To The Reader’s Forum:

Doesn’t anyone have even basic knowledge of economics — concepts like misallocation and opportunity cost? Public utilities in Puerto Rico have been knocked out by a hurricane so local people are collecting bottled water to send there by way of Dunkirk.

Could anything be less efficient? This is the way a child would think. How about sending large tanks of tap water from southern ports? For the same money you could help 1,000 people that way for every one you help this way. (Bottled water at $8 per gallon is almost 3,000 times the cost of Jamestown tap water.)

It makes me wonder how many of these good Samaritans might be Christians and if the Christians ever read the opening verses of Matthew 6. Jesus wasn’t very 21st century, but I think he was on to something. Much of modern charity makes no sense to me: ballyhooed runs and walks, transporting animals hundreds of miles, “premiums” in the form of shirts or tote bags, hired “professional fund raisers.”

Well, it makes no economic sense as charity but if it is moral exhibitionism, a social event, or an excuse for a party with charity way down the list, yes. I suppose being rational is too much to expect from the public but how wasteful does it have to get before it should be called out as silly, irresponsible, even fraudulent? Allegedly every poor person in America would have a middle class income if the government welfare budget was distributed directly to the poor. With enough lack of thought private efforts can achieve the same embarrassing ineffectiveness.

Someone will curse me for being “negative” about well-intended people. My point is it is stupid to judge by intentions and ignore results.

Norman P. Carlson

Busti