Comments (20) (Please sign in to comment)

1. 

   Chillbilly said, 2 days ago

   Ummm … Citizens United?
2. 

   Adrian Snare said, 2 days ago

   Since when have we really had “free speech” ?
   think about it….
   True, this is an example…ten people look at what I write, one may actually read it and we are surrounded with advertisments….
   NOT what I call free speech..
   And, the IRS was NOT totally wrong in investigating the far right political groups, not, IMO.
3. 

   Clark Kent said, 2 days ago

   Freedom of speech is enjoyed by the very few who are rich enough to have print or broadcast media and because they are rich they are far “right” conservatives. The media are not the least bit liberal. Liberal employees get fired.
4. 

   brent said, 2 days ago

   And exactly WHY are they tax-exempt?
5. 

   Respectful Troll said, 2 days ago

   @Adrian Snare

   We have the free speech, Mr. Snare, but the forum in which we are speaking has costs and so, there are ads. It is my understanding that if you go “Pro”, you lose the ads. GC attacks free speech more than the gov’t in the number of people it makes “invisible” without explanation. (Hope you’re well Howie)
   As far as your opinion that the IRS “was not wrong in investigating the far right political groups”, I disagree. The same criteria for auditing the public applies to investigating these 501 organizations. Draw them at random and ask the exact same type of questions from ALL. There will be red flags that may draw special attention, but those should be incidental AFTER a random drawing.
   These 501s are issue groups, and it must be confirmed that they are not overtly promoting the candidacy of any one person or group, but other than that, they should not be ‘attacked’ as a group.
   For instance you can say -
   “Write to Obama and tell him he’s wrong on health care” as it is legal, but saying –
   “Obama is destroying the economy with his health care plan”, is not legal.
   It’s subtle, but because of Citizen’s United, it’s also the way things are now
   Our opinions may guide our votes, but opinion should not guide policy. Policy needs to be based on facts and strict protocols.
   Respectfully,
   C.
6. 

   Gore Bane said, 2 days ago

   @Adrian Snare

   You have a strange way of looking at things. People have a right to read what you write as THEY choose, not you. Therein lies the crux of the matter; the Left defines free speech as applying to them only.
7. 

   mikefive said, 2 days ago

   @Adrian Snare

   “And, the IRS was NOT totally wrong in investigating the far right political groups, not, IMO.”
   ♦
   Perhaps you should use other sources of information than you are to get a broader picture of what was going on in the IRS as pertains to the 501C3 and C4 applications. It wasn’t a matter of far right political groups. It was a matter of having certain key words in your organization’s title. This would result in delays of processing your application and further questions being asked that were (may have been?) illegal.
8. 

   Justice22 said, 2 days ago

   @Respectful Troll

   In regard to targeting Right-Wing groups, the folowing was on Yahoo News yesterday. It seems the Liberal groups did not receive a “free pass”.
   .
   http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/irs-targeted-tea-party-groups-did-liberal-groups-172738397.html
9. 

   wbr said, 2 days ago

   if you were a connected lib group you got special treatment

   http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/irs-stalled-conservative-groups-but-gave-speedy-approval-to-obama-foundation/2013/05/16/90c53e8a-be57-11e2-89c9-3be8095fe767_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics
10. 

    Bruce4671 said, 2 days ago

    Shouldn’t one revert to basics? Where did this “right” come from? Really, the only thing you are born with is free will. You can allow others to make decision for you – it’s your choice – or you can do it yourself.
    
    So if we allow someone to tell us to not speak about an issue then you have exercised your free will.
    
    But you do have the choice to say what you want regardless of the consequences. (like yelling fire in a crowded theater – against the law but you can do it if you want)
    
    The constitution says the government can not keep you from speaking out and expressing your opinion. We make rules for society to follow in that regard. Liable, slander, lies and so on. While you are not restricted from the act, neither are those slandered restricted from exacting legal punishment for violating societies restrictions.
    
    Why then do we not remember the words of those that wrote the documents involved?
    
    The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect it’s free expression should be its first object. – Thomas Jefferson
    
    The essence of government is power, and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. – James Madison
    
    Or as Queen in waiting Hillary said:
    
    “I’m sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we’re Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration.”
    
    So if Mediamatters is a tax exempt organization, any tea party group can be one too.
11. 

    Radish said, 2 days ago

    The court said money is free speech, so tax the money.
12. 

    dtroutma said, 2 days ago

    Following “anti-government” groups has long been an IRS tactic used by Right wing administrations for years, and yes, lefties as well. Defining ""anti-government" is left under “W” regulations to the agency employees (political appointees).

    
    “Citizens United” DOES “tax” ‘free speech" by making big spenders pay to say whatever they want, as much as they want, for whatever purpose they want. No, “free speech” isn’t “free” under that ruling.
13. 

    Kylie2112 said, 2 days ago

    @Bruce4671

    And exactly how many of the audited groups were stripped of tax exempt status?
14. 

    Rebel Strike said, 2 days ago

    @Adrian Snare

    Since the IRS is not totally wrong, in “your opinion”, then it is totally right to also investigate the cash flow of the Southern Poverty Law Center and how come its founder is living in a multimillion dollar mansion to decide whether the IRS should revoke its 501c3 status. You have to be OK with that, or else you are guilty of double standards and hypocrisy. Here are some pictures of Morris Dees’ “Poverty Palace”:
    http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/02/-southern-poverty-law-fraud-center.html?cid=6a00d8341c60bf53ef0147e2e82aa5970b
15. 

    Ms. Ima said, 2 days ago

    Carbon tax is taxing nothing.
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