Private Donations

[Michael Redman]

Now there's a well reasoned argument.

What TMY says is right. Many charities spend in excess of 80% of their money fundraising. Even a terribly inefficient government program can get more than 20 cents on the dollar actually spent on it's mission.

 

[Tmy]

Alot of this "govt money for the poor" also helps big business, which in turn stimulates the economy (Republican platform).

For example the Section 8 program than subsidies the rent of poor people. That money doent go to the poor person, it goes to the landlord/management comany. THey can then rent out their apartments, make a profit and build more apartments. so on and so on.

 

[Tmy]

If that is true, at least they won't be wasting my tax dollars. And their performance of getting the job done will determine the likelihood of getting further donations from private donors. So while they may not have to make a profit, they certainly have to produce results.

Doesnt this contradict your statement "It is human nature to exaggerate a situation in which one has a vested interest. "

On one hand your saying people dont want to solve the problem cause theyll lose their funding and on the other hand they have to do a good job to secure funding?

Govt agencies are also under pressure to perform. On a yearly basis they are competing with other govt agencies for funding. If the agency is an embarrasing failure people will get fired and they'll be punished in the next budget. Maybe even eliminated. Their money is not guarenteed.

 

[Grammatron]

Alot of this "govt money for the poor" also helps big business, which in turn stimulates the economy (Republican platform).

For example the Section 8 program than subsidies the rent of poor people. That money doent go to the poor person, it goes to the landlord/management comany. THey can then rent out their apartments, make a profit and build more apartments. so on and so on.

Section 8 programs don't work out and in recent years many landlords refused it because of the kind of tenants it attracts. Mainly the unemployed people who know how to play the system so they get things for less.

 

[Grammatron]

Now there's a well reasoned argument.

What TMY says is right. Many charities spend in excess of 80% of their money fundraising. Even a terribly inefficient government program can get more than 20 cents on the dollar actually spent on it's mission.

Sorry always wanted to use that thing, forgive me for having a sense of humor.

I would like to see the statistics on those numbers if you don't mind.

 

[michaellee]

originally posted by Michael Redman

Well, to start with, the federal government obviously doesn't spend anywhere near $240 billion on helping the poor.

Back to my actual point, I see no rational arguement presented here that large private donations somehow show that the federal government's efforts to help the poor are somehow not needed or counterproductive

OK. Let's say the fed spends ONLY 10 billion a year on helping the poor. Is this 10 billion providing something that the privately donated 240 billion is not or cannot provide?