# Is a thread discussing the most cost-effective way to donate to a political cause allowed? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 12, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026 "2023-11-12T16:12:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/1 "2023-11-12T16:12:26Z")
I suspect this has been asked before, but I’m not finding anything. Not something soliciting donations. But also not something asking in general terms about what is effective in politics. Asking: if I want to donate $X or volunteer my time to a specified political objective (let’s not be coy, the objective to stop Trump and the Republican Party at the next election) what is the most productive way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/2 "2023-11-12T16:19:15Z")
Not quite a call to action. But tricky as the thread shouldn’t have links to donate to specific groups. It would be a tough thread to construct but I would be willing to ride herd on it in P&E. Links to sites that show how donations are used and how much gets consumed in overhead would be fine. But a direct link to a political action site called something like _The Fight Against Trump_ would not be. Posting things like find a local group that campaigns door to door to encourage voting would be fine. Specially pointed out a group that does so would not. * * * * * * BTW: A charity checker I use: [File a Complaint · Basic Portal](https://njconsumeraffairs.state.nj.us/public-charity-search-results/?utm_campaign=20230818_nwsltr_b&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) * * * * * * ### Please note, posting links to political groups in this thread could result in a warning. It is clearly against our rules. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/3 "2023-11-12T16:25:01Z")
Thanks, that all seems pretty clear. I’m not going to start it today, because I’m off hiking for a couple of weeks shortly. But somebody else is welcome to, or I’ll do it when I get back. And I’ll quote your guidance in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/4 "2023-11-12T17:36:09Z")
I started a thread along these lines last year without any difficulty. > [@Advice on how my wife and I can save the country and the world](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-how-my-wife-and-i-can-save-the-country-and-the-world/965976): > > Last year I retired, and my wife, an educator for 40 years, took a job as a teacher after spending the previous 15 years or so as a school administrator. So as of next Friday, she will have her first real summer off in more than a decade. We are both worried about the state of our country and of the world and want to use some of our free time this summer do our part to address one or more of the following issues: Voter suppression Electing Democrats Strengthening reproductive rights Enacting … ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/5 "2023-11-12T17:37:43Z")
Thanks, I had a feeling I had seen something along these lines but could not find it. I’ll start by rereading that. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/6 "2023-11-12T22:08:36Z")
I’m looking forward to this thread. Threads on effective altruism are entirely within this board’s mission, IMHO. What Exit: Just to be sure I understand: “Here’s a website/article that compares and contrasts democratic PACs. Here’s a link.” “For the following reasons I say X PAC is effective, Y PAC is effective, Z PAC is ineffective, and AA PAC is scammy. No links, just names.” “Also recognize that Federal Law says the following about contribution limits and thresholds for reporting requirements. Here’s a link.” I’ll also observe that it’s entirely plausible that best approaches to eg supporting Democrats and supporting Republicans may not be identical. Do they belong in different threads? Probably. Finally, discussion of the best charities in general to support also seems topical. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/7 "2023-11-13T00:11:43Z")
Avoiding calls for actions and direct links are important. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/8 "2023-11-13T00:50:14Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I’m looking forward to this thread. Feel free to start it now - otherwise it will probably be a few weeks before I do it, I don’t want to start a thread then disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-thread-discussing-the-most-cost-effective-way-to-donate-to-a-political-cause-allowed/993026/9 "2023-11-13T06:11:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Avoiding calls for actions and direct links are important. Obeying the rules and mod instructions are important. Beyond that, I had to search the archives to figure out why avoiding calls for actions etc were important to the board. On 7/10/22 Ed rescinded the ban on calls for action, while maintaining guidelines against advocacy of harassment, violence or lawbreaking. > [@Clarification of SDMB rule against calls to action](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-of-sdmb-rule-against-calls-to-action/967571/42): > > On further consideration, based on comments received plus internal discussion, the SDMB staff has decided to rescind the rule against calls to action, which was unenforceably broad. Political advocacy and other calls to action are permitted on this board, subject to the rules below, most of which are restatements of our current practice. To clarify the procedure, we’re not taking a vote, but if questions are raised for which we don’t have a good answer - which was the case with the first iterati… Lawsuits are one overriding concern of the board. Two others were listed in that thread: > Ordinary political advocacy is fine. What we’re trying to avoid is people using the board to cook up mischief. A rule against harassment may be sufficient. We’re giving it some more thought. > Financial appeals have always required prior approval, for fear of scams. We usually grant it. I opine that something like this should be acceptable: “Those who care about X, should favor charity Y over charity Z for these reasons.” I’m wondering about this: “The fate of the world is at stake. Everyone should care about [[my issue]]. So dig deep, dig hard, suspend intellect, and respond generously to emotional appeals. Just 25 cents a minute can make a huge difference for round-eyed puppies.” In light of fear of scams, this one seems problematic without clear disclaimers. > Want to support the environment? Here’s a list of great charities I found online: > Sierra Club > National Resources Defense Council > LineMyPockets. com > League of Conservation Voters > Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility > Wikipedia Foundation That said, presumably one goal of the OP would be to identify dubious political organizations, which definitely exist. It would be odd to prohibit this sort of discussion in the off chance that ill conceived posts could inadvertently prop inefficient organizations.