Rep Woolsey Calls For IRS Investigation of The Roman Catholic Church
11/10/09-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Representative Lynn Woolsey has called upon the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in the creation and passage of the Stupak Amendment in a brief article at Politico. “The amendment makes it basically impossible for private insurance companies that participate in the new system to offer abortion coverage to women. This will effectively block women from using their own personal funds to purchase an insurance plan with abortion coverage,” according to the Human Rights Campaign statement on this amendment.
According to Rep. Woolsey:
I expect political hardball on any legislation as important as the health care bill. I just didn’t expect it from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Who elected them to Congress? The role the bishops played in the pushing the Stupak amendment, which unfairly restricts access for low-income women to insurance coverage for abortions, was more than mere advocacy. They seemed to dictate the finer points of the amendment, and managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure.
Rep. Woolsey stated that churches in her district are careful to keep their activities non-political. Many LGBT-Americans would wish that were completely true. The recent battle in Maine showed just how willing the Catholic Church is to get involved in political matters if it regards the social agenda that they are pursuing.
Rep. Woolsey pointed out that the US Council of Catholic Bishops is a tax exempt entity. As such, the USCCB acted in a political manner without actually paying taxes.
In calling for an investigation of the RCC, Rep Woolsey has added her voice to that of LGBT-Americans who have been calling for an investigation into the campaign involvement of the Roman Catholic Church for some time now. Perhaps, as a politician, Rep. Woolsey can get further than the LGBT Community has in getting that investigation.
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Let me be sure I understand Rep. Woolsey’s position. The Catholic Church should not be allowed to lobby against tax money going to pay for something they consider a mortal sin BUT its OK for Imams in American Mosques to call for the downfall of this country and death to all infidels.
If this is the level of thinking among our representatives, its no wonder the country is in so much troulbe.
We have many Christian ministers such as the Phelps’ in Westboro who also have called for the downfall of the United States. This is not limited to just Muslims. It goes across all religions.
The Catholic Church does not pay taxes, and thus should have no say in how tax money is spent. I do not believe that tax money should go to Churches for any reason.
The problem with the Stupak amendment is not that it prevents tax money from going to abortions, but prevents women from getting any policy which would provide assistance to get an abortion. Before railing against Rep. Woolsey’s position, please make sure you know exactly what the Stupak Amendment is.
Point of information – the church and/or the Bishops do NOT have a vote. They can only encourage their members to legally lobby their own representatives to support their beliefs. This is the right of all American citizens and not just those who support your opinions.
Tax-exempt status should certainly be closely monitored, but non-profit does not equate to non-thinking.
Dprosenthal-
The Catholic Church, in this case, actively lobbied for the Stupak Amendment. In Maine, they actively participated by raising funds for the anti-marriage measure. There is a difference between speaking out against an issue and actively lobbying for it or actively campaigning for it. The RCC has crossed the line several times.
Besides, the bill already states that Federal funds cannot be used to obtain an abortion; however, the Stupak Amendment goes well beyond that.
This is what the Bishop anointed amendment would do “The amendment makes it basically impossible for private insurance companies that participate in the new system to offer abortion coverage to women. This will effectively block women from using their own personal funds to purchase an insurance plan with abortion coverage.”
Before you scream about the investigation into the Bishop’s involvement, please understand that they were not asking their flock to weigh in on this, they were involved in crafting this legislation. What will they decide needs to be written into law next, and will they get it? Maybe they’ll ask Congress to ban all businesses from being open on Sunday?
I’ve been engaged in taxations for lengthier then I care to acknowledge, both on the personal side (all my employed life history!!) and from a legal stand since passing the bar and following tax law. I’ve rendered a lot of advice and corrected a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve posted makes impeccable sense. Please continue the good work – the more individuals know the better they’ll be armed to handle with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.