World’s First Direct Mail Fund Raiser

World’s First Direct Mail Fund Raiser

I’ve made my living in the direct mail fund raising business for more than 35 years.  I’m passionate about my clients and their missions.  While creating goods and services is important, I believe what my clients do is even more important.  Their efforts don’t improve your standard of living, make your life more comfortable, or make your life easier.  No, what my clients do is, I believe, even more important—they improve the fabric of our society and encourage good character by supporting American servicemen and women, by rescuing animals in need, by electing good candidates to public office, by creating world-class museums to pass along our legacy of freedom, and much, much more.  Nonprofit organizations like the ones I serve add Technicolor™ to our lives.  They do good and I get to help them do good.  How could anyone have a better job?

Most of you probably think that direct mail fund raising is a rather recent phenomenon.  You probably think that it was invented in the 20th century here in the United States.  Well, if that’s what you think it’s understandable, but you’re off by nearly 2,000 years.  At least that’s what we know from recorded history—from the land of Israel.

The earliest recorded direct mail fund raiser was none other than Paul of Tarsus—Saint Paul, as recorded in 2nd Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9.  Of course, his appeal for funds was included with a much longer message of the Gospel, but even by today’s standards, Paul wrote a long, impassioned appeal to the members of the church at Corinth to contribute to the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need.

Paul’s letter followed the form of fund raising letters written today.  He addressed them personally by calling them “brothers.”  He started his letter with an emotional story of the Macedonian Christians who were dirt poor, but begged Paul to let them participate in the collection to help the Christians in Jerusalem.  Paul bonded with the Christians in Corinth by reminding them that they suggested a collection be taken up in the first place.  He praised them for their excellence in every area—faith, speech, knowledge, and love.  He even mentioned that it was the enthusiasm of the Corinthian Christians that stirred the Macedonian Christians to action in the first place.

As a friend, Paul reminded them that they made the first gift.  He even suggested an amount—something that did not leave them poor, but a generous amount that they could give with joy in their heart.

Paul was straightforward, he said complete your contribution now!  He also gave them this advice, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)  And finally, Paul promised them that their generosity would encourage others to praise God.

What a powerful fund raising letter!  What a great example.  Enough of that “junk mail” stuff, OK?  It is opportunity mail—an opportunity to make this a better place to live.

Putting Lipstick on a Pig

Putting Lipstick on a Pig
Nancy Pelosi has announced that henceforth and hereafter, the “Public Option” for health care will be called the “Consumer Option.”  Wow!  I feel so much better about the government taking over my health care.  

Really, folks, this is, as Sarah Palin might say, like putting lipstick on a pig.  You can put as much makeup and lipstick on a pig as you want, but it will still be a pig.

And make no mistake about it, the goal for this pig is to get to a one payer system like Canada and England.  We know that’s the goal because Obama has been recorded on video as saying that is his goal.

And a one payer, socialized medicine program means lousy, bureaucratic and poor health care.  It’s still a pig.

In England, Canada and every other nation that has socialized medicine, people who need help suffer from ---

1. Waiting months for care.
2. A shortage of doctors.
3. A shortage of nurses.
4. Emergency room back-ups.
5. Government bureaucrats deciding who gets treated and who doesn’t.  If you are 50 or older, expect the worst.
6. Out of control expenditures for second rate health care.
7. No new treatments or medications.
8. Government selection of your doctor.

By any name you choose, Public Option, Consumer Option, One Payer or Socialized Medicine, government run health care is a pig.  And don’t forget that our “public servants” who see themselves as our “public rulers” have opted themselves out of any government operated health care system.  

Time to read Orwell’s Animal Farm again.  It’s turning into reality before our eyes.