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WASHINGTON — President Trump vowed Thursday to overturn a law restricting political speech by tax-exempt churches, a potentially huge victory for the religious right and a gesture to his political base.

Mr. Trump said his administration would “totally destroy” the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from engaging in political activity at the risk of losing their tax-exempt status.

Repealing the law would require approval by Congress. Certain tax-exempt organizations — in this case, churches — are not allowed to openly endorse or campaign for political candidates. If they do, under existing law, they risk losing the benefits of their tax-exempt status.

Speaking to a gathering of religious leaders, the president also defended his immigration policy, brushed aside concern about his harsh phone calls with foreign leaders, and ridiculed Arnold Schwarzenegger for his poor ratings in replacing Mr. Trump as host of “Celebrity Apprentice.”

He did not mention an executive order on religious freedom, which critics said would restrict the rights of lesbians and gay men; a draft of the order has circulated, but administration officials have denied that it will be adopted.

In addressing the issue of churches and political speech, Mr. Trump said, “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.”

He added that “freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is under serious threat.”

During his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump promised to push for repeal of the law, which was passed in 1954 and named for then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, who proposed the change to the tax code.

Mr. Trump also went off topic in his address to the National Prayer Breakfast. He told the audience not to worry about reports that he had held tempestuous phone calls with the leaders of allies Australia and Mexico, saying a tough approach was long overdue.

“When you hear about the tough phone calls, don’t worry,” he said. “We’re being taken advantage of by countries around the world. It’s time for us to be a little tough. It’s not going to happen anymore.”

Mr. Trump also needled Mr. Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California, for failing to maintain his ratings as the new host of “Celebrity Apprentice.” “We know how that turned out,” he said. “The ratings went down the tubes.”

“I want to just pray for Arnold, for those ratings,” he said.

The president spent much of his speech defending the visa ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, which caused chaos at airports and set off protests across the country.

“Terrorism is a fundamental threat to religious freedom,” he declared. “It must be stopped and it will be stopped.”

The president described “peace-loving Muslims” who had been killed by jihadi fighters aligned with the Islamic State, as well as a campaign of genocide against Christians in the Middle East. Extremists, he said, took advantage of the “generosity” of Americans to undermine the nation’s safety.

“My administration will do everything in its power to defend religious liberty,” he said. “We have to feel safe and secure.”

Mr. Trump talked about the influence of faith in his own life, referring to the family Bible, which was used when he took the oath of office at his inauguration. His mother, he said, read to him from that Bible during his childhood.

“America is a nation of believers,” he said. “The quality of our lives is not defined by our material success, but by our spiritual success.”

“I tell you that as someone who has had material success,” he added, before noting that many rich people are “very miserable, unhappy people.”

The breakfast featured the usual menu of homilies and testimonials to the power of faith. But the proceedings took a show-business turn when Mark Burnett, the Hollywood producer, stepped to the podium to introduce the president. Mr. Burnett recalled the influence Mr. Trump’s book, “The Art of the Deal,” had on him as a recently arrived immigrant. He later produced “Celebrity Apprentice” as a reality television vehicle for Mr. Trump.

The president led his remarks with an extended reminiscence about the show, recalling that he fired his agent after the agent rejected Mr. Burnett’s pitch for the program. “I actually got on the phone and fired him myself,” Mr. Trump said with a smile.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0...phone-share&_r=0

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Black Pastors Are Breaking the Law to Get Hillary Clinton Elected

Nearly a third of these churchgoers say they’ve heard clergy support her from the pulpit in the past few months, according to a survey.

http://www.theatlantic.com/pol...lary-clinton/494876/

The Johnson Amendment is unequally applied; either repeal it or start taking the tax exempt status of churches of both sides. As for me, I believe in free speech even from people I don't agree with: repeal the law!

i knew no rt. wingnuts would find any fault in it... what i find hilarious is how the rt. wingnut lead posters went straight to the 'the democrats do it too' and the absolute crickets from "bestworking'... personally, i see the same 'slippery slope' argument... when it becomes a 'religious moral' to vote for a candidate.. we've just become EXACTLY like the muslim religion so hated by the conservatives... . politics controlled by religion. i can't see where that could end badly.. nope.. no history on that... nothing to see here.. just move along.

