Peter Buffett on Charity

Peter Buffett, composer and philanthropist, has a fine op-ed in the Times today, about many issues surrounding charitable giving in the United States, inequality, unintended consequences, and the need to do something new. This is crucial to keep in mind:

Because of who my father is [Warren Buffett], I’ve been able to occupy some seats I never expected to sit in. Inside any important philanthropy meeting, you witness heads of state meeting with investment managers and corporate leaders. All are searching for answers with their right hand to problems that others in the room have created with their left.

As a friend used to say, the American Cancer Society's board of directors includes CEOs of chemical companies, so you'll never find the ACS seriously discussing pollution or chemicals in the environment as potential causes of cancer, though they'll happily suggest you quit smoking and get PAP smears done.