White House Vows to Kill Bill That Would Block New IRS 501(c)(4) Rules

WASHINGTON — The White House threatened to veto a House bill that would block the Internal Revenue Service from issuing a rule that would narrow the definition of who qualifies for a 501(c)(4) exemption as a social welfare organization.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp’s (R-Mich.) Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act, which was in the Rules Committee on Tuesday evening, would freeze the finalization of the rule for one year and restore the 501(c)(4) standards and definitions that were in place before conservative groups started to come under extra scrutiny in 2010.

Shortly after the Rules Committee meeting began, the Office of Management and Budget issued a statement warning that the administration “strongly opposes” the bill, which has 66 co-sponsors.

“Under current law, organizations qualify as tax-exempt organizations ‘operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare’ if they are primarily engaged in promoting in some way the common good and general welfare of the people. The relevant Treasury and IRS rules have been in place since 1959 and are broadly recognized as unclear,” the OMB said in the veto threat. “The proposed legislation would prevent any revisions or clarifications to those rules. Thus, it could prevent the IRS from administering the tax code more effectively and from providing greater clarity to organizations seeking tax-exempt status.”

The proposed guidance defines the term “candidate-related political activity,” and would amend current regulations by indicating that the promotion of social welfare does not include this type of activity, according to the IRS, which said the intention is to “reduce the need to conduct fact-intensive inquiries by replacing this test with more definitive rules.”

Activities that would disqualify an organization seeking 501(c)(4) status include “communications that expressly advocate for a clearly identified political candidate or candidates of a political party,” “any contribution that is recognized under campaign finance law as a reportable contribution,” hosting a candidate at an event within 60 days of a general election, and voter registration or “get-out-the-vote” drives.

The OMB called the IRS proposal “the first step in a standard rulemaking process intended to clarify the rules and to provide greater certainty for organizations seeking tax-exempt status.”

“The notice and comment process allows for all concerned parties to provide input and comments before any changes to the rules are effected. Treasury and the IRS will carefully consider any and all such comments before issuing any further guidance, and they will follow standard agency rulemaking procedures,” the OMB said. “If the President were presented with H.R. 3865, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.”

Public comments close on Thursday, and can be submitted here.

The bill is being brought to the House floor as part of the Republican Conference’s Stop Government Abuse Week, which is also highlighting the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act of 2013 and the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act.

On Tuesday the House passed Rep. Pete Roskam’s (R-Ill.) Taxpayer Transparency and Efficient Audit Act, which would require the IRS to alert taxpayers when their information is shared with other federal agencies, and the Protecting Taxpayers from Intrusive IRS Requests Act, which bars the IRS from inquiring about a taxpayer’s religious, political or social beliefs.

“These bills have a simple goal: removing fear from an individual’s interactions with the IRS,” said Roskam. “People should not have to be concerned about unfair and unjustified harassment at the hands of their own government. Widespread reports of IRS abuse have had a chilling effect on the American people.”

“This week, the House is working to give people peace of mind that their government is not running roughshod over their rights,” Roskam added. “We can reassure individuals that they will not be left in the dark about the looming threat of IRS action, and protect them from offensive, big-brother questioning from the federal government.”

“The egregious abuses of trust at the IRS beg the need for more transparency and oversight and the House will continue to act to ensure that oversight on the American people’s behalf,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said. “The IRS cannot be trusted, nor do they have sufficient reason to possess, an individual’s religious, political, or social beliefs.”

But that IRS rulemaking still looms large.

In passing the bill out of his committee earlier this month, Camp said it’s inappropriate to be rulemaking when the probe into IRS targeting isn’t even complete.

“We need to finish our investigation into the IRS’s abuses and receive the Inspector General’s final report,” Camp added. “This legislation will ensure that Treasury does not rush to put this rule into effect, which it can do as soon as the end of this month, and can process the over 23,000 public comments already received.” That had climbed to more than 70,000 comments by today.

Citizens United warned Friday that it’s ready to go to court over all rules regarding spending by 501(c)(4) organizations.

