Posted on 10/10/2017 6:53:30 AM PDT by Enlightened1
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the National Football League should not be given tax breaks, wading back into his criticism of the league over silent player protests during the national anthem.
“Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and Country? Change tax law!” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.
It was not clear what exactly Trump was demanding, and representatives for the White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The NFL gave up its federal tax-exempt status in 2015, according to media reports, although U.S. states and localities still offer the multi-billion dollar league tax breaks in order to attract teams and to finance stadiums.
Trump has been on a tear for weeks against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem played before games, saying the gesture disrespects the country. His strongly worded call last month for players who did this to be fired touched off an initially sharp response, including from some team owners and coaches.
The players’ silent demonstration, which began last year in protest against police violence toward racial minorities, was embraced more widely in reaction to Trump’s more recent comments, with more players taking the knee while others chose to lock arms.
A number of Republican lawmakers suggested in September that tax sweeteners should end given the protests, the Washington Post reported.
On Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence walked out of an NFL game after some players knelt. Separately, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he would bench players who disrespect the U.S. flag.
On Monday, cable sports network ESPN was drawn into the fray when it suspended one of its broadcasters after she posted a tweet about the protests and Jones’ comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Go President Trump!
Starting to get real now for the owners.
This should have been done years ago.
These players are allowing themselves to be exploited by leftist elites who want to see football destroyed.
Screw the NFL but exactly what tax breaks does it receive?
I don’t know of any federal tax breaks, but they do receive federal protection from being considered a monopoly when negotiating broadcasting fees and possibly even when setting salary caps, etc.
Trump is just bringing a dose of reality to the protests. Disrespect the flag and the country; expect to pay a price. That’s a lesson liberals need to learn. They’ve had it their own way for too long now.
And just as a reminder, this all goes back to Obama’s “The police behaved stupidly” and all of his anti-police comments thereafter. Without that “leadership” this wouldn’t be happening.
The rebellious state of California needs to be paying particular attention to this.
NFL employees need to be wearing ankle monitoring bracelets......at the very least
Don’t they enjoy a monopoly of sorts? Are there any obstacles to another league starting up?
Excellent observation! It wouldn't have been possible if Goodell hadn't been such an enabling fool, a useful idiot if there ever was one.
That’s a lotta dough.
Oh No he can’t !! Soon the only thing the NFL will have left is tax breaks ,LOL
These players are allowing themselves to be exploited by leftist elites who want to see football destroyed.
I think they are just showing their true colors, and what we have seen up until now was all an act. This is who they Really Are, Racist America Hating Thugs
Unfortunately, the NFL has been co-opted by the Left. It has now been documented that the NFL Players Association has been funneling money to leftist organizations.
In this manner the NFLPA has become what the Wisconsin teacher’s union became. The teachers unions would funnel millions of dollars to Democrats and provide an army of campaign foot soldiers to Democrat campaigns, that is, until Scott Walker dismantled this corrupt organization. Now we see the NFLPA acting in a very similar manner.
Unwittingly or not, Goodell and the Owners have bent over backwards trying to keep the peace and mollify the players to avoid confrontation. Goodell let a lot of stuff slide and as a result they are staring into the abyss. Very hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Jemele Hill over at ESPN is a microcosm of the NFL. ESPN gave Hill special treatment and only gave her a warning about her Trump e-mail. Emboldened, Hill then tried to cut the throat of the NFL, and her employer, by calling for a boycott. Not learning the lesson, ESPN again caved and gave Hill a paid tow-week vacation (suspension). ESPN’s problem with Hill, like the NFL with its players in open rebellion, is far from over and will likely not end well.
ESPN and the NFL have willingly - willingly - placed themselves in the PC straightjacket so that they would be liked and respected by the militant Left. Somehow in all this there is a message to the GOP about always seeking to placate the corrupt MSM and the Left by wanting to be loved by capitulating to them.
Bob Kraft financed and built his own stadium... No worries in New England. To bad the rest of the NFL doesn’t do the same.
disgusting rotten Reuters
The NFL is getting tax breaks while having taxpayers pay for stadiums? Unbelievable.
President Trump is exactly right!
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