Last week I used this space as a Discussion Forum for the
NMP 665 Law, Policy, Government Relations, and Nonprofit Course I am currently
teaching. The experiment worked well so I am going to do it again.
I want to reference a front-page article in the 1/27/13
edition of the Sunday NYTIMES titled: Secret Donors Finance Fight Against
Hagel. It is available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/us/politics/secret-donors-finance-fight-against-hagel.html?ref=todayspaper
The article discusses the recent creation of numerous 501c4
nonprofits that are waging a media and public opinion campaign against the
confirmation of Chuck Hagel, President Obama’s nominee to be head of the
Defense Department.
In this week’s course readings, we are focusing on the
positive role nonprofits play in promoting a healthy democracy by helping common
citizens influence the public policy and legislation decisions of their
government. But we are also learning that some elites create so-called “astro-turf” nonprofits to promote their own policy
and legislative interests in the guise of speaking for the “common man.”
In light of this NYTIMES article and this week’s readings, what do you think are the pros and cons of 501c-4 organizations being able to lobby as much as they want AND not being required to make public who is
financing their activities? Does something (legally) have to change? Why or why not?
