Re:Jeff Bezos Commits $10B to Address Climate Change
by wmf on Monday February 17, 2020 @05:03PM
(#22351268)
The IRS still makes case-by-case decisions about which organizations are legally charities so there is oversight.
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Re:Jeff Bezos Commits $10B to Address Climate Change
by loeg on Monday February 17, 2020 @05:07PM
(#22351312)
You're not wrong, but I don't think this is responsive to my comment. Maybe replying to the wrong one on accident? (Also: any organization can claim religious status and becomes essentially exempt from IRS review of charitable status. See: Scientology. Not that I expect Bezos' fund to do that.)
Re:Jeff Bezos Commits $10B to Address Climate Change
by wmf on Monday February 17, 2020 @05:29PM
(#22351511)
You make it sound like "decides which donations are tax deductible" was done 100 years ago and never changed which isn't the case. Now if you'll excuse me I have to file some paperwork for the Church of the V8...
Re:Jeff Bezos Commits $10B to Address Climate Change
by loeg on Monday February 17, 2020 @07:44PM
(#22352418)
I didn't say that and I'm sorry it was unclear. I said:
> the government added the charitable deduction during the 1917 WWI revenue act
The distinction I was trying to draw was that prior to 1917, charitable giving could not be deducted at all, and what changed was that the legislature of the time decided to make it so. It's 100 years ago, but really not that long compared to the history of this country.
If you want to say the IRS represents the will of society, I think I would mildly disagree. They're not elected. That said, they are largely governed by rules set forth by the legislature, who are at least elected, if not always representative.