Congress, DDT Leaving Washington, DC with Little to Show

This blog from Nel’s New Day is a good source for what has (not) happened to 45’s and the GOP’s agenda as they head home for recess.  When they come back in September, Congress will need to pass the budget and 45 will need to sign it before the October 1 fiscal year deadline. They will also need to raise the debt ceiling to avoid a shutdown of the federal government and a potential financial crisis.

But the number of days of session work in September is insufficient. The US House of Representative will be in session for just 12 days in September — on September 5-8. 11-14, and 25-28. The Senate will be a little more active; they’ll be in session for 17 days — September 5-8, 11-14, 18-20, and 25-29. Note that there is one week — September 18-22 —  where the House is glaringly absent from work. Why?

As Nel questions,

“[What will happen] if the House [and Senate don’t] get around to passing the budget and increasing the debt ceiling?”

Surging interest rates? A return to recession?  Another international financial crisis?  Let’s hope not!

Source: Congress, DDT Leaving D.C. with Little to Show

How To Explain The Benghazi And Planned Parenthood Hearings To Your Two-Year-Old Daughter

Erin Matson

What’s this? 

It’s a hearing, sweetie. And we need to talk about something important.

What do you notice about the people asking questions?

Yes, they seem mad. Really mad. What else?

That’s right. They’re almost all boys. Usually when boys grow up we should call them men.

Now what about the person getting yelled at?

Yes, she’s not a boy.

So this is not fair, but it’s true: There are a lot of boys who grew up thinking they were better than girls.

Why?

People were mean and they were wrong in the old days. They thought only boys could be strong, and only girls should take care of other people. I know, that’s not at all like your friends! Now boys play with dolls, and girls are great at running and jumping and playing baseball.

Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard for people to let go of things they learned when they were little, even when those things…

View original post 118 more words

Helping Reduce Rape Culture: Two Legislative Ideas

Picture of a sign at the Window of Opportunity rally that says "End Rape Culture."

What we need to do to reduce/eliminate sexual assault, stalking, and harassment in our community.

I live close Penn State University where the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity’s online cyber bullying activities using Facebook to show explicit pictures of nude and/or inebriated women occurred. As a result of this action and the now ongoing investigations by both Penn State University and the State College Police, Erin Matson’s idea of reducing the legal age for alcohol consumption might be something that states might want to consider. I don’t know where I stand on this, but Erin does make a decent argument here.

Drinking age is a state, not a federal issue. So, if the drinking age were to be lowered, it would have to go through the state legislatures and be signed into law. Just like when the drinking age was raised back in the 1980’s.

To some extent, the same is true for any law that might be enacted to deal with online cyber-bullying and stalking, often known as revenge porn. If interstate commerce is involved in the bullying and stalking, federal law can and has been created (see here and here). If not, then this issue has to be dealt with at the state level.

States across the country have recently enacted or are considering bills to punish perpetrators of revenge porn and online cyber bullying or stalking. Here in Pennsylvania, legislators passed a “revenge porn” bill known as the “UNLAWFUL DISSEMINATION OF INTIMATE IMAGE AND DAMAGES IN ACTIONS FOR UNLAWFUL DISSEMINATION OF INTIMATE IMAGE Act;” it became law on September 8, 2014. It however does not cover online bullying outside of dating or marriage relationships since the law restricts coverage to a victim who is a “current or former sexual or intimate partner.” This law makes the non-consensual dissemination of such images a misdemeanor offense.

I understand that the PA legislature may now revisit this bill to expand the law to cover such types of bullying activities outside of an intimate relationship as a result of the KDR incident. When they do, I would recommend that they expand the law to all forms of cyber bullying and stalking in addition to any non-consensual dissemination of such images. This would include severe harassment and bullying threats that place a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury.

This proposal would, I believe, help create a state-based law similar to federal law (18 U.S.C. 875 and 18 U.S.C. 2261a) that “ makes it a federal crime to transmit threats of bodily injury in interstate commerce and criminalizes the use of electronic communication to place a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury.”

