This article made the point of something that I've been realizing more and more all term. There is a huge tradition of activism and philanthropy in this country, and its a major perceived characteristic of Americans. I wonder why that's not made more clear to us in our childhood education. I guess we do learn a lot about Martin Luther King Jr. and historical abolitionist societies in middle and high school, but it seams like it isn't made completely evident that we have this awesome history of people organizing and gathering to advance our society. I had no idea that the social security act was a product of organization and these "Townsend Clubs". The current debate on budget and union issues in Wisconsin and other places is an interesting aspect of this. The thing we keep hearing is that Republicans are trying to prevent labor unions from collectively bargaining. Aren't Republicans typically the traditionalist American's, yet they are trying to end something that is so important to American society.
2 Pages on Senate Bill 40..
I'm glad to hear that our legislature is doing something to regulate charities, and its also nice to know that this association endorses it. I wonder how often new regulatory legislation happens? In the second piece, it said there were "inherent risks" to doing this. What are they?
Arts Group Pumped....
This was a "feel good" story. The results of this study was not surprising: if you pour money into something, it usually trickle downs into other areas. I suppose the argument against this is that if you use money to build facilities or purchase expensive art, then that's where the money stops. But this article makes the argument that, along with the fact that artists and art institutions spend money in other areas of the economy, that these places can actually be revenue generating. The argument I would make is that economic superiority is not the only thing that makes our country great. Things like the arts and of course education are just as important. Those are what's going to progress our intellectual standing.
Poetry Gives Teens a Voice
This story reinforces my point. These types of programs are really important in advancing our society and giving people opportunities they wouldn't normally have. Is it crating economic growth? No. Does that mean we shouldn't spend money on it? Absolutely not. These types of programs are what make the world great, and really makes us human.
Greg-
ReplyDeleteI also think that Senate Bill 40 can be a positive thing for Oregon and its charitable status. I agree there is a huge importance for funding and support for arts groups. Interesting comment about traditionalist republicans, I actually never thought about that..
G,
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand the connection you made with the issue in Wisconsin, but just to mention something, Republicans are usually about the least possible amount of government interference in the economy, and unions are bodies that "interfere" and so I think that is where the argument is coming from. I also thought that philanthropy and nonprofits were hardly mentioned in school when we learned about people like Martin Luther King Jr.. Its hard to make that connection between nonprofits and certain political/social movements, which I never made, when you don't learn about non profits and philanthropy until late in life.