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I live in a state that Fox News calls a liberal hellhole and for as long as I can remember people have been able to take an income tax deduction on tuition paym

by OldHand2018 6y ago

I live in a state that Fox News calls a liberal hellhole and for as long as I can remember people have been able to take an income tax deduction on tuition payments to private schools, including religious schools. Money is fungible, so the only real difference is that now you can take a tax credit for paying for someone else's kid. But even then, the 2018 federal tax law allowed fully deductible contributions to 529 plans for other people's kids. I honestly don't see why there is an attempt to create outrage here. If the people of Montana, via their democratically-elected representatives, see fit to offer this scholarship program then why is this so wrong?

thomastjeffery 6y ago
Because living in most states as a non-Christan or atheist is living as a minority. This minority group does not have enough influence to convince their representatives to oppose such legislation. The first amendment is only necessary protection for minority rights. What is freedom of religion if you can't have freedom from religion? I live in Utah, where The Corporation for the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints (the mainstream Mormon Church) has an overtly significant voice in politics and media. Its private university Brigham Young University likely benefits significantly from this situation, which is totally unnecessary, since the church itself has plenty of funding available, including a 501c3 tax-exempt $124 billion+ liquid investment account built from tithing donations in excess if $7 billion per year. I don't want to see a penny of my country or state's tax dollars going to a university named after a man who, as a self-proclaimed prophet of God, taught that interracial marriage is to be punished by death on the spot, and does not allow students to be in same-sex relationships, or leave their religion before graduation. I don't see this as an attempt to create outrage, but to express that which already exists.

thomastjeffery 6y ago

Because living in most states as a non-Christan or atheist is living as a minority. This minority group does not have enough influence to convince their representatives to oppose such legislation. The first amendment is only necessary protection for minority rights. What is freedom of religion if you can't have freedom from religion? I live in Utah, where The Corporation for the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints (the mainstream Mormon Church) has an overtly significant voice in politics and media. Its private university Brigham Young University likely benefits significantly from this situation, which is totally unnecessary, since the church itself has plenty of funding available, including a 501c3 tax-exempt $124 billion+ liquid investment account built from tithing donations in excess if $7 billion per year. I don't want to see a penny of my country or state's tax dollars going to a university named after a man who, as a self-proclaimed prophet of God, taught that interracial marriage is to be punished by death on the spot, and does not allow students to be in same-sex relationships, or leave their religion before graduation. I don't see this as an attempt to create outrage, but to express that which already exists.