Thought for the day
March 11, 1999
In a brief news report today, Pat Robertson (himself a failed Presidential candidate) announced that he wanted to raise $21 million dollars to help conservatives in the 2000 campaigns.
Normally I applaud political activism, even by people with whom I disagree, because I think our system works better when more people are involved. But this type of announcement worries me a more than a little. You see, Pat and his folks like to use the tax-exempt status of churches to funnel money and other types of assistance to conservative candidates even when it breaks the law.
Churches aren't taxed in this country because we value the right of people to choose how they worship. But we DO TAX political organizations. If people raise money through tax-exempt churches or turn churches into shadow-PAC's by having them distribute "suggested" voting cards they have crossed the line.
Go ahead and raise your money Pat. But we, the people, will be watching to see how you distribute it.