RAIDING FUNDS NOT JUST A WISCONSIN TRADITION

John Stossel, that muck-raking journalist for ABC, whose books I have enjoyed reading, has uncovered another example of government gone wild. This time....Ohio, where the Jim Doyle tradition of raiding funds to balance the checkbook and keep your special interests happy is being carried out by their governor:

Ever checked that box on your drivers license renewal to donate to some worthy cause?

When Ohio motorists renew licenses, they're asked if they'd like to donate to groups like the Save Our Sight Fund, which works to prevent blindness in children; and the Second Chance Trust Fund, which promotes organ donations. Big-hearted Ohioans recently kicked in more than $2 million to the charities.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that the givers were played for suckers.

State government took from funds to prevent blindness and promote organ donations... to help close a $1.9 billion shortfall in the two-year budget.

Did the politicians tell the givers that they were “reassigning” their gifts? No. Donors were:

....blindsided by a June 9 raid on $2.7 million they had voluntarily paid to thwart blindness in children and help solve the critical shortage of organ donations...

Aren't the taxes we pay enough? Government has to raid charities too?

After they were caught, Gov. Ted Strickland promised that the money would be returned.

The most interesting part of the story is this: One of the three groups eligible to get voluntary contributions did not have its funds pilfered by the state. That group:

....provides about $100,000 annually for the operating accounts of the Ohio Republican and Democratic parties. No money was taken from the political parties' funds.

Like Captain Renault in Casablanca, I'm shocked, shocked.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/johnstossel/2009/08/sucker.html