Government as a Charity

When the Government gets into the business of charity it no longer is in the business of government. The liberals have never been as charitable as conservatives, seeking the government to fund their desired programs, vs. non-profit private groups funded by the supporters directly. I am not just labeling liberals as such, as all in Wahsington, Congressmen and Senators, seem wanting of our tax dollars to be used for their pet projects, and then named in their honor. The Obama Administration has proposed legislation that would reduce deductibility of charitable gifts, a direct assault on the money needed to continue and support conservative based community organizations and churches. Are we in the midst of a unique form of mass revolutionary politics? Shouldn’t those people that believe in abortion be the ones than support Planned Parenthood (somewhat of a politically correct nomenclature for an organization that supports selective births), or sheep herders in Montana support the Montana Sheep Institute (included in the pork part of the 2009 Obama legislation passed as part of the operation bail-out) or Japanese Americans support funding for a museum in San Francisco honoring Japanese-Americans (another 2009 earmark) or local music lovers raise local funds for a Stamford, CT. Symphony, or locals support their hospitals (many included in the 2009 pork portion of the bill), or marine animal lovers support marine projects, or Puerto Rica support its own art museum, or environmentalists support their desires for the environment, and on and on it goes. This money could have gone a long way to helping our economy and not pet programs, or programs the legislators are not willing to support on their own (the want their name on things for which they give nothing personally – look at the name Byrd in West Virginia). Take at look at the charitable giving of our Vice President – Joe Biden, according to USA Today he gave a few hundred dollars each year. (“Democratic Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and his wife gave an average of $369 a year to charity during the past decade, his tax records show.” ) Why is the Government spending the peoples money on these charities (ask Joe Biden – I am assuming that is why he does not give) – why can’t the people make that choice themselves. The Federal Government should not and the people, we the people, should be the supporters of the charities of our choice – not theirs. If Congressmen or Senators want to support favorite charities or projects why can’t they do it out of their pocket and not ours.

In a rare speech by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on March 16 (Monday), 2009 at Washington and Lee University in Virginia he said “Our country and our principles are more important than our individual wants.” Quoting President John Kennedy’s famous remark, “Ask not what your country can do for you….”, Thomas noted Americans are more inclined to say, “Ask not what you can do for yourselves or your country but what your country can do for you.” Secularist thinking has turned the concept of virtue, morals and charity on its ear. They look to the government to do for them what they are not willing to do, and that is give. Take they do well.