About once every year or two I propose this idea to my two or three favorite websites, but it never

[Mike 03]

ever seems to get acceptance.

And that is simply donation to a general fund to help or assist anyone in need. It could be a medical need, or paying for pharmaceuticals, or one month's rent or a payment on a mortgage.

That would not be up to me or any individual.

The problem is always determining who actually needs help from those who don't, and this would be the hard part, and it would probably end up in the laps of the founders of DU, or the moderators, or something like that. I know this would be extremely difficult to work out, but I can't help but think it might be a workable idea, somehow.

[CTyankee]

1. Yep, I think that's it. Altho encouragement to give to certain types of charities would be OK.

Just like in newspaper obituaries where they say "In lieu of flowers please send a donation to xxxxx". It can make a lot of people feel better in many ways...

[Oregone]

6. I'm tired of charities.

I would have half a mind to ban them if I could. 90% of what goes in them stays there, paying administrative costs and overhead (yes, workers of charities make good dough).

How can we let it be up to small, barely regulated charities to foster and nurture a better society on a macro level? The concept is absolutely absurd, and the contributions to these organizations is anything but a progressive distribution.

If people want early intervention, help for the homeless, food banks, etc, this can all be done more efficiently and in a more organized manner (many government institutions are in place to do these things). To fund them, we could just tax progressively and there would be no issue supplying the funds. Look, a rich man may not care if 5 bums freeze in a park one night, and get food the next, but there is only one world, and we all have to live in it. If someone isn't willing to pay their taxes to improve the environment the live in, something is seriously wrong with them.

[CTyankee]

7. As a lifelong worker in nonprofit charities, I agree with you 100% but

we have the situation that we have. I was a Development professional, raising money in nonprofit organizations for 32 years in my career. I always felt that it was wrong that I had to go out and wring money out of hard working people in order for other, less fortunate people to have decent health care or a decent life. The government has the power to tax and they should so that people are taken care of. I strongly believe that.

However, we are far from that situation (but hopefully that will change under our new Democratic aegis). So that is why I advocated for people to be urged to give to whatever organization that is needy and qualified to receive 501(c)(3) money.

[Oregone]

8. Yeah, I get the ideal vs pragmatic

But I also made my statement with the impossible assumption that I would have the power to change it. :)

[leftstreet]

2. Not enough popcorn at DU to watch people determine who's 'deserving'

Would also need to order in more flamesuits

[ferrous wheel]

3. Well, you have just described the rationale for and concept of

insurance.

[rwheeler31]

4. It would be workable in a small local group.

[Fireweed247]

5. A Duer has started a Poverty Emergency Fund for this

anyone can PM me if they want more information.