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From: Ross Olson [ross@rossolson.org]
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010
To: Editor Star Tribune (opinion{at}startribune.com)
Subject: Charitable giving as stealing from the governmment?
Charitable giving as stealing from the government?
A Counterpoint (“Philanthropy can have its drawbacks” by V. J. Vander Weide 8/11/10) paints
charitable giving and charitable bequests as stealing from the government and implies that it is the
purview of “the rich.” The truth is that conservatives of all income levels give much more to charity
than liberals. Also misrepresented is the myth that charities are “unaccountable.” They have boards
and contributors and are in many ways much more transparent than most government programs.
What they often do NOT do, however, is toe the politically correct line. So Mr. Vander Weidie’s trial
balloon is an attempt to pave the way for decreasing the viability of many very effective programs that
are successful BECAUSE they are faith-based. Many donors would continue to contribute but their
effective donations would be decreased by their tax rate. This is a freedom issue.
Ross Olson
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