In Part Two of a two-part series on community nonprofit organizations, Dennis McCuistion is joined by a panel of experts with experience in the nonprofit sector.

The panelists include:

• Lois G. Lerner, Director of the Exempt Organizations Division of the IRS
• Cynthia B. Nunn, President, Center for Nonprofit Management
• Jan Soifer, Attorney: Lawrence & Soifer LLP
• Teresa A. Wright, Executive Director, Funding Information Center
• Ronnie C. McClure, PhD, CPA, Wealth Management Consultant

In addition to the intrinsic benefits that come from serving in a community nonprofit organization, favorable tax treatment is among the most significant advantages for nonprofit organizations.  However, tax forms like the 990 can be tricky to navigate through.  The panelists discuss ways to go about making sure that the form is filled out correctly.

After 25 years of a non-revised 990 form, Lerner discusses some of the differences that were implemented in the new 990 form and the reasons why they were implemented. The panelists further the discussion by talking about the differences between the various IRS forms and explain the types of trade associations and other organizations that are typically tax exempt.

After giving some examples of cases where nonprofits were not operating above board, they discuss the types of services that the IRS generously offers all nonprofits.  The IRS understands that many times people are just uninformed, so they try to be proactive in providing easy access to the information that is needed.

The panelists end the conversation by discussing various resources that a nonprofit director or board member can reference in order to learn “best practices” for a community nonprofit organization.

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1708 -01.25.09

In Part One of a two-part series on community nonprofit organizations, Dennis McCuistion and the panelists take a look at community nonprofit organizations.  Specifically, they seek to answer the following questions:

• What do you need to know in order to volunteer or donate?
• What is the purpose of nonprofit organizations?
• What are the tax benefits they are the able to enjoy?

The panelists include:

• Lois G. Lerner, Director of the Exempt Organizations Division of the IRS
• Cynthia B. Nunn, President, Center for Nonprofit Management
• Jan Soifer, Attorney: Lawrence & Soifer LLP
• Teresa A. Wright, Executive Director, Funding Information Center
• Ronnie C. McClure, PhD, CPA, Wealth Management Consultant

Community nonprofit organizations are doing acts of service that are necessary for community growth and advancement.  Currently, there are 2 million tax exempt organizations across the country and half of them are charitable.

Lois Lerner, Director of the Exempt Organizations Division of the IRS, spends time with viewers explaining the benefits of the IRS website.  She offers an assurance that the IRS does what they can to ensure that each community nonprofit organization has easy access to the tools and resources they need to access government help and to ensure they are operating above board.

In relation to giving to a nonprofit, the panelists address common concerns about giving and how a donor can ensure that their donation is being properly handled and accounted for, citing various websites and resources.

The panelists offer suggestions to community nonprofit organizations as well. They encourage all nonprofits to be fully transparent with information. When the public can see that a nonprofit is transparent, it will lead to more peace of mind for the potential donor, thus benefiting the nonprofit organization and the cause it serves.

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1707 – 01.18.09

Why do countries around the world now seem to outstrip the United States in terms of free market philosophies as well as tax issues, from the flat tax to social security? Can the US catch up?  During this installment of McCuistion Television, focusing on freedom in America, Dennis McCuistion is joined by three panelists on location at FreedomFest.  Discussing the state of freedom in America, Dennis McCuistion is joined by:

• Daniel Mitchell – Senior Fellow at the CATO Institute
• Michelle Muccio – Washington D.C. Representative and Production Associate at The Acton Institute
• Larry Abraham – The late Larry Abraham was the co-founder of PanAmerica Capital Group, Inc. and long-time author and editor of the Insider Report, an international geopolitical investment newsletter with over 10,000 private subscribers, worldwide.

The last twenty-five years of United States history have been successful in leading America towards a smaller government.  However, many economists and futurists look with question to the next twenty-five years to determine if, in fact, the trend will continue. There is a rising concern that socialist reforms will begin to take a hold on the free market system that has defined America for centuries.

Panelists discuss the free market system and how the opposing view of making the strong weaker by promoting economic equality is a dangerous approach.  History and current affairs have produced clear evidence that the idea of “fair” doesn’t work. Larry Abraham, with his extensive international exposure, expounds on this viewpoint by explaining the international view of America right now.

Wrapping up the conversation on freedom in America, Panelists also discuss  the flat tax, social security reform and some of the empirical evidence that supports both.  The panelists close the episode on “The State of Freedom in America” with FRTV’s Dennis McCuistion by offering suggestions for viewers to make a difference in these issues today.

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1704 – 07.02.09

Dennis McCuistion is joined for a second time by Herb Meyer in Part Two of a two-part series on challenges facing culture in America.  Meyer is the author of The War Against Progress and the former Vice Chairman of the CIA’s National Intelligence Council during the Reagan Administration.  Herb Meyer discusses his suggestions for what should be done in order to save culture in America and Western civilization in general.

