There is nothing wrong with people donating money to a foundation. Nor does it matter if people make the donation to a foundation with humanitarian goals (although it will probably end up in the hands of some dictator), to a foundation defending an ideological position, to the Church… It is their money to do with as they please.   

 

But there is a problem when the State makes donations. Why? Because, clearly, it is not the State’s money, but rather money illegitimately wrested away from taxpayers. It is unimportant which goals the State spends the taxpayers’ dollars on; the money is dirty money; it is money stolen from you and me and will be funneled to whatever goals are best suited to the State’s needs.   

 

Some people are “pro-Israel,” or “pro-Palestine,” but probably, whatever group they lean towards (if any) they would never give their money to whomever they consider the “enemy.” Has the State ever asked the taxpayer what he thinks about donating money to this group or the other group? No. The State does not respect anything: not people’s property, because it steals their money, or people’s freedom to do what they please.  

 

But beyond this, the State through its donations to foundations finances its own organizations. Obviously, all parties reach fast agreement when the time comes to finalize this section of the budget. Here are some examples, with the foundations’ names, the money they receive and the parties they are linked to:

 

- Fundación FAES: 2.128.755 euros (Popular Party (PP)).

- Fundación Pablo Iglesias: 2.085.437 euros (Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE)).

- Fundación Rafael Campalanys: 350.558 euros (Socialist Party of Catalonia).

- Fundación por la Europa de los Ciudadanos: 177.145 euros (The United Left).

- Nous Horizons: 51.872 euros (Initiative for Catalonia-Greens).

- Fundación Ramón Trias Fargas: 138.434 euros (Democratic Convergente of Catalonia).

- Institut d'Estudis Humanistics Coll i Alentorn: 46.145 euros (Democratic Union -Catalonia).

- Josep Irla i Bosch: 144.089 euros (Republican Left Party of Catalonia (ERC)).

- Sabino Arana: 93.007 euros (Basque Nationalist Party (PNV)).

- Galiza Sempre: 46.105 euros (Galician Nationalist Party (BNG)).

- Gaspar Torrente: 20.823 euros (Aragon Chunta).

 

For 2005, a total of 5.28 million euros will go exclusively to political parties’ foundations. Some, perhaps, will say this is nothing compared to the State’s entire budget, but these 5 million euros could be put to much better ends. This money belongs to the taxpayer and the State has no right to take it away for its own benefit. Those supporting PP are not going to be too excited their money goes to PSOE. And those backing ERC will not want their money falling into the hands of PP’s leadership for them, all of them, to use on propaganda.

 

But, as I pointed out before, this is not all the money the government gives away; more and more NGOs are financed with public tax money. The “NG” part, “non-governmental,” makes less sense by the day. Some NGOs have even found in the State’s generosity the perfect means for financing their radical and armed groups. When the press reports something like this, everyone is scandalized, but no politician does anything.

 

The next time a politician tells you “taxes are good,” he isn’t saying it because he is going to spend the money on you, but because he is going to keep a generous part of it for himself or give it to a friend.