Billionaires pledge to donate half of wealth to charity

Forty U.S. billionaires pledged Wednesday to give at least half of their wealth to charity — either during their lifetimes or after death.
That could be a big boost to nonprofits, which have suffered from the recent economic downturn.
The list of those taking the pledge includes some of the nation's wealthiest individuals: Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, T. Boone Pickens, Michael Bloomberg and George Lucas of Star Wars fame.
Buffett says the purpose of the public pledge isn't just to increase how much these people give — many had already planned to give a lot — but to inspire others to give as well.
- NPR's 40 U.S. Billionaires Pledge Half Of Wealth To Charity, Pam Fessler

During a series of private meetings held by Bill Gates and other billionaire philanthropists, forty billionaires agreed on donating at least half of their wealth to various charities. Different billionaires are interested in different non-profit organizations-public health, education, the arts, the environment, etc. Undoubtedly the donations will help the charities that suffered from the economic recession. $500 million dollars x 40 billionaires. That's a lot of money.
Of course, this brings up many concerns. Will the money go to the people who need it the most? According to NPR, many large donations are given to wealthier institutions and organizations like universities and hospitals. They tend to leave out the poor and disadvantaged.
What I'm worried about is that, although these donations are needed, what about donating what might be just as important as money: your time? This reminds me of what happened with the earthquake in Haiti. People could have easily donated money via text and pat themselves on the back, but will it have the same effect as actually getting "down at dirty with your hands" at Haiti? Haiti is different, since it's at a foreign country, but I believe volunteering your time rather than money is just as rewarding. By volunteering at the Lionsgate retirement center or the Voorhees Animal Shelter. I got to know the residents, animals, and volunteers. I played bingo, went to parties, played with the dogs, etc. I built a relationship with them, and it was rewarding. Is it the same as giving money? No, it's different, and you can't compare the two. However, I think it's a great alternative that should also be talked about. I think it would be interesting how the billionaires would react if they chose to donate their time as well. Maybe they already have.

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Another ethics case plunges Democrats in deep water

"Formal ethics charges against 10-term Rep. Maxine Waters of California were filed Monday, just days after the House Ethics Committee, in a separate investigation, charged New York Rep. Charlie Rangel with 13 ethics violations.

The charges against Waters — and her immediate vow to follow Rangel's lead and challenge the findings — only confirmed the stark political reality that has emerged for Democrats over the past week.

'Democrats are facing the loss of control of the House, just owing to the economy,' says Darrell West of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution. 'Adding the ethics problems on top of that is pouring gasoline on the fire.'"

- For Democrats, Ethics Cases Add to Woes by Liz Halloran, NPR

Days after New York House of Representative Charlie Rangel was charged with 13 ethics violations, California Rep. Maxine Waters was accused of breaking House rules by using her status to get federal bailout money for a bank that has connections with her husband. Charges for Rangel include tax violations in his Dominican Republic villa and agreeing to do official favors for his benefit. The similarity? They're both Democrats. Rangel realizes that he's losing the trust and confidence of fellow Reps and even President Obama; many advise him to resign with some dignity, which he should wisely consider. However, Waters stands firm in her innocence. Nevertheless, the Democrats are already struggling to remain in power at the House, and these ethics cases might plunge them into deep waters.
Of course I don't know whether they're innocent or not, nor is it the focus in this blog post. The question I'm asking is whether this ethics cases will result in the Democrats losing some seats in the November election. The Democrats hold 255 seats in the House, 77 more members than Republican's 178. At least 65 House seats, according to NPR, may change hands in the upcoming elections. The Democrats hold most of those 65 seats. Both political parties have suffered from political scandals and embarrassment, costing them the House Majority in many cases. Rep. Speaker (D) Nancy Pelosi is undaunted, or at least gave that appearance. She said that she was confident she will remain in power of the House of Rep. I hope the voters aren't swayed from what two people have done, even if they're considered the "top members." Yet, I do believe that many will keep the ethics cases in the back of their minds for elections. Chances are, history will repeat itself, and the Democrats may lose control partially because of the scandals.


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