Posted on 11/22/2015 8:05:28 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Don’t you love donating to causes you believe in? Don’t you love that warm fuzzy feeling from knowing that contributing to a worthy cause? And don’t you especially love that you can support whatever organization you choose anonymously? That last one is especially important given the news over the last few years that the IRS has been targeting conservatives with audits and denial of tax-free status for nakedly political reasons.
Well, if the IRS has their way, this may be a luxury that will soon go the way of the dinosaur. A new rule is proposing that non-profit organizations collect the “tax identification numbers†of all their donors who give over $250. For you and me, that means our Social Security numbers.
It’s hard to imagine a more chilling regulation on charitable giving. Would you be willing to enter your Social Security number into an internet donation form, knowing that the government will get to see it? Would you be willing to write that number down and mail it through the U.S. Post Office alongside a check? I wouldn’t.
This is part of the IRS’a continued efforts to reduce the reach and effectiveness of non-profit organizations. Many of you will remember the proposed regulations from last year that would have narrowly defined “social welfare†to shut down conservative organizations critical of the IRS. Through a massive grassroots activism campaign, FreedomWorks, along with other organizations, was able to stop the regulation by driving a record number of comments - over 150,000 - to defeat the rule. This new regulation is a resurrection of the same idea - identify and deter voters to causes the government doesn’t approve of.
In addition to the compliance cost of organizations having to keep track of all these numbers, the potential for civil liberties violations is huge. The Constitution guarantees us the freedom of association, but that freedom is compromised when the we know the government is watching us, especially when the watching is being done by an organization capable of inflicting punishment in the form of fines, audits, asset forfeiture, and general harassment.
The IRS has repeatedly demonstrated that it is not interested in protecting Americans’ freedom of speech, but that it would rather wield its power in a partisan, political way to punish its enemies and reward its friends. It is crucial that we stop any attempt at expanding the agency’s power to quash the free expression of the American people.
The comment period is open until December 16. Make sure you take the time to comment and let the IRS know that they have no right to demand your Social Security number for charitable contributions.
PING!
IRS Nanny State PING!
BTTT!
Almost forgot to ping you.
Current law is that contributions over $250 have to have documentation. But only if audited.
Every conservative charity should become a Puerto Rican corporation. Corporations don’t get the scrutiny the charitable organizations do, and Puerto Rican companies don’t pay federal taxes.
I think IRS stands for I’m Really Satan.
What an evil organization.
.
As an aside, i think i am adapting to seeing apostrophes as in IRS’ and open and closed quotes as in “social welfareâ€!
The overwhelming majority of USA’s charity is private, while that of Sweden is government-centric.
This is another effort to transform the USA into Sweden, or a warmer analogue.
Another attempted step towards Socialism.
They’re doing this because NO ONE went to prison for the last major IRS scandal.
If u owe >$50,000 in tax and are not making payments, beginning Jan 1 the IRS will electronically revoke your passport.
Reason number 148,899,587,555 to shut down the IRS for good.
I’m sure I could think of more reasons, that that should be sufficient.
Every dollar contributed to private chairty is a dollar the government doesn’t hve to spend to “help” people. And that’s unacceptable to “progressives”.
What makes it worse is that private charities do the job MUCH more efficiently. How dare they?
Unless your name is Al Sharpton then you get invited to the White House hundreds of times.
Ted Cruz has said if elected the IRS will be shut down!
I shop a lot on Amazon as it is difficult with my health to get out and do it. They have a way you can contribute to a registered charity when you buy items. My Charity is St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Hospital in Memphis.
I get most of my Christmas gifts from there with gift cards from Kroger’s as they are 4 times the gas points from Nov 18-Dec 8, as long as they are not Kroger, Credit or Multi denomination. Plus I get 1% back on my Discover card. I can shop for Christmas in 1o minutes that way, with 7 grands and 5 great grands, no way I can keep up with what they like or want or need. Let their parents do the shopping.
Well, he can say that, but his plan includes an income tax and a Value Added Tax. No way.
Liberal politicians don’t like charities because they want you to depend on the govt..
FairTax ping!
This is the kind of government insanity that will help us get the FairTax passed!
Back to work peasants! Charity is to be regulated out of existence...because only the gub’mint should confiscate your money to distribute as it sees fit. No competition!
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