English communities secretary, Eric Pickles, has proposed that the government may want to withdraw tax breaks for the Church of Scientology — noting controversies over the Church’s activities and alluding to the general view in England that it is more of a cult than a religion.
Scientology is not treated as a religion in England but still receives financial benefits as a charity. In 1984, the organization was described as a cult by a high court judge.
Yet, the City of London Corporation has asked Scientology to pay only one-fifth of the tax rates for its London headquarters near St Paul’s cathedral.
Pickles questioned whether Scientology can be described as beneficial for society to justify the saving of millions in tax payments: “The Church of Scientology is not a registered charity, since the Charity Commission has ruled that it does not provide a public benefit. Nor are its premises a recognised place of worship.”
Indeed, in 1999, the Charity Commission ruled that the church did not pass the “public benefit” test required for advancing religion as a charitable purpose. He also cited the negative views of Scientology by a majority of English citizens.
I am not familiar with English law on the subject but such a basis for rescinding tax exemption would be rejected in the United States – particularly the unpopularity of the Church with the majority of citizens. Such a test would invite a dangerous level of subjectivity and majoritarian control in the denial of benefits.
Source: Guardian
anon nurse I don’t think we will hold the house. The republicans are out in force on this blog today. Mike Spindell isn’t here to put them in their place in his most eloquent way.
More on the Joe Miller Story:
Joe Miller’s private “guards” were active-duty military
By Glenn Greenwald (Salon, 10/19/2010)
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/10/19/miller/index.html
Excerpt:
But revelations today have made the story much, much worse still. ADN now reports that not only was Joe Miller’s excuse for why he had hired private guards a lie, but two of the guards who handcuffed the journalist and threatened others are active-duty soldiers in the U.S. military:
Was Joe Miller required to bring a security detail to his town hall meeting Sunday at Central Middle School?
That’s what Miller, the Republican Senate candidate, told two national cable news networks Monday in the wake of the arrest by his security squad of an online journalist at his public event.
But the school district said there was no such requirement made of Miller . . . “We do not require users to hire security,” she said. . . .
Meanwhile, the Army says that two of the guards who assisted in the arrest of the journalist and who tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the detention were active-duty soldiers moonlighting for Miller’s security contractor, the Drop Zone, a Spenard surplus store and protection service.
The soldiers, Spc. Tyler Ellingboe, 22, and Sgt. Alexander Valdez, 31, are assigned to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Richardson. Maj. Bill Coppernoll, the public affairs officer for the Army in Alaska, said the two soldiers did not have permission from their current chain of command to work for the Drop Zone, but the Army was still researching whether previous company or brigade commanders authorized their employment.
If it’s not completely intolerable to have active-duty soldiers handcuffing American journalists on U.S. soil while acting as private “guards” for Senate candidates, what would be? This is the sort of thing that the U.S. State Department would readily condemn if it happened in Egypt or Iran or Venezuela or Cuba: active-duty soldiers detaining journalists while they’re paid by politician candidates? The fact that Joe Miller has been defending the conduct of his private guards in handcuffing a journalist and threatening others with handcuffs should be disqualifying by itself. That reveals a deeply disturbed authoritarian mind. But the fact that these guards are active-duty U.S. soldiers makes this entire incident far more disturbing. Shouldn’t American journalists of every stripe be vehemently protesting this incident?
Swarthmore mom: Thanks for the link. You said, “Rachel says this was the beginning of the republicans alignment with the racists.”
Yes. We’re in rough waters, with wicked undercurrents. I hope that Howard Dean has it right about the Democrats holding both House and Senate. Having said this, Eugene Robinson believes that Obama will have a better chance of being relected, if the Republicans take back either, or both, in the midterms.
SM
“Timing is everything.” – W. Shakespeare
Considering the current atmosphere, Mr. Allen was just a man ahead of his times.
http://firedoglake.com/2010/10/20/early-morning-swim-rachel-maddow-explains-why-there-are-no-macaca-moments-this-election-season/ George Allen is running in 2012 again. Rachel Maddow says his use of the word “macaca” is quaint compared to what is going on now with the tea party’s racism. The south voted for Barry Goldwater in 1964 because he was against civil rights. Rachel say this was the beginning of the republicans alignment with the racists.
Actually it is funny in exactly the way I think it is, because whether **I** think you are a ludicrous clown is really all that matters behind this keyboard.
