balancing the federal budget

Wouldn't taxing the churches go a long way toward balancing the federal budget? Shouldn't we atheists be pushing for this?

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on June 24, 2013 at 11:08pm

Touche'

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Permalink Reply by SteveInCO on June 25, 2013 at 2:19am

Believe it or not... we have among the highest corporate tax rates in the developed world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates

Of course corporations get to write off almost all costs and not pay taxes on their gross income, but only on the profit... which is why they get a tax break for giving their employees health insurance, which the employees themselves wouldn't get if they bought it for themselves.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Weinberg on June 25, 2013 at 2:27pm

Taxing churches won't get what you want though, what would end up happening would be the funneling of money to tax havens and people would suffer not churches.

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Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on June 25, 2013 at 2:48pm

At least they would learn they no longer enjoy their privileged status.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on June 25, 2013 at 10:43pm

Some churches engage in business, perhaps by owning properties they rent. Some of these churches have evaded taxes by not reporting their business income. Some decades ago, a Dayton, Ohio, church was found delinquent and had to pay.

The question here is, Should atheists push for taxing all church property?

I fear politicians will find justice less important than the protests by churchgoers.

Because winning experiences are better for morale than losing experiences; let's choose efforts we can win.