"When I use a word, it means precisely what i say it means, nothing more nor less", Humpty Dumpty
George Rebane
One of RR’s major tenets describing America’s political scene has been that the Left constantly and asymmetrically continues their attempts to silence conservative and libertarian political speech. Even with recent disclosures like the IRS’ assault on the tea parties, there is no letting up by the leadership cadres of the progressive movement. Inhibiting expression of conservative thought is an accepted part of the work environment at all levels of government. After all, most public employees, especially at the management levels, know what their chances are in the private sector, and what the role of ever bigger government will be in securing their futures.
An example of how deep is the reach of politically correct thought policing is the report from Santa Clara County where a county employee was reprimanded about a “brief comment” she shared with another employee about the problems plaguing Obamacare. A third employee who overheard the conversation reported to the supervisor that s/he was “offended” by what s/he had overheard, and that was enough to start the offending employee’s remediation. She was told that all controversial subjects including those of a political nature were not welcome in the workplace and should be discussed outside the premises.
This surprised the reprimanded employee since her workplace and the county offices in general are constantly full of pro-Obama paraphernalia, including wall posters, cups, employees’ dress, etc. None of this was ever deemed as offensive political speech or politicking. Apparently only when the Left is being criticized does management take exception. The admonished employee is seeking legal recourse for restriction of her First Amendment rights. (more here)
But these goings on in liberal dominated city halls and county admin centers is small potatoes compared to ‘The Latest IRS Power Grab’. Bradley Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission and now chairman of the Center for Competitive Politics, reports on the continuing inroads that the IRS is making into the one-sided regulation of political speech through their new interpretations of the nature of 501c4 organizations.
Smith summarizes these interpretations as three new “myths” upon which the IRS bases its expanded powers.
1. 501c4s are “charities” and doing political work abuses their charitable status.
2. 501c4s must be operated “exclusively for the promotion of social welfare” not politics.
3. Political activities shouldn’t get tax breaks. (There are no tax breaks for 501c4 non-profits or their contributors.)
The Left now wants disclosure of 501c4 donor identities and their private information. SCOTUS long ago ruled that “people have a right to engage in anonymous political activity”, and donor identities were never a problem when 501c4s were the prime vehicles for leftwing causes and organizations such as the unions, the NAACP, and other civil rights and environmental activist organizations. In short, none of this was a problem when the political left dominated the use of 501c4s.
But things began to change in the 1990s, and more specifically since 2010, when conservatives began using 501c4s for public education on political matters. Since then the Obama administration has pulled out the stops to weaken the historical donor protections built into that part of the tax code, and now seeks to make the IRS the regime’s major arbiter of political speech.
Should the IRS ascend to that role in our national life? I and many others believe that the IRS has no business affecting political speech in America, especially as it can then serve the ideological interests of whatever administration controls the Executive and/or Congress. The issue is highlighted again tomorrow when Obama’s nominee for Commissioner of the IRS, John Koskinen, goes in front of the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing. We all await to hear of Koskinen’s support of the new rules for an expanded and more powerful IRS.
rebanesruminations.com 
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