He begins the discussion by talking about multiculturalism and its use in education and the media.  He explains how the American way has always been to integrate, which is the very thing that has made America great. On the contrary, Europeans are multiculturalists and it has not been good for their society.  There needs to be an understanding among Americans, according to Meyer, that what has been done for years (immigrants becoming Americans) is the exact thing that has made us great, and we need to be very careful when we start talking about changing that.

Meyer cautions viewers and offers suggestions referencing the media and education in regards to all three of the challenges culture in America and Western civilization are facing. He continues on to offer feedback on what Americans should be focusing on in politics, education and media. He continues by explaining his views on what should be done in the Islamic world and the war. Reminding viewers of what the war is really about, he cautions the dangerous perspective we will give our children if we do not handle this correctly.

He closes the discussion talking about the education of our children regarding procreation.  Having and raising children cannot be seen as an inconvenience, an expense, or harmful to the environment.

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1709 – 02.17.08

Wellness means making life choices in your diet, exercise and how you care for yourself. Applying general wellness solutions can prevent diseases and slow down the signs of aging.

During this episode of McCuistion Television, Dennis McCuistion discusses the benefits of wellness with his panel of experts.

• Boyd D. Lyles, Jr., M.D. – Founding Director, HeartHealth and Wellness Center
• Jeff Brizzolara, PhD, MBA, MPH, – Chief Operating Officer of Elite Wellness USA
• Todd Whitthorne – President and Chief Operating Officer of  Cooper Concepts, Inc.

There is a decline in people participating in preventative healthcare services. Historically, 15-20% of the population pays attention to wellness; however, 80% of the population takes up the healthcare costs.  The panelists share a common passion for the importance of corporate wellness programs and for preventative methods being more of a focus than traditional healthcare budgets.

Witthorne works with Cooper Concepts, Inc.  The founder, Dr. Ken Cooper, is the Father of Aerobics and he and his staff have been in the business of wellness for years.  The Cooper Center has concluded that for a person to have overall general wellness, they must first change their habits. Witthorne discusses in more detail how the Cooper Center goes about promoting general wellness for their clients.

Panelists agree that if staff wellness programs were implemented, the risk of losing staff hours based on illness and paying deductibles on preventable illnesses would decrease. Companies simply cannot continue to give out double digits in healthcare when general wellness solutions can prevent many illnesses.

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04.26.09 – 1715

During an interview and follow-up Q & A with T. Colin Campbell, PhD., author of The China Study, Campbell discusses what we should eat, shouldn’t eat and how to eat right in a fast food nation. Campbell, a strong proponent of vegan benefits for health, disease prevention, and longevity of life goes on to further explain details of his research and findings during his China Health Study.

Campbell’s initial research consisted of in-depth lab research focusing on the consumption of animal based foods versus plant based foods and its effect on the rate of disease. In his research, conducted in China, he and his team surveyed 130 villages (6,500 families) taking necessary samples, such as blood and urine, and sited nutrient levels and elements of that nature. They then compared information on their blood health with the rates of disease for 400+ kinds of diseases.

Their findings clearly indicated that to have optimized health, animal products should be eliminated and a strict vegan diet is the healthiest way to prevent disease.

Throughout the course of the interview and Q & A, he continues to compare the China study’s diet with the Mediterranean diet, the myth of animal calcium intake, the role of fat in relation to disease and more.

Following the original airing of this episode, host, Dennis McCuistion tried out the diet to see if it was everything it claimed.  Click here to see his findings on Vegan Benefits to Health.

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04.19.09 – 1714

In Part One of the two-part series on science and health with T. Colin Campbell, PhD., Campbell discusses his findings on what science is actually saying about health and nutrition and the vegan benefits to health.  Dr. Campell is the author of The China Study, a Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and the Project Director of the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project.

Click here to read how Dennis McCuistion applied the principles of this episode in his vegetarian diet experiment.

There is an obvious health problem in the United States.  While, American citizens spend more on health care than any other country, two-thirds of the country is overweight. Greater than 15 million Americans have diabetes, more than 1 million have high cholesterol and half of all Americans have a health problem that requires them to use a prescription drug.  Dr. Campbell sought to discover what, if any, are the changes that could be made to the American diet to better prevent disease. Partnering with Cornell, Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Dr. Campbell conducted his study.

The American diet consists of high quantities of protein. However, the findings of The China Study suggest that there are significant vegan benefits to health.  Disease increases when a person consumes more than 10% protein in comparison to his or her daily caloric intake. The average American has a protein consumption of 17-18%  and 70-75% of that is from animal foods. Through Campbell’s research, it became very clear that there is a direct relationship between animal protein intake and disease increase. The findings showed that as soon as animal protein started to show up in the diet, there was an increase in cholesterol, cancer and heart disease.

Dr. Campbell, closes his conversation noting that his intention in his message is not to push an opinion on listeners, but rather to provide information to the public that unfortunately has not been taught. His concern is that the information the public tends to receive is incorrect, therefore consumers cannot make educated choices on healthy diets.  The facts from his study clearly point toward strong vegan benefits to healthy living.

