Question: How About Levying A 5% Tax On Religious Institutions instead of Cutting SS and Medicare?

[Caroline-Vivienne]

Is this legal or does it go against the separation of church and state?

Because I would rather have Scientology and the LDS dig into their deep pockets for a small portion of their hedge fund portfolio earnings and US rental property income (yeah, im looking at you, Pope) instead of us cutting programs that assist our poorest citizens...

What say you?

[banned from Kos]

1. I suspect that religious institutions are just "non-profit"

so your 5% tax might hit other non-profits as well - like the Salvation Army.

This is a huge can of worms. I generally like the idea though.

[madokie]

2. Tax the RICH

Whats so fucking hard to understand about that.
This is not meant to be a dig at the OP, simply a statement that what needs to be done is tax the fucking rich and be done with it. Life will go on even for the rich who will continue to make insanely amounts of wealth.

[Zorra]

3. The IRS needs to go after every church that uses its pulpit as a soapbox to spread fascism.

Starting yesterday.

[Not Me]

4. Do like some localities do...charge "user" fees

for things like street lights, sewer, etc.