If you were a wealthy private philanthropist, what would be your issue of choice?

[Cant trust em]

Education? The Arts? International Development? Human services (homelessness, hunger, poverty assistance, etc.)?

There are about a million options out there.

I'm curious to see where people's heads are at.

[vadawg]

1. space exploration....

[fishbulb703]

61. +1, science

[leftofcool]

2. human services first then the arts

[DCBob]

3. Education and the environment..

Its the future.

[mattvermont]

4. The only place to put one's resources

is locally. Our local communities can always be better...library, arts, energy issues, education, poverty affordable housing, food systems
As a local official, and an organic farmer, all my annual contributions stay home.

[Cant trust em]

5. That's interesting, because some think that US poverty is nothing compared...

to 3rd world poverty.

I'm not saying either is right or wrong, but its interesting to hear different people's perspectives.

[vadawg]

7. the poverty in the US is no where as bad as other places, at least there are some programs here

and charities etc, the only thing that is probuablty worse is being poor whilst living in the shadow of opulance, but poverty is always a relative term...

[KansDem]

6. Craniomaxillofacial deformities.

Research and treatment specializing in pediatric craniofacial surgery.

Wish I had a ton of money...

[Posteritatis]

20. Something on that was in local news today

A kid from Vietnam with probably one of the most terrible facial deformities I've ever seen came over to Canada several years ago for treatment. He spent most of his time bouncing back and forth between Canada and the US and had twenty-six(!) surgeries to repair things. It's mostly cleaned up at this point; I think he went back home today.

The people who work on those sorts of cases are wizards.

[KansDem]

45. "The people who work on those sorts of cases are wizards."

You couldn't pay them enough for the work they do, but then, I strongly suspect money isn't their motivator.

If you came up with $100s of millions for buildings, equipment, and supplies, I'd bet many of these doctors and nurses would donate their time...

[leftstreet]

8. I'd purchase and patent water, air, and seeds. Then I'd be even richer

Then I could be even more philanthropic

[bluescribbler]

9. The environment

If we don't have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and pure food to eat, it none of the other issues will be solvable.

[T Wolf]

10. My own preference would be a political hit squad that would target repuke pols (and the

traitors on our side) to give the Democrats a unit capable of actually fighting back.

IF this is the system we are stuck with, it needs to be made to work for us as well as the enemy.

[pennylane100]

26. I like your preference.

Could it also include SCOTUS traitors who gave corporations the same rights as people.

[CTyankee]

11. Planned Parenthood and RAM would make first tier.

Second tier would be the most effective anti-hunger organization I could find. Third would be a very deserving regional arts group, probably a symphony orchestra. And a literacy coalition (I would help build a literacy center for kids and adults and make sure classes were offered in math, financial literacy as well as reading, writing and speaking English.

Meeting basic human needs until we get universal health care and a more coherent food policy in this country is essential, as is keeping women's reproductive health strong and their rights intact.

[Xithras]

12. Environmental restoration & greenbelts

I'd buy vast tracts of commercial forest and farmland around the world, pull them out of production, and perform environmental restoration. I'd also fund widescale levee setback and floodplain restoration projects to re-establish more natural riverine systems around the world.

[guitar man]

13. Labor

If I hit the powerball tomorrow I'd start a foundation with the goal of doing everything we could to restore dignity and equity to the American workforce.

[OhioChick]

15. +1 n/t

[Little Star]

25. +2

[leftstreet]

34. +3

[izzybeans]

14. I'd set it up to fund scholarships for my family like 50% of them do.

Just kidding.

There needs to be a "teach a man to fish" foundation. a hybrid educational institution that offers GED classes, college level courses, and vocational training for the homeless, unemployed, and underemployed.

[sixmile]

16. Birth Control

eom

[BrklynLiberal]

17. The rights and education of women around the world..EVERYWHERE.

The result of that would be the improvement of conditions in every arena. Educated, healthy women with equal rights make their countries and the world, a better place to live, for everyone.

[LiberalEsto]

54. I second that! nt

[ieoeja]

18. Getting laid.

Least I could do for the female population is to give them a shot at me.

:evilgrin:

[LostInAnomie]

40. +1

Probably the most honest answer in this thread.

[Posteritatis]

19. Education; everything comes from that. (nt)

[mudplanet]

21. I'd underwrite The Nation. They pretty well cover most of the issues.

[w8liftinglady]

22. helping kids get a college education...and lobbying to bring public college

rates back to affordable levels.

[Forkboy]

23. Human services.

[jobycom]

24. Human Rights, starting with misogyny and homophobia in this country. nt

[geardaddy]

27. Education

[dajoki]

28. Poverty and Homelessness...

I would like to wipe it out if I was able.

[TheKentuckian]

29. I'd put my seed money into independence

by helping individuals and neighborhoods go to renewable energy, greater conservation, and producing their own food with neighborhood gardens and hydroponics/airphonics in the homes.

Windmills, solar panels, insulation, water collection and filtration, as well as some ability to independently produce food would take a lot of pressure off of our broken systems and broke citizens.

I'd also like to help seed some off the grid communities open to those without homes or property. A flagship "communal" community that can be something to aim for as part of the new post-industrial and post agricultural lifestyle. I call it rugged American interdependence.

[earth mom]

30. Global warming, green jobs, green technology, clean air and clean enviroment. nt

[DavidDvorkin]

31. Information. Unbiased news.

I think the rest would follow.

