Examiner Editorial: Liberals ready to use government power against Tea Party

Sen. Chuck Schumer's endorsement of President Obama's use of the IRS to target and harass Tea Party, conservative and evangelical nonprofits is further evidence that many contemporary liberals are comfortable using government power to squelch political opponents. They are even willing to steamroll one of America's most cherished rights -- freedom of speech -- to thwart people with views contrary to their own. Speaking to the Center for American Progress last week, Schumer decried the Tea Party's influence on House Republicans and declared that “there are many things that can be done administratively by the IRS and other government agencies -- we must redouble those efforts immediately.”

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Barton: No need for pastors to fear IRS

ONENEWSNOW, 10/14/2010 by Becky Yeh - A Christian constitutional expert thinks the Internal Revenue Service's lack of response to a recent initiative shows there is no longer any reason for pastors to be silent on political issues when standing behind the pulpit (See earlier story).

Current law prohibits pastors from speaking on politics or endorsing a political candidate, but David Barton of WallBuilders says the IRS's intimidation of removing a church's tax exemption status is unconstitutional. Even though some pastors have intentionally crossed the line, Barton does not think the IRS wants to take them to court because it may lose.

"The IRS doesn't have any interest in doing this because if they do, I believe they know they are going to lose. And if they lose, you have 370,000 pastors in America who suddenly find out that there's no restriction on them," Barton suggests.

The WallBuilders president explains that churches are guaranteed tax exemption status under the Constitution, but he believes many pastors are afraid to speak about politics because they fear they will lose their letter of tax exemption.

"You cannot lose your tax exemption as a church because as a church, you have a constitutional standing for tax exemption," he points out. "So with that basis, losing your letter means absolutely nothing -- and that's something pastors are now figuring out."

Barton argues that the pulpit was and should continue to be the news perspective for America, so he encourages all pastors to speak out and stand for truth. Read More......

WSJ: Court Tosses Out FCC Rules to Curb Indecent Speech

A federal appeals court threw out the FCC's rules on indecent speech Tuesday, in a big win for broadcasters that could lead to a new Supreme Court test of the government's power to control what is said on television and radio. Read more at Wall Street Journal... Read More......

LAW OF THE LAND: Pastors win challenge to political involvement

WND, 5/12/2009 by Drew Zahn (Hat tip: Lou Copes) - IRS rules voter education on moral issues, registration permissible. ∴ In a decision that holds ramifications for churches around the country, the Internal Revenue Service found that a non-profit organization that gathered pastors to a series of public policy conferences did not violate the political entanglement laws governing its tax-exempt status. ∴ Prompted by a complaint filed by the Texas Freedom Network, which calls itself "a mainstream voice to counter the religious right," the IRS investigated the Houston-based Niemoller Foundation for organizing during the 2006 election season six pastors briefings, which included speeches from prominent politicians and training for pastors on urging and registering their congregations to vote. Read more at WorldNetDaily... Read More......