Corporate Compassion? Get Real!

The Washington Post has this Business Columnist, see. And he's written a multi-page "Glory Be To Big Biz" bible (of sorts), in which he names names and praises the corporateers for "inspiring" employees to donate to charitable organizations.

In Praise of the Corporate Heart

By Steven Pearlstein
Friday, December 22, 2006; Page D01

The Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman, who died this year, famously argued that businesses ought to stick to making money and leave it to shareholders to decide, individually, whether and how company profits should be distributed to charitable causes.

Let us give thanks this holiday season that the world did not follow Friedman's advice. It is not just that having corporations involved in philanthropy increases the amount of money given to worthy causes. It is also that companies can bring unique resources and expertise to these challenges and tap into the enthusiasm and creativity of their employees.

Of course, there's not a single word about the unspoken pact between employees who value their jobs and how their generous donations (trans. sizable chunks of each worker's salary) make the corporateers look good to the public-at-large.

Friedman was right, y'all. When individuals donate to causes, they do it because they care. When the boss "asks" you to support his/her chosen charity, it's plain vanilla extortion.

Before you get all indignant, replace the words "charitable cause" with "political party."

And the beat goes on...


Best bar bet in the world: Delilah didn't do it.
Judges 16:19-- And she made him (Samson) sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.