Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Grassley's Concern for Tax Avoiding Hospitals Doesn't Extend to CNP

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley continues to push the IRS toward making your nonprofit community hospital pay taxes. He fails to note that 80-90% of such institutions are already struggling financially providing care for America's legions of uninsureds.

Meanwhile, the Council for National Policy skates along with their 501(c)3 status unchallenged, despite its suspension in 1992. After making virtually no changes to comply with existing law, CNP negotiated its return to tax free status. It's been a 15 year skate since then for the exclusive, secretive group of conservative Christians. The CNP frequently has Bush administration officials speak at their confabs, yet only an accidental posting of a speech indicates their participation.

Code words for a CNP gathering with political leaders include "a confidential network of several hundred highly influential conservative business leaders", "elite Gold Circle Club", and "private Gold Circle dinner".

While any new dollars into the federal coffers may pale compared to taxing nonprofit community hospitals, tax exempt CNP appears to not fulfill a greater public benefit, other than provide a tax free dodge for already rich people to join together to influence public policy. It's clear which group is meeting a greater public need. So why is Chuck giving them heck? Senator Grassley's supporters want much more of America's healthcare system to be for profit.

Stay tuned for Chuck Grassley's report on CNP's community benefit...

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