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Thom's blog
The Real IRS Scandal
Yesterday, in response to recent IRS admissions, President Obama called the enhanced investigation of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status “intolerable and inexcusable.” And, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a criminal investigation into the allegations against the IRS. But both of them are missing the point.
The scandal here is not that political groups were targeted by the IRS, it's the fact that political groups are being subsidized by John Q. Taxpayer. Groups that are politically motivated, and not really “social welfare” organizations, shouldn't receive preferential tax treatment in the first place – regardless of their political affiliation.
A report by the Inspector General stated that “ineffective management” at the IRS allowed conservative groups to be targeted for over 18 months, and resulted in substantial delays in the processing of their non-profit applications. But, the real “ineffective management” here was Congress's failure to regulate these organizations, and enforce transparency. And, what's truly “intolerable and inexcusable” is the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizen United decision, which opened the campaign-finance floodgates in the first place.
The IRS shouldn't be apologizing for investigating phony “non-profit” organizations, they should be investigating all politically-motivated groups who want to be subsidized by the tax payers. Congress has repeatedly rejected campaign finance reform, and Citizens United moved oversight from the Federal Elections Commission to the IRS. It's impossible to create and enforce reasonable guidelines based on an unreasonable Supreme Court decision.
The only way to really fix this problem is to amend our Constitution to say that money isn't speech, and corporations aren't people. Let's make it happen. Join the fight at MoveToAmend.org.
-Thom
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 9pm... IRS Audits, Benghazi, Sebelius: Obama’s Second Term Is Scandal Heaven (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)
Need to Know: IRS Audits, Benghazi, Sebelius: Obama’s Second Term Is Scandal Heaven- Eleanor Clift, Newsweek / Daily Beast 
The Best of the Rest...
Daily Take: Memo to Bush Administration leftovers on Fox: Shut Up!
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Tuesday's Daily Stack 
Hour One: GOP Forcibly Making Working Families Flexible- Leo W. Gerard, United Steelworkers
Article: " Constitution of the United States", article 3 section 2. "... the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make..."
Hour Two: GOP scandals & conspiracy theories...oh my!
We've been warned about the smooth invasion before...
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Wednesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Hour One: Memo to Bush Administration leftovers on Fox: Shut Up!
Hundreds of Milwaukee fast food & retail workers to walk off the job today as nationwide strike wave builds
- Stephanie Sanders, Milwaukee Fast-Food Worker Strike.
Hour Two: Where will the class be held on "stoning people to death" for worshiping the wrong god?- Josh Moore, Pastor-First Baptist Church, Muldrow, OK.
Hour Three: Hey AP, first they came for Wikileaks...where were you?
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...
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Thursday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
We'll have all the latest news & information from Wall Street to Main Street...everything you need to know to win the water cooler wars!
Plus, more stimulating talk radio...viagra for your brain but no stiff thinking...
And, the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...
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Thom's Poll
Should political groups get tax-exempt status?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
We've been warned about smooth invasion before
The Good - The Bad - and the Very - Very Exsuccously Ugly
Carbon Footprinting has Finally Begun...
Smokejumpers Land in Burning Pot Farm....Did they put out the fire or...
Women Now Being Stalked with Drones?
The GOP has a "Liberal" Interpretation of IRS Law
Politics Panel - Boehner strategy is the same as Brownie(FEMA) strategy
Politics Panel - Why should taxpayers pay for "right" propaganda?
The Real GOP Scandal is Not Being Talked About
Or watch the Full "Big Picture" Show...
Full Show 5/14/13: Obama Should Follow FDR's Lead
Tonight's "Big Picture Politics Panel" discusses the Obama administration's rough few days, Nancy Pelosi's tough comments toward Speaker Boehner and a bill to be introduced that would amend our constitution and make voting a right. Thom debates Conservative David Keating on the role of 501 (c)(4) organizations in our elections and talks with EPIC's Amie Stepanovich about the use of domestic/personal drones. In tonight's "Daily Take" Thom details why Obama needs to stop trying to negotiate with Republicans.
Thom Hartmann on the News: May 14, 2013
Governor Snyder's Little Dictator
Ginsburg: Roe V. Wade Went Too Far
GOP Forcibly Making Working Families Flexible
What Would FDR Do?
GOP Scandals & Conspiracy Theories...oh my!
Wayne Root: I was Target of Obama's IRS!
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