WHEN MAKING DONATIONS - CHECK OUT THE RECIPIENT FIRST

Before parting with your hard earned money, check out the charitable institution first.

The American people are a very generous bunch; even the poorest of the poor will spare a dime to another fellow in need. As a country we are admired for our charity and the help we offer to other nations either too poor to help themselves or in the face of a catastrophe. That is the way it has always been, but things do change and we are seeing a different side of America now, one that is ruled by a very tiny fraction of the population and own all the wealth and power and they are downright stingy and selfish.

What is most irritating about these wealthy individuals is their whole attitude that if you are poor it is your fault, if you need help you have to help yourself because government shouldn’t do it…government has to refrain from collecting taxes from them in order to give to those in need…or just plain and simple expenditures that make society function, like roads and bridges, fire protection, police and education. 

Where would our country be without some of these? There would never have been a Hoover Dam or an Interstate Highway system. Would these people be as wealthy had they not been able to employ capable and literate employees who helped contribute to their prosperity? But they would much rather have tax cuts than educate the masses so they can control them better even if it means they don’t have the workforce capable of doing it; after all, they can always outsource or take their manufacturing abroad where labor is cheaper.


But when it comes to charitable organizations most of us at one time or another have become indignant about the way they dispose of our generous contributions. We oftentimes find those heading these charities enjoying a very lofty and lavish lifestyle. The percentage that actually filters down to the recipients is minimal and what it amounts to is pure and unadulterated fraud.
One of the biggest frauds that exist is that of religious institutions. We see that a lot of them DEMAND a tithing…10% of the earnings their adherents make. Then they turn around and use some of that money to fund ultra-right wing causes. Such is the case with the Mormons who contributed heavily to deprive California LGBT their Constitutional given equal rights.
Then you have the fucking Evangelicals with their television farce where they promise you entrance into the kingdom of heaven if you contribute to their organization. Meantime assholes like Pat Robertson are living in luxury at the expense of the ignorant donors.

 Where Do Donations Go?

Dana Goldstein investigates:

“In their decision to prioritize religious giving, the Romneys are typical of American donors. When I was working at The Daily Beast in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, we decided to take a close look at how disasters impact American charitable giving. We were surprised at the results of our research: According to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, only about one-third of all American charity--from individuals, foundations, and corporations--directly serves the poor, either within the United States or abroad. Year after year, religious organizations, typically local church groups, take home the biggest slice of American charity, even in the wake of major humanitarian crises.” 

SOURCE: http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/01/where-do-donations-go.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+andrewsullivan%2FrApM+%28The+Daily+Dish%29&utm_content=Google+Reader