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04.12.09 – 1713

Herb Meyer, author of The War Against Progress and former Vice Chairman of the CIA’s National Intelligence Council during the Reagan Administration, joins Dennis McCuistion for this installment of FRTV. With the quickly changing world we find ourselves in today, Meyer addresses the biggest cultural challenges facing America and Western civilization during Part One of a two-part series.

According to Meyer, radical Islam, the demographic downturn worldwide, and the current cultural war are threatening the survival of Western Civilization and traditional culture in America.

Radical Islam - Radical Muslims do not accurately represent Islam as a whole. However, Meyer explains that most Germans were not Nazis, yet when the Nazis were in power, it led to World War II.  History is the story of competing operating systems.  The Middle East operates off of an old operating system and those that operate out of the Western system have drastically different world views.  He elaborates on the exact differences between the two world views and explains why this is a very serious challenge to western civilization.

Demographics - The birth rate is dropping at a greater rate than at any other time in history.  In order to keep the population at the same level, there must be 2.1 births per person in real numbers.  However, across the western world the birth rates are well below  2.1.  The economic implications are staggering.  However, in the non-Westernized Muslim world, there is a 2.1-6.8 replacement rate.  He spends time explaining the specific differences country to country and the various implications to Western civilization if something does not change.

Cultural War – Culture in America is also at risk. Some are calling the current cultural war in America the “second Civil War.”  The war is essentially summarized as Church vs. State or Religious Right vs. Secular Left. The crux of the fight centers around whether or not the family or the government will be the center of American life. Does the American culture desire a big government or a small government?

In part two of this series, Meyers talks about how we should face these challenges.

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04.04.09 -1710

This is part two of a two part series on pharmaceutical companies and their relationships with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Our focus is on the efficacy of prescription drugs as well as the cost for the consumer.

Jonathan Emord, attorney & author of The Rise of Tyranny and Dr. Charles B. Simone speak on the truth about the FDA.  An enormous amount of marketing dollars are spent by pharmaceutical companies to market their drugs. Thus,  patients learn to demand certain drugs from their doctors.  The problem with this is that often times over-the-counter drugs (i.e. Aspirin) or nutrients (i.e. fish oil) will have the same effect on one’s lifespan as a prescription drug.

Jonathan Emord has defeated the FDA six times and is well-versed in the issues surrounding the corruption of the United States health care system. At the center of the FDA issue is that of accountability. The checks and balances that are in place for government are non-existent for the FDA.  The FDA Commissioner has the authority to create law (regulations), enforce violations, and judge the violation.  The Commissioner of any independent regulatory committee is virtually all-powerful. This means that 3/4 of the laws that are made are not made by representatives in Congress, but they are in fact made by unelected officials.  And because of the controversial nature of the committee issues and the fragile nature of congressional elections, congressmen will avoid making the tough decisions and instead diplomatically mail a letter to the regulatory committee.

Another key component to concerns about the FDA is the way that economics play a role in FDA approvals and rejections. Simply put, the government has censored information for solely economic reasons.  They further discuss the specifics of how and why they do this and the resulting effect on health care.

To learn more about censorship, Dr. Simone’s website will provide more information. He will also provide you with the tools to show you what you can do as a consumer to make a difference in these issues.

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04.05.09 – 1726

Did you ever wonder whether the prescription drugs you pay so much for are really bargains and even more importantly, whether they’re safe? Many of us share this concern, especially since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is supposed to be the regulator which assures that drugs are both safe and effective.

Jonathan W. Emord , Dr. Charles Simone of the Simone Protected Cancer Center and author of Cancer and Nutrition is joined by , author of The Rise of Tyranny. In part one of a two part interview with Dennis C. McCuistion they discuss the effects of politics and bureaucracy on prescription drug costs and safety.

One would think that the FDA would be one of the least corrupt government agencies, as it’s dealing directly with the health and well-being of American citizens. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly well-known that what the FDA approves is often times based more on politics, bureaucracy and economics than health.  The concern during recent years is that bureaucrats have been having an enormous amount of influence in what the FDA approves. In fact, the commissioner of the FDA has knowingly allowed unsafe drugs to enter the marketplace, in order to protect the proponents of those drugs so that they don’t suffer economic hardship.

Of the 19 industrialized countries, the United States is #1 in the amount of money we spend on health care and #19 in how much bang we get for our buck. The argument for the increased cost of prescription drugs is that it’s due to the FDA’s strict requirements on research. However, if you look at history you’ll find that members of the FDA have knowingly allowed harmful drugs to hit the market. Simone and Emord expound by giving several examples of times where the Commissioner of the FDA intentionally passed drugs that were undeniably confirmed to be dangerous.  They went on to further site instances where the medical reviewers (with political managers above them) required well-respected scientists to rewrite their reports and threatened if they did not. Because of this type of treatment, scientists are required to spend more money to protect themselves, thus the cost of drugs increases.

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03.29.09 – 1725