Since 2008, pastors of some churches have openly supported and advocated specific political candidates in sermons to members in early October in an event referred to as “Pulpit Freedom Sunday”. According to Reuters, videos of these sermons are sent to the offices of the IRS.
According to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the provision of the tax code from which these churches derive their tax-exempt status, a compliant organization must not “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of … any candidate for public office.”
The IRS has failed to remove the tax-exempt status of these churches despite their violations of tax code. This must change, and the law must be applied equally to everyone.
A Pun Involving Travel 
That is a superbly clear way of explaining the situation.
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The situation is not just applicable to churches and the petition should really reflect that.
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Dan Van Derveer what other organizations are you thinking of? I definitely agree that tax-exempt-if-you-stay-out-of-politics organizations need to stay out of politics or lose their exemption, regardless of why they’re tax-exempt.
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I don’t have any examples.. but if we are going to have a petition to enforce the law then the law should be enforced for all are under it and not just churches.
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Dan Van Derveer I agree in principal, but most 501(c)(3) organizations aren’t claiming their spokesperson has the inside line on truth, a claim to infallibility or a threat of damnation. If you’re a believer it might lead you to take their recommendations more seriously than a recommendation from the head of an amateur bowling league.
The perceived authority matters.
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