Bush’s Approach Would Be Welcome

To the Editor:

Your article on George Bush (“The Bush Brand of Charity,” April 6) highlights the importance the Texas governor places on charity to address many of our nation’s enduring social needs.

Governor Bush’s first national policy speech in July 1999 (at a small Indianapolis church) focused on the role that faith-based organizations can play in the provision of social services. The timing of this announcement was highly symbolic and in keeping with his call for a more compassionate conservative approach to governing.

Today, Mr. Bush is touting an $8-billion plan that would provide new tax benefits and other incentives to encourage giving by individual Americans as well as corporations, and is pledging to appoint a top-level White House official to serve as an advocate for faith-based charities. He has guaranteed that philanthropy will be on the presidential campaign agenda this year.

Of course, the naysayers of this approach say that the Bush model has not helped all that many charities in Texas do a better job, or that his pledge is politically motivated.With all due respect to these critics, they probably will support Vice President Gore in November and believe that the federal government is solely equipped to address our national social maladies.

I take Governor Bush at his word when he told The Chronicle that an overreliance on government to deal with social problems has “had a corrosive impact on the great strength of this country, which is individuals helping individuals.”

After more than 13 years as a professional major-gifts officer for an acclaimed medical institution, I understand that most donors are motivated to make a personal difference in improving the social fabric of our community and institutions.

As a 10-year Maryland legislator, I also see that throwing more public money at social problems has resulted in a growing bureaucratic infrastructure but with mixed results in my state. I welcome Mr. Bush’s vow to take a “muscular approach” in promoting philanthropy.

Chris McCabe
Senior Associate Director of Development
The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Baltimore