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[Leftist Rep Lynn] Woolsey: IRS should look at bishops [Ecumenical]
Politico ^ | 11/9/2009 | Rep. Lynn Woolsey

Posted on 11/10/2009 8:47:03 AM PST by Pyro7480

I expect political hardball on any legislation as important as the health care bill.

I just didn’t expect it from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Who elected them to Congress?

The role the bishops played in the pushing the Stupak amendment, which unfairly restricts access for low-income women to insurance coverage for abortions, was more than mere advocacy.

They seemed to dictate the finer points of the amendment, and managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure.

And this political effort was subsidized by taxpayers, since the Council enjoys tax-exempt status....

The IRS is less restrictive about church involvement in efforts to influence legislation than it is about involvement in campaigns and elections.

Given the political behavior of USCCB in this case, maybe it shouldn’t be.

(Excerpt) Read more at dyn.politico.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: bishops; catholic; democrats; woolsey
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Secular leftists the world over have made the Catholic Church their #1 target since 1789. This is just the latest manifestation of it.
1 posted on 11/10/2009 8:47:04 AM PST by Pyro7480
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To: Siobhan; Canticle_of_Deborah; NYer; Salvation; american colleen; Desdemona; StAthanasiustheGreat; ..
Catholic ping!

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

2 posted on 11/10/2009 8:48:30 AM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: Pyro7480

Black churches are the only ones allowed to be political


3 posted on 11/10/2009 8:50:05 AM PST by notaliberal (Right-wing extremist)
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To: notaliberal
Black churches are the only ones allowed to be political

And only when they espouse the left-wing position or let the leftist speak from their pulpit. If a black minister speaks out against let's say homosexual "marriage" (as they have done in DC), then it's ok to bash them.

4 posted on 11/10/2009 8:54:06 AM PST by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
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To: Pyro7480

Isn’t it a crime to threaten someone with the IRS audit for political reasons?


5 posted on 11/10/2009 9:01:33 AM PST by Citizen Soldier ("You care far too much what is written and said about you." Axelrod to Obama 2006)
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To: Pyro7480
Gee, I wonder if THIS had anything to do with her announcement...
6 posted on 11/10/2009 9:07:55 AM PST by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
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To: Pyro7480

All Christians churches should give up the tax deduction hook. It is just too expensive.


7 posted on 11/10/2009 9:10:31 AM PST by DManA
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To: Pyro7480
They seemed to dictate the finer points of the amendment, and managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure.

And this political effort was subsidized by taxpayers, since the Council enjoys tax-exempt status....

The logic of liberals is just breathtaking. What they're essentially saying is that the IRS doesn't directly rob churches of their money so therefore the government is subsidizing them. Kind of like if I owned a beer distributorship in Al Capone's Chicago neighborhood and for whatever reason he didn't take his protection money , he's subsidizing my business.

This points out how the government , especially on the left, sees the American people as serfs. Maybe some years we get to keep more of our money , but in the end it's theirs first and they're only allowing us our share. Kind of a far cry from Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

8 posted on 11/10/2009 9:11:13 AM PST by YankeeReb
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To: Pyro7480

Oh, please Ms. Woolvesley, attack the Catholic Bishops. Go after them with all your secualr, atheistic, marxist might! While you’re at it, sic the IRS on other Christians — Protestant denominations, ministries, aid agencies and missions! GO FOR IT! This is the kind of carnage you NEED to pursue! You might want to be prepared for a bit of blowback, madam....


9 posted on 11/10/2009 9:12:55 AM PST by patriot preacher (To be a good American Citizen and a Christian IS NOT a contradiction. (www.mygration.blogspot.com))
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In a pluralistic society, the bishops have just as much right to exercise influence as do the lobbyists representing the medically trained serial killers who murder unborn children for money. The White House visitors’ lists reflect multiple visits to the White House by NARAL and Planned Parenthood. Are the representatives of the abortion industry more equal than the bishops?
10 posted on 11/10/2009 9:20:03 AM PST by Godwin1
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To: Pyro7480
Incidentally, let me re-post here something I posted on another thread, which attempts to clarify what is becoming an extremely muddled situation concerning the Health Care Scam Bill. The only specific part of HR 3962 that the USCCB (Bishops' Conference) ever endorsed was the Stupak Amendment, banning federal funding of abortion.