Last edited by Crash.Override

What our left wingnut fails to see is the current double standard imposed by the left.  They have "sanctuary cities" and "marijuana legal zones", both out of compliance with federal laws.  Then you have BLM blocking interstate highways and committing vandalism and thuggery with again, zero enforcement of the law.  Not to forget the intentional targetting of conservative groups by the IRS.  Do I need to talk about PP selling body parts (profits be dammed!)   All of this happening under the leadership of the left's messiah.

There's a new sheriff in town, and he's going to bring back the law to all.

Mr. Hooberbloob posted:

What our left wingnut fails to see is the current double standard imposed by the left.  They have "sanctuary cities" and "marijuana legal zones", both out of compliance with federal laws.  Then you have BLM blocking interstate highways and committing vandalism and thuggery with again, zero enforcement of the law.  Not to forget the intentional targetting of conservative groups by the IRS.  Do I need to talk about PP selling body parts (profits be dammed!)   All of this happening under the leadership of the left's messiah.

There's a new sheriff in town, and he's going to bring back the law to all.

hoob, proving how **** stupid republicans are with every new post. keep spouting the rt. wingnut lies hoob... .it's great comic relief.

Crash.Override posted:
Mr. Hooberbloob posted:

What our left wingnut fails to see is the current double standard imposed by the left.  They have "sanctuary cities" and "marijuana legal zones", both out of compliance with federal laws.  Then you have BLM blocking interstate highways and committing vandalism and thuggery with again, zero enforcement of the law.  Not to forget the intentional targetting of conservative groups by the IRS.  Do I need to talk about PP selling body parts (profits be dammed!)   All of this happening under the leadership of the left's messiah.

There's a new sheriff in town, and he's going to bring back the law to all.

hoob, proving how **** stupid republicans are with every new post. keep spouting the rt. wingnut lies hoob... .it's great comic relief.

If you have some time Crash, point out a few Hoop lies from above.

You obviously don't know comic from gas relief, so when you throw
the lie card, back that up with facts or just back the **** up...... 
Crash.Override posted:

here you go , idiot.. because google is obviously beyond your mental capabilities. just a few facts that i doubt will ever make it inside that republican bubble.

 

http://www.npr.org/2016/01/28/...o-fetal-tissue-sales

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...a724e4b03fc3ee4f7fed

http://fusion.net/story/258970...nt-daleiden-merritt/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...indictment/79318450/

You're a little behind on the child chop shop issue. Planned Parenthood's partner StemExpress has been referred for criminal investigation by Congress and StemExpress has dropped its lawsuit against the video journalists who exposed the racket:

https://energycommerce.house.g...20161221HHSHIPAA.pdf

http://www.washingtontimes.com...ro-life-journalists/

Stanky posted:
Crash.Override posted:

here you go , idiot.. because google is obviously beyond your mental capabilities. just a few facts that i doubt will ever make it inside that republican bubble.

 

http://www.npr.org/2016/01/28/...o-fetal-tissue-sales

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...a724e4b03fc3ee4f7fed

http://fusion.net/story/258970...nt-daleiden-merritt/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...indictment/79318450/

You're a little behind on the child chop shop issue. Planned Parenthood's partner StemExpress has been referred for criminal investigation by Congress and StemExpress has dropped its lawsuit against the video journalists who exposed the racket:

https://energycommerce.house.g...20161221HHSHIPAA.pdf

http://www.washingtontimes.com...ro-life-journalists/

tell the truth, stanky.. EXACTLY why was the lawsuit dropped?

Crash.Override posted:
Stanky posted:
Crash.Override posted:

here you go , idiot.. because google is obviously beyond your mental capabilities. just a few facts that i doubt will ever make it inside that republican bubble.

