BagOfEyebrows
05-13-2008, 05:00 AM
Not sure if anyone else saw Doris Buffet on CSPAN this past Sunday (Mother's Day) - she was mainly interviewed about her Sunshine Lady Foundation, which quite literally is 'THE WAY' to deal with social issues (get the government out of it.) I'm positive her low overhead, personal, compassionate, and logical way of dealing with things will eventually become the way we do things 'for the good of the people.'
It's time we start demanding 'charity' back - the compassionate and personal connection and joy one feels from doing the right thing and the feeling you get when you are down on your luck and somebody steps up to the plate to assist ya - when government 'does it' for us, they rob those who are helped via the corruption and mismanagement the government is so well known for, and they rob us by stripping from us that personal connection and joy that comes from helping out others- Ms. Buffet knows this perhaps better than anyone right now.
Here's some great parts of her interview:
LAMB: What’s your attitude about government giving money away to people that are in trouble versus these private foundations?
BUFFETT: That’s a pretty big question.
I myself believe, as my brother calls me, the best retail philanthropist in the country. I’m sold on the way we do it. I realize there are lots of problems that individuals can’t handle. But there are many more that people can contribute to.
One time we were sitting in my niece’s dining room, and I had just met Bono. He was in the living room with my – and my brother said, ”Oh, Bono, my sister has this foundation.”
And I’m sure if I’d turned around and left, he would be rolling his eyes thinking, oh, another old white-haired lady that takes care of cats, or something. And so, I didn’t push it at all.
But when we sat down at the dinner table – he was sitting on my left, and my brother was at the head of the table on my right – and somehow we got talking about it. And he said, ”You’ve got to write a book.”
And I said, ”Oh, you know, my brother says that. It’s ridiculous.”
And he said, ”No, I mean it.”
And he started giving me chapter headings, you know, which I was so entranced by him that I promptly forgot.
But at that point my brother entered the conversation and he said – and I looked at them. Warren’s trying to save the world from nuclear destruction. Bono’s trying to save a whole continent.
And my brother said, ”Doris is a retail philanthropist.”
And I really like that. I mean, it’s very folksy and very to the point.
And I happen to think you get a lot done, because you don’t have a bureaucracy, number one. And when you get a really large foundation – or the government – you have to deal with bureaucracy.
And we’ve been noted for that. It’s been written up a few times. We don’t have that.
I know that when we do something, we know immediately whether it has the desired effect. And that’s when we rejoice.
So, I think that – I just don’t know about the gross stuff. I don’t know if you can do that and really have the touch and the feel of the individuals you’re dealing with.
*~*~*~
LAMB: And overall, the coverage you’ve gotten. There was a big article on you a couple of months ago in the ”Wall Street Journal.”
BUFFETT: Oh, yes.
LAMB: What does that do to – when you get this kind of exposure, what does it do to what you do with the Sunshine Lady Foundation?
BUFFETT: Well, it certainly increases our exposure. And as a result, we hear from a lot of people.
And one thing that I would like to talk about is the fact that we heard from many, many people after that article, who said they wanted to be readers for us – read the letters that came in.
And they were really touching, because they were almost trying to explain how honest they were, and they had goodwill, had great histories, and all that.
And of course, it’s just – the only way you can do it is keep it in your own community. So, we were unable to use their efforts.
But we feel very strongly, what we’re doing up there can be and should be copied with all the foundations – the city foundation – you know, the New York whatever it is – area foundations, giving foundations – because they could do the same thing in their particular area, because these people need help.
You can check them out very carefully if you live in the same town. We’re (ph) doing it for the whole country.
And I just think that people would respond to that. Look, the 100 neediest cases that they run in the ”New York Times” every year, I mean, that get millions of dollars, because people know where it’s going. They read a story and they think, oh, here’s somebody who’s had terrible luck, and I can help. And they do something about it.
And actually, I saved an article recently about a women’s investment club. And I thought, well, they could have their own investment club, only it’d be investing in people and their community, and the children, and so on.
