THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THIS WEBSITE

Is starting with the DLC losing their tax-exempt status. They lose it because they don't want to reveal who is that masked man who's been spouting that schtick that the Democratic Party should become more like Corporatists.

From Steve Gilliard's blog:

Via correntewire from Forbes Magazine (where it's behind a membership firewall) comes this inspiring human interest story about our poor, beleagered friends over at the Democratic Leadership Council losing their tax-exempt status for being too, well...partisan.

Will wonders ever cease? Join me after the flip.

Now, in a previously unreported action, the Internal Revenue Service has revoked the DLC's tax exemption on the grounds that it primarily benefited a private group--Democrats, and particularly "New Democrats" running for or holding office--rather than the community at large. The DLC has sued in federal court to overturn the decision;

Of course, no true sob story would be complete without a tragic helping of irony. For little did we know, "benefit" is now a synonym of "contaminate." But perhaps the sordid details of this plot will reveal where we, as a society, with our labyrinthine tax laws, went so horribly wrong that we allowed ourselves to do a grave injustice to that little lamb of God, Al From:

The DLC isn't a 501(c)(3) charity like the United Way. It won exemption in 1986 under section 501(c)(4) of the code, covering civic and social welfare groups. Contributions to civic groups aren't deductible. But 501(c)(4)s are allowed to lobby more than charities and to even get involved in partisan politics. The National Rifle Association, MoveOn.org, Planned Parenthood and the National Right to Life Committee are all 501(c)(4)s.

What's the practical value of a (c)(4) designation if it doesn't generate writeoffs for its donors? A (c)(4) isn't taxed as a for-profit business would be and doesn't have to disclose its donors, as a political action committee does.

For their next trick, the DLC will demonstrate how they have been true Democrats all along...