Toulmin’s Argument Outline Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for. Data: Evidence gathered to support the claim. Warrant: Explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, the underlying assumption that connects your data to your claim. Backing: Additional logic or reasoning that may be necessary to support the warrant. Counterclaim: A claim that negates or disagrees with the thesis/claim. Rebuttal: Evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim. Introduction Hook An interesting study conducted a few years ago attempted to put value on the economic worth of one church. The study estimated that the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia provided over six million dollars of economic value to the community, a figure that is nearly ten times the church's annual budget. Introduce Problem/Topic The Federal government should continue to provide the churches with tax exemptions. Claim/Counter-Thesis Although many people believe churches are clearly political and should not be receiving tax exemptions, the federal government, if they cease the church from being …show more content…
Churches were exempt from the very first time the tax code was passed at the federal level, and have remained exempt in every iteration of the tax code ever since. Every state in America also exempts churches from property taxes. When the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case regarding the property tax exemption of churches, called Walz v. Tax Commission, it stated that providing a tax exemption for churches was a less intrusive option under the Constitution than requiring churches to pay taxes. That makes sense when you stop and think about it. As the Supreme Court said in a very early case, "The power to tax involves the power to control." Taxation is, in essence, a very strong assertion of control by a sovereign over its subjects. Exempting churches is a way to ensure that the state cannot control