Bush is the way to go, you think that you're going to vote for Kerry? Most wouldn't. And I believe this same thing has been prepared by Rove and his minions of filth for the past 4 years. It paid off, because John Kerry speaks with passion (remember the 1st debate slam DUNK?) and had a lead against Bush and somehow lost? I know Ohio was a mess and cost him the election, no doubt here. But, imagine if this 'faith based' crap (I'm a devout Christian) and media payments scandal had never occurred, perhaps Missouri could have been won, or other states!

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Any thoughts?

[Eric J in MN]

1. This is off-topic, but doesn't the AJC think we can

judge a woman's words without looking at her body from head to toe?

[tk2kewl]

2. loot the treasury, payoff wingnut supporters & bankrupt the government

all rolled up into one.

and you thought Reganomics was voo-doo.

[Geek_Girl]

3. I actually believe that's what happened to several co-workers

One day they were talking like Bush was horrible and they were going to vote democrat and right around August they completely changed their opinion. It was very weird. All of a sudden Bush had moral values and he was the right choice.

[Divine Discontent]

6. scary!!!!!! they all got brainwashed on the same sunday, no!? N/T

[JDPriestly]

4. This is true, but Bush is doing nothing new here.

A former mayor of my town (and recovering alcoholic among other things) printed beautiful brochures featuring color photos of the many non-profit organization directors who supported his campaign. I worked for one of those directors at the time. As a candidate, the mayor appeared at one of our board meetings, told the board about his campaign and then "donated" something like $50,000 from his personal foundation. Yes, he got elected, and no, he never gave us a sum like that ever again.

He had simply figured out a clever way to buy votes. Actually, he's still around and active in the GOP. Maybe he thought up this whole faithbased idea.

[Divine Discontent]

7. great post....

and your point that this mayor did it, is what's amazing, Bush did it with billions of dollars instead, and got away with it!

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours by braggin' to every ol' little lady that comes to church how Godly you and your administration are and how Kerry is scary, as - you - told - me - to. Mas-ter. lol...

[Eric J in MN]

5. I think the answer is to take 501(c)'s completely out-of-politics.

If your orgnanizations want to take unlimited soft-money donations, the law should say that you stay out-of-politics all together.

If you want your organization to talk about politics, then accept smaller, publicly listed donations.

[whistle]

8. Church leaders receiving pay-offs from political parties is no...

...different than corporations paying off politicians. They are screwing the little guy and neither corporations, churches nor politicians deserve tax free status yet all three are getting special treatment on taxes. Massive reform is in order regarding tax exemptions for political donations, churches and corporate tax avoidance favoritism. Society does not benefit from any of these practices and the corruption hurts the consumer and America's workers.

[Divine Discontent]

9. you need to run for office.... n/t

[whistle]

11. No thanks I don't do fund raising very well

[Cell Whitman]

10. Well said, I agree in general but I will never completely put

money to churches in the same ring with anything else.

Some would argue that letting churches back candidates is like Unions doing the same. There is a helluva lot of difference between a Union leader or anyone else saying vote for someone and a preacher using the full faith and credit of G-d to do the same.

[Divine Discontent]

12. oh to be with God and know how many church & political

leaders are corrupt?

I mean, I'll be the first to say, I'm not perfect, but I don't rob poor folk, sexually abuse the kids in the youth group, take money for secret deals, or flat out lie to get my way in office. probably why I wouldn't fund raise too well either! lol...

Rove KNEW that they needed to get the right wing "Christian" vote locked up and out this time to win, so they devised a grand scheme of payment for placement back in the White House. It worked, my God, it worked.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.............