[Lnc-business] Fwd: IRS Rule Change That Would Destroy Free Speech and Grassroots Activism

Wed Sep 14 22:43:06 EDT 2016

I tentatively support, pending answers to above questions

On Sep 14, 2016 10:10 PM, "Joshua Katz" <planning4liberty at gmail.com> wrote:

> In general, I am suspicious of such limits on political activity since
> they always tend to have a disproportionate impact on, well, us.  It seems
> to me that this organization is right on the merits.  Like my colleague
> from Indiana, I'd like to know what signing on entails and what we're being
> asked to do or can be asked to do in the future.
>
> Joshua A. Katz
> Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)
>
> On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 5:56 PM, Sam Goldstein <goldsteinatlarge at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
>> Although I absolutely agree with the premise of this alliance, we are
>> clearly a partisan policy party.  I wonder how that would
>> set with any other groups involved in the project.
>>
>> I would also want a better understanding of what would be asked of us and
>> what we would gain in return.
>>
>> Live Free,
>>
>>
>>
>> Sam Goldstein
>> Libertarian National Committee
>> Member at Large
>> 8925 N Meridian St, Ste 101
>> Indianapolis IN 46260
>> 317-850-0726 Phone
>> 317-582-1773 Fax
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 5:35 PM, Nicholas Sarwark <chair at lp.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>> I have had some discussions with the Tax Revolution Institute about the
>>> Libertarian Party joining their First Amendment Alliance.  Below is an
>>> email from Jason Casella, the Program Director, with details about what is
>>> happening and what they're doing.  I told him I would send it on to the LNC
>>> to discuss whether we are interested in signing on.  Please chime in with
>>> whether you would support or oppose our signing on and reasons so I can get
>>> a sense of whether it's something that should be put up for a vote.
>>>
>>> Yours in liberty,
>>> Nick
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: Jason Casella <jcasella at taxrevolution.us>
>>> Date: Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 1:29 PM
>>> Subject: IRS Rule Change That Would Destroy Free Speech and Grassroots
>>> Activism
>>> To: chair at lp.org
>>>
>>>
>>> Good Afternoon Nick,
>>>
>>> It was a pleasure speaking with you again.   As I mentioned, we have
>>> formed a non partisan first amendment alliance
>>> <https://taxrevolution.us/first-amendment-alliance/> to stop this rule
>>> and would love to have the Libertarian Party join and wanted to see if you
>>> know of any organizations that would like to join.   Here is a little more
>>> background on the situation as well as a link for the bill
>>> <https://taxrevolution.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Free-Speech-Protection-Act-Final.pdf>
>>> we have prepared.
>>>
>>> Shortly before Thanksgiving in 2013, as the American public left for the
>>> holiday, the IRS quietly issued a proposed rule
>>> <https://taxrevolution.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IRS-Rule-line-by-line-explanation.odt> to
>>> “clarify” the definition of political activity for not-for-profit social
>>> welfare organizations (501c4s). This “clarification
>>> <https://www.thenation.com/article/irs-swings-dark-money-misses-target/>”
>>> would have left many organizations unable to function, as it would have
>>> effectively prohibited them from mentioning the voting records and names of
>>> many public officials. After receiving over 175,000 comments
>>> <https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=IRS-2013-0038>, mostly in
>>> opposition, the IRS withdrew the rule. Shortly afterward, instead of taking
>>> the initiative to protect free speech, Congress kicked the can down the
>>> road, prohibiting the funding of any such new rule *until October 1st
>>> of this year*.
>>>
>>> On June 8th, 2016, 43 members of Congress
>>> <http://www.dems.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Letter-to-Full-Committee-on-501c4-Rider1.pdf> *urged
>>> the House Appropriations Committee to remove even those modest protections*,
>>> and allow the IRS to fund the nonprofit muzzling rule. And as
>>> revealed in an interview with *Politico*
>>> <http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/irs-may-broaden-rule-to-police-political-nonprofits-116206>,
>>> not only is IRS Commissioner John Koskinen still pursuing the rule, but he
>>> now wants to expand it to include all nonprofits; labor unions, business
>>> associations, churches, educational institutions, and even charities.
>>>
>>> The rules claim to be an attempt to “clarify” what makes an
>>> activity “political” and therefore cannot be counted toward a nonprofit
>>> organization’s purpose. They could include:
>>>
>>>    - posting a candidate’s voting record
>>>    - voter registration
>>>    - get-out-the-vote efforts
>>>
>>>
>>>    - voter guides
>>>    - candidate questionnaires
>>>    - discussing issues “related” to candidates
>>>
>>>
>>>    - Having the name of a candidate on a non-profit’s website, *even if
>>>    it was posted before they were a candidate*
>>>
>>> *If enacted, these rules would censor many nonprofit organizations,
>>> reduce civic engagement, and open the door to crippling red tape for even
>>> the most non-political organizations.*
>>>
>>> If Congress does not act by October 1st, the impact these IRS rules
>>> could have on nonprofits of all types could be devastating. The Tax
>>> Revolution Institute’s First Amendment Alliance will raise awareness about
>>> the full impact of these rules and organize action to prevent their
>>> implementation.  For more information visit:
>>> https://taxrevolution.us/first-amendment-alliance/
>>> Here is also the press release
>>> <https://taxrevolution.us/tax-watchdog-aims-protect-free-speech-first-amendment-alliance/>
>>> we just published earlier this week on the alliance as well.
>>>
>>> Please reach out when you can.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>>
>>> *Jason Casella*
>>> Program Director
>>>
>>> *Tax Revolution Institute*
>>> Capitol Hill District
>>> 20 F Street NW
>>> 7th Floor
>>> Washington, D.C.  20001
>>> P 202-507-6329 <202-601-0454>
>>> F 202-507-6101 <202-601-0454>
>>> C 202-601-0454
>>>
>>> jcasella at taxrevolution.us <dan at taxrevolution.us>
>>> http://TaxRevolution.us <http://taxrevolution.us/>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Justice and Integrity in the Tax System"
>>>
>>> Media Kit:
>>>
>>>
>>> *http://TaxRevolution.us/media-kit <http://taxrevolution.us/media-kit> *
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>>>
>>>
>>
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