The Obama White House cannot be insulated from the ever-expanding IRS scandal. It is neither a political sideshow nor a tiny muck-up by low-level bureaucrats. Rather, it threatens a cornerstone of American democracy—political speech--and has the serious potential to derail public attention to and support for other elements of the Administration’s policy agenda such as health care, immigration reform, gun control, and tax reform. It should be a wake-up call for the White House and all of us that it is high time to come to grips with the mess of what has evolved into the current crop of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations with almost entirely partisan electoral agendas programs and agendas with little or no interest in social welfare. Clean up the IRS for sure, but let’s also clean up the tax exempt sector of the surfeit of phony social welfare organizations too.  

Philanthropy is reconsidering its approach to journalism as a critical element of civil society as more of it ends up seated in the nonprofit sector, but is that where the money is going? Peek in on a panel discussion on this emerging topic at the most recent Council on Foundations conference.

Live blogging has begun. Rick Cohen will be reporting on everything he sees and hears at this years COF conference for NPQ's online readers.

What can foundations learn to help avoid a repetition of the Vietnam experience in the resources and services provided to those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan?

Live blogging has begun. Rick Cohen will be reporting on everything he sees and hears at this year's COF conference for NPQ's online readers.

Last day of the conference: hope to get two blogs in, on the closing event (the trial of philanthropy) and a remarkable panel (speaking about race)