Finally, there will be a Congressional hearing on on-line cyber-bullying and stalking on April 15. This hearing is being set up by Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA) with the assistance of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This hearing will focus on concerns about gender violence in all forms of social media. I’ll post a comment here once I find out where and at what time the hearing will be held.

My Part in the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm

Today I participated in the Coalition on Human Needs Twitterstorm to help #StoptheCuts in support of President Obama’s proposed budget that lasted from 2 to 3 pm Eastern Standard Time. Here is my contribution to that storm. Results shown are as of 3:07 pm (seven minutes after the Twitterstorm ended):

 Original Tweets

Spot on! MT @kilby76 45.3 mil Americans live in #poverty. Shameful 4 richest country on earth #CutsHurt #StopTheCuts @SenToomey @SenBobCasey

0 replies 0 retweets 1 favorite

We need more investments, not less, in programs that keep even more people out of #poverty. #StoptheCuts

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

FACT: Since FY2010, 136 important human needs programs were cut, 51 by > 15% #CutsHurt #FY2016 http://ow.ly/i/8uqP2  http://ow.ly/i/8uqPC 

Meme stating that 45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

We need a #FY2016 budget that works for all, not just corporations and the wealthy #TalkPoverty http://ow.ly/i/8upzt 

Meme stating that 45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

0 replies 0 retweets 1 favorite

Continued cuts to human needs programs are bad for America, our economy #TalkPoverty #CutsHurt Pass @presidentobama #FY2016 budget

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

Pass #FY2016 RT @BlueUpali @SenateDems #GOP thinks cuts to foodstamps SSA will help? They are bad at math as well as science. #StopTheCuts

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

Only 1 in 4 households eligible for federal rental assistance receive it due to lack of funding #Sequester #CutsHurt #FY2016 #Budget

0 replies 0 retweets 1 favorite

Want to know the ins and outs of the President’s Budget? Check out @MomsRising analysis: http://moms.ly/1Ct2VX7  #StoptheCuts #FY2016

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

Federal rental assistance is effective, lifts millions out of #poverty. @RepTomPrice stop the cuts, stop sequestration #cutshurt #FY2016

0 replies 0 retweets 1 favorite

Housing instability limits opportunity. Restore voucher funding so those eligible are not left waiting! #cutshurt http://ow.ly/i/8uqCu 

meme re Join the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm on February 3, 2015.

Join the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm on February 3, 2015.

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

3 million children were lifted out of poverty by #EITC and #CTC in 2012. #CutsHurt this progress. #TalkPoverty #FY2016

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

Research shows children of #EITC recipients do better in school, attend college & earn more as adults #TalkPoverty #cutshurt @RepTomPrice

0 replies 0 retweets 1 favorite

 1/4 people without a high school degree are living in poverty. Tell Congress to support job training in #FY2016 #TalkPoverty #JobsNotCuts

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

.@CoalitiononHN “.@BeaverValleyNOW @PA_NOW @NiTaNeeNOW Thank you for joining us and spreading the word! #StopTheCuts”

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

 Modified Tweets

MT @natpriorities Most Americans support spending in federal programs that help families in need. #StopTheCuts #CutsHurt http://ow.ly/i/8v627 

Picture of a woman holdin70% of Americans oppose cuts to the SNAP (food stamp) program g a toddler saying that 70% of Americans oppose cuts to the SNAP (food stamp) program

70% of Americans oppose cuts to the SNAP (food stamp) program

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @MomsRising The earlier we invest in our littlest learners the better for our children & economy. Invest in #earlylearning! #StoptheCuts

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @natpriorities Only 1 in 4 households eligible for federal rental assistance receive due to low funding #Sequester #CutsHurt

Meme stating that Every hour the US spends $5 million for housing assistance and $58 million for the Dept. of Defense

Every hour the US spends $5 million for housing assistance and $58 million for the Dept. of Defense

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

 .@CongressmanGT MT @ChildDefender 57,000 children lost their Head Start cause of sequestration. #CutsHurt #StoptheCuts #BeCarefulWhatYouCut

0 replies 2 retweets 0 favorites

MT @ChildDefender 57,000 children lost their Head Start cause of sequestration. #CutsHurt #StoptheCuts #BeCarefulWhatYouCut @SenBobCasey

