When it comes to liberals and blogging, I have a terrible confession to make: I haven't really been all that enthused about TPM since it started the Social Security kick. Don't get me wrong; I'm about as diehard as it gets when it comes to preserving the program. The problem is that I've always found Josh's analytical writing far more interesting than his actual reporting, and once he single-handedly took on the Social Security issue he's done far more of the latter.

Today though, he really proved me wrong. After reporting on a local church's program for Social Security in Indiana, he sums up with the following:

But I think the nature of the interchange -- a state party chairman warning a minister that her church might lose its tax-exempt status if she didn't include his phase-out-enthusiast in a program her Church was holding on Social Security -- speaks for itself.

Perhaps I took this story a little too personally -- my father's a minister -- but I really don't think you have to be a PK to recognize just how shameful this is.

Extorting a minister? Are you serious?

How much lower can this fight possibly go?