So, a couple of places have approached us to do this. And we’re giving them all the help we can, even funding it, because I think that’s the way to do it. I really do.
It’s not like we can continue this arduous work forever, but I’d hate to see it stop. And I just think it makes so much sense, if it were done on a regional – well, not even regional – but a citywide or countywide basis. It’s not that difficult.
~*~*~
LAMB: By the way, how political are you?
BUFFETT: Not very.
LAMB: Do you support candidates, publicly?
BUFFETT: Well, I sent some money to a woman running for the city council in Fredericksburg, but I don’t go any further than that. I’m like a lot of people. I don’t know who to vote for at this point.
I once was involved in Republican stuff. That was when my father was dying. And it gave us something wonderful to talk about, because Goldwater was running. And my father was very conservative and gave us a topic, and we really bonded over that.
But I was using it, actually, for my own purposes, to tell you the truth, because it was such a sad time in our lives. We all adored my father.
He left us a terrific standard of integrity. And that’s probably the most valuable thing I ever did have, to know about that, to be raised with that. I just – I feel sorry for people that never had that experience in their lives.
So, you know, after, my brother sent me a clipping – or it was a book – and he was mentioned in there. And they described him as having ”blazing integrity.” Now, that’s pretty good, if you can pass that on. And I’ve seen my brother is an example of it, a perfect example of it.
video/entire transcript here: http://www.q-and-a.org/Transcript/?ProgramID=1179
Without even being 'political', Ms. Buffet has solved the 'problem' about what to do and how to solve social issues - local, community oriented, real human compassion type help -
I'm in awe of her brilliance - and stunned by the irony that she doesn't even seem to know that she is doing things exactly the way the principles of the Constitution would have us do them, in regards to social issues.
Anyways - if you can watch the video, do that - it was a great, great interview. It's a great outline for each of us to think about for any volunteer or community oriented efforts - once this government collapses upon itself into financial oblivion and along with it the immoral 'charity by force', we could easily set up efforts such as Ms. Buffet's in our own local towns and cities, to assist the many that are going to have the rug pulled out from under them due to government incompetence, fraud and general corruption.
Hope I put this topic in the right topic room - apologies if not. Just wanted to get this info out there.
It's time we start demanding 'charity' back - the compassionate and personal connection and joy one feels from doing the right thing and the feeling you get when you are down on your luck and somebody steps up to the plate to assist ya - when government 'does it' for us, they rob those who are helped via the corruption and mismanagement the government is so well known for, and they rob us by stripping from us that personal connection and joy that comes from helping out others- Ms. Buffet knows this perhaps better than anyone right now.
Here's some great parts of her interview:
LAMB: What’s your attitude about government giving money away to people that are in trouble versus these private foundations?
BUFFETT: That’s a pretty big question.
I myself believe, as my brother calls me, the best retail philanthropist in the country. I’m sold on the way we do it. I realize there are lots of problems that individuals can’t handle. But there are many more that people can contribute to.
One time we were sitting in my niece’s dining room, and I had just met Bono. He was in the living room with my – and my brother said, ”Oh, Bono, my sister has this foundation.”
And I’m sure if I’d turned around and left, he would be rolling his eyes thinking, oh, another old white-haired lady that takes care of cats, or something. And so, I didn’t push it at all.
But when we sat down at the dinner table – he was sitting on my left, and my brother was at the head of the table on my right – and somehow we got talking about it. And he said, ”You’ve got to write a book.”
And I said, ”Oh, you know, my brother says that. It’s ridiculous.”
And he said, ”No, I mean it.”
And he started giving me chapter headings, you know, which I was so entranced by him that I promptly forgot.
But at that point my brother entered the conversation and he said – and I looked at them. Warren’s trying to save the world from nuclear destruction. Bono’s trying to save a whole continent.
And my brother said, ”Doris is a retail philanthropist.”
And I really like that. I mean, it’s very folksy and very to the point.
