Let's tax the Republicans! And the Democrats!

Great Debates
1

How about this for campaign finance reform:
Let’s eliminate the non-taxable status of political actions groups, political parties, political think tanks, and educational institutions with significant ties to political parties. Let’s include industrial and business groups, and funds. I am not just talking about the taxability of the donation for the donor, but making the committees themselves pay tax on all their money. Double taxation. Let’s try to make using money to affect politics as ineffective as possible, since money has no rights. Folks that are not actively involved in specific charitable work don’t need to be untaxed. Make the parties pony up their money up front, just like the common man.

If you really want to support a political party, work for free.

Tris

2

The power to tax is the power to destroy. The government could concievably use its taxation power to crush any bothersome political group. Meanwhile, groups dedicated to the status quo would be reduced in efficiency and effectiveness, but the new tax would simply be added to their overhead costs. They’d cut costs, raise more funds, and adapt.

At the same time, being tied to a politcal party is a poor litmus test for taxing a non-profit organization. If a politician does a photo op at a soup kitchen , must it now be taxed? If an organization with undisputably charitable goals also has a lobbying arm, must it be taxed? For all of its income? Isn’t raising awareness and persuading politicians towards your social cause itself a charitable act?