Good Lord

[pecunium]

So, that entry about bond to fund the war effort, the Gov't went one better.

They are asking for donations.

New twist on Iraq aid: U.S. seeks donations

Not a bond, which would have to be repaid, but a donation. I don't know if USAID donations are tax-write offs (oh! the incentive for odd accounting that might raise) but the idea croggles me.

But now, amid pleas for aid after Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration has launched an unusual effort to raise charitable contributions for another cause: the government's attempt to rebuild Iraq.

Although more than $30 billion in taxpayer funds have been appropriated for Iraqi reconstruction, the administration earlier this month launched an Internet-based fundraising effort that it says is aimed at giving Americans "a further stake in building a free and prosperous Iraq."

Contributors have no way of knowing who's getting the money or precisely where it's headed, because the government says it must keep the details secret for security reasons.

But taxpayers already finance the projects the administration is seeking charitable donations for, such as providing water pumps for farmers. And officials say any contributions they receive will increase the scope of those efforts, rather than relieve existing taxpayer burdens.

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, because obviously, the government has been spending money *responsibly* and *carefuly* in Iraq, they deserve to have more to spend as they will with no oversight.

How about I just write a check to Halliburton and cut out the middle man?

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

I think you've just found the new definition of "chutzpah." That is just disgusting.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

They could just sell candy bars and wrapping paper, like kids do for schools.

[anna-en-route.livejournal.com]

So what happens when it´s...say... a company that makes a lot of money off Iraq contracts and is then able to write off donations that it makes...to itself...

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Well, that's the thing I saw as potential for abuse, since these donation are, "secret," it would be possible for a company to move most of it's profits into places where they become tax deductions.

Not as needful for those which have established the offshore status needed to blow off US corporate taxes, but some of the companies in this sort of thing need, for appearance sake to keep a US address.

So yeah, they could give themselves money and write it off their taxes.

TK

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Oh look, an opportunity to donate money to Haliburton!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Um, yeah, I think they've already taken enough "forcible donations" of my money via taxes, thanks. And tell me again why I should be supporting a project I opposed from the beginning, which was ill-managed, ill-planned, and ill-funded? Can I earmark my donations to go to body armor..... oh, wait. Why do I see "security reasons" spelled "HALLIBURTON"?

Call me cynical, but nope. My charity'll be going elsewhere.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if it's legal for U.S. people to donate to the Iraqi branch of The Red Crescent (the name the Red Cross uses in Islamic countries, though they don't permit Israel to use "Red Star-of-David"). Or, for that matter, other native Iraqi charities -- though this is unlikely because they might help needy people who belong to The Wrong Political Party. I also wonder if the American Friends' Service Committee is being allowed to have an active presence in Iraq -- it's one of the few charitable organizations I've investigated and feel reasonably confident about supporting. On the whole, however, I'm extremely uncomfortable with the idea of the U. S. Government going into Iraq, making A Big Mess, and then devising a private charitable organization to clean things up. Somehow that seems less honorable than I'd expect of my country.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent question. I wonder if, by some lights, donating to [certain] Iraqi charities might be construed as supporting terrorism?

"On the whole, however, I'm extremely uncomfortable with the idea of the U. S. Government going into Iraq, making A Big Mess, and then devising a private charitable organization to clean things up."

Me, too. It's not less honorable than I expected from this particular administration, but that doesn't mean I enjoy watching them degrade the honor of my country, even so. It also seems to rather encourage the government to make Big Messes, blithely assuming that someone else will fix it.

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

Friggin amazing.

I read things like this and at first I wonder what they are thinking. Then I wonder if anyone in this administration does think. Ever.

And I'm always torn between wondering if Dubya and his crew are really this arrogant, thinking they can do any damn thing they please and no one can stop them, or if they treat the White House like a super-sized tree house for overgrown boys, sitting around trying to top each other with the most outrageous scene they can come up with. Kind of a modern day Little Rascals with far reaching and frequently dire consequences.

The only thing I am sure of is that they truly don't care what it looks like to the people in this country, or the world at large, or what the electorate thinks about schemes like this. And really, why should they? Impeachment will never happen. They don't have to worry about getting elected again and I really don't sense any kind of concern for easing the way for Republicans who come after Dubya. The last election handed them all the power they wanted and they are making damn sure to use every bit they can.

Not that I'm cynical or anything.