Huckabee's church tax plan

It's time for churches to reject tax exempt status completely; freedom is more important than government financial favors.
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 11, 2013

The practical reasons why this won't happen are pretty insurmountable. 1. Giving would likely decline. 2. Churches' paperwork would increase. Those practical problems likely far outweigh any ideological issues of church-state relationships for the vast majority of American pastors.

That said, those ministers who object to the conditions of tax exempt status, specifically the limitations on political speech as a violation of their freedom, are really being pretty silly. Anyone who knows how these things work -- and the pastors know -- knows that all they have to do is reject tax exempt status.

If politics from the pulpit is a God-given right, then don't trade it for porridge.

For most, though, seriously, not being bogged down with paperwork and offering wealthy donors tax deductions on their tithes does more for their ministry, as they see their ministry, than an annual who-to-vote-for sermon ever would.