To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Tax Churches
It is time to butcher off the sacred cow of tax-free "religion." Churches should contribute to the public debt for benefits received just like the rest of us.
Why is this important?
Churches receive tax exempt status because it is assumed that they provide social services to the community. This is wrong and illogical for three reasons at least.
One: church assistance does not relieve any taxpayer burden. No one goes off medicare or medicaid because the church is paying the bill. No one stops receiving food stamps because they've gotten enough food boxes from the local parish. Taxpayers still provide social services in the billions.
Two: If churches have the right to make political contributions to further their agenda, they should contribute to the public process by which they gain that agenda, just like we all do.
Three: Freedom isn't free. It costs all of us to keep freedom of religion a solid cornerstone of the meaning of our country, just like all our other freedoms. Those benefitting from that protection should pay for it too.
One: church assistance does not relieve any taxpayer burden. No one goes off medicare or medicaid because the church is paying the bill. No one stops receiving food stamps because they've gotten enough food boxes from the local parish. Taxpayers still provide social services in the billions.
Two: If churches have the right to make political contributions to further their agenda, they should contribute to the public process by which they gain that agenda, just like we all do.
Three: Freedom isn't free. It costs all of us to keep freedom of religion a solid cornerstone of the meaning of our country, just like all our other freedoms. Those benefitting from that protection should pay for it too.