# Clinton Global Initiative bites the dust **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294 "2017-01-16T05:15:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/41 "2017-01-18T06:29:15Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Exactly. It’s almost like this thing wasn’t a charity. How would _you_ tell the difference between: A. The CGI will be less efficient at its charitable goals after Clinton’s loss. B. The CGI will be less efficient at bringing money to the Clintons after Clinton’s loss. and have you at any momenth considered point A? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/42 "2017-01-19T05:36:11Z")
It’s shut down because they don’t need it and it’s not worth a whole lot to them anymore. Their speaking fees are about to go way down as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/43 "2017-01-19T08:29:00Z")
> [@naita](#): > > How would _you_ tell the difference between: > > A. The CGI will be less efficient at its charitable goals after Clinton’s loss. > B. The CGI will be less efficient at bringing money to the Clintons after Clinton’s loss. > > and have you at any momenth considered point A? Yes. And as you may tell, it didn’t sell me on anything. Let’s say that I am a Hollywood star and I’ve got a charity that I run. My charity helps to keep people fed in impoverished and war torn countries. Then I’m in a car accident and disfigured. I can no longer get starring roles. Now the question is, do I actually care about saving people from starvation? If so, is there any way that the result of this is that I pack it in? No. Is my pulling power going to drop? Yes. With time. But, so long as I’ve got enough money that I can continue to live my life, and I still know that fundamentally a charity can run based simply on the work it is doing and salesmanship, there’s no reason for me to quit. And my Hollywood star is going to drop out of the limelight a lot faster than a former President and former Senator/Secretary of State, one of whom is a great speaker and both of whom still have great influence with one of the major parties in the country. If Bill Clinton calls me up and says, “Hey, do you want to save children from dying AND make connections with other good, charitable donors like yourself? And I’ll give a riveting speech about what I think the country should be doing in the future?” Would I attend? Sure thing. I’ll grant that it’s reasonable for foreign nations to drop out, if they’re expecting a quid pro quo that (if we are trusting the Clintons) they were never going to get. But there’s zero reason for the Clintons to shut down that branch of their ventures. Scale back, sure. But people don’t stop starving to death because you lost your bid for President. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/44 "2017-01-19T08:49:39Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Yes. And as you may tell, it didn’t sell me on anything. > > Let’s say that I am a Hollywood star and I’ve got a charity that I run. My charity helps to keep people fed in impoverished and war torn countries. Then I’m in a car accident and disfigured. I can no longer get starring roles. > > Now the question is, do I actually care about saving people from starvation? If so, is there any way that the result of this is that I pack it in? No. > > Is my pulling power going to drop? Yes. With time. But, so long as I’ve got enough money that I can continue to live my life, and I still know that fundamentally a charity can run based simply on the work it is doing and salesmanship, there’s no reason for me to quit. > > And my Hollywood star is going to drop out of the limelight a lot faster than a former President and former Senator/Secretary of State, one of whom is a great speaker and both of whom still have great influence with one of the major parties in the country. If Bill Clinton calls me up and says, “Hey, do you want to save children from dying AND make connections with other good, charitable donors like yourself? And I’ll give a riveting speech about what I think the country should be doing in the future?” Would I attend? Sure thing. > > I’ll grant that it’s reasonable for foreign nations to drop out, if they’re expecting a quid pro quo that (if we are trusting the Clintons) they were never going to get. But there’s zero reason for the Clintons to shut down that branch of their ventures. Scale back, sure. But people don’t stop starving to death because you lost your bid for President. Where your analogy fails is that the Clintons aren’t shutting down their charitable work. They are shutting down one specific organisational effort. You’re also positing the absurd idea that any celebrity that cares about any issue has to forever spend the time and effort they spent at the max on improving that issue. No opening for deciding to take a breather, no opening for changing ones approach, no opening for making financial decisions. I care about people starving around the world, but I still limit my charitable contributions to a level where I’m still living in relative luxury. Does that mean I don’t actually care about them? If I stop engaging in spreading my opinions on global inequality because it’s exhausting, or because I’m swamped with a new job, or because I want to focus on another issue local or global, does that mean I never cared at all? You’re of course entitled to draw negative conclusions about the Clinton Foundation based on the available evidence, but you’re going beyond rational analysis here and into naive rationalization. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/45 "2017-01-19T17:11:01Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Where your analogy fails is that the Clintons aren’t shutting down their charitable work. I think the question is: Why would anybody establish and run _two_ charities? What’s wrong with just one? That’s the fishy part. Not that it’s closing, but why the hell it existed in the first place. As you pointed out, the Clintons aren’t shutting down their charity. So what _is_ it they just shut down? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/46 "2017-01-19T17:35:05Z")
CGI already [announced in October](http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2016/10/clinton_global_initiative_to_lay_off_74_at_new_york_office.html) that they were shutting down, presumably to eliminate the appearance of conflict of interest for Hillary. Nothing new has happened, other than one more piece of paperwork to complete the shutdown. From the article: > [@](#): > > The notice, required under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), said the 74 employees at the initiative’s offices on the 42nd floor at 1271 Avenue of the Americas will be laid off on Dec. 31. > > The notice cites the foundation’s plan to discontinue the initiative, … ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/47 "2017-01-19T17:35:22Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > As you pointed out, the Clintons aren’t shutting down their charity. So what _is_ it they just shut down? Wouldn’t it be nice if people bothered to find this out _before_ engaging in idle speculation over _why_ it was shut down. And I mean “find out the actual facts about it”. That’d be real swell. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/48 "2017-01-19T17:40:18Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I think the question is: Why would anybody establish and run _two_ charities? What’s wrong with just one? That’s the fishy part. Not that it’s closing, but why the hell it existed in the first place. As you pointed out, the Clintons aren’t shutting down their charity. So what _is_ it they just shut down? It’s not two charities. They are just shutting down one of the programs run by the foundation. