> [Mel] > Not for profit operations often operate less efficiently > and squander any chance of surplus and returns less > if anything to community. > > [Krimel] > This is not only wrong it is down right offensive.
Good Lord -- as if your being "offended" as anything to do with the validity of Mel's views. > Non-profits tend to > be > mission driven. Unlike for profits they have a purpose for existing > beyond > the mundane profit motive. Without profit (surplus) , non-profits couldn't exist. > They have Values. Profit is a Value. > Some non-profits like the > Salvation Army, the Red Cross or even the Catholic Church have assets > and > annual budgets in the billions of dollars. Others like small business > are > run by well meaning people with high ideals and little administrative > ability. Like entrepreneurs these too can fail. One can only hope that some nonprofits fail, like Acorn who promote fraudulent voting. > I have personally worked with a number of non-profits over the years. > Their > staff members tend to be dedicated and underpaid relative to the private > sector. But many people find it satisfying when their work means > something, > when it helps others and advances Values other than profit. I have personally worked for a number of profit-making enterprises. Many of their non-union employees are dedicated, find their work meaningful, and believe their efforts help others and advance society's well-being. (skip) > Many services provided by non-profits are the kinds of services that the > private sector either can't or won't touch or when they do they botch > the > job. Homeless services for example are often provided by faith based > non-profits in part because there is so little money available for this > purpose that only the call of God can motivate people to tackle such > tasks. The call of God? Are you suggesting God is a moral authority? > You say, they return less, if anything to the community? My God man, > please > go to your local United Way office and ask about the services provided > by > their member organizations. Ask about the budget allocation process. Ask > about the number served and the unmet need in your community. Need is not a claim. Further, charity can create dependency. > In fact or at least in theory the only difference between a private and > non-profit organization is what happens to the "profits". In the private > sector profits are dumped into the pockets of owners and investors. In > non-profits surplus funds are reinvested into the mission of the > organization. In practice, profits are also dumped into taxes and the pockets of non- profit organizations. Sometimes non-profit "surpluses" (an oxymoron) serve only to pad executive salaries. > One might be so crass as to say the difference between the two is that > non-profits are driven by and support a host of different human values. > For > profits value cash, often at the expense of every other human value. Money (cash) is a consummate human value because it facilitates mutually beneficial exchange between individuals. It is essential to the operation of free market. Platt Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
