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January 1, 2005
a-nti-yn rand
It seems that the Ayn Rand Institute is upsetting the applecart and Ayn Rand isn't happy about it. Why should the US Government send any money to the tsunami victims in South East Asia? asks David Holcberg at the ARI.
"ARI is asking "by what right" does the US Government send aid overseas," said Ms. Rand when contacted via paranormal psychic for comment (Ayn Rand died on March 6, 1982). She continued, "My favorite line: "...most of those affected by this tragedy are suffering through no fault of their own." From the pictures I've seen it's kind of hard to tell those who are affected through their own fault from those who are innocent victims."
ARI's argument is that the money is taken from US citizens against their will, and for the US government to use it in this way is the "vicious" morality of altruism.
"I agree with everything they say," said Ms. Rand. "But, I wonder why they don't practice what they preach. ARI is a 501(c)(3) educational organization. As such they are exempt from taxes and donations made to them are deductible for tax purposes. The basis of 501(c)(3) organizations is altruism."
The idea is that money being used for "charitable, educational, literary or scientific purpose" (in other words, for the general good) will reap benefits for the whole of mankind and should not be taxed. But is this altruism by which ARI benefits morally acceptable?
Ms. Rand shifted uncomfortably in her chair before continuing. According to an op-ed she showed us, written by Arthur C. Brooks at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, non-profits such as ARI benefit from indirect subsidies from the US government "in the form of tax revenues not collected on tax-deductible private contributions to nonprofits."
Ms. Rand smiled. "If you follow Prof. Brooks' reasoning then the US Government's indirect subsidy of nonprofits such as ARI amounts to exactly the same sort of "vicious" altruism. I agree with ARI, this viciousness must stop. Let's start by stripping ARI of its 501(c)(3) status and work our way down."
Posted by sferrell at January 1, 2005 5:34 PM
