Major Changes Come from Small Contributions

All the big bucks of Wall Street and Washington aren’t scary to me, well maybe a little.  The short answer is that this doesn’t scare me because I believe in Hashem, and in Gd’s providence.

The longer answer is that money is more than just symbolic.  I do think there is some sort of “invisible hand” guiding the world of finances, as Adam Smith thought.  I don’t wish to say that without money, there is death.  That is not true at all.  However, I argue that in politics we should consider money, not just big money, but the money of the simplest poor person to the corporate giants as a symbol for both beliefs and that that money we may donate produces a representative response based on how hard we have worked to own money as our property.

This puts the rich folk and the street pauper on the same plain.  Each has certainly come across a dollar in their time.  Some have worked harder than others for their green backs than others have and thus it is such that when we give money to a campaign it is as if the campaign is soup, and money is as the campaign soup’s spice.  Thus, if we are interested in change, we should make our voice known.  Through campaign contributions, we may make our voice known proportionately to our way that we acquired our money, spicing the soup according to our flavor.  Thus, Adam Smith’s hand is also according to both justice and mercy, because not all have had the same start in life.  If all you have to give is $1 or $3, don't fret.  Have faith that parting ways with something important to your livelihood may bring great change, and make an investment in your favorite politician's campaign.

It is also true of many other ways to spice a campaign.  Don't got a quarter?  There are other ways to make our voice known are many such as through things like campaign rallies, holding signs, knocking on doors, peaceful demonstrations, and other grassroots movements.  However, this is a blog about money, and those ways to make our voice known on this blog primarily center on finances.

Personally, I haven’t given much money to campaigns – it is more important to give to charity, but I want to see my will done in government.  Already I have donated to former Secretary Hillary Clinton because she closely stands for my most important political beliefs, especially in environmentalism, and renewable energy.  However, I also like Senator Bernie Sanders.  Senator Sanders also represents many, but not all my beliefs.  Therefore, as I tried to spice Hillary’s campaign with a few bucks, I will also try to spice Sander’s campaign via a donation.

My donation won’t be a lot of money, but I don’t have a lot of money, and thus it is such that I believe that proportionately, my spice is more powerful than the spice of those on Wall Street of whom we can barely consider that they have done hardly anything to gain their wealth or riches.  Not all spices are equal!

USA politics is currently the story of David and Goliath: that of a very young man and a horrible giant.  I hope that my small campaign contributions I can barely afford will help slay the corporate Goliath.

Philanthropy - Should We Give Money to Charity? – Yes! - Every One of Us!

Even a pauper should give to charity.  The eminent capitalist philosopher Adam Smith believed that monetary systems would somehow be guided by an “invisible hand.”  According to Adam Smith, free market existence would essentially provide the same goodness for us that Gd provides.  He might as well have said that money is like God because the invisible hand, god which is money, has done away with the basic principle of religion; that it is necessary to give to charity.  Thus, Adam Smith believed that just given laissez faire capitalism, then charity would not be necessary.

From - http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/invisiblehand.asp - quoting from Adam Smith’s book "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations"

"Every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it ... He intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for society that it was no part of his intention. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good."

Adam Smith was wrong.  The monetary system of the world can be likened to the plumbing system of a vast building.  The belief that an invisible hand fixes all the plumbing isn’t true.  Real hands and active participation are required to fix both plumbing and monetary problems.  In order for the system to run, maintenance is often required.  The belief that laissez faire capitalism will take care of problems is akin to believing drains never clog.  We all know that in a given plumbing system, the drains can clog, so why would anyone conclude that the world’s monetary system isn’t similar?

Torah takes charity even further, suggesting that not only is His justice a part of this world, but that we are an extension of the hand of justice.  Ethics of Our Father's 3:13 (courtesy of www.chabad.org)

Rabbi Akiva would say: Jesting and frivolity accustom a person to promiscuity. Tradition is a safety fence to Torah, tithing a safety fence to wealth, vows a safety fence for abstinence; a safety fence for wisdom is silence.

To one whom has been given wealth, charity is paramount to keeping it!  Hashem commands us to participate in justice, such as charity because He likes it when we imitate His just and upright ways (Deuteronomy 28:9).  God sees to it that justice occurs, but we should hope for betterment greater than that through participation in religious activities, such as charity.  It is 

Hashem’s will that we give to charity, and this is what is promised in return (from Ethics of Our Fathers 4:9):

“Rabbi Jonathan would say: Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth; and whoever neglects the Torah in wealth, will ultimately neglect it in poverty.”

