Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Well, kind of. Rob Boston of Americans United reports at Talk2Action that Liberty University has changed their policy after much controversy greeted their decision to pull official recognition from the College Democrats club at the school. Their solution: No official recognition for either club:
Falwell has announced a new policy at Liberty. Under its terms, both the Republican and Democratic clubs will be considered "unofficial." Such clubs can use the university's name but won't receive any funding.The students who run Liberty's Democratic club say they think the compromise could work. Americans United considers the new policy a big step in the right direction but intends to keep an eye on the situation.
No one knows if this was done because they feared losing a fight with the IRS over their tax exemption. After the university withdrew recognition, AU filed a complaint with the IRS arguing that the decision violates IRS rules on non-profit entities making contributions to political parties. The argument was that recognition means funding and Liberty's decision meant that the College Republicans got university funding while the College Democrats did not.
The problem with this is that such student clubs often do political campaign work, bringing in candidates and helping support them during elections. And by pulling the funding from the Democratic club, Liberty was in effect giving an in-kind contribution to the Republican party, something clearly forbidden by IRS rules governing non-profit institutions. It could be that this reversal is taking place because Liberty was advised that it would lose that fight.
Politics
Comments
Uncommon and, in LU's case, unexpected sense. More in mind of self-preservation though I'd bet.
Posted by: MikeMa | June 27, 2009 9:20 AM
Unlike MikeMa, I totally saw this coming. It's always about the money Lebowski.
Posted by: The Science Pundit | June 27, 2009 9:50 AM
I'm disappointed. I like our third-rate, right-wing colleges to stand intransigent. True fanaticism should bear its markings.
Posted by: Russell | June 27, 2009 10:10 AM
Russel - In this case wouldn't that be:
"True fanaticism should bear it's stigmata"? - ;) DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | June 27, 2009 10:24 AM
Does anybody doubt there will be a lot of private donations to the Republican club?
Posted by: Taz | June 27, 2009 2:23 PM
So now that the Liberty U Democrat left the school, what's the point of the club anyway? ;o)
Posted by: dogmeatIB | June 27, 2009 8:48 PM
Heh. A club is, by definition, made up of more than one person. Therefore, there must be at least one other Democrat at LU.
Posted by: BruceH | June 28, 2009 3:51 AM
I had a feeling this might result in a scorched-earth policy, rather than the restoration of impartial club funding. Typical childish fundie behaviour - destroy something so nobody can have it at all rather than share even part of it with people you don't like.
Posted by: Tom | June 30, 2009 1:31 AM