CPR's Kevin Smith pulls off Glenn Beck impersonationby: Michael MarshFri Jul 31, 2009 at 11:32:38 AM EDT |
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(Civil Rights Leader Kevin Smith is at it again. - promoted by Dean Barker) Notorious anti-civil rights crusader Kevin Smith of Cornerstone Policy Research (and sadly, a member of the NH Advisory Board to the US Civil Rights Commission) did his best Glenn Beck impersonation this week when he issued a press release wondering if Governor Lynch intended to take all the money held by non-profit organizations in this state, and asking the Governor to pinky-promise he wouldn't it. Seriously. Both the Governor and Speaker's comments raise a significant concern that they each believe that if an organization has a tax-exempt status, the state has the right to 'steal' any surplus balance that they own. This belief would be of concern to any tax-exempt non-profit, such as a church or charitable organization with "excess" money in the bank. The reasoning behind notorious anti-civil rights crusader Smith's "concern" is purportedly the Governor's statement about the court decision on the JUA malpractice insurance issue. The Governor's remarks to which Smith takes umbrage were: These surplus funds belong to the citizens of New Hampshire, who created the Joint Underwriting Association and gave it tax-exempt status. |
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Either notorious anti-civil rights crusader Smith cannot comprehend a statement that contains two qualifiers, or he is deliberately misunderstanding what the Governor said in order to scare the bejeezus out of non-profit organizations. Any native English speaker with an 8th grade education would understand the Governor did not claim the right to (as Smith so charmlessly says) "steal" money from an organization simply because it has a non-profit status. The Governor was speaking specifically about an organization created by the state for a specific purpose and was also given a unique tax advantage vis-à-vis its for-profit competition. The Governor's position was one that was approved by the now ex-AG, and has ample support in the law.
The state has appealed the court's ruling to the Supreme Court, who may or may not agree with the state's position. In any case, for Smith to jump from this specific instance and make the claim that "government is going to take church money" rises to the level of Glenn Beckian insanity. Tell me again, why is notorious anti-civil rights crusader Smith representing you and me on the Civil Rights advisory panel? |