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

MT @ChildDefender: 57,000 children lost their Head Start cause of sequestration. #CutsHurt #StoptheCuts #BeCarefulWhatYouCut @SenToomey

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

 MT @NAEYC: Kidsthrive & learn n society dedicated 2 ensuring they reach their full potential #investinkids n #FY2016 2 ensure their future

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @RESULTS_Tweets: The #2016Budget is out! Time 2 #talkpoverty w policymakers & make ending poverty a top priority: http://bit.ly/16fyKVh 

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @MomsRising: #Congress need 2 pass tax bills that help ALL families. Write @SenateDems: http://moms.ly/1zvIHrV  #StoptheCuts #CutsHurt

0 replies 1 retweet 1 favorite

MT @MomsRising: #Congress need 2 pass tax bills that help ALL families. Write @PAHouseGOP: http://moms.ly/1zvIHrV  #StoptheCuts #CutsHurt

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @MomsRising: #Congress need 2 pass tax bills that help ALL families. Write @Senate_GOPs: http://moms.ly/1zvIHrV  #StoptheCuts #CutsHurt

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

MT @MomsRising #Congress need 2 pass tax bills that help ALL families. Write @HouseDemocrats: http://moms.ly/1zvIHrV  #StoptheCuts #CutsHurt

0 replies 0 retweets 0 favorites

Retweets

MedicareRightsCenter @medicarerights  ·

Read @josephrbaker‘s statement on the #FY2016 Obama budget: http://www.medicarerights.org/newsroom/press-releases/2315-2/ … #Medicare

0 replies 2 retweets 0 favorites

TalkPoverty.org @TalkPoverty

Stagnating wages & changing corporate practices decrease amt working families can save for retirement http://bit.ly/1yQBLqd  #talkpoverty

0 replies 4 retweets 3 favorites

CoalitiononHumanNeed @CoalitiononHN  ·

Fact: It would only take 2% of the federal #budget to reduce child #poverty by 60% http://ow.ly/InD58  #TalkPoverty @ChildDefender

0 replies 17 retweets 2 favorites

  PWN-USA @uspwn  ·

Continued cuts to human needs programs are bad for America, our economy #TalkPoverty #CutsHurt #StoptheCuts in #FY2016 #pwnspeaks

0 replies 1 retweet 0 favorites

Housing Alliance PA @PAHousing  ·

Starting NOW! Tell Congress to #StopTheCuts in #FY2016! Join the @CoalitiononHN twitterstorm & tweet at your Reps/Senators #TalkPoverty

0 replies 2 retweets 1 favorite

Asset Building @AssetsNAF  ·

Obama’s #FY2016 Budget requests additional funding for HUD’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program. See our FSS work: http://ow.ly/Iqp0J 

0 replies 2 retweets 0 favorites

ChildrensDefenseFund @ChildDefender  ·

Tell Congress: #EndChildPoverty #StoptheCuts #TalkPoverty #BeCarefulWhatYouCut http://ow.ly/H1gcu 

Picture of a baby saying, "It's hard to tighten your belt when you are wearing diapers.

It’s hard to tighten your belt when you are wearing diapers.

0 replies 22 retweets 8 favorites

Leslie @love2laugh4ever  ·

#StopTheCuts raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 now and have it automatically raise thereafter. Keep people above #poverty

0 replies 3 retweets 0 favorites

CoalitiononHumanNeed @CoalitiononHN  ·

1/4 people w/o a high school degree are living in poverty. Tell Congress to support job training in #StopTheCuts #TalkPoverty #JobsNotCuts

0 replies 3 retweets 0 favorites

 Pennsylvania NOW @PA_NOW  ·

Housing instability limits opportunity. Restore voucher funding so those eligible are not left waiting! #CutsHurt @SenToomey @SenBobCasey

0 replies 1 retweet 1 favorite

MoveOn.org @MoveOn  ·

RT if OUTRAGED: 1st time in 50yrs, maj. US public school stdnts in #poverty @GOPHouse http://wapo.st/17NzFgO 

