Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act

I've started hearing about this new legislation which would preserve a church's tax exemption even if the church endorsed some candidate for office. The Buck Stops Here blog has some links regarding this legislation. I am not a lawyer and am not familiar with the detailed implications of this legislation. But having read some of the comments, for and against, on the bill, it seems it is trying to address one specific concern: church pastors can speak on any subject they want, except political candidates running for office. As People for the American Way puts it, "Religious leaders can speak through sermons, internal communications, or even as commentators in the news media, as long as they refrain from endorsing a candidate on behalf of the house of faith."

One of the common themes of those who oppose the bill (e.g. PFAW and The Witherspoon Society) is that a church is not a place for political partisanship. Witherspoon puts it thusly:

This bill is unwanted and unneeded by America's clergy. In a Gallup-Interfaith Alliance Foundation poll, a full 77% of clergy were opposed to their fellow clergy endorsing political candidates. Another poll conducted by The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 70% of Americans feel that houses of worship should not come out in favor of one candidate over another during political elections.

I tend to agree with this thinking. I do not want to see my own church getting into the business of endorsing a candidate, of in some way working for a campaign. I have visions of walking out of the sanctuary after a service and being handed bumper stickers on my way to picking up my daughter from Sunday school. (My opposition is strengthened since I am sure my church would endorse Bush/Cheney.) Having said that, should it not be the decision of each church and its leaders how they will address political campaigns? The government has no business telling my church what it can and cannot do. I don't want my church getting involved in endorsing candidates, but that should be my pastor's decision, along with the elders of my church, not the government's.

Therefore, unless someone can point out side consequences to the bill that I do not see, I will support this bill.