The Charitable Tax Deduction Is A Disincentive To Community And Social Responsibility

Comment I posted on askblog, "The Tax Deduction for Charitable Contributions" by Arnold Kling:

A problem with charitable deductions is that it is focused on organizational structure and not actions. If I invite and feed a poor person in my house on Thanksgiving, the tax deduction is not available. If I donate food or money to a food bank or church that feeds the same person on Thanksgiving, I get a deduction.

I get a deduction for giving money to the Red Cross, but do not get a deduction for donating blood to the Red Cross.

If I grocery shop or cook a meal for a needy, ill senior in my neighborhood, no deduction, If I donate to a community organization that has volunteers who do the same thing, I get a deduction.

Charitable deductions are a disincentive to community and social responsibility.

When there is suffering, such as the Haiti earthquake, do we need a tax deduction to motivate us to send money, food, and other items? Of course not.

Let's eliminate the charitable deduction. If the government takes too much money from us so that we cannot donate as much as we would like to charities, let's fight for lower taxes and not more deductions.