A question about Babs Bush's "donation" to Katrina victims...

[KansDem]

Katrina donation ignites debate
HISD says focus on Neil Bush's software didn't violate policy


By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

As Barbara Bush spent two hours championing her son's software company at a Houston middle school Thursday morning, a watchdog group questioned whether the former first lady should be allowed to channel a donation to Neil Bush's Ignite Learning company through Houston's Hurricane Katrina relief fund.

"It's strange that the former first lady would want to do this. If her son's having a rough time of it, couldn't she write him a check?" said Daniel Borochoff, founder of the American Institute of Philanthropy, a Chicago-based charity watchdog group. "Maybe she isn't aware that people could frown upon this."

(more)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3744991.html

Will she be able to write this "donation" off her income taxes?

[babylonsister]

1. Sure, under the guise of charity.

:eyes:

[havocmom]

3. So, yes, she is bailing out Loser Neil yet again with a check

that us taxpayers are actually funding.

Remember Neil and the Savings & Loan Scandals! Never forget what the Bushes cost American Taxpayers... over and over and over again.

Then the tell the American workers to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and if they are having trouble with employment, it is because they are uneducated! And Cheney says we should put more $$ in savings too! (His pals need more invest so they can keep the pyramid scheme going) :eyes:

THE BUSH BOYS ARE THE WELFARE QUEENS!

[rpannier]

2. I really don't know...Maybe

To me this is sort of a non-issue -- if the money really does go to Katrina victims. I really don't care if scrubbie delivers the money and aid personally wearing only a thong and pink bunny slippers, as long as the people get their help. And by help, I mean useful help. Not tax credits, or vouchers that can be redeemed at any local Safeway in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
(Sorry if my description of scrubbie ruined anyone's breakfast)

[tanyev]

4. Do you think those young victims of Katrina really saw a marked

improvement in their lives because they were exposed to Neil's COW learning software?

[rpannier]

6. I have no idea.

I'm not that familiar with what is going on over there. I live overseas (Korea). My only point is, if they're getting real help I don't care if it comes from Satan himself. I'm tired of reading about the "so-called help" they're getting (only to find out it's things like tax credits and other crap like that). If they're getting Cow learning software then it's just more "Crap Aid." I would like to hear these people are getting some real help, some real relief.

[Bridget Burke]

7. It's just "Crap Aid"

The Bush family has been pushing Neilsie's software, using all their connections. Houston schools did accept many Katrina evacuees; many are still here & some will probably stay permanently. But they need MONEY--not cute software.

[LA lady]

5. Thanks

I can't believe I am writing this but if she wanted to donate this program to our school, I would just say THANK YOU. The kids love ignite (I used to teach in Houston)and the displaced students need help.

I think it's just a part of a larger donation isn't it? It did look tacky but it is tacky to look a gift horse in the mouth too.

[tanyev]

8. I would have a little more respect for the gesture if Neil donated

lots of software to the affected schools, out of the goodness of his heart. This looks like a way for Babs to funnel money to the son's company and get herself a nice tax write off for it. Tacky.

[Bridget Burke]

9. Why didn't she just donate the software? Better yet, why didn't Neilsie?

Why did she "designate" part of the sum sent to the Bush/Clinton fund for that purpose?

From yesterday's Chronicle coverage:

Information about the effectiveness of the program, through district-generated reports, was not readily available Wednesday, according to an HISD spokeswoman. Two years ago, the school district raised eyebrows when it expanded the program by relying heavily on private donations.

In February 2004, the Houston school board unanimously agreed to accept $115,000 in charitable donations from businesses and individuals who insisted the money be spent on Ignite. The money covered half the bill for the software, which cost $10,000 per school.

The deal raised conflict of interest concerns because Neil Bush and company officials helped solicit the donations for the HISD Foundation, a philanthropic group that raises money for the district.....

Last year, Neil Bush reportedly toured former Soviet Union countries promoting Ignite with Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky.

According to the Times of London, Berezovsky, a former Kremlin insider now living in Britain, is wanted on criminal charges in Moscow accusing him of seeking to stage a coup against President Vladimir Putin.

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/special/05/katrina/3742329.html

Katrina evacuees have more serious needs than cute software. And our already stressed Houston schools need MONEY to help deal with the Katrina kids.

But Neilsie needs the money since he was broke so recently. When he left his wife of 20 years for a newer model, the first Mrs Bush got a pittance for child support & the right to stay in the house until the children were gone. No community property to split, because Neil "Silverado" Bush was broke. She threatened to write an "interesting" book & the deal was sweetened.

[Catherine Vincent]

10. Of course she is unaware.

People like that is in their own little world. They talked about this on our local tv stations and showed video of Barbara visiting the school. No mention of the stipulation though. I guess that's not important to the public.