“Ever since Citizens United’s landmark victory for free speech at the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama’s stated goal has always been to use every lever of government to thwart political speech. From the failed attempts to pass the DISCLOSE Act, to now using the IRS like a Chicago political hit squad, President Obama and other liberals want to chill the First Amendment so that any dissenting views to the Obama agenda are snuffed out,” said David N. Bossie, president of Citizens United. “As we have done in the past in Citizens United v. FEC, Citizens United is prepared to litigate any rules changes that infringes on the rights of Americans to speak freely about the political process.”

The Senate version of the House bill to stop the IRS rule is sponsored by 40 senators including GOP leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and John Thune (R-S.D.).

A week ago, 29 senators sent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen urging that he drop the proposed regulations.

“The IRS is not the appropriate agency to regulate political activity as the proposal delineates given its lack of subject-matter expertise and role as impartial administrator of our nation’s tax laws,” the letter said. “At a minimum, the IRS should not finalize any regulations related to political activity that would jeopardize the rights established by the First Amendment or be applied selectively to tax-exempt organizations.”

[H/T PJ Media]

Karzai to US: Negotiate Peace with Taliban or Leave

Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters on Saturday that unless the U.S. restarts peace talks with the Taliban, he will not sign the pending security pact between Kabul and Washington.

The pact, known as the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), would pave the way for U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014 when the U.S./NATO-led combat mission ends.

“Afghanistan will absolutely not accept or sign anything under pressure,” Karzai said during a press conference in Kabul, AFP reported.

“If they want to leave, then they [can] go and we will continue our lives… Our main condition is the practical start of [a] peace process,” he added.

AFP pointed out that while talking to reporters on Saturday, Karzai repeatedly said that “before he signs the BSA, the US must stop military operations and bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.”

According to The Christian Science Monitor, the Afghan president also told reporters that “starting peace talks is a condition because we want to be confident that after the signing of the security agreement, Afghanistan will not be divided into fiefdoms.”

“Afghans fear anarchy and chaos in the aftermath of the U.S.-NATO retreat. Thus, hereafter I will carry on my precondition and defer the security agreement unless the U.S. ensures expedited flow of peace negotiations and reconciliation,” Karzai warned, according to the Afghanistan Times.

A security deal between Kabul and Washington had already been reached, but Karzai threw the whole process into confusion by introducing new terms and conditions. Karzai is demanding that his conditions are met before signing the agreement.

The White House has said it will be forced to pursue complete U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan if Karzai does not sign the security pact.

U.S. military officials have proposed keeping a residual force of 10,000 soldiers in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

During the press conference, the Afghan president also blamed U.S. military bases of contributing to insecurity in the country.

“The U.S. Bagram base itself is a Taliban nest. For over six years, U.S. officials rejected my proposal for closure of Bagram detention center. U.S. forces detain and torture innocent civilians under the pretext of terrorism; this is utterly against the Afghan government and its writ,” declared Karzai, according to the Afghanistan Times.

[H/T Breitbart]

White House Concedes Obama ‘Damaged’ After Year of Defeats

(Breitbart) — The White House conceded that 2013 was a year of defeats that have left President Barack Obama damaged and lessened his credibility with the American public.

According to the Washington Post, “an internal White House assessment concludes” that Obama was “badly damaged last year by legislative failures, a government shutdown and his own missteps.” The Post notes that though last year “began with the fresh-start ambitions of his second inauguration,” it “ended in a long trail of mistakes, international embarrassments and missed legislative opportunities that sapped Obama’s credibility with the public.”

White House senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer reportedly wrote a three-page memo assessing the White House’s failures on gun control, amnesty, and more government spending on the Farm Bill and food stamps legislation. Despite these failures, the White House is intent on pushing for amnesty, climate change legislation, and the implementation of more Obamacare programs in 2014 despite what the Post described as a “deeply flawed health-care rollout” that embarrassed the White House.

Obama has previously admitted that it was “frustrating” that he could not get his biggest goal of 2013, which was amnesty. The White House also tried to exploit the Sandy Hook tragedy for more gun control and failed. Conservatives also prevented the White House from passing a pork-laden Farm Bill with more spending on food stamps.

[H/T Breitbart]

White House Imposes Secrecy Rules on First Lady’s Lavish, Celebrity-filled Birthday Party

(Washington Times) — There was a party in the East Room of the White House Saturday night, an affair attended by a reported 500 people, a lavish celebration with celebrities galore, appearances by some of the world’s most popular performers, lots of dancing and powerful government officials, including, of course, the most powerful official of all, the President of the United States. And the White House wants to make sure you know as little as possible about it.

