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MANY PEOPLE at nonprofits and foundations have responded quickly since the 2016 presidential election to real and perceived threats to our democratic principles of justice, equality, fairness, and decency. Yet [...]

The author discusses the U.S. Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) clarification of federal rules on nonprofit political activity. According to the author, by making participation more difficult for the important nonpartisan voices of groups that represent the public interest, the IRS will make the U.S. become weaker. The author adds that the IRS is not solving the key problems of the nation's political system.

The article looks at issues arising from the decision of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to subject conservative and Tea Party groups to extra scrutiny. Upon learning about this issue, Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine has called for an investigation of how tax agency reviewed applications by groups seeking approval as tax-exempt social-welfare groups. Several actions that should be made by government leaders concerning tax exemption and advocacy groups are highlighted.

The authors reflect on how an increasing number of philanthropic organizations have been focusing toward initiatives to change the system by which states draw their district limits for both state and federal governing bodies. Topics discussed include the advantages of changing redistricting practices in terms of what is beneficial to nonprofits, the challenges philanthropy face in changing the system, and the importance of the census in distributing federal resources and drawing districts.

In the article, the authors discuss the adverse impact of the debt-ceiling deal that was reached by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama on the operation of the nonprofit organizations in the country. They cite the opinion of Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner on the deal called the Budget Control Act. They claim that the law is an abdication of representative democracy.