Otherwise, as USCCB President Cardinal Francis George noted, "[W]e bishops do not claim or present ourselves as experts on health care policy. We are not prepared to assess every provision of legislation as complex as this proposal. However, health care legislation, with all its political, technical and economic aspects, is about human beings and hence has serious moral dimensions."

In other words, the Church has authority to speak out on moral matters (don't kill babies) but not on "prudential" matters (what is the best way to help the sick and needy?)

Though some Catholic spokespeople have obfuscated this point, the USCCB has not endorsed HR 3962 per se (nor opposed it per se.)

Moreover, some 50 bishops at this point have come out criticizing the Bill as violating "subsidiarity": the principle that things should be done at the lowest and most local first, not at the level of “big government”.

I don’t blame you, any of you, for not knowing this. The level of communication has been abysmal; there is apparently a Battle Royal going on within the bishops' conference about the statements coming out of the USCCB office --- USCCB delenda est----and the bishops (e.g. Nienstedt of MN) who directly oppose the whole ball'o'crap Obama-Pelosi Bill have gotten practically zero publicity.

11 posted on 11/10/2009 9:22:19 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops." St. John Chrysostom, Bishop)
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To: Pyro7480
Who elected them to Congress? The role the bishops played in the pushing the Stupak amendment, which unfairly restricts access for low-income women to insurance coverage for abortions, was more than mere advocacy. They seemed to dictate the finer points of the amendment, and managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure.

Is Woolsey upset that a lobby group wrote legislation? Or is it just this particular lobby group? Is she upset that a lobby group actually lobbied their representatives to vote in their interests? Or is it just this lobby group?

As for who elected whom to Congress, remember that Woolsey represents Marin County, CA. That was Barbara Boxer's seat until Boxer ran for the Senate.

-PJ

12 posted on 11/10/2009 9:23:53 AM PST by Political Junkie Too (Every child will be a natural born criminal until their parents add them to their health care plan.)
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I just didn’t expect it from the United States Council(sic) of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

That would be the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Representative Scheisskopf.

13 posted on 11/10/2009 9:25:57 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: Pyro7480

My email to Rep. Woolsey
Lynn:

As an American Citizen and a Catholic - I was disgusted by your comment about the USCCB and their tax exemption status.

I congratulate our Catholic Bishops for standing up for life. Sounds like you were angry that the Bishops were so effective. What is more important to you Abortion Rights - or Healthcare? Just because Catholics are not politically correct doesn’t mean that we have to check our opinions and advocacy at the door of the congress!

Shame on you for your threat against the Catholic church’s tax status.


14 posted on 11/10/2009 9:38:59 AM PST by csistrueblue (I'm glad I homeschool Ping!)
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To: Pyro7480

It’s comin’ folks.............it’s a comin’!!


15 posted on 11/10/2009 9:41:17 AM PST by marshmallow ("A country which kills its own children has no future" -Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
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To: Pyro7480; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


16 posted on 11/10/2009 9:42:44 AM PST by NYer ( "One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
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To: Pyro7480

Nonprofit 501c3 organizations are permitted to do a substantial amount of lobbying to influence legislation.

Liberals changed the law in the 70s, and now they dont like living with the fruits of their labor.


17 posted on 11/10/2009 9:44:42 AM PST by freespirited (Liberals are only liberal about sex & drugs. Otherwise, they want to control your life. --DHorowitz)
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To: marshmallow
The IRS does not want any part of this nonsense and will attempt to avoid it at all costs. The politicians are merely posturing and playing to the wishes of their fan clubs getting them exercised for the next election.
18 posted on 11/10/2009 10:00:06 AM PST by bronx2
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To: Pyro7480

Threatening political participation by unleashing the IRS?

Wollsey is a FASCIST!!


19 posted on 11/10/2009 10:02:10 AM PST by elcid1970 ("O Muslim! My bullets are dipped in pig grease!")
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To: csistrueblue

I csan find NOTHING about what relgion she is....anyone know??? Progressive usuallu means ATHEIST....maybe Jewish, but probably ATHEIST.


20 posted on 11/10/2009 11:11:24 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion,,,,,,the Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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