The event was First Lady Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday party. According to reports in People,the Chicago Tribune, TMZ, US Magazine, and elsewhere, among of the attendees were, in no particular order: Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Janelle Monae, Mary J. Blige, Angela Bassett, Courtney Vance, Herbie Hancock, Samuel L. Jackson, Grant Hill, Alonzo Mourning, Ledisi, Emmett Smith, Star Jones, Al Roker, Steve Harvey, Magic Johnson, Billie Jean King, Michael Jordan, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Gayle King, Ahmad Rashad, Kal Penn, and Ashley Judd. Among the current and former government officials attending were Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Susan Rice, Eric Holder, and Kathleen Sebelius.

It’s not easy to enforce discipline on successful, wealthy, and famous people used to having their own way. But the White House apparently did not want to see photos of the first lady’s glittery gala circulating around the Internet. So it imposed a strict rule: No cellphones. “Guests were told not to bring cellphones with them, and there was a cellphone check-in area for those who did,” reported the Chicago Tribune. “Signs at the party told guests: No cellphones, no social media.” People magazine added: “Guests had been greeted by a ‘cell phone check’ table where they deposited their camera phones on arrival and it was understood that this was not an occasion for Tweeting party photos or Facebooking details.” The publications cited sources who insisted on anonymity for fear of White House reprisal.

“So great was the secrecy surrounding the party,” the Tribune reported, “that guests were handed an invitation — on their way out, the sources said.”

So far, the crackdown appears to have been a success. Although a few attendees have tweeted that they had a great time, or that they danced until their feet could take no more, the Web has not been filled with photos of the first lady’s extravagant celebration. Perhaps some will appear; maybe the White House will even release an official photo. But it’s unlikely the public will see much.

Why the secrecy, especially for an event involving so many well-known people? Maybe the Obamas just wanted a little privacy for an important occasion in the first lady’s life, although having 500 guests, including some of the most famous people on the planet, is perhaps not the best way to achieve that goal. Or maybe, since the president has announced he is devoting the rest of his time in office to an “inequality agenda,” the White House felt photos of a champagne-soaked, star-studded party would be somewhat off-message. But the Obamas are well-off, accomplished people. They can have a big party if they want (and if they pay for it). Why hide it?

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[H/T Washington Times]

Obama Family Christmas Card: No Mention of Christ or Christmas

Who has time for fussing over a Christmas card when you have all that packing to do for 17 days in Hawaii?

That’s why the Obamas’ 2013 holiday wishes to the nation were about as warm as the glare Michelle Obama shot hubby when he was caught up in selfie hilarity with the blonde Danish chick at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.

Thanks to the lack of color, warmth, and definition, at first glance it’s hard to tell what the card is exactly. On closer examination it’s obvious that it’s a pop-up of a starkly eggshell-colored White House featuring two relatively indistinguishable images of Bo and Sunny and a small American flag up top.

For added boredom, Barry, Shelley, Malia and Sasha, and Sunny and Bo, complete with paw prints, have adorned the card with their autographs. Other than that, there’s no holly, no Nativity, and the word “Christmas” (God forbid) is nowhere to be found.

Guess the goal is to keep it secular.

However, this is a White House that celebrates every St. Patrick’s Day by turning the fountain on the South Lawn green. And wasn’t it just a few weeks back that the White House was decorated to beckon in trick-or-treaters?

Now for Christmas the Obamas send out a godless card with no Magi, no angels, no nothing.

Although the pop-up seems message-less, to the trained eye the Obama whatever card is chock full of meaning. The White House being the focal point of a season that is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus Christ.

The card also echoes Michelle Obama’s gathering motif from the White House webpage that says:

This year’s theme is ‘Gather Around’. It celebrates the stories and traditions that bring us together this special time of year. As members of one American family, we are united in a story built over the course of two centuries.

The holidays serve as an opportunity to recall our Nation’s journey, reflect on our blessings, and to remember those who serve and sacrifice for our freedoms. It’s a season when each of us can do our part to care for one another.

