It has been a long time since I have written. Partly because I have been seething over the recent disclosures about the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) having given additional scrutiny to "Patriot" and "Tea Party" groups seeking not-for-profit, tax exempt status. My family and friends have established a not-for-profit that was turned down for consideration by the IRS because we did not have enough money to hire one of three "authorized" private corporations to file our paperwork electronically. We believe strongly in our mission and would think it immoral to spend large amounts of freely given money just for establishing the paperwork. When George Bush was in office, apparently planting trees and providing environmental education was too liberal. We organized and filed our NPO paperwork with the state of Wisconsin prior to filing the Federal Paperwork and were granted a tax ID number. With a total budget over the past ten years of under 20K, perhaps we are small potatoes compared to some NPOs, but the work we do has been impressive. Perhaps I will write more on that later, back to my point.
During the period of time that tea party and patriot groups were forming, vast amounts of cash needed a tax exempt vehicle to steer them to political aims. Apparently, these folks wanted to stay away from churches and already established groups that have social change as their focus. Indeed, these groups wanted to establish an identity, much like we did with ECO-Tours of Wisconsin.
When Obama was running for office I wrote a personal note as a concerned citizen declaiming the difficulties that we were having with the IRS and how that was one thing that we felt needed to be changed in the federal government. Making it difficult for bona-fide organizations to receive their tax-exempt status is not good for our culture or society. If on the other hand, we give tax exempt status to political organizations who support candidates, that is wrong too. What is most disingenuous about the irate nature of the rhetoric coming from the political "right" is that we now have different sorts of organizations that are allowed unlimited contributions, anonymity for donors AND the ability to engage in political activity. The billions that flowed into these sorts of organizations during the last election cycle prove that there is nothing here to raise a ruckus about.
Folks on the left (including the President) are making equally awful responses to the attacks being made on the IRS. Much like the apologetic and reproachful way that our previously, duly elected President, deferred to Mr. Bush over the Florida results. The excuse given was that the nation needed healing. Notice how well that has gone for us. We really need our leaders to stand up and say what needs to be heard about these issues. The reason, it seems, That Obama can't call the right wing out on this issue is that it was under his watch that the tax exempt status rules were changed, allowing the purchasing of virtually any office in the nation. Most states that have had the right wing target them have fallen because of the 501(c)(4) rules allowing unlimited contributions and absolute anonymity (although no tax deductions for donations) These "organizations act with impunity and virtually no oversight, injecting billions into the electoral process. The targeted states have also been redistricted creating even more strikingly different districts. In our state of Wisconsin, nearly half a million individuals have been cut out of the next Senatorial election. This will result in disenfranchisement for mostly poor non-white voters in the urban core of Milwaukee.
This is how the ultra rich have their way with us. not only do they define the terms that we use to "discuss" issues in the media, they also conspire to create even safer districts for their representatives, all bought and paid for by our home-grown oligarchs. The average donor who has supported ECO-Tours of Wisconsin recognizes the benefits of planting trees in denuded areas. They give twenty dollars. Billionaires who purchased our recent slate of representatives here in Wisconsin gave hundreds of thousands each. More trees will be destroyed by widening the highways across the state than we have been able to plant in over ten years.
We are redoubling our efforts and have continued to plant trees despite the current administration. Tens of thousands of trees and millions of tree seeds have been planted by our guests and guides. We will not stop reforesting the landscape. What we need though, is a series of partnerships that hold the Earth to be sacred. Groups of individuals like the ones we have brought together. Often times these are the people who have more energy and commitment than dollars. What most of the naysayers do not understand is that not everyone is motivated by greed or guilt. When we are given the chance to do the right thing, many of us take the opportunity.
During the period of time that tea party and patriot groups were forming, vast amounts of cash needed a tax exempt vehicle to steer them to political aims. Apparently, these folks wanted to stay away from churches and already established groups that have social change as their focus. Indeed, these groups wanted to establish an identity, much like we did with ECO-Tours of Wisconsin.
When Obama was running for office I wrote a personal note as a concerned citizen declaiming the difficulties that we were having with the IRS and how that was one thing that we felt needed to be changed in the federal government. Making it difficult for bona-fide organizations to receive their tax-exempt status is not good for our culture or society. If on the other hand, we give tax exempt status to political organizations who support candidates, that is wrong too. What is most disingenuous about the irate nature of the rhetoric coming from the political "right" is that we now have different sorts of organizations that are allowed unlimited contributions, anonymity for donors AND the ability to engage in political activity. The billions that flowed into these sorts of organizations during the last election cycle prove that there is nothing here to raise a ruckus about.
Folks on the left (including the President) are making equally awful responses to the attacks being made on the IRS. Much like the apologetic and reproachful way that our previously, duly elected President, deferred to Mr. Bush over the Florida results. The excuse given was that the nation needed healing. Notice how well that has gone for us. We really need our leaders to stand up and say what needs to be heard about these issues. The reason, it seems, That Obama can't call the right wing out on this issue is that it was under his watch that the tax exempt status rules were changed, allowing the purchasing of virtually any office in the nation. Most states that have had the right wing target them have fallen because of the 501(c)(4) rules allowing unlimited contributions and absolute anonymity (although no tax deductions for donations) These "organizations act with impunity and virtually no oversight, injecting billions into the electoral process. The targeted states have also been redistricted creating even more strikingly different districts. In our state of Wisconsin, nearly half a million individuals have been cut out of the next Senatorial election. This will result in disenfranchisement for mostly poor non-white voters in the urban core of Milwaukee.
This is how the ultra rich have their way with us. not only do they define the terms that we use to "discuss" issues in the media, they also conspire to create even safer districts for their representatives, all bought and paid for by our home-grown oligarchs. The average donor who has supported ECO-Tours of Wisconsin recognizes the benefits of planting trees in denuded areas. They give twenty dollars. Billionaires who purchased our recent slate of representatives here in Wisconsin gave hundreds of thousands each. More trees will be destroyed by widening the highways across the state than we have been able to plant in over ten years.
We are redoubling our efforts and have continued to plant trees despite the current administration. Tens of thousands of trees and millions of tree seeds have been planted by our guests and guides. We will not stop reforesting the landscape. What we need though, is a series of partnerships that hold the Earth to be sacred. Groups of individuals like the ones we have brought together. Often times these are the people who have more energy and commitment than dollars. What most of the naysayers do not understand is that not everyone is motivated by greed or guilt. When we are given the chance to do the right thing, many of us take the opportunity.
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