Your “facts” are facts about **opinions**, and therefore immaterial. Christine O’Donnell’s opinions about the Constitution don’t change the Constitution; but of course somebody that craves community approval as much as you do is bound to put far more weight in the opinions of others than is warranted by any logical analysis.
And of course we all know how humans work: One does not point at the opinions of others with favor unless they subscribe to that opinion themselves. So while you have said you do not think I am a troll, when you describe with glee how I have been called a troll, you are of course just LYING, attempting the politician’s trick of getting people to think something you yourself do not believe.
Buddha is a liar, a deceiver. He got his feelings hurt because I had the temerity to disrespect him, and his poor ego requires respect above all else: Above truth, above his own integrity, he must be respected. So he declared a vendetta against me.
Those are the facts, buddy, available to anybody that can read your comments. If Buddha is not a troll, he’d make a good Republican, because truth is just a nicety he will dispense with the minute he gets angry.
Swathmore Mom maybe this will help.
I bet you haven’t heard of Tim Scott, Allen West or Ryan Frazier. If they were Democrats, I might lose that bet.
But they’re not. Mr. Scott, Mr. West and Mr. Frazier are three of the 14 black candidates running for Congress as Republicans this November. Thirty-two black Republicans ran in the primaries.
Most of the 14 are running all-but-hopeless races against black Democratic incumbents in black majority districts. But Mr. Scott, running in South Carolina, is a virtual cinch to win. Mr. West (Florida) and Mr. Frazier (Colorado) are in races that are judged tossups.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/03/the_rise_of_black_republicans_107417.html
It is the Black Republicans who have stood in darkness because they were afraid of being outcast of the Democrat Party.
Not anymore
Tony,
Rant at me some more.
Keep proving my point.
It’s really funny.
Just not in the way that you think it is.
That’s really funny coming from Buddha, the troll that engages in more propaganda than anybody else on this site. And typical; Buddha feels no moral dilemma in engaging in propaganda, lies, or misinformation, it is all just tools for his sociopathic ends. Too bad he is too stupid to use them effectively.
OMG Buddha you’ve been tagged as a troll again!!!
Of course according to you, me being tagged means nothing because I have no standing in this community, but you, you are the defender of freedom and delusional champion of whatever you claim is truth. Poor troll, being tagged must hurt your egotistical, approval-craving soul.
Smom,
I cannot disagree with that tactical assessment. Propaganda is simply a tool. Its tactical and strategic applications are another matter altogether.
Buddah The republicans specialize in the suppressing the minority vote, and they are very active this cycle.
Smom,
That statement would have been just as correct absent the “democratic” label. Propaganda aimed at both parties play upon fear and intimidation, some directly playing to those fears and some playing at inflaming those who further foster said fears with their reactions.
Byron I am not saying democratic voters are “dumb”, but sometimes fearful and intimidated. Univision has pulled the ads.
OMG! Tony! U R so Karl Rove meets teen girl texter!
But seriously. No one believes I’m a troll while you’ve been called out multiple times now and just keep wallowing in it, Ahab. Some may believe I’m an extraordinary pain in the ass, but that’s fine – a desired effect unlike your perception as a troll in action.
You say you are about facts and thems the facts, sport.
Buddha is a troll.
@Buddha: OMG, Buddha, you’ve been tagged as a troll!
Then of course this is also a possibility.
Chicago sheriff says no to enforcing foreclosures
http://www.cnbc.com/id/39745284
The Koch Brothers are not nearly as funny as you being troll tagged multiple times, Tony, but I suppose good humor is where you find it.
Swarthmore Mom:
“Republicans are paying for ads that urge democratic voters to stay home and punish the democrats. Someone on this blog has been advocating the same thing.hmmm It is considered the new form of voter suppression.”
Are you saying that democrats are dumb as rocks and cannot think for themselves?
I guess it depends on which you need more, your cards or your house.
Buckeye herein lies the problem. If you bought a home during the rise to the height of the real-estate market, choose credit cards because they will help you float. The house becomes an anchor.
If you bought a home a few years ago for say 200K it’s probably worth 125k today. The more foreclosed houses that hit the market the less it will become. Now as far as staying in the house and escrow, you could make a payment every 90 days as a way to hold off the foreclosure process while paying down your credit cards.