[jakefrep]

32. Youth sports/physical fitness and the arts.

The nation's collective weight problem tells me that the current health/phys ed curriculum is a joke. In my youth, it seemed that phys ed only existed to humiliate the unathletic.

The arts, and specifically arts education, need protection from the NCLB-obsessed school administrators.

[slampoet]

33. Free Dental Care. Come to my charity get free care, free dentures, Learn to be a Dental tech.....

, ....and maybe even a free dental college for dentists who pledge to serve to poor.



There would be a TOOTH-MOBILE to visit places and do fillings,cleanings, and other care on location.




I would shame every corporation that sells any tooth decaying product to fund us.

[Individualist]

35. Human services, then animal welfare.

[anonymous171]

36. Education. I would set up free boarding schools for inner-city children. nt

[closeupready]

38. That's another one I like - illiteracy is the root of so much underachievement.

Even here in the US.

[closeupready]

37. Bill Gates has cornered the market on water purification, that's one I like. So

I would probably do something with regard to medical care - things that are treatable but with skills and using equipment which are not widely available in the Third World - so that you end up with people going blind needlessly.

[Echo In Light]

39. Human rights/services

[rapturedbyrobots]

41. all these ills

are symptoms endemic to global capitalism. they aren't going away.

if you're dumping your money into fighting one 'issue' without addressing the underlying symptoms you aren't really doing much.

i would put my money into helping people secure land and decent housing. you'd be amazed at what people will put THEIR own energy, resources and creativity into once they have these things.

i would also put money into funding and training students in developmentalist economics, hopefully to curb the hegemony of neoliberal thinking in global development strategies that consistently ravage poor and developing nations.

[MicaelS]

42. Free basic medical and dental clinics for those without insurance

In exchange for working at a fixed salary for several years in a free clinic, I would provide 100% financial support from undergraduate right through medical, dental or nursing school. Only to those who wanted to be a primary care physician, nurse, dentist or dental hygienist, no specialists. No cost to the patient, but I would take private donations.

[BlueIris]

43. Issues of choice.

Runner up: fighting privatization.

[guitar man]

44. Does Toyota make buses?

I think it might be a nice gesture to the other side if I bought them a nice shiny new Toyota bus for the Tea Party Express....whoops, sorry about that sticky accelerator !

:evilgrin:

[bemildred]

46. Elections. nt

[Subdivisions]

47. Re-localizing economies. n/t

[Lyric]

48. Poverty.

That's where the money would do the most good for the most people.

[omega minimo]

49. What are these "The Arts" you speak of?

[scorpiogirl]

50. Human Welfare, particularily poverty n/t

[Jennicut]

51. Curing diabetes. As an adult with it sucks, but a child?

It is a terrible, costly disease. I would put money toward both type 1 and type 2. There are already some breakthroughs happening but it is a long ways off.
Heart disease, stroke, coma from high blood sugar or low blood sugar, kidneys failing. All of it can happen when you have diabetes. You can lose limbs, lose your eyesight. So many complications from one disease.

[IDemo]

67. Thanks for that

47 years with Type 1 here. It has seemed that a cure has been "ten years away" since I was 10, but the latest advancements make me think today's ten year old diabetics won't face a lifetime of this.

[Jennicut]

68. I have had it for only 6 years but it has been a difficult road so far.

I was misdiagnosed as a type 2, I am really a type 1. I guess because I was 28 when I first got it. I feel for children who get it. I test 5 times a day and take insulin 6 or more times a day.

[ecstatic]

52. Education reform in disadvantaged communities

and everything that goes along with it (students don't live in a vacuum so I would also be into issues that helped make home life easier).

[Ardent15]

53. Education. nt

[flvegan]

55. I'd like to see a ship called The flvegan chasing whalers in the Southern Ocean.

How much does a decommissioned USN destroyer cost these days?

Anyway, that said, I'd probably dabble is both animal and human rights issues. I'd probably try to support orgs that are already doing a great job, like Farm Sanctuary and the ACLU. I'd want to donate heavily to any Proposition legalizing gay marriage, or any org fighting a Proposition to ban it.

[jgraz]

56. I'd restart Air America

and put Sam Seder in the prime noon eastern spot.

Then I'd get to work buying radio stations.

[pipi_k]

57. Environmental/wildlife. In fact, I just "adopted" a wolf at a wolf sanctuary

Got his photo and everything.

:)

[KittyWampus]

58. Children's Art. And since I can't give money now, I give time.

[lumberjack_jeff]

59. Developmental disabilities. n/t

[Umbral]

60. Being a total misanthropist - none of the above. But....

If I had anything to spare, I'd give it to Sea Shepherd.

[old mark]

62. The complete destruction of the GOP by any means necessary. nt

[Canuckistanian]

63. I'd buy off my Senator

And make him/her vote exactly the way I wanted.

That seems to be the biggest bang for the buck. Hey, you've got to work WITHIN the system to REALLY get things done.

[IDemo]

64. Establishing urban farms/community gardens

Which I predict will become highly beneficial things to have around in the coming years.

http://www.foodsecurity.org/urbanag.html

[Throd]

65. Vocational arts training for alienated teens.

[dysfunctional press]

66. my own hedonism.

charity begins at home.

:woohoo: I'm RICH!