 

http://www.npr.org/2016/01/28/...o-fetal-tissue-sales

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...a724e4b03fc3ee4f7fed

http://fusion.net/story/258970...nt-daleiden-merritt/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...indictment/79318450/

You're a little behind on the child chop shop issue. Planned Parenthood's partner StemExpress has been referred for criminal investigation by Congress and StemExpress has dropped its lawsuit against the video journalists who exposed the racket:

https://energycommerce.house.g...20161221HHSHIPAA.pdf

http://www.washingtontimes.com...ro-life-journalists/

tell the truth, stanky.. EXACTLY why was the lawsuit dropped?

The truth is that telling the truth about people who profit from infanticide isn't illegal. StemExpress expected to lose the case.

rt. wingnuts and those darn pesky facts... i know you have your alt-facts.. but, in the real world, we call those 'alt-facts' , republican lies. it's ok, stanky, i expected no less from you.

“The grand jury took the investigation where the facts led it; however, Texas law limits what can be investigated after a grand jury extension order is issued,” District Attorney Devon Anderson said in a statement. “In light of this and after careful research and review, this office dismissed the indictments.”

so, while the charges were valid, the case was dismissed because of a technicality in the texas grand jury extension.... why do rt. wingnuts feel the need to lie to prove their point?

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/0...thood-case.html?_r=0

 

Last edited by Crash.Override
Crash.Override posted:

rt. wingnuts and those darn pesky facts... i know you have your alt-facts.. but, in the real world, we call those 'alt-facts' , republican lies. it's ok, stanky, i expected no less from you.

“The grand jury took the investigation where the facts led it; however, Texas law limits what can be investigated after a grand jury extension order is issued,” District Attorney Devon Anderson said in a statement. “In light of this and after careful research and review, this office dismissed the indictments.”

so, while the charges were valid, the case was dismissed because of a technicality in the texas grand jury extension.... why do rt. wingnuts feel the need to lie to prove their point?

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/0...thood-case.html?_r=0

 

Wrong case, different court; you are referring to the Texas Planned Parenthood case. I referred to the StemExpress lawsuit. I also suspect that the Texas dismissal is more for the same reason as the StemExpress case; it's not illegal in Texas to find the truth and report on it. I believe that California might be changing laws to protect the chop shops from investigative reporters. I might note that from the article you posted:

The investigation had been politically fraught from its beginnings as an examination of Planned Parenthood. Abortion-rights supporters asserted that Ms. Anderson had a conflict of interest, citing a 2014 Facebook posting in which she announced an endorsement from an anti-abortion group and called herself “a proud, pro-life Texan.” Then when the case turned to center on Mr. Daleiden and Ms. Merritt, abortion opponents cast the charges as politically motivated, citing a prosecutor’s ties to Planned Parenthood.

Last year, after Ms. Anderson announced that she was opening an investigation, an assistant district attorney in her office disclosed that she was a member of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast’s board of directors. Ms. Anderson announced that disclosure publicly, and said the prosecutor would not be involved in the investigation. Ms. Anderson said she would consider having an independent prosecutor take over the case if information surfaced suggesting the investigation had been compromised.

 

Last edited by Stanky

None of our left wingnut's links prove they are not selling baby parts.  Even NPR's headline that states they weren't selling baby parts did not support that statement in the body of the article.  Fact of the matter, they are selling body parts, profit or not it's wrong.  Fact of the matter is the left under a leftist president and attorney general had a pick and choose enforcement policy of federal laws, including immigration and drug laws.  Fact of the matter is, the BO government targeted conservative groups for harrassment by the IRS.

And a final fact of the matter, I'm really enjoying Crash's misery under the presidency of Donald "the Don" Trump!  MAGA!

One thing's for sure, they do sell and have been recorded how
they will spend their profits. To throw a living, breathing human
onto a cold slab of marble and then murder such a defenseless 
non player that has zero say in their guarantee of life by their
US Constitution and so called US Supreme Court is truly a joke
while the hopeless are dispensed in what is nothing short of
a silent holocaust. America is guilty of the most evil side of
genocide of it's own... 
 

 

Crash.Override posted:

what misery?  you rt. wingnuts will be the very ones suffering, before it's all over... i , personally, am just waiting for the day the republicans throw his ass out and blame all the problems on trump.. and try to say they had nothing to do with it... and that day is coming, soon.

Not going to happen you miserable old coot.  Mark down the day I said it and put it under your pillow.

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