June 23, 2012: Alex Gets a CCBL T-Shirt and Wears It Proudly

For our family, and for so many families funds are limited.  I portioned out our money so that we would have $3 to donate for each upcoming game.  I know that it is less than the suggested donation, but June we had overspent, such that we could only afford $3 a game and then maybe some concessions.  This meant that we had to save in order to get Alex a Cape League t-shirt, which I might add: He is proudly wearing it now as we are listening to the Boston Red Sox on 96.3.  That is to get this one we had to break open the piggy bank.

Alex is a really good looking kid.  He is very social and very popular among folks in our town.  In that way, he makes for an excellent advertisement.  If people in the town of Sandwich see Alex wearing CCBL apparel or Bourne Braves apparel, then it is highly likely that they also might go to a game, even if it may not be the Bourne Braves themselves who gain more attendance.  For example, we know people that might attend a Falmouth or a Cotuit game as a result of this promotion.

Think of it this way, everything that you buy generally carries with it a label.  As someone using a product that has that label, you are representing that business, and hopefully trying to increase the amount of business or donations that business gets.

I, myself, have a CCBL t-shirt, and I often wear it specifically so that I might strike up a conversation that might make someone want to go to game.  In fact, that is exactly what happened the other day when I met someone in Buzzards Bay that when I said I was going to a Bourne Braves game.  The person I met mentioned that he might go see the Wareham Gatemen.  Often times most people that go to games donate $5 or more.  Just think, through representing the CCBL by wearing a t-shirt I helped proliferate the league.  Yes, possibly only $5 was made in this instance, but it is also possible that he went with a friend or friends that made donations and bought products, and may continue to do so in the future.  That is how the word is spread.  Before you know it $100 is made to support athletics.

Alex also has a Bourne Braves hat and it looks really good.  Whoever designed the hats for the Bourne Braves really deserves a compliment!  Alex was given his Bourne Braves hat when he was 3, as a gift.  He didn’t buy it himself.  However, this year, now that he is 4, I am trying to teach Alex the value of a dollar.  Meghan said that our friends the Broder’s where recently able to buy a shirt at a Braves game that was on clearance.  I was hoping for the same, seeing as how our funds were so limited.  However, breaking open the piggy bank, we have found we could give Alex enough to get a t-shirt 6/23/2012.

Unfortunately, the game was called when we were in the lead, and we hopefully we will win the makeup game scheduled for Monday at 6:00.

I have said it many times, and I’ll say it again.  In the Psalms, King David deplores those that accept free gifts, and while the CCBL is by donation only, to me what that really means is that we are on the honors system.  It is up to us to see that the CCBL can happen, such that I am grateful to all contributors, primarily because it is a great cause.  As I said, anytime one attends something such as a game, there should be some exchange of money, even if the game does not have vendors and there is no charge for attending.  Good people appreciate the honors system, but those that take advantage to free gifts usually end up finding out that they are not really in fact free, such that commerce is beneficial.

I was surprised that when we saw American Legion Post 188 at Doran Park there was no way to make a donation.  We had set aside $3, which isn’t much, but it is better than nothing.  The closest thing we made to a donation, where the drinks we brought with us, that I had purchased earlier on Friday 6/22/2012 for $0.20 a piece.  However, the drinks were bought specifically for the purpose of the game, and if you believe that one blessing begets another until it comes back to you, then by buying drinks for the game, we did something good!

Sometimes we have gone to games at the Henry T. Wing School, which has a concession stand.  For a few bucks you can buy a soda, some food, and help fund sports at grade school.  I am not sure if this is available at the high school.  As far as I remember, it wasn’t.  However, there is a new sports complex in the works, and hopefully buying concessions will be one way we can support athletics, whether it is at the grade school level on up through collegiate, and even the AAA level.

Charity: Make an Investment That Might Just Come Back to You

Though my dad invested some money in mutual funds for me while I was at college, not everyone can afford to play the stock market.  There are more ways of investing than stock, gold, and bond, etcetera, and one of those ways is putting some money in the charity box.  Really, no amount is too give, even a penny.  For example, if I remember correctly pennies are more expensive to make than dollars.  In fact, a penny costs more to make than the penny is currently worth, and though that is unfortunate, pennies have value.

Lately, I have been trying to teach my son about how to invest.  The type of investment I suggested that he make is via a charity box.

