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For many of us it's a lot tougher than giving away money. So I'm impressed by the several posters in this thread who have made significant contributions of their time to worthy causes!
Despite what lying fake-news sources may tell you, in the real world, about 10% of the federal budget goes to safety-net programs. And maybe 1% goes to foreign aid.
We usually donate about 5K a year to various charities for the past 15 years. Mainly animal shelter, children's and military. If I count my mom add $800 a month for the last 10 years.
As my income went up I had the ability to give more to charities I felt strongly about.
Sometimes I go to Costco and grab 3-400 bucks worth of pet food and take it to the local shelter. When I won that posting money on this site that's what I did with it. (Btw thank you for whomever voted for me)
If I can count the real estate tax dollars I've paid to the school district,, it amount to hundreds of thousands. It's actually more than my house is worth. I consider it money given away for nothing.
You think it is better to have a population that is less educated?
I don't have kids, by choice, and never will. Regardless, the money in my taxes that goes to school system is the money I have the least problem with. In fact, the schools in my state are not well funded. I actually would be ok if they taxed me MORE as long as it went to education.
Helping to have a well educated population is one of the most important places your money will ever be spent (in my opinion, it is THE most important). In the short run, there might be more humanitarian places to give to charity, but in the long run, almost all of those causes will be helped by educating people.
Poverty? Overpopulation? Hunger? Water and food shortages? More educated people tend to have fewer kids, and a better ability to care for those that they do have.
Cure for {insert disease/disability of your choice here}? More educated people are more likely to contribute to ultimately finding a cure for anything, or at least a way to improve the lives of people with that disease/disability. More people capable of finding a cure means the odds of actually finding one go up. Also, more educated people making policies means that more funding goes to this sort of programs. I cringe every time D.C. reduces budgets going to the sciences and education, because it is such short term thinking.
Homelessness? More educated people are more likely to hold down a stable job, reducing the number of homeless. They are also more likely to have jobs that allow them to donate to help those who are chronically homeless (there will likely always be some).
Pet shelters? More educated people are more likely to understand the need to spay/neuter and more likely to be able to afford to do so. Thus reducing the number of homeless pets in our country.
Pick a problem with our society and you can probably find a way in which a more educated society would lead to improvement in the long run.
"Money given away for nothing"? Far from it. Better to call it money invested in the future of humankind.
For many of us it's a lot tougher than giving away money. So I'm impressed by the several posters in this thread who have made significant contributions of their time to worthy causes!
Time is money, if you make more per hour than your service to a charity would cost, it is better to donate the hour of work and allow another to serve.
If you don't have time, and don't donate much money, it's OK. Many secular progressives believe government should solve most if not all problems.
Private charity has been historically bad and insufficient at meeting the needs of afflicted people. This is why many people see public charity as a good idea.
You think it is better to have a population that is less educated?
I don't have kids, by choice, and never will. Regardless, the money in my taxes that goes to school system is the money I have the least problem with. In fact, the schools in my state are not well funded. I actually would be ok if they taxed me MORE as long as it went to education.
Helping to have a well educated population is one of the most important places your money will ever be spent (in my opinion, it is THE most important). In the short run, there might be more humanitarian places to give to charity, but in the long run, almost all of those causes will be helped by educating people.
Poverty? Overpopulation? Hunger? Water and food shortages? More educated people tend to have fewer kids, and a better ability to care for those that they do have.
Cure for {insert disease/disability of your choice here}? More educated people are more likely to contribute to ultimately finding a cure for anything, or at least a way to improve the lives of people with that disease/disability. More people capable of finding a cure means the odds of actually finding one go up. Also, more educated people making policies means that more funding goes to this sort of programs. I cringe every time D.C. reduces budgets going to the sciences and education, because it is such short term thinking.
Homelessness? More educated people are more likely to hold down a stable job, reducing the number of homeless. They are also more likely to have jobs that allow them to donate to help those who are chronically homeless (there will likely always be some).
Pet shelters? More educated people are more likely to understand the need to spay/neuter and more likely to be able to afford to do so. Thus reducing the number of homeless pets in our country.
Pick a problem with our society and you can probably find a way in which a more educated society would lead to improvement in the long run.
"Money given away for nothing"? Far from it. Better to call it money invested in the future of humankind.
I politely disagree. particularly on the Funding to find a cure. its been 40 years of cancer research and BILLIONS of dollars...and the results. (drum roll)...No cure. Its a pharma hype (lead by the educated no less!) to delve out grants and funding to universities...
My education is not thru a university, its thru Seeing the results or NON results in some charities. Take your pick. But please stop for a moment and re-access this superior attitude that only intelligent folks "know" how to give. Its simply not true.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pub-911
Private charity has been historically bad and insufficient at meeting the needs of afflicted people. This is why many people see public charity as a good idea.
Each to his own, my $ will continue to flow to private charities and foundations who have built thousands of hospitals and who are today solving world health problems that countries and governments have been trying to 'address' for 100 yrs.
My money is on those who produce results. NOW.
Your money may flow elsewhere, as does 20% of mine... (not by choice or for good reason)
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for 100 yrs.
