Charity Watchdog group BLASTS Barbara Bush Katrina "donation"

[Bluebear]

Houston -- In a city housing thousands of Katrina evacuees, Barbara Bush's donation to a local hurricane relief fund would not seem controversial.

But more than a few eyebrows were raised when the former first lady stipulated that part of her contribution was to be spent on educational software purchased from her son Neil's company, Ignite Learning of Austin, Texas.

"I would think if she wants to do something beneficial for Katrina victims, she shouldn't be making the decision that the vendor is her son," said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, a charity watchdog group....

"If everybody started doing that, it would ruin our whole system for tax-exempt organizations because people would be using them to benefit their business rather than for the public benefit," he said. "That's not why our government gives tax deductions for donations."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/25/MNGNRHU4KB1.DTL

[rodeodance]

1. sock it to the witchy lady

[Warpy]

2. I'm sure the Katrina fund would love to throw it back in her face

but can't afford to.

That old bat can never do anything that doesn't directly benefit her male offspring.

[donco6]

3. Sure, I'll give money, as long as I benefit from it.

Well, at least she's being true to her own philosophy . . . that of a selfish, money-grubbing whore.

[Ian David]

4. Shame if unlicensed copies of Ignite Software were all over the internet

[Fridays Child]

5. Why couldn't Neil just donate the software?

Doing so would not have caused even the slightest ding to his finances. That's what I don't get. Well, yes I do. It's avarice so huge that it blots out the sky. The Bushes and their ilk have no understanding of charity.

For example, how about the unmitigated gall of Katherine Harris referring to her contribution to HER OWN campaign as the widow's mite? The mindless arrogance of that statement was jaw-dropping.

[tanyev]

6. He could, but then the Bush family would have to disown him.

It's NOT how they do things.

[NanceGreggs]

7. Haven't heard the 'official' response from Babs yet ...

... but I'm assuming it's:

"You know, before this happned, a lot of my sons were underprivileged anyway. So this is really working out well for them ..."