Meme stating that 45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

45.3 Million Americans Live in Poverty #StopTheCuts

0 replies 27 retweets 12 favorites

Am Sociological Assn @ASAnews  ·

Is Ending #Segregation the Key to Ending #Poverty? @Stefanie_DeLuca & other sociologists http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/02/is-ending-segregation-the-key-to-ending-poverty/385002/ …

View summary

0 replies 7 retweets 1 favorite

Parents of OMM @ParentsofOMM  ·

The truth about #singlemoms using #foodstamps and what you can do to help http://bit.ly/1zkIx9w  #family #poverty #welfare #womenleaders

0 replies 1 retweet 1 favorite

Join the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm

Yesterday, I received a phone call from Paul Wommack, a Beaver Valley NOW member and activist. He alerted me to an online effort to influence Congress to support President Obama’s proposed budget.

This budget was officially released this morning. Part of the proposed budget would add new investments in child care programs and increase access to community colleges across the country. It also will, if passed, start to reverse the damage that has been made to social service programs due to, among other things, the sequestration mandate of the past several years.

As a result of this positive change that could come at the Federal level IF Congress listens and passes a budget to “Stop the Cuts” to our social network fabric, the Coalition on Human Needs has organized a “#StopTheCuts” Twitter Storm for Tuesday February 3, 2015 at 2 pm EST/11 am PST. Here’s their announcement with details in case you too would like to participate.

Twitterstorm 2/3: Tell Congress to #StopTheCuts

meme re Join the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm on February 3, 2015.

Join the #StopTheCuts TwitterStorm on February 3, 2015.

This coming Monday the President will present his budget request to Congress for FY2016. We look forward to reviewing the President’s proposals, and we’ve already heard about important investments he’d make in child care and community college. We’ve heard he will start to reverse damaging cuts to human needs programs. Our next step: we need you to join us in telling Congress our request – stop the cuts.

On Tuesday, February 3rd at 2pm ET/11am PT, join the Coalition on Human Needs, MomsRising.orgMoveOn.org, and other national organizations [including the National Organization for Women] for a Twitterstorm (sample tweets and graphics below!). Tell Congress that their FY2016 budget must protect programs that promote shared prosperity and help our nation’s most vulnerable.

Strong, well-funded federal programs create jobs, grow the economy, reduce inequality, and keep millions out of poverty. In 2013, 3.7 million people were kept out of poverty by SNAP benefits. Similarly, unemployment insurance kept 1.2 million people out of poverty. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit lifted 10.1 million people, including 5.3 million children, out of poverty in 2012. And the list goes on

But if the new Congress drafts a budget anything like the one the House passed last year, these successful programs will be slashed, along with education, housing, nutrition, and other services young and old alike need to escape poverty.  These will be on top of years of cuts that are keeping us down.  It’s time to tell Congress to #StopTheCuts.  

Tell Congress real people are being harmed. On February 3rd raise your voice for human needs and share the real struggles people in your community face and the impact of cuts. Below are sample tweets – but we encourage you to tweet at your Senators and Reps with personal stories, too.

Who? You and/or your organization

What? A twitterstorm telling Congress to stop cuts to the programs that are most important to our nation’s future shared prosperity and ending poverty in America.
Where/When? Twitter, February 3, at 2pm ET / 11am PT

How? Post the tweets and graphics below telling Congress to #StopTheCuts because #CutsHurt. Have you or someone you know benefited from the programs facing cuts? Get personal!
Please spread the word and email your networks and this event. Here is the link to our blog post with this info. If your organization plans to participate, please RSVP to Joanna at jsandager@chn.org so that we can list you as a participant.
And make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @CoalitiononHN for the latest.