Sorry but the ‘stories and traditions’ balderdash screams political correctness. And the usual socialist suggestion that “It’s a season when each of us can do our part to care for one another” is not only insulting to those who care for others all year long, but also a predictable sentiment coming from a band of progressive radicals planning to spend the next three years forcibly sharing wealth that isn’t theirs.

Moreover, what’s this theme about being “members of one American family… united in a story built over the course of two centuries?”

This is coming from the wife of a president who, every chance he gets, dredges up references to the racism that he thinks defines this nation, and does everything in his power to keep an “indivisible… nation under God” divided.

Then to carry that theme forward, the insensitive Obamas send out a colorless, unemotional holiday card that extends greetings to a nation suffering on every front featuring two dogs that live life basking in the lap of luxury.

Although the greeting says “As we gather round this season, may the warmth and the joy of the holidays fill your home,” which on the surface seems lovely, let’s remember this is coming from a family feverishly packing to leave home for the holidays to spend another $4 million ruining Christmas for every resident on the island of Oahu.

Meanwhile, amidst platitudes about “we do our part to care for one another” the Obamas will return to the White House featured in their insipid holiday card three days after the US healthcare system blows up and leaves millions of devastated Americans lying in its wake.

Tell us about “caring for one another,” Michelle and Barry, and get a clue. Jesus — not the White House —  is the reason for this season.

[H/T The Black Sphere]

Barack Hussein Obama: Honors Only Black Veterans at White House?

[H/T Universal Free Press]: KEVIN E. LAKE — U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama honored a worthy group of veterans at the white house yesterday for Veterans Day. One has to ask though, when the U.S. armed services is made up of predominantly white men and women, why no white veterans were invited?

Could Hussein Obama not have even considered at least one token white guy?

In this picture, which was posted on the Barack Obama Facebook page, the caption reads, “Today we honor every service member who has ever worn one of our nation’s uniforms. Happy Veterans Day.”

Was this simply a really bad PR mistake? Or was it a real slight to white Americans that only the well trained eye can pick up on, after an onslaught of brainwashing techniques aimed to convince the American people that only white people can be racist?

As a veteran of the Iraq War, I can attest to one cold hard fact about Army life. We all wear green, and we all bleed red! Okay- maybe that’s two facts. But the point is, it was an honor to serve with whites, blacks, Hispanics, and people from many other ethnic groups during my time in the military. I hope our Commander-in-Chief will think about this next year and invite veterans based upon their service record, not the color of their skin.

White House: Delaying Medical Device Tax Would Be ‘Ransom’

TheBlaze reported: The White House on Tuesday seemed cold to the possibility of delaying the medical device tax, even amid mounting speculation it will be the key to a final deal on raising the debt ceiling and ending the partial shutdown of the government.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration is not interested in discussing the tax in the current context of negotiating a deal.

“Discussion of the medical device tax or other elements within the Affordable Care Act that lawmakers want to talk about in order to improve the Affordable Care Act we are willing to have,” Carney told reporters. “But not in the context of or as ransom for opening the government. That is why a provision like that appears in a proposal that seems to be going nowhere by House Republicans because it’s an effort to try to buy votes from tea party Republicans who shut this government down in the first place.”

The medical device tax is part of Obamacare, and amounts to a 2.3 percent levy on manufacturers of medical devices such as pacemakers. crutches and prosthetics.

The House GOP voted to ditch the tax, and the Democrat-controlled Senate voted to repeal it by 79-20. While the House GOP has asked for a repeal, but Senate Majority Harry Reid has insisted on a “clean” continuing resolution and debt ceiling increase.

Carney added, “We’re not going to pay a ransom, from the American people to the Tea Party.”

“When it comes to the medical device tax, I think it’s important to note, that those who portray themselves as paragons of fiscal responsibility and discipline often propose making that change without acknowledging the fact that it would raise the deficit,” Carney said.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met with House Democrats at the White House Tuesday, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) continued to work on details for an agreement.

MSNBC Analyst: Confederate Flag At Protest ‘Threat’ To Obama

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Breitbart reported: MSNBC contributor and columnist Irin Carmon when asked about Confederate flag at a protest rally “To me, this is a threat, This is a house where a black family lives, This is a symbol that is nostalgic for a time when black people were subjugated and enslaved. I think there is something deeply enraging to these folks that there is a black family living in the White House right now,”

“I think it’s a threat,”

“It certainly is very menacing,” Carmon clarified. “And I think there are people who would say that’s not what it means, but Ii think the problem is that the Republican grass roots is no longer even the underbelly that are out there screaming. There were only a couple hundred folks, but there were leaders like Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz indulging their worst paranoid fantasies,”

White House Throws a Government Shutdown Fundraiser

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Washington Times reported: The Democrats are throwing a fundraising government shutdown party.

