this post was submitted on 02 May 2025
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politics

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[–] The_Caretaker@lemm.ee 11 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

They should get rid of tax exemptions for churches too. The first amendment says the state can't mandate a specific religion or prohibit people from having their religion of choice. It doesn't say anything about taxing the billions that churches take in.

[–] Anomalocaris@lemm.ee 3 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

aren't their exemption because it's "non profit"?

(without a doubt the IRS need to go after megachurches though)

if a church or any religious establishment is working properly with no profit, then no need for taxes anyways.

[–] Sludgeyy@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

You have to understand what profit is.

If I make a church, collect 1 million from my congregation. Then, I pay myself 1 million for the job of being the pastor.

My business, the church, is non-profit. It had 1 million in revenue and 1 million in expenses. No profit.

Now, I would be dumb to pay myself the million as a salary because then that million gets income taxed. I'd "buy" 1 million dollars worth of bibles for Uzbekistan and never fulfill the order or something. Launder it.

The idea of why the church doesn't get taxed is sound. People pay income tax, church collects taxed income, church spends taxed income to better community.

They are essentially supposed to be a middle man. If i took my taxed income and donated it directly to buy bibles for Uzbekistan. Then it doesn't make sense for my money to be taxed again. So if i give my money to the church and they give it to Uzbekistan, then why tax it?

Problem is our tax code has loop holes

A church was never supposed to buy a private jet. Yet it has become a business expense.

[–] The_Caretaker@lemm.ee 5 points 15 hours ago

In order to maintain tax exempt status, churches may not engage in politics. That means no supporting a political party or political candidates. Most churches are in violation of that rule which makes them taxable just like the Democratic or Republican parties.

[–] demunted@lemmy.ml 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Tax everything above their operating costs.

[–] Sludgeyy@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Is a private jet an operating cost?

[–] drunkpostdisaster@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

only if god wants you to have it.

[–] Hikuro93@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

You could elect a cabinet composed exclusively of orange cats united by a single and solitary shared braincell, and they wouldn't be as idiotic.

They'd be idiotic, for sure. They'd be entertaining as well. But at least they wouldn't be malignantly idiotic.

[–] libra00@lemmy.world 25 points 23 hours ago (5 children)

Man.. come 2028 I don't want to hear shit from Democratic candidates that doesn't involve an exhaustive list of all the awful shit Trump did and what steps they will take to undo all of it. Sorry chum, you picked a bad time to run so you don't get to have an agenda that isn't 'pulling Trump's dick out of this country's ass because it's fucked enough already.' Cause if you're not willing to undo this shit I really don't care what else you have to say.

(Yeah, bring on the downvotes, I can take the heat.)

[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 16 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

Prepare to be disappointed.

"Preventing Trump from doing exactly what he's now doing" was somehow not a good enough reason for Americans to vote for the brown lady. Or the white lady, for that matter.

[–] drunkpostdisaster@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Hillary won the popular vote that time it was the electoral system that fucked her. And the fact that she did not understand what she was up against. I think Harris and Biden both had that issue too. The biggest problem in dealing with trump is that there is no way to outthink something that doesn't think. The dems can talk all the strategy, all the policy and reach out to anyone they want, but it doesn't mater because the people on the other side have already made up their minds years ago.

[–] libra00@lemmy.world 4 points 20 hours ago

It's the Democratic Party, if you don't go into it already prepared to be disappointed you haven't been paying attention. :P

And I'm not talking about whether not they win, I'm saying their campaigns should consist solely of 'here's a list of things Trump fucked and that I am going to unfuck.'

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 6 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (6 children)

Look, I'm going to be honest, if a Progressive or Democrat on the campaign trail says they would use all of the powers granted to trump against all Republicans in a goose and gander situation, they'd have my vote.

[–] mriguy@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

“All billionaires will be summarily executed and their assets will be distributed to the citizenry, and the Heritage Foundation will be declared a terrorist organization, and all current and past leaders, funders, employees, and judges endorsed by them will be immediately sent to a prison camp in El Salvador” seems like a winning message.

And anything the president wants only needs an executive order, it seems, so it should be pretty easy to implement.

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[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 59 points 1 day ago (3 children)

If there are ever free elections again and Democrats win, there must not be a "return to normal" like Biden tried.

Democrats must do everything that Trump did. Republicans must be taught about consequences. Being respectful of the office didn't work. It only emboldened Republicans to be more deplorable.

Republicans can then campaign on the "return to normal" platform. If they want reason, they need to become the honorable party.

[–] ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I heard something recently that really resonated. For fascists, the government is just a tool they can use to reach their goal.

They don't recognize the rights outlined in the Constitution, the duty inmate to holding office, or the importance of the rule of law. It is just a weapon to wield against their enemies and can be discarded when no longer useful.

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 22 points 1 day ago

the frustrating thing is this is well known if you know who to listen to. abolitionists, union organizers, civil rights activists, hippies, punks, hip-hop artists, academics. they all been saying it

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

no. absolutely not. democratics bypassing law is not acceptable. a good trump is not what I or many want. That being said democrats need to get rid of things like citizens united and the patriot act and shore up civil rights.

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[–] SpaceShort@feddit.uk 6 points 1 day ago

And until we have free elections, we have mass protests. Shut down the economy. Shut down the roads. Form unions and have a general strike.

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 6 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

…wait, why the fuck are they tax exempt exactly?

[–] untakenusername@sh.itjust.works 6 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

because they teach people and the govt thinks that education is important

[–] mriguy@lemmy.world 7 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

because they teach people and the govt ~~thinks~~ thought that education ~~is~~ was important

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 6 points 19 hours ago

Just not education that talks back.

[–] General_Effort@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It shall be unlawful for [the President] to request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.

[...]

Any person who willfully violates subsection (a) or fails to report under subsection (b) shall be punished upon conviction by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.

26 U.S. Code § 7217

[–] libra00@lemmy.world 9 points 23 hours ago

Counterpoint: 'When the president does it, that means it is not illegal' now has the weight of SCOTUS behind it. :/

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[–] johnpmac@lemm.ee 3 points 17 hours ago

All this is is just payback for Trump university.

[–] Sciaphobia@lemm.ee 44 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Trump deserves a short drop and a sudden stop but we don't always get what we deserve.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

hes probably mad because hes too stupid to get into these prestigious league schools

[–] Sciaphobia@lemm.ee 1 points 14 hours ago

He is rich so that doesn't matter, and he went to Wharton. That's where a professor said he was the dumbest student he's ever had.

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[–] RejZoR@lemmy.ml 37 points 1 day ago

When billionaires have tax exemption and actual academia doesn't. America really is a clown country.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

harvard is a pipeline for wealthy elitists politicians and graduates. wonder if something will shift

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 5 points 23 hours ago

Now revoke tax exempt status for churches.

[–] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I bet the newly reinstated Trump University would get all the tax exemptions they need.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 6 points 1 day ago

talk about picking winners and losers. always projection. always.

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