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/49 "2017-01-19T17:49:45Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Wouldn’t it be nice if people bothered to find this out _before_ engaging in idle speculation over _why_ it was shut down. And I mean “find out the actual facts about it”. > > That’d be real swell. Certainly. Every organization is exactly as it purports itself to be. Always. 100% of the time. But hey, I don’t even know what it _claims_ to be. From its [website](https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/about-us/frequently-asked-questions): > [@](#): > > Frequently Asked Questions > What is the Clinton Global Initiative? > > President Bill Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2005 to turn ideas into action. From presidents to academics, from the boardroom to the classroom, CGI members across sectors are creating positive change around the world. > > Rather than directly implementing projects, CGI facilitates action by helping members connect, collaborate, and make effective and measurable Commitments to Action—plans for addressing significant global challenges. > > CGI conducted its inaugural meeting in 2005 in New York City. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 190 sitting and former heads of state, 21 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. > > In addition to the Annual Meeting, CGI has expanded to include youth- and geographic-specific platforms. This includes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. CGI meetings have also been held internationally, including CGI Asia in 2008, CGI Latin America in 2013, and CGI Middle East & Africa this year, all of which brought together leaders across sectors to take action on pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Apparently, it “facilitates action” and “brings together leaders”. It organizes meetings? Clear as mud to me. You’re welcome to try and explain it better. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/50 "2017-01-19T18:26:34Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Certainly. Every organization is exactly as it purports itself to be. Always. 100% of the time. But hey, I don’t even know what it _claims_ to be. > > From its [website](https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/about-us/frequently-asked-questions): > Apparently, it “facilitates action” and “brings together leaders”. It organizes meetings? Clear as mud to me. You’re welcome to try and explain it better. What’s so muddy? They organized meetings and speakers to get together people who cared or could be persuaded to care about issues they wanted action on. What could possibly be confusing you? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/51 "2017-01-19T18:42:48Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As I asked **elucidator** , why do you think that the Clintons decided that charity is no longer a worthwhile task right at this moment in time? > [@scr4](#): > > CGI already [announced in October](http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2016/10/clinton_global_initiative_to_lay_off_74_at_new_york_office.html) that they were shutting down, presumably to eliminate the appearance of conflict of interest for Hillary. Nothing new has happened, other than one more piece of paperwork to complete the shutdown. I guess that will lay your suspicions to rest, Sage Rat? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/52 "2017-01-19T18:51:26Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > What’s so muddy? They organized meetings and speakers to get together people who cared or could be persuaded to care about issues they wanted action on. What could possibly be confusing you? So they accepted hundreds of millions of dollars in donations so that rich people could talk to each other? How is that a charitable function? And why shut it down? Rich people don’t want to talk to each other anymore, since the election? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/53 "2017-01-19T18:57:39Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > So they accepted hundreds of millions of dollars in donations so that rich people could talk to each other? How is that a charitable function? And why shut it down? Rich people don’t want to talk to each other anymore, since the election? I don’t think the Global Initiative accepted hundreds of millions of dollars. I also don’t think the Global Initiative is the only venue for rich people to talk. Apparently, the Clintons thought it would be inappropriate to act as hosts for such talks when Hillary became president. As scr4 linked, they chose to close down before the election. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/54 "2017-01-19T19:30:33Z")
> **[The Clinton Foundation Shuts Down Clinton Global Initiative](https://observer.com/2017/01/the-clinton-foundation-shuts-down-clinton-global-initiative/?utm_campaign=social%2Bflow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social)** > > The organization was built on greed and the lust for power and wealth—not charity. Originally announced, last September before the election but after controversy about foreign donations, CGI is closing down. More importantly, donations to the Clinton Foundation generally seem to be shrivelling after the election. This seems like evidence of pay for play, even if its not proof. What say the masses? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/55 "2017-01-19T19:40:05Z")
Merged in post #53. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/56 "2017-01-19T19:42:53Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > [The Clinton Foundation Shuts Down Clinton Global Initiative | Observer](http://observer.com/2017/01/the-clinton-foundation-shuts-down-clinton-global-initiative/?utm_campaign=social+flow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social) > > Originally announced, last September before the election but after controversy about foreign donations, CGI is closing down. > > More importantly, donations to the Clinton Foundation generally seem to be shrivelling after the election. This seems like evidence of pay for play, even if its not proof. > > What say the masses? I’d say you’re not over Clinton running. Get over it and rejoice in the coming Trumpocracy. If you think Clinton was pay to play, you ain’t seen _nothing_ yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/57 "2017-01-19T20:14:16Z")
It is useful maybe to read [the Bloomberg article of September 2016](https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-09-19/clinton-global-initiative-ends-run-with-some-of-shine-worn-off) already announcing this and givng the non political summary of the activities. They were very active in the African development area. It seems this announcement is the recycled pseudo news… ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/58 "2017-01-20T01:35:58Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > One is a much better speaker than the other, with more interesting things to say. Yeah, the one who did not get blow jobs in the White House from interns. Slee ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/59 "2017-01-20T04:22:31Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > CGI already [announced in October](http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2016/10/clinton_global_initiative_to_lay_off_74_at_new_york_office.html) that they were shutting down, presumably to eliminate the appearance of conflict of interest for Hillary. Nothing new has happened, other than one more piece of paperwork to complete the shutdown. > > From the article: I guess that is why only hard-right sites are now reporting this - not really breaking news. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294/60 "2017-01-24T15:03:01Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Merged in post #53. > > [/moderating] Thanks, I hadn’t noticed this in elections. Are the rules of the great debates forum the same as elections? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clinton-global-initiative-bites-the-dust/777294.md?page=4)