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Thread ID: 143533	2017-02-04 23:05:00	Los Angeles Times Anti-Trump Article	SurferJoe46 (51)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1431553	2017-02-04 23:05:00	Travelers from banned countries begin arriving in the U . S . as authorities suspend enforcement of Trump's travel ban ( . latimes . com/politics/la-na-pol-visa-cancellations-20170204-story . html#nt=oft01a-2la1" target="_blank">www . latimes . com) Seems he's being confounded at every turn . One of the latest barbs is The Johnson Act (footnote) - which DOES NOT ALLOW churches to advocate and collect funds for political parties or candidates . At this time, the Internal Revenue is not actually enforcing the law as it stands . In The Johnson Act ( . npr . org/2017/02/03/513187940/the-johnson-amendment-in-five-questions-and-answers" target="_blank">www . npr . org), a church can claim to be non-profit --- a 501(c)3 ( . google . com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjm7KKTvvfRAhVD02MKHemSDjcQFgg4MAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen . wikipedia . org%2Fwiki%2F501" target="_blank">www . google . com(c) _organization&usg=AFQjCNFDSKyH3HNq52VMlYNjJvSn0RTzrQ&sig2=34SWdtYAYN1V31lwsx2uSQ) status --- for the law books, and stay tax exempt by NOT lending support and succor to any politician, political organization, etc . The IRS hasn't slapped any of the typically Afro-American churches (Baptists, Pentecostals, FCoG, etc) --- as any assault on them gets all NON-PC in a hurry . Those churches have been against Trump from the beginning and they just aren't letting go of this last election loss of their candidate . Hence: riots, protests and marches . These cadres and churches have been a thorn in Trump's side for years as they're all Right Wing and Socialists - and he's not the type of guy to forget and forgive . If he doesn't get his way, he still has an ACE up his sleeve . \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ Martial Law . This is for those who are afraid to click on websites about which they are not sure ----> (footnote) In his address to the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, President Trump vowed to "get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution . " Some conservative Christian groups will welcome the promise, but many Americans may wonder what Trump was talking about . Here are five basic questions that we can answer . 1 . What is the Johnson Amendment? The Johnson Amendment regulates what tax-exempt organizations such as churches can do in the political arena . Under terms of the 1954 legislation (named for its principal sponsor, then-Sen . Lyndon Johnson), churches and other nonprofit organizations that are exempt from taxation "are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office," according to the IRS website . Organizations claiming tax-exempt status cannot collect contributions on behalf of political campaigns or make any statement for or against a particular candidate . Clergy are not allowed to endorse candidates from the pulpit . (Despite Trump's promise to "totally destroy" the amendment, the president does not have the authority to do so on his own . Only Congress can repeal a law, in this case an amendment to the tax code . ) 2 . Does this prohibit all types of political activity in churches? No . The law is fairly narrow in scope . Nonpartisan voter education activities and church-organized voter registration drives are legal . Pastors are free to preach on social and political issues of concern . Churches can publish "issue guides" for voters . 3 . Who wants the Johnson Amendment repealed? Though white evangelical Protestants have been active in pushing for the amendment's repeal, other religious groups have been more likely to test its limits . A 2016 study by the Pew Research Center found that black Protestants have been more likely than other Christian groups to report having heard their clergy speak out clearly on the merits or faults of a particular candidate . The study found that 28 percent of black Protestants heard their clergy speak in support of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign, while about 1 in 5 black Protestants, about 20 percent, said they had heard their ministers denounce Donald Trump . By comparison, just 4 percent of white evangelicals reported having heard their clergy speak in favor of a presidential candidate (2 percent each for Trump and Clinton), while 7 percent heard their clergy speak against a candidate (mostly Clinton) . 4 . Is this just about free speech for churches and pastors? No . It's also about money and politics . Conservative groups that favor a greater role for religion in the public space, such as the Alliance Defending Freedom, have long sought to repeal the amendment, arguing that it restricts free speech by censoring the content of a pastor's sermon . Overturning the law, however, would also have major implications for campaign finance . If churches or clergy are allowed to participate in political campaigns, tax-free donations to the churches could go to support a political candidate . Religious organizations could become bigger money players in politics . 5 . Have any churches landed in trouble for violating the Johnson Amendment? Not really . Despite the controversy surrounding the Johnson Amendment, the Internal Revenue Service has not been especially active in enforcing it . Since 2008, the Alliance Defending Freedom has organized "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," encouraging pastors to give explicitly political sermons in defiance of the law . The IRS, however, has rarely moved to take away a church's tax exemption . According to the alliance, as reported by the Washington Post, only one of more than 2,000 Christian clergy deliberately challenging the law since 2008 has been audited, and none has been punished	SurferJoe46 (51)
1431554	2017-02-04 23:20:00	Mike Pence must be hoping he (Pence) gets a chance	WalOne (4202)
1431555	2017-02-04 23:59:00	Most of the rest of the world doesn't care about looney yanks, except where it may affect trade etc.	pctek (84)
1431556	2017-02-05 01:16:00	Mike Pence must be hoping he (Pence) gets a chanceI read somewhere that he would be worse than Trump!!	Pato (2463)
1431557	2017-02-05 06:56:00	Yes I do wish the news media would just report the news. And that "celebs" would just be "celebs" Trump was voted in fair and square, so give him a chance. I think if the news media went out into the streets and asked the average Joe Blow plumbers, they would find that a lot of people support him. Make America great again.Use American steel Stop China being a currency manipulator Stop China dumping steel on the USA (and world markets) they have so much over capacity - in any other country many of their works would close down. Keep America safe. Ban muslims from all countries - it is the religion of evil. Build the wall with Mexico and keep out all the 3rd world low life who use Mexican railways each night to try to get in to the USA.	Digby (677)
1431558	2017-02-05 06:57:00	Most of the rest of the world doesn't care about looney yanks, except where it may affect trade etc. Or when they want them to send in the marines to save them from agressors!	Digby (677)
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