Charity versus taxation and hope for the New Year

What do you suppose would happen if each of us did more instead of expecting someone else to do all the good things that need to be done? What if we each did all we can do to help ourselves and help others? Charity would become contagious, popular, and ironically, maybe even less necessary.

To those of you who already give instead of take, encourage instead of criticize, or even smile instead of scowl, thank you. These are shining examples of the kinds of faith, hope and charity we need more of year-round. Charity isn’t just about money. It’s a form of love through selfless giving of time, kindness, or resources.

As Montana’s legislature convenes for the 2015 session, an endless line of people will want public funds (i.e. your money) for a whole range of wonderful special interests. Some requests will be for essential services, which I will support. Some requests will come from institutions that need to think about doing more to help themselves.

And some requests will come from charities that, although I might support personally, I will not vote in favor of requiring you, the taxpayer, to fund by force of law. It’s just fundamentally wrong to take one person’s property and give it to someone else. When it comes to charity, who you give to, when and why should be up to you. Just remember, God is watching. Like many folks, I have a big heart for charity.

There are exceptions of course, but in general charity works best when given willingly from the heart, and it usually fails when attempted by force (law or taxation). When administered by dedicated volunteers who work hard to raise scarce funds for legitimate purposes, resources tend to be more carefully directed to intended recipients. Think Mother Theresa.

When administered by organizations who come by large amounts of other people’s money easily, “charity” becomes more susceptible to waste, abuse, unnecessary expenditures and even corruption. The billions of dollars of fraud in the government-funded health care system comes to mind.

While campaigning for the state senate in 2012, I outlined many goals, and I continue to work hard on those goals every day. But when it came to making promises, I was careful to make only two promises that I knew were entirely within my power to keep.

First, I promised to honor my oath of office. Required of all public officers in Montana, the oath we take on inauguration day (found in the Montana Constitution, Article 3 Section 3) obligates us to support, protect and defend the U.S. and Montana constitutions and discharge the duties of our office with fidelity.

It’s not just adhering to the Constitution that is important, although this is fundamental to civil order, freedom and prosperity. The commitment to fidelity or trustworthiness is equally vital. I remain committed to honoring the whole oath.

Second, I promised to donate half of my legislative take-home pay to charitable causes. I made this pledge because I believe strongly in voluntary charity, and I also wanted people to know that I was entering politics to give, not to take. That is, to give of myself willingly, not to require you to give of yourself unwillingly.

In keeping my promise of charitable giving, so far I have donated $3,774 from my 2013-2014 earnings to help good causes in my senate district. That amount exceeds half the net salary I received during my first two years of office.

It is the wonderful volunteers who do so many good works in our communities that are the real key. They make donated funds, however modest, stretch.

If you know of a donation I should consider making this upcoming year, please leave me a note at www.jenniferfielder.us. I hope you will help them all you can to so we can make voluntary charity popular.

As I enter the second half of my four-year term in Montana’s State Senate, I remain committed to honoring my oath and keeping my promise of contributing half my pay to good causes. May freedom ring, and may your New Year be filled with the blessings of true faith, hope, and charity all year long.

Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R–Thompson Falls, represents Montana State Senate District 7.