Sample Promotional Tweets:

  • Join @CoalitiononHN @MomsRising @MoveOn 4 a twitterstorm on 2/3 @ 2PM ET! Tell Congress to protect essential programs b/c #CutsHurt
  • Tell Congress to #StopTheCuts in #FY2016! Join the twitterstorm + tweet at your Reps/Senators 2/3 @ 2PM ET #TalkPoverty #EndPovertyNow
  • 3 mil Americans live in #poverty. On Feb 3, 2pmET Tell Congress cuts to human needs programs are bad for America, our economy  #CutsHurt

Sample Tweets

  • We need more investments, not less, in programs that keep even more people out of #poverty
  • We need a #FY2016 budget that works for all, not just corporations and the wealthy #TalkPoverty
  • Continued cuts to human needs programs are bad for America, our economy #TalkPoverty #CutsHurt
  • In 2013, 3.7 million were lifted out of poverty by #SNAP. #CutsHurt this progress. #TalkPoverty
  • Only 1 in 4 households eligible for federal rental assistance receive it due to lack of funding #Sequester #CutsHurt #FY2016 #Budget
  • Federal rental assistance is effective, lifts millions out of #poverty. @RepTomPrice stop the cuts, stop sequestration #cutshurt #FY2016
  • Housing instability limits opportunity. Restore voucher funding so those eligible are not left waiting! #cutshurt
  • 3 million children were lifted out of poverty by #EITC and #CTC in 2012. #CutsHurt this progress. #TalkPoverty  #FY2016
  • Research shows children of #EITC recipients do better in school, attend college & earn more as adults #TalkPoverty #cutshurt @RepTomPrice
  • 1/4 people without a high school degree are living in poverty. Tell Congress to support job training in #FY2016 #TalkPoverty #JobsNotCuts
  • FACT: Since FY2010, 136 important human needs programs have been cut, 51 by more than 15% #CutsHurt #FY2016

Sample Graphic

Meme with hands up to Stop the Cuts and support Obama's 2016 proposed budget.

We need a 2016 budget that works for all. #StoptheCuts

 

 

 

 

Fair Elections

vote button

Fair campaign finance reform is needed for our government. There are two bills in the US Congress that could do this at the federal level.

We need to support Fair Elections and return our government to one that’s of, by, & for the people–not bought & paid for by special interests. There are two bills in Congress that would make this happen – 1) the Government by the People Act (HR. 20) and 2) the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 2023).

The lead co-sponsors of The Government by the People Act (HR. 20) are House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.)This bill allows “everyday Americans [to take] a $25 refundable My Voice tax credit to help spur small-dollar contributions to candidates for Congressional office” and establishes “a Freedom from Influence Fund to multiply the impact of small-dollar donations ($150 or less).” There are 138 additional co-sponsors.  In addition, organizations such as Alliance for Justice, Americans for Democratic Action, Common Cause, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Sierra Club have endorsed this bill. Currently, there are over 50 organizations who have signed on as supporters of this bill.  You can see the full list of Congressional co-sponsors and organizational endorsers here.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has introduced The Fair Elections Now Act (S. 2023).  This bill that would allow Senate candidates to run for office by relying on small donations from people back home.  Currently, there are 15 additional Senators who are co-sponsoring this bill.  Organizations such as the Brennan Center for Justice, Credo Action, League of Conservation Voters, NAACP, and Working Families have endorsed this bill. Currently, there are 38 organizations that have signed on as supporters of this bill. You can see a full list of the Senatorial co-sponsors and organizational endorsers here.

You too can publicly support these bills.  Public Campaign and a coalition of organizations are working to return our government to one that is of, by, and for the people–not bought and paid for by special interests.  They have created a website for individuals and organizations to sign on in support of these bills.

As an individual, You can sign on the Government By the People Act / Fair Elections Now Act website as a “citizen cosponsor”  of the Government by the People Act. If you represent an organization, your organization can endorse the Government by the People Act here.

There is not a sign-up page on this website for signing on to the Fair Elections Now bill as either a citizen co-sponsor or as an organizational endorser.  I don’t know why. If you are interested in signing on in to the Fair Elections Now bill, I suggest you contact them and make this request as I believe both bills need grassroots support. They do have an email address where you can contact them via email at ofby@publicampaign.org or by sending a letter to Public Campaign, 1133 19th Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20009.

In either case, you can also follow this campaign for fair elections on Twitter by following @ofbyus.

Let’s get this done. Return our elections to the people. Pass both the Government By the People Act and the Fair Elections Now Act.

How Much Pay has Congress Made Since They Shut Down the Government?