And I happen to think you get a lot done, because you don’t have a bureaucracy, number one. And when you get a really large foundation – or the government – you have to deal with bureaucracy.
And we’ve been noted for that. It’s been written up a few times. We don’t have that.
I know that when we do something, we know immediately whether it has the desired effect. And that’s when we rejoice.
So, I think that – I just don’t know about the gross stuff. I don’t know if you can do that and really have the touch and the feel of the individuals you’re dealing with.
*~*~*~
LAMB: And overall, the coverage you’ve gotten. There was a big article on you a couple of months ago in the ”Wall Street Journal.”
BUFFETT: Oh, yes.
LAMB: What does that do to – when you get this kind of exposure, what does it do to what you do with the Sunshine Lady Foundation?
BUFFETT: Well, it certainly increases our exposure. And as a result, we hear from a lot of people.
And one thing that I would like to talk about is the fact that we heard from many, many people after that article, who said they wanted to be readers for us – read the letters that came in.
And they were really touching, because they were almost trying to explain how honest they were, and they had goodwill, had great histories, and all that.
And of course, it’s just – the only way you can do it is keep it in your own community. So, we were unable to use their efforts.
But we feel very strongly, what we’re doing up there can be and should be copied with all the foundations – the city foundation – you know, the New York whatever it is – area foundations, giving foundations – because they could do the same thing in their particular area, because these people need help.
You can check them out very carefully if you live in the same town. We’re (ph) doing it for the whole country.
And I just think that people would respond to that. Look, the 100 neediest cases that they run in the ”New York Times” every year, I mean, that get millions of dollars, because people know where it’s going. They read a story and they think, oh, here’s somebody who’s had terrible luck, and I can help. And they do something about it.
And actually, I saved an article recently about a women’s investment club. And I thought, well, they could have their own investment club, only it’d be investing in people and their community, and the children, and so on.
So, a couple of places have approached us to do this. And we’re giving them all the help we can, even funding it, because I think that’s the way to do it. I really do.
It’s not like we can continue this arduous work forever, but I’d hate to see it stop. And I just think it makes so much sense, if it were done on a regional – well, not even regional – but a citywide or countywide basis. It’s not that difficult.
~*~*~
LAMB: By the way, how political are you?
BUFFETT: Not very.
LAMB: Do you support candidates, publicly?
BUFFETT: Well, I sent some money to a woman running for the city council in Fredericksburg, but I don’t go any further than that. I’m like a lot of people. I don’t know who to vote for at this point.
I once was involved in Republican stuff. That was when my father was dying. And it gave us something wonderful to talk about, because Goldwater was running. And my father was very conservative and gave us a topic, and we really bonded over that.
But I was using it, actually, for my own purposes, to tell you the truth, because it was such a sad time in our lives. We all adored my father.
He left us a terrific standard of integrity. And that’s probably the most valuable thing I ever did have, to know about that, to be raised with that. I just – I feel sorry for people that never had that experience in their lives.
So, you know, after, my brother sent me a clipping – or it was a book – and he was mentioned in there. And they described him as having ”blazing integrity.” Now, that’s pretty good, if you can pass that on. And I’ve seen my brother is an example of it, a perfect example of it.
video/entire transcript here: http://www.q-and-a.org/Transcript/?ProgramID=1179
Without even being 'political', Ms. Buffet has solved the 'problem' about what to do and how to solve social issues - local, community oriented, real human compassion type help -
I'm in awe of her brilliance - and stunned by the irony that she doesn't even seem to know that she is doing things exactly the way the principles of the Constitution would have us do them, in regards to social issues.
Anyways - if you can watch the video, do that - it was a great, great interview. It's a great outline for each of us to think about for any volunteer or community oriented efforts - once this government collapses upon itself into financial oblivion and along with it the immoral 'charity by force', we could easily set up efforts such as Ms. Buffet's in our own local towns and cities, to assist the many that are going to have the rug pulled out from under them due to government incompetence, fraud and general corruption.
Hope I put this topic in the right topic room - apologies if not. Just wanted to get this info out there.