So I'm giving something to ???
Because ???
I'm feeling charitable
So I'm giving something to ???
Because ???
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
Planned Parenthood.
Because they'll need donations if funding cuts pass.
[Shouldn't this be in General Chat?]
So I'm giving this thread to General Chat.Originally Posted by Being
Because I'm uncertain how this fits with the theme of Debate & Discussion, since we don't seem to be debating or discussing anything, just stating stuff.
. . .
Maybe. But serious discussions have lead to some people stating that welfare should not be a government function; that taking money from individuals who have it and redistributing it to those who don't, always causes unecessary waste and in the end benefits fewer of the needy than private charity would. It has been argued that because those moneys have not been guided by the hands of those who furnish it that the recipients suffer because they become dependant upon ubiqutous hand-outs from the government.
I believe that honest answers to the questions I posed can lead to some insight as to the practicality of eliminating welfare as a governmental responsibility. If everyone gets to keep the portion of taxes they pay that now go toward welfare, what portion of that will go to charity and which charities will benefit the most.
edit: And if this belongs in GC I don't mind it being put there.
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
I prefer to give to a person who needs it rather than a charitable organization. I don't like the "overhead" that comes out of the donation when giving to an organization. (Yes, I know some are much better than others!)
Because that way I know a deserving person got whatever it was I was donating. (Read the Good Deeds threads for my latest donation!)
Of course, since I don't have much of anything anymore, I can't do as much as I would like. I'm afraid if I won the lottery, I would be broke in a year, just finding people who need and helping them!
I don't have a problem with authority....I just don't like being told what to do!Remember, the toes you step on today may be attached to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow!RIP Fluffy! 01-07-09 I'm so sorry Fluffster! People who don't like cats were probably mice in an earlier life! My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely!The nice part about living in a small town: When you don't know what you're doing, someone else always does!
Atari bullshit refugee!!
Even religious charities rely on government help, especially for food pantries and soup kitchens. When the economy tanked, so did charitable contributions from individuals. As unemployment rose and UI benefits withered, more and more people were relying on those charities to feed their families. And the charities relied on government milk, cheese, cereal and canned goods to stock the pantry.
What I'm getting at is that chaotic giving is no better (probably worse) than government formulated redistribution. For most individuals, giving will be limited to their immediate social circle which includes, first and foremost, family and then extends to friends and then to aquaintances and almost never includes strangers. This method of redistribution does not take into account who is most in need, especially if those most in need exist outside their circle.
Giving to charities is a step away from the social circle and provides the benefit of evaluative giving; provision based on need. The individual no longer chooses who exactly benefits from their donation but they do choose a category. So there is still a limit imposed by individuals on who gets served by their donations. But now we have added a layer of bureaucracy to manage the funds. The greater the number of charities, the more bureaucracy that is in play. The more bureaucracy, the more money that is soaked from the pool of benefits.
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
I'm not sure what you mean, Being. When I tithe to my church, I can choose where it goes. That would include strangers both near and far.
Bureaucratic losses and effectiveness are what I'm trying to analyze. Try visualizing all government welfare being replaced by private donations. Would that system suffer less bureaucratic losses and increase effectiveness? Or would that system incurr greater bureaucratic losses and decrease effectiveness?
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
Private donations would not be able to replace what governmental assistance has given. If all welfare programs were suddenly privatized, the distribution system would suffer greatly.
Is that what you mean?
For my Eagle Scout Project I spent a few weekends in front of WalMart gathering, then donating, about ~$18,000 worth of toys to The Children's Home.
Because its an orphanage, and toys were pretty far down the list of operational necessities.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Not sure about bureaucratic overhead, but probably the effectiveness would suffer. Charities usually only help a specific group, so that's a bit of a bummer for those who need help who do not fit in any group.
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
I give to Joseph, the formerly homeless disabled guy who draws fun pictures and sells them in the subway.
Because I want to support some neat street art, help the guy stay on top and hopefully his art will be worth a fortune someday. Just gotta get him a NYTimes profile...
I always give money and food to Foodbank, because I can't stand the thought of people going hungry.
I also give to Salvation Army and Lions Club because their overhead is very low.
I also give to my local Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters because of the great work they do for children.
I stopped giving to United Way (they always did a big presentation at my job each year) because their overhead is extremely high, and even though you can "specify" what groups you want to give to, they reserve the right to put your money into the general fund if they want to. So my donation to SPCA or Foodbank was better given to the actual cause versus through United Way.
United Way is so fucking evil when it comes to how they handle businesses and donating.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Yes, and it made me even angrier as a former city employee that they would be allowed to come in and pander to us.
How so?
Look up United Way scandal 1992 and United Way scandal 2009 for starters.
Faith is Hope (see Loki's sig for details)
If hindsight is 20-20, why is it so often ignored?
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