Is there a logical fallacy in "conservative" groups complaining that the IRS

[CJCRANE]

targeted them for being "political"?

"Conservative" is a political label, so surely any self-styled "conservative" group is admitting that they have a political agenda and so may not qualify for the nonpolitical social group status?

And who else are the IRS going to target in this instance if not "conservative", "liberal" and any other type of group with a political label?

Of course in the process of rooting out "political" groups they're going to look at "conservative" organizations.

The correct response of these groups would be say "we're not conservative, we're nonpolitical and nonpartisan, why are we being targeted?"

Is it just me or does that seem obvious?

[unblock]

1. the problem, as i see it, is "conservative" or "liberal" is ok for 501(c)(4)s

as long as it's issue education/advocacy, not candidate or party education/advocacy.

it's "democratic" or "republican" (supporting particular parties or particular individual politicians) that's not ok.


and the problem there is that conservative is very nearly equal to republican, so it's a bit of a distinction without a difference.

[RC]

2. Your post is too obvious to be obvious.

Common sense cannot be applied to the T-Party.

[hack89]

3. 501(c)(4)s can be political

as long as they spend less than 50% of their money on elections. President Obama's campaign organization is morphing into a 501(c)(4) for example - it will be a political organization

[CJCRANE]

5. Is the issue about 501(c)(4)s or 501(c)(3)s? nt

[hack89]

6. 501(c)(4)s - here is a good overview on the issue

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/05/13/what-is-a-501c4-anyway/

[Bay Boy]

7. What the hell else would

they spend their money on? Parties?

[hack89]

8. I have no problem with 501(c)(4)s

they are not inherently bad.

[tularetom]

4. I've said that all along but the liberal media don't seem to get the distinction

Which strikes me as pretty damn funny since it is the media who are responsible for the categorizing and labeling of every politician, organization or policy as either "liberal" or "conservative", "red" or "blue". Seems like by referring to groups as "conservative" they have tacitly identified those groups as being political and thus not eligible as tax exempt.

No, it isn't just you. But I hope it's occurred to more than just the two of us.