Vice President Biden has dispatched two emails to supporters slamming the Republicans over the budget and potential government shutdown that also seeks contributions to the Democratic Party of up to $2,000.

Shameless? Biden suggests it’s the Republicans who are the bad guys in the crisis, and he claims that they’ve given the party over to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is leading the fight to defund Obamacare.

“One senator is running the show in the Republican Party right now,” wrote Biden in emails sent Sunday afternoon and another on Monday. “But for some reason I can’t understand, the Republican Party is letting Ted Cruz lead their charge against Obamacare — a law that they’re still fighting tooth and nail, despite the fact that every branch of the federal government has approved it, and despite the fact that we’re seeing real signs that it’s starting to work.”
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In his email today, he added: “If you’ve been watching what’s been happening here in Washington over the past couple of weeks, and you still think you need more reasons to support Democrats over Republicans, I’m not sure what to tell you. The choice is pretty clear.”

Biden is quick to come back to the purpose of his emails, though: the Sept. 30 political fundraising deadline for this quarter, which conveniently lands right before the potential shutdown — a good fundraising hook for the veep.

“Before Monday’s fundraising deadline, support the organization that’s standing up for Obamacare, and chip in $3 to the Democrats,” he wrote.

Friend —

One senator is running the show in the Republican Party right now.

He’s not my senator. And he’s not your senator.

But for some reason I can’t understand, the Republican Party is letting Ted Cruz lead their charge against Obamacare — a law that they’re still fighting tooth and nail, despite the fact that every branch of the federal government has approved it, and despite the fact that we’re seeing real signs that it’s starting to work.

Now, Ted Cruz isn’t a bad guy. But he needs to be reminded that he’s not representing the will of the American people when he tries to obstruct and defund Obamacare.

Before Monday’s fundraising deadline, support the organization that’s standing up for Obamacare, and chip in $3 to the Democrats.

There was a time when leaders from both parties came together to do what made sense for the country.

This isn’t the Congress I remember being a part of. And it sure isn’t a Congress that represents the American people.

Fight back against the far right by chipping in today:

https://my.democrats.org/Deadline

Thanks,

Joe

http://washingtonexaminer.com/white-house-throws-a-government-shutdown-fundraiser/article/2536555

White House Holds Bisexual Visibility Day, A Closed Door Roundtable Discussion

Did you know what the White House celebrated yesterday?  Bisexual Visibility Day.

No, this is not a joke, our tax dollars paid for Bisexual roundtable and they held at the White House.  Yesterday, in honor of Bisexual Visibility Day there were at the White House having a roundtable discussion “about issues facing the bisexual community” attracting bisexual activists from around the nation.

This first-time White House event was called to my attention on Sunday when I saw a piece in the Miami Herald with the headline, “A voice for bisexuals, Miami activist heads to D.C.”

PJ Media reported: The Miami Herald reported:

“I am the Florida representative,” said Ferrer, a longtime bisexual activist who joins about two-dozen others at the roundtable, which coincides with international Bisexual Visibility Day on Sept. 23.

“They decided to celebrate bisexuality day by inviting the national bisexual leadership roundtable to the White House for a policy meeting,” said Ferrer, who received an email invitation about a month ago from the Barack Obama administration.

“It’s a testament to this administration that they are focusing on all elements of the LGBT community and they should be applauded for hosting an event focused on some of the specific issues impacting bisexual people,” said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for HRC,Human Rights Campaign in Washington.

And then, Washington Post had this piece dated August 22 announcing the event which included this puzzling statement:

The White House will hold a closed-door roundtable discussion on issues facing bisexuals Sept. 23.

Why a closed-door roundtable discussion in the “People’s House”? Wasn’t Obama’s administration supposed to be the most transparent ever?

Shocked is probably an understatement, it was for me anyway.  In a time when our country is in a utter state of disarray, we are finding the time, money, and resources for such an event?