In an op-ed recently published in National Review entitled “Why Are Both Parties Targeting Civil Society?” Philanthropy Roundtable President and CEO Christie Herrera discusses how current tax proposals from both Democrats and Republicans will undermine economic prosperity and ultimately lead to less money for charity and people in need.
Below are excerpts from the article entitled “Why Are Both Parties Targeting Civil Society?”:
“No matter who wins in November, civil society is at risk of losing. That means America’s biggest problems will get even bigger — from addiction and homelessness to poverty and poor education.
This sad reality reflects the fact that Democrats and Republicans are looking at tax hikes that will undermine the prosperity that fuels philanthropy. Members of both parties also increasingly support tax hikes on nonprofits that do critical work in communities — work that Americans inherently do better than government.”
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“None of these ideas — from the left or the right — will improve lives or address the country’s many challenges. It doesn’t matter whether Washington taxes civil society directly or stifles it by rolling back the low taxes that undergird a free and flourishing economy. Either way, the result will be a bigger government that tries yet fails to do the difficult work for which civil society is uniquely suited.”
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“Politicians forget these truths at America’s peril. Democrats would be wise to abandon tax hikes that hurt philanthropy and charity, unlikely as that seems. Regardless of what the Left does, Republicans should return to opposing tax hikes, remembering that lower taxes strengthen the economy and civil society alike. Instead of a blanket tax on some nonprofits, lawmakers should cut billions of dollars in federal earmarks and subsidies to these organizations. Civil society doesn’t need government aid and would be able to achieve more in the long run with the extra giving made possible by lower taxes.
Our country doesn’t need two parties that want government to have more power. We need leaders who let Americans keep more of their money — not only because that’s morally right, but because it’s essential to breaking the barriers holding back so many people.”
Please continue reading at National Review.
