What is a 501(c)(4) Tax Exempt Group?
 

Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(4) provides for the exemption of two very different types of organizations with their own distinct qualification requirements. They are:

  • Social welfare organizations: Civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, and
  • Local associations of employees, the membership of which is limited to the employees of a designated person(s) in a particular municipality, and the net earnings of which are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational or recreational purposes.

Homeowners associations and volunteer fire companies may be recognized as exempt as social welfare organizations if they meet the requirements for exemption. Organizations that engage in substantial lobbying activities sometimes also are classified as social welfare organizations.

 

Educate yourself and use critical thinking skills. 

For all my conservative friends, this perfectly illustrates the hypocrisy of conservative politics.  It's always fiscally irresponsible until it affects them directly.  Conservatives tell me that tuition free college isn't "realistic", that raising taxes on the 1% would destroy the economy, that reenacting the Glass-Steagall Act to prevent risky banking practices that lead to the 2008 finical collapse is 'over-regulation' and unreasonable.    

Have you ever seen the movie The Big Short that came out last year?  It's about the 2008 financial crisis and how the deregulation of Wall Street caused the greatest financial disaster since The Great Depression.  Before the credits roll at the end of the movie they say that no one learned from 2008, and that the same risks are being taken again.    

The banks didn't want the federal government to get involved until they needed to be bailed out.  Conservatives are believers in the so called 'free market' until they're not.  People argue conservatism as if it's philosophically valid but in the real world they're just protecting their own interests.  What do they have to gain by making college free?  They graduated 20 years ago or they own a business or were, like Donald Trump, born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.  Where all the conservatives who make $12 and hour.  You won't find any.    

The federal government should act in the best interests of the American people, not just the people rich enough to influence our political system.  In philosophy there is an ethical concept introduced by Immanuel Kant called the Categorical imperative.  It's basically a way of evaluating whether or not an action is ethical.  The Categorical imperative says that whenever we consider completing an act, we should also consider what kind of things may occur if what we choose to do were applied across the board to everybody.

For all my older friends who don't understand younger voters who refuse to vote for Hillary, or why voters in Britain chose to exit the European Union, or why Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for President: establishment politics have failed my generation. The outrage will only continue to increase until new leadership and policies begin to reflect the need for change.

A guy walks up to a woman at a bar. He flirts with her. He makes small talk, but the woman insists she isn't gonna go home with him.

Guy says, "What if I offer you $1 million to sleep with me?" The woman's never had a million dollars in her life. She stops and considers the offer very seriously.

The guy changes his mind, says, "What if I change my offer to a dollar instead?"

Woman is aghast. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"

Guy says, "We already figured that out. Now we're just negotiating."

This is exactly how I feel when I honestly try to imagine myself voting for Clinton. For weeks all we heard about was the 'Platform' and how Bernie was helping to make it the most progressive in history. But ultimately the platform doesn't mean anything. Bernie's endorsement doesn't make me want to vote for Hillary because when I voted for Bernie in the primary it wasn't just because I believe in him. A large part of why I voted for Bernie is because I believe establishment politics are broken and the system is so far removed from being a functioning democracy. I voted for him because I reject the judgment, Neoliberal philosophies, and the lack of character of Hillary Clinton. Those reasons didn't suddenly disappear. Neither Trump or Hillary are fit to be president and I intend to fight on for the revolution by supporting downticket races and promoting the hell out of Jill Stein.

I'll be the first to admit that since the endorsement it's been tough getting out of bed in the morning. But I wrote a few lines of Homer to hang on my door for inspiration when I go out every morning:

Striking his breast, reproved his heart with the worlds:

'Endure, my heart; e'en worse thou didst one endure.'