Why Philanthropy Actually Hurts Rather Than Helps Some of the World’s Worst Problems. “Philanthrocapitalists” can’t resolve the problems created by capitalism. We’re seeing the rise of a new, horizontal philanthropy—the rich giving directly to the rich—at a level that’s completely unprecedented. In America today, big time philanthropists are often lauded for helping to even the playing field for those less fortunate. Every week, millionaires flock from TED conferences to “idea festivals” sharing viral new presentations on how to solve the world's biggest problems (give village children computers, think positive thoughts etc.). But this acceptance of the philanthropic order was not always the case. In the era of Carnegie and Rockefeller, for instance, many distrusted these philanthropic barons, arguing they had no right to horde would-be tax dollars for their own pet causes, especially since these “donations” came from the toil of the workers beneath them.
No Such Thing As A Free Gift asks, what is the place of such philanthropy in a democratic society? If This Is How The Nice Kids Think, Imagine How The Not-So-Nice Ones Feel.
The Case for Being Insensitive. SEPTEMBER 01, 1991 by WILLIAM B. IRVINE Professor Irvine teaches philosophy at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. At the university where I teach there recently was an uproar when a white dean allegedly said that a black faculty member is paid as much as he is because he is black. Although the dean ultimately was cleared of the charge of racism by a university committee, there were those who nevertheless held him to be guilty of the lesser crime of “insensitivity.” This charge of insensitivity has been thrown around quite a bit in the last few years. It is curious that Americans, who with each passing year become less concerned about good manners and etiquette, become ever more concerned with sensitivity in speech.
Racist and sexist remarks certainly are morally offensive. To be guilty of insensitivity, you must first say something that hurts someone’s feelings. But hurting someone’s feelings alone won’t make you guilty of insensitivity, for it matters whose feelings you hurt. The Definitive Response To Jerks Asking, 'But What About White History Month?'
Dear Whole Foods CEO, This Is What a Fascist Looks Like. Hartmann and Sacks write: "It's about time someone injected the word fascism back into our political debate. Especially now that corporations wield more power today than they have in America since the Robber Baron Era. " By Thom Hartmann, Sam Sacks, Thom Hartmann Program 20 January 13 hole Foods CEO, John Mackey, doesn't know what a fascist is. Speaking with NPR this week, multimillionaire Mackey tried to express how much he hates Obamacare.
Back in 2009, he hated Obamacare so much that he called it "socialism. " But now, in 2013, Mackey thinks Obamacare is "fascism. " "Technically speaking, [Obamacare] is more like fascism," he said. Mackey has since walked back this description saying he "regrets using that word now" because there's "so much baggage attached to it. " But, whether Mackey meant to or not, it's about time someone injected the word fascism back into our political debate. Yes, socialism encourages more democratic control of the economy. And the common man suffers as a result.
Chick-fil-A. Woman's Reproductive Health. FAP - Brown Act. Debating economic policy: Stimulus, austerity and the weltgeist. SUPER PACs: Occupy the Courts, Colbert & the Fight for Free Speech. Conservatism. 2012 Presidential Candidates. Affordable Health Care Act. How Threatening Is The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)? Not too long ago, I reported on a new bill being considered in Congress that could result in the shut down of social media sites that have been critical to the Occupy movement.
My focus at the time was on the threat to the protests more than it was about the total danger of such a bill. In fact, in my haste to raise the alarm in defense of OWS, I don’t remember even mentioning the name of the bill. Two months later, I’m watching television and the Stop Online Piracy Act, also known as SOPA, is mentioned. So, out of curiosity, I began looking for more information about the bill. Just how threatening is it? As it turns out, the bill is very controversial.
SOPA poses a danger to the internet as we know it. Even sites that are affiliated with alleged offenders could be blacklisted without doing anything wrong. SOPA could even kill innovation because of the amount of lawsuits generated because of accusations. SOPA is just the House bill.
Payroll Tax Extension. Wonkbook: The GOP's dual-trigger nightmare. Imagine if the Democrats offered Republicans a deficit deal that had more than $3 in tax increases for every $1 in spending cuts, assigned most of those spending cuts to the Pentagon, and didn't take a dime from Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare beneficiaries. Republicans would laugh at them. But without quite realizing it, that's the deal Republicans have now offered to the Democrats. House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, second left, speaks to reporters during a news conference in Washington in April.
(Brendan Hoffman - BLOOMBERG) In August, Republicans scored what they thought was a big win by persuading Democrats to accept a trigger that consisted only of spending cuts. The price they paid was 1) concentrating the cuts on the Pentagon while exempting Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare beneficiaries, and 2) delaying the cuts until January 1, 2013. That was, they figured, a win, as it eschewed taxes. Grover Norquist's pledge remained unbroken. Top stories Top op-eds.