When one attends a Cape League game, he or she does not have to pay anything, but there is a suggested donation.  Yesterday, I got the money that I had set aside for donating to the team, the Bourne Braves, especially as a thank you for playing.  These are college players that technically aren’t receiving a check for playing ball.  It makes sense to invest in these players.  In fact, there are several Bourne Braves players on major league rosters according to this year’s booklet.  Donating a few pennies to this cause has the potential to have a return of millions of dollars.  Many of the players end up playing minor league ball after playing in the Cape League, where they serve as role models for our country which needs health role models.  Many of these players become Big Brothers.  By putting some money into the charity box, I know that if I give, it eventually comes back to me, such that I wanted the same for my son.

Before the game I scrounged up some change to give to my son Alex.  I told him that since he is a good boy and that I receive blessing from having him as a son, this was money that he had earned.  I gave him the money, and told him that he had the choice; he could either put the money in the charity box or keep it.  However, I did advise him to put the money in the charity box.  Though he was only 4yrs old, he was looking to put the money into the red bucket, but he couldn’t reach because he wasn’t tall enough.  So, I said to my son such that the people at the gate could hear, “Would you like to make a donation?”  Then, the bucket was lowered, such that he could put some money in, and at the same time possibly making money that may pay him dividends in some way.  He is well behaved, intelligent, good looking, and in so many ways he makes me proud to be a father, as I am typing this document on Father’s Day, such that he deserves to be able to make an investment.  I believe in Gd not money.  However, money is one way one can make an investment, especially if your ability to give is limited.  My belief in Gd causes me to believe that one investment is like any other investment, such that if one gives, then he or she may receive future dividends.

Secondly, I offered Alex another chance to give money today.  We don’t have a lot of money, but in my opinion, even if you can part with a penny and put it in a charity box, then you are making an investment.  I told him that I was going to McDonald’s Restaurant, and that Alex’s grandparents had given me some money for being a father.  I told Alex, that some of this money was his, and that he had earned it simply by being my son.  I told him that I was going to give some money to charity at McDonald’s when I bought a soda, and that if he wanted I could put $0.50 in the charity box for him if he wanted me to.  He seemed to think that that was a good idea, telling me that he wanted for me to donate the money instead of keeping it for himself.  Again, since at this time he is only 4yrs old, I advised him as a parent that this is a good idea.

In addition, another way that Alex can benefit is through me writing this blog, and that through Alex, I might be able to help people remember to give to charity if they can, or at least help people that might read this through explaining that giving to charity if often in one’s best interest.

1st Bartering - Sandwich, MA Public Library

I like to go to the library. I use it for many reasons. However, this blog is not about that. It’s about bartering. I had lost my library card, and there is a fee for a new card. The fee is $3. I’m okay with it. The fee probably even written into law or something. Don’t let anything stop you from bartering. Many times people will waive something, especially if you can give them something in return. So, to get the fee waived, I offered about $50 in free books. The idea was to be somewhat charitable in addition to making the trade.

Naturally, there was a little stammer in by the librarian. She had probably never encountered something like this before. She was not the head librarian, so she said that she wanted to consult her superior before making the decision. In my town, I don’t know of many people that barter. That is a shame.

When the librarian said that she would have to ask her superior, I retracted my offer of the books. In Hyannis, I know that there is a place where I can leave books, and though I would get nothing in return for it, I feel laws should not be hard and fast, such that they can’t be waived. That is, I felt a need to give to charity, but it is important not to squander one’s valuables. If it wasn’t worth it to the librarian to give me a free card in return for about 7 books, 2 of which were hard cover, I didn’t want them to have my books. Seriously, I was offering them a trade of about $50 for a $3 card. If it wasn’t worth it to them, then I would take my books elsewhere, where there was nothing that could be offered to me in return. Maybe, the next place wouldn’t squander it? However, I am glad that there was no squandering, and I was proud of how my town acted with my generous proposition.

I prefer to give to charity locally before I give it away to places further away though it is important not to neglect places that are further away. In the story of the city of Sodom in the Bible, according to legend lack of hospitality was the reason the city was destroyed. As the legend goes, the people in Sodom would starve anyone who visited by doing things like raising the cost of bread. So, what this legend tells us is that it is important to be hospitable to everyone, and not just locals. This is why the Sandwich Public Library was my first choice to give books.

Luckily, the librarian made a split decision, and decided to waive the $3 fee. I am very proud to live in the town I live in. I like for it to be a nice place and a part of that is actually working to make it a nice place. Hopefully, by bartering, I have helped improve the world, and not ripped off the town. What do you think?