MoreFeasts
Member
but they are applying for non-profit status.
that is what the articles are talking about, the targeting of their applications for nonprofit status
IRS Targeting Right Wing Groups
- Thread starter Stoked
- Start date
that is what the articles are talking about, the targeting of their applications for nonprofit status
It seems to me you are making 2 different points.
One of you is saying that if they are fraudulently/incorrectly reporting their taxable status, what is wrong with looking into it.
The other is saying why only look at into possible fraudulently/incorrectly reported tax status cases from only one party? Why are you not impartially looking into all possible reported tax status cases that could be tied to politics.
I see what is being said by republican haters, but would that not create a political step up if the democratic supporters taxes were not checked for authenticity, while the republican supporters taxes were always checked. This could create an imbalance and an unfair advantage. I may be jaded, but I think there are just as many tax cheats on the democratic side of anything as there are tax cheats on the republican side of anything.
MoreFeasts
Member
I don't know.... the news reports are very vague. What is the big deal? That these groups are being targeted because of their political identity! Oh, targeted how? Their applications for nonprofit status are being scrutinized. But if they are applying to have nonprofit status, then should not have a primary purpose of being a political group. But they are a political group, that is why they say they are being targeted. They should be targeted, they are a political group, they should not be given nonprofit status.
I have no problem with all of them being denied nonprofit status. I am oversimplifying , there are grey areas, and it appears that political groups can have nonprofit status if they pretend to not be too political. However, if you have a blatantly political name, and a history of political activities, you shouldn't be surprised that the IRS questions your claim that you are not a political group.
I could be off base here. The news reports are very vague, but this is my impression.
I just find it odd that people get all upset because their applications for being a nonprofit entity are being scrutinized supposedly for political reasons, when they should be rejected for being a nonprofit entity if they are a political group.
I have no problem with all of them being denied nonprofit status. I am oversimplifying , there are grey areas, and it appears that political groups can have nonprofit status if they pretend to not be too political. However, if you have a blatantly political name, and a history of political activities, you shouldn't be surprised that the IRS questions your claim that you are not a political group.
I could be off base here. The news reports are very vague, but this is my impression.
I just find it odd that people get all upset because their applications for being a nonprofit entity are being scrutinized supposedly for political reasons, when they should be rejected for being a nonprofit entity if they are a political group.
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I don't think anyone is saying the Tea Party is using that name just to lure young girls so they can be molested
just kidding....
ok, full disclosure - - I did NOT read the links
but anyhow, in response to MF (and others) above, the issue really is that groups on one end of the political spectrum had their applications delayed because they were subjected to extra scrutiny by the IRS whereas other groups did not have their applications delayed in this fashion. That makes it seem politically motivated.
and the result is that it delayed the fund raising capability of groups whose IRS standing was uncertain while their applications were being processed
MoreFeasts
Member
If Political Groups should not be getting nonprofit status, then giving extra scrutiny to a political group for applying for nonprofit status is not being politically motivated, it is being motivated to do your job. The IRS employees should be examining these applications. The politicians , the political groups , and the media are wrong.
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But they are only targeting specific groups whose names indicate they are probably right-wing, and that is the problem. If they were targeting all groups equally it wouldn't be the story it is.
What part of that concept is so difficult for you to understand?
Also, I didn't realize this at first, but these groups are applying for 501(c)(4) status which is a different category from charities, most of which are 501(c)(3)
The category 501(c)(4) took on new significance in 2010 when the US Supreme Court ruled that corporations could spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns. Groups that are in the 501(c)(4) category are allowed to spend on political campaigns as long as raising funds for political campaigns is not their primary purpose, and they are not required to disclose their donors. So they can say their primary mission is educational, get gobs of money from corporate sources, and have plenty of money to spend "educating" the public about how they should vote
from wikipedia
Actually, I said that my current belief is that they are what they say they, social welfare groups who spend only the allowed amount on politics, which spending receives a disproportionate amount of attention, until I hear otherwise.
Of course, "social welfare" itself can seem political if you disagree with what society needs.
I don't think anyone in this forum disagrees with the goals of the Tea Parties more strongly than I do. That doesn't mean they're criminals.
MoreFeasts
Member
you are being obtuse just to piss me off.
They are a political group, not a social welfare group.
Even stoked can see this.
I didn't say they should be charged with a crime.
I said that their application for nonprofit status deserves to be looked at with skepticism, because they do appear to be a political group.
I also say that this grey area of the law should be cleaned up, because it appears that it is being abused, but that the people with the megaphones and the power are the ones benefiting from this stupid system.
The IRS are the only good guys here.
They are a political group, not a social welfare group.
Even stoked can see this.
I didn't say they should be charged with a crime.
I said that their application for nonprofit status deserves to be looked at with skepticism, because they do appear to be a political group.
I also say that this grey area of the law should be cleaned up, because it appears that it is being abused, but that the people with the megaphones and the power are the ones benefiting from this stupid system.
The IRS are the only good guys here.
Welcome to One Brow.
Also if the group meets all the requirements to be tax free then what you consider them is irrelevant.
What I would want to see is the number of groups that filed for tax exempt status in 2011 and 2012, the number of cases reviewed by the IRS and what percentage the targeted groups were of each.
MoreFeasts
Member
If they are a political group, then their applications to be social welfare non-profits should be denied. Why do you want them to be able to file fraudulent papers with the IRS?
Why should political groups be treated the same as nonpolitical groups when filing papers claiming that they are not political groups?
I admire your insistance on intentionally missing the point.
MoreFeasts
Member
So you believe that the Tea Party is a political group.
You believe that political groups should not be approved for nonprofit status.
However, you think that it is unjust if the government wants to classify a political group as a political group, because this discriminates against political groups for being political groups?
This is what your point looks like to me.
MoreFeasts
Member
It is probably a grey area. My guess is that the IRS officer who reviewed their application believed that there were serious doubts about whether the Tea Party meets the requirements to have their application approved, because on the face of it, it appears that the primary purpose of the Tea Party does not fit the requirements for the tax status which they seek. I would tend to think that the doubts are more than justified, but groups are making a big stink about it, when they are actually in the wrong, and intend to abuse the system,.
MoreFeasts
Member
No scintilla of evidence has ever been given for this. Maybe the IRS just looked at an application and flagged it for being a political group, without prejudice regarding whether it was Democratic or Republican.
I don't know of any Democratic Party group that is really a mirror image of the Tea Party.
According to news reports it has. It says that they targeted based on the name of the group using filters like tea party, constitution, 9-12 and other conservative buzzwords.
MoreFeasts
Member
How do we know if they meet all the requirements to be tax free if the IRS is not allowed to examine their application?
MoreFeasts
Member
Those names all indicate that the groups are political in nature and therefore do not qualify for tax free status.
Show me all the Democratic Groups with political sounding names that are given tax free status without examination.