Comments on: Quote of the Day – OPM Edition http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:46:45 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tlaloc http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/comment-page-1/#comment-1015730 Tlaloc Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:45:48 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=34489#comment-1015730 If you give money to charity you are interested in making yourself feel good, <em>not</em> in helping others. If you want to help others then you support actual effective measures. Charity is the least effective way to help others because it is done with no attempt to know what the real problems are, their severity, and the best means of addressing same. It is the very embodiment of throwing money at a problem. Solving problems requires knowing why they occur, and dealing with root causes, which charity does not. Charity is ultimately a very selfish act. If you give money to charity you are interested in making yourself feel good, not in helping others. If you want to help others then you support actual effective measures. Charity is the least effective way to help others because it is done with no attempt to know what the real problems are, their severity, and the best means of addressing same. It is the very embodiment of throwing money at a problem. Solving problems requires knowing why they occur, and dealing with root causes, which charity does not.

Charity is ultimately a very selfish act.

]]> By: hcantrall http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/comment-page-1/#comment-1014114 hcantrall Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:22:20 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=34489#comment-1014114 Personally, I don't give a lot of "money" to charities but I do donate hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in goods. Clothing, appliances, household items as I'm sure lots of people do. I would donate these things whether I was able to write some of it off on my taxes or not because I can't see throwing things away that other people might want or need. It is just kind of a win-win situation to be able to write some of it off. It's too bad that the common folk get lumped in with the rich and famous who maybe give money away knowing they'll get it back from the government, that's a different situation entirely in my opinion. Personally, I don't give a lot of "money" to charities but I do donate hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in goods. Clothing, appliances, household items as I'm sure lots of people do. I would donate these things whether I was able to write some of it off on my taxes or not because I can't see throwing things away that other people might want or need. It is just kind of a win-win situation to be able to write some of it off.
It's too bad that the common folk get lumped in with the rich and famous who maybe give money away knowing they'll get it back from the government, that's a different situation entirely in my opinion.

]]> By: Steve Plunk http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/comment-page-1/#comment-1014084 Steve Plunk Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:52:25 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=34489#comment-1014084 Giving under force of law is not charity. Giving under force of law is not charity.

]]> By: raoul http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/comment-page-1/#comment-1013947 raoul Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:40:49 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=34489#comment-1013947 The statement can be taken two ways. Personally, I think charity giving should be decoupled from the tax code. The statement can be taken two ways. Personally, I think charity giving should be decoupled from the tax code.

]]> By: steve http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/quote_of_the_day_-_opm_edition/comment-page-1/#comment-1013892 steve Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:53:41 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=34489#comment-1013892 True, but banal. Steve True, but banal.

Steve

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