PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.
I should have thought of this when I wrote the blog yesterday in favor of private philanthropy.
The point was cited by the writer of a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal. It was this:
“The beauty of philanthropy is that I can direct my money to causes I care about and hold the charitable organizations accountable. If the charitable organizations don’t do what they say they are going to do, I can direct my money elsewhere. That’s not the case with my tax dollars.”
Good point.
Enough said.
Perspective from the 19th Hole 