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

Wed Sep 14 23:40:51 EDT 2016

I have forwarded a response from Mr. Casella on Sam's concerns.

Daniel Hayes
LNC At Large Member

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 14, 2016, at 10:29 PM, Jason Casella <jcasella at taxrevolution.us> wrote:
> 
> Daniel,
> 
> Tax Revolution Institute is non partisan but most of our coalition members are not.  They are from the far left to far right and anywhere and everywhere inbetween.  But they are finding common ground on the first amendment and setting their differences aside.  Which is exactly what our founders did.  We need to get around the divide and conquer and unite on the basics we can all agree upon.
> 
> As a coalition partner, we would link to your website.  This is a voluntary thing so anything further than appearing on the alliance which will help us pressure legislation to back protecting free speech would be voluntary.  We have draft legislation that you can choose to help us lobby and pass, share articles, spread the word of our work with other organizations, ETC which is all voluntary.  I would think you would want to share this with any non profits that help pave the way to getting other options in debates and who help get other options on the ballots and who spread libertarian principles; as an alternative to the blatant two party oligarchy that has been stifling freedom and running our country into the ground for decades.  How you choose to ensure there are others to help spread the message for you is entirely up to you.  You would not be required to do any of the aforementioned if you didn't want to, this a voluntary coalition, do as little or as much as you want.  What a Novel concept right?  Something that isn't forced...
> 
> Any questions let me know.
> 
> In Liberty,
> 
> Jason
> 
>> On Wednesday, September 14, 2016, Daniel Hayes <danielehayes at icloud.com> wrote:
>> Jason,  
>> 
>> Here are some questions/concerns from Sam Goldstein, another of the LNC At Large Members.
>> 
>> 
>> Daniel Hayes
>> LNC At Large Member
>> 
>> Begin forwarded message:
>> 
>>> From: Sam Goldstein <goldsteinatlarge at gmail.com>
>>> Date: September 14, 2016 3:57:44 PM
>>> To: lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>> Cc: lnc-business <lnc-business at lp.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] Fwd: IRS Rule Change That Would Destroy Free Speech and Grassroots Activism
>>> 
>>> 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 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 we have prepared.
>>>> 
>>>> Shortly before Thanksgiving in 2013, as the American public left for the holiday, the IRS quietly issued a proposed rule to “clarify” the definition of political activity for not-for-profit social welfare organizations (501c4s). This “clarification” 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, 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 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, 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 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
>>>> F 202-507-6101
>>>> C 202-601-0454
>>>> 
>>>> jcasella at taxrevolution.us
>>>> http://TaxRevolution.us 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Justice and Integrity in the Tax System"
>>>> 
>>>> Media Kit:
>>>> http://TaxRevolution.us/media-kit 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Jason Casella
> Project Director
> Tax Revolution Institute
> Capitol Hill District
> 20 F Street NW, 7th Floor
> Washington, D.C. 20001
> P 202-831-4776
> jcasella at taxrevolution.us
> http://TaxRevolution.us
> 
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