The American Red Cross Sunshine Act proposes greater oversight on the Red Cross. Sounds like a good idea to me. Not because I think the Red Cross is up to anything nefarious. I’m not schooled enough on the charity and its disaster relief performance to weigh in on that. However, the Red Cross should aim to be as transparent as possible because of these facts alone, pointed out by Justin Elliot of ProPublica:
The Red Cross receives a variety of benefits from the government, including tens of millions of dollars in funding in recent years. It also enjoys a one-dollar, 99-year lease on government land in Washington the charity uses for its headquarters.
The Red Cross was chartered over 100 years ago by congress and while it is mostly funded by private donors, it has an official role in the federal government’s disaster response plan. There is no doubt that this “private” charity is very much intertwined with the public taxpayer. As such, the Red Cross should be willing to open its books to as much government oversight as deemed appropriate by congress and, by extension, the American taxpayer.
Disagree with me? Then start a healthy debate in the comments below!
h/t to ProPublica
