Wounded Warrior Project

[JarHed]

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross... for her salary for the year ending in 2009 was $651,957 plus expenses. Enjoys 6 weeks - fully paid holidays including all related expenses during the holiday trip for her and her husband and kids. including 100% fully paid health & dental plan for her and her family, for life.

I do understand that charities are businesses and being such have to operate as one. But I find that the above persons salary and perks to be absolutely ridiculous. I don't think that even the fact that you need to pay well to attract the best and brightest does that amount seem warranted. I find those amounts outrageous.

 

[Ned]

. I don't think that even the fact that you need to pay well to attract the best and brightest does that amount seem warranted. I find those amounts outrageous.

Nail hit. Best and brightest? Oh yes, at lining their pockets.

 

[Drgnner]

Back in the 80s the corp I worked for had a yearly drive for United Way. They assigned someone in the office to collect from everyone via monthly payroll deduction. When the word hit the street that not only United Way and other big charities were keeping most of the money, I decided not to contribute one year.

My refusal was met with shock by my "Superiors" and I was called in to explain why I did not want to save the children.

I explained myself as best as I could, but it was the beginning of the end for me there. I was suddenly not a team player.

I still believe they are all crooks, including the charities they support.

 

[Fargo1]

There is something seriously broken in the world. When the top CEOs of large corps are making between US$20-96 million per year, plus benefits and the median salary in US is in the US$46,000 range. (median meaning: denoting or relating to a value or quantity lying at the midpoint of a frequency distribution of observed values or quantities, such that there is an equal probability of falling above or below it). That is a very steep curve! Are CEOs really worth 437 to 2,086 times the median? This is a problem with perceived value/worth. It permeates everything we do as a society from charities, to business, to war...

My refusal was met with shock by my "Superiors" and I was called in to explain why I did not want to save the children.

Everyone scamming anything (products, charities, f*cked up laws) always hits you with the "Its about saving the children." Its gotten to the point for me that whenever I see a kid, I think someones trying to sell me something that I'm sure I don't want.

 

[steve1]

There is something seriously broken in the world.

You're right. Especially when you consider that scientists working on cures for diseases like HIV & cancers make low 6 figure salaries, while Tiger Woods made $60,000,000 last year, Lebron James made $53,000,000, ARod made..... Tell me who makes a greater contribution to mankind? Corporate CEO's, like athletes & rock stars, simply charge what the market will pay. Aren't capitalist democracies wonderful? These are the institutions we all fought for aren't they?

 

[Sarg]

Same happened to me, Gunner. They acted like I was an axe murderer or something. I had looked up the charity and it had a 20% OH. Back in those days that was high with the norm being around ten. I donated what they wanted to withhold to the rescue mission here in town and the humane shelter. I knew those guys didn't have huge salaries, hell most of them were homeless at one time or another and stayed on to help.

Fargo, the wealth disparity in this country is going from whispers in the dark to a low rumble under our feet. I hear it from more and more people. I think when Bush and then later Obama bailed out the banks and stock brokers (the very folks that send us to war for profit) it polarized a bunch of people in this country.

But what can you do? Tax them more? New Jersey and Detroit are classic examples of what happens when the big wigs pull out their factory and send the work to China.

Copy broken!

Sarg

 

[Fargo1]

I think the disparity has been there since we crawled out of the caves (possibly before). It's not like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson didn't have a huge disparity over the average colonial citizen. The divide between the serfs/peasants and the nobility in Europe and China were also astronomical... I think that the only thing to do about it really is a rebellion as noted by Thomas Jefferson:

"Societies exist under three forms sufficiently distinguishable. 1. Without government, as among our Indians. 2. Under governments wherein the will of every one has a just influence, as is the case in England in a slight degree, and in our states in a great one. 3. Under governments of force: as is the case in all other monarchies and in most of the other republics. To have an idea of the curse of existence under these last, they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep. It is a problem, not clear in my mind, that the 1st. condition is not the best. But I believe it to be inconsistent with any great degree of population. The second state has a great deal of good in it. The mass of mankind under that enjoys a precious degree of liberty and happiness. It has it’s evils too: the principal of which is the turbulence to which it is subject. But weigh this against the oppressions of monarchy, and it becomes nothing. Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem (I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery). Even this evil is productive of good. It prevents the degeneracy of government, and nourishes a general attention to the public affairs. I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccesful rebellions indeed generally establish the incroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions, as not to discourage them too much. It is a medecine necessary for the sound health of government."
- Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Paris, January 30, 1787​

The problem with rebellions is that the people in power really want to stay in power, so they react rather harshly to rebellions, instead of, as Jefferson notes, "...honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions, as not to discourage them too much."

As most people aren't willing to even do military service, its unlikely that they will be willing to rise up in a rebellion...so we have to continue to bend over and say, "Thank you sir! May I have another?"

***Edit: Note that I am not advocating rebellion. Really, I'm not.***

 

[JarHed]

Hey Fargo

Good post and very true. The only differences that I see it this. People who have either been born into money, were fortunate enough to earn it or steal it and those that are hired to run or work for 'charities'. I guess one would assume that people working for a charity would be just that, charitable.

I do understand that everything cost money. In a disaster, it takes a supply train, skilled people, so paid some volunteers, planes, trucks, buses, food, clothing, shelter, and all the other things it takes to solve that sort of problem. I understand the need for money to do that.

I guess personally, I'd like to see more of the money that's donated, in good faith, by average working people go where it's needed and not into the coffers of the 'rich'. I know, 66 and still naive.

 

[Spock]

I turned to Wounded Warrior right away as the most visible name on the block and they haven't done much well that I've seen except frequent bike rides. It may be headed the way of Goodwill, with much written about it being more of a business than a charity: Link Removed

 

[Sarg]

Jar, would you please PM me? Thanks.

Sarg

 

[Spock]

 

[Drgnner]

Wow!