Tax exemption functions as a hidden public subsidy for churches
Evidence
Tax exemption is a form of public subsidy. Churches and other nonprofit organizations are required to pay no taxes (other than Social Security tax on wages), which means that taxpaying citizens make up the difference for everything from parks and police protection to national defense. — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith, 111
Categorization
- DEFINE: Reframes the commonsense view of tax exemption as ‘not taking federal money’ into a positive subsidy paid by other taxpayers.
- XREF: Relates to the general theme emerging here of fiscal invisibility enabling moral self-image; suggests the CBOE/market-construction work and culture-industry subsidy critiques. — connects to: Religious freedom activism is driven partly by fear of losing tax subsidies — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the…, 43; Tax exemption is a public subsidy funded by other taxpayers — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the…, 109; Evangelicals denied receiving federal money while quietly accepting tax exemption — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the…, 109
Related
- Tax exemption is a public subsidy funded by other taxpayers (similarity 0.94)
- Evangelicals denied receiving federal money while quietly accepting tax exemption (similarity 0.86)
- Religious freedom activism is driven partly by fear of losing tax subsidies (similarity 0.78)
Broader Connections
- Tax exemption is a public subsidy funded by other taxpayers
#corroborates(0.95) — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith, 109 - Evangelicals denied receiving federal money while quietly accepting tax exemption
#exemplifies(0.85) — Randall Balmer, Bad Faith, 109