While over 800,000 federal employees were sent home without pay on October 1 when Congress failed to pass a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government, members of Congress still continue to receive their salary.  I just came across a graphic that shows, in real-time, how much all 535 members of Congress – the 435 members of the House of Representatives and the 100 members of the Senate – have earned since the day Congress shut down most of the federal government programs.

Take a look via CongressStillGetsPaid.com.

Congress, this is outrageous.  Get the federal government back to work.  Rather than attempting to end Obamacare and/or cutting Social Security – both detrimental to a huge swath of the American public – JUST PASS A CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION!

The Conservative Pot of Anger

IRS Form 990 non-profit form

Form 990 – the IRS tax form used by recognized 501(c) non-profit organizations

For over a week now we have been hearing about the “scandal” within the IRS’s Tax-Exempt division.  Congress has been holding hearings, calling on current and past Commissioners to testify about the additional scrutiny given to Tea Party organizations.  A couple of days ago, I asked if this additional scrutiny was a scandal or not.

In addition to my comments that day, the Guardian has now brought up another issue that may be adding fuel to the conservative f(ire).  That fuel is a four-decade simmering anger at the IRS by the conservative religious right.  An anger fueled by both segregation and religion.

In 1954, the US Supreme Court declared in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in education was unconstitutional. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act that, which among other issues makes discrimination based on race in public accommodations and employment illegal. In 1967, the US Supreme Court declared in Loving v. Virginia that bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional.  In 1970, the IRS changed their tax-exempt regulation on private schools to reflect these policies.

Bob Jones University had, under pre-1970 regulations been granted tax-exempt status.  In 1970, as a result of the change in regulations, the IRS notified Bob Jones University that they intended to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status because of their segregationist policy of initially not admitting blacks and then, later of not admitting or expelling students who entered into, engaged in, or advocated for interracial marriage or dating.

Bob Jones University felt that they had a “biblical” right to discriminate.  So they filed case after case to overturn the IRS revocation.  Finally in 1983, in Bob Jones University v. United States, the US Supreme upheld the IRS revocation of Bob Jones University’s tax-exempt status because of its segregationist policies.

The Justices disagreed with Bob Jones’ biblical interpretation of the competing First and Fourteenth amendments to the US Constitution.  In looking at both amendments, they first declared that there is strong governmental interest in ending discrimination:

[The] Government has a fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating racial discrimination in education 29 – discrimination that prevailed, with official approval, for the first 165 years of this Nation’s constitutional history. That governmental interest substantially outweighs whatever burden denial of tax benefits places on petitioners’ exercise of their religious beliefs.

Then, citing the aforementioned cases (and others), the Court held stated:

An unbroken line of cases following Brown v. Board of Education establishes beyond doubt this Court’s view that racial discrimination in education violates a most fundamental national public policy, as well as rights of individuals.

The Court then pointed out that this IRS regulation was still constitutional even after Bob Jones University opened its doors to people of all races.  The Justices reiterated the lower court decision, stating that the University remained racially discriminatory in its policies at the university in violation of the tax-exempt regulations:

Petitioner Bob Jones University, however, contends that it is not racially discriminatory. It emphasizes that it now allows all races to enroll, subject only to its restrictions on the conduct of all students, including its prohibitions of association between men and women of different races, and of interracial marriage. 31 Although a ban on intermarriage or interracial dating applies to all races, decisions of this Court firmly establish that discrimination on the basis of racial affiliation and association is a form of racial discrimination, see, e. g., Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967); McLaughlin v. Florida, 379 U.S. 184 (1964); Tillman v. Wheaton-Haven Recreation Assn., 410 U.S. 431 (1973). We therefore find that the IRS properly applied Revenue Ruling 71-447 to Bob Jones University. 32

The judgments of the Court of Appeals are, accordingly,

Affirmed.

I think that this article in the Guardian is correct.  It might just be another reason for the current tax-exempt status furor.  It seems that pulling the tax-exempt status of a religiously-based institution for its violation of our country’s stance for equality under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution resulted in a simmering pot of anger just waiting for a bit more fire to bring conservatives to a full boil.

What do you think?  Please comment.  I’d be interested in hearing your opinion.