News of the day

Can't imagine how I missed that one! ?

An important government agency targetting specific groups of opposite views to the ruling party is not good news, no matter who is in which side. And not's really a tax issue only.

You comment on American news all the time anyway!

A minor scandal. But even the president himself has reacted, because out of minor petty things like this bigger things can come. It has happened before.

On the other subject, true.

Dean wrote: "Lerner said the practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias. ... About 75 groups were inappropriately targeted. None had their tax-exempt status revoked, Lerner said"   "They accused the agency of frustrating their attempts to become tax exempt by sending them lengthy, intrusive questionnaires."     Oh, right. A minor scandal then. A mountain out of a molehill. A storm in a tea party cup. A bit naughty perhaps, looking for obvious political activity in an alleged charity organisation - oh dear, how stupid of them to do that, every fool knows the core activity of the Tea Party is not political at all, of course they should be tax-exempt - heaven forfend.

Yeah I actually thought the same thing that it really wasn't a big deal. But more details are coming out and it seems bigger than thought. We'll see where it goes.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: Dean wrote: "Lerner said the practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias. ... About 75 groups were inappropriately targeted. None had their tax-exempt status revoked, Lerner said"   "They accused the agency of frustrating their attempts to become tax exempt by sending them lengthy, intrusive questionnaires."     Oh, right. A minor scandal then. A mountain out of a molehill. A storm in a tea party cup. A bit naughty perhaps, looking for obvious political activity in an alleged charity organisation - oh dear, how stupid of them to do that, every fool knows the core activity of the Tea Party is not political at all, of course they should be tax-exempt - heaven forfend. Yeah I actually thought the same thing that it really wasn't a big deal. But more details are coming out and it seems bigger than thought. We'll see where it goes.

Hmm, I still think it is a storm in a tea cup, but these things have a tendancy to spiral - it's not the deeds that brings them down but the fumbled cover-ups. Political groups should not be tax exempt.

Each year the IRS reviews as many as 60,000 applications from groups ranging from charities to labor unions that want to be classified as tax-exempt. "Social welfare" groups dedicated to the general good can be tax-exempt under tax law 501(c)4.

These groups do not have to disclose the identities of their donors and they can spend money on advertising for general issues, but they may not endorse specific candidates or parties.

The U.S. Supreme Court's January 2010 "Citizens United" ruling unleashed a torrent of new political spending and 501(c)4 groups became a popular conduit for some of it, on both ends of the political spectrum, but especially for conservatives.

The number of applications sent to the IRS by groups seeking 501(c)4 status rose to 3,400 in 2012 from 1,500 in 2010. As money poured into 501(c)4 groups, campaign finance activists began to raise questions and demanded a crackdown by the IRS.

Outrage at clip of Syrian rebel eating the heart of a soldier!

BBC


There has been broad condemnation for a video which appears to show a rebel taking a bite out of the heart of a Syrian soldiers herat. The main opposition groups in Syria have said he will be put on trial.

Whatever. Do we really want to be arming and supplying the opposition in Syria? What actual safeguards are there in a lawless civil war zone that effectively prevent weapons falling into the 'wrong hands' War is a dirty business. Do we know for sure that the main opposition groups are not committing all manner of atrocities themselves



Edited by Blacksword - May 14 2013 at 07:25

Blacksword wrote: CIA spook detained in Moscow for trying to recruit Russian agent.. BBC article I find this kind of thing intriguing, especially seeing as the cold war "ended" decades ago. In this case the detention was short and he was handed over to US officials, but I wonder how often there are spying incidents that we never hear of, in Russia, the US and Europe.

^ Now this is sick. "God is on their side". Not laughter-worthy but still somehow funny.

horsewithteeth11 wrote: There are meltdowns, and then there's this.

"I AM WONDER WOMAN. I AM A GREAT CHEF, A GREAT WIFE, AND A GREAT MOM TO MY KIDS. AND WE WILL BE PARENTS TO A HUMAN KID, ONE DAY TO. WE WILL SHOW ALL OF YOU."

Actually, read through some more of the posts and watching a bit of the program I think the poor woman needs help.