Pablo Eisenberg Takes Aim at Obama's 501c-4

In preparation for our Virtual Wine and Cheese Party next Tuesday April 9th at 7:00 pm, I wanted to share this link to a commentary by Pablo Eisenberg on how Obama has missed an opportunity to ask the nonprofit sector to lobby with him for control legislation.

http://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/22057-on-gun-control-white-house-fails-to-tap-power-of-its-own-and-other-nonprofits.html?goback=%2Egde_1536997_member_228445887

I am a big Obama fan, but I think Pablo has it just right on this issue.  What do you think?

Jeff

PS  You say, "What Virtual Wine and Cheese Party?"  For information and to sign up, contact Amanda Hoyle at ahoyle@baypath.edu

Finally, US SENATE to INVESTIGATE ILLEGAL 501c4s

Take a look at the last paragraph of a column by Joe Nocera in today’s NYTIMES:

Toward the end of (Joe’s) interview with Levin, he let slip a tantalizing tidbit. Sometime in the next few months, the permanent subcommittee plans to call the Internal Revenue Service to task for allowing the political super PACs to be classified as tax-exempt 501(c)(4)s. “Tax-exempt 501(c)(4)s are not supposed to be engaged in politics,” he said. “It is against the law to do so.” Then he added, with a certain undeniable relish, “We’re going to go after them.”  Oh, boy!”  

I can't wait for these 501c4 hearings mentioned in the last paragraph. I've been waiting for someone in government to take on this issue because it seems that the nonprofit sector itself doesn't want to raise the issue.   Levin is exactly right when he says it's against the law for 501c4 organizations to engage in politics--certainly at the scale being practices. Let's get the IRS to enforce its own laws and regulations so that the nonprofit legal structure can't be abused and manipulated by those who want to avoid our campaign finance laws.

The entire column is available at

(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/opinion/nocera-the-senates-muckraker.html?hp&_r=0)

What do you think?