TIL of a couple who willed ~$900k to the U.S. government, believed to be a "thank you" for the freedoms of living in the U.S. after escaping Nazi-controlled territory in WWII
Government promptly spends it on a hammer for the Pentagon.
So something that was necessary?
I know. It's just a dumb joke and people think it's true. Pencils are dangerous in 0g because you don't want broken graphite floating around electronics.
Or getting in astronaut lungs
Which makes the joke even better for people who understand history, as the Russians consistently showed disregard for the safety of their own people.
Man that is so hilarious.
What a good story Mark
I swear I did not hit her
I feel like I’ve probably inhaled a lot more harmful substances than graphite dust, your lungs are pretty good at cleaning themselves of particles like that, it’s a lot bigger of an issue for the electronics because without gravity there’s just a bunch of conductive sand basically, just aimlessly floating around, ready to short anything at any time.
Blow your nose.
I roll a d20 to for dex
rolls nat 1
Grab the tip of the pencil as soon as it broke off and put it somewhere secure before it could be floating around aimlessly in the first place because of previously mentioned potentially fatal electrical issues it could cause. If it did get to that point though? Probably use a pair of tweezers or something around me that would fit and dislodge it myself while blowing out pretty hard.
How is a bag going to stop your pencil tip from breaking while you write?
Russia used pressurized pens after their invention as well, which are still produced and developed by a private company. NASA did not fund research on the space pen, nor ask for it.
Thanks for the history lesson
that's simply not true
But I saw it on Facebook!
You should have cited your sources
Old joke.
Damn i got it. Reddit kids be dumb.
old joke with logical and factual flaws
Thanks!
It wasn't a compliment if you didn't notice
Thanks! I didn't notice!
Look, I know you saw it somewhere and thought it was funny. It is pretty funny to imagine that someone blew a lot of money while missing a simple solution. However, it's just not the full story and you can't parade around using it as a fact because it's a very misleading statement from the truth.
I know it's not the full story. Thanks
Actually i think hes referencing the movie Independence Day when one of the characters is in area 51 and asks how they could afford everything they had and hr says something like "well you dont think they spend 50,000 dollars on a hammer, 100,000 dollars on a toilet seat do you?"
Its from Facebook so it must be true!
Idk and idc lol
why the down votes?
How does something like this work? I would assume that the money would go to something holocaust related like the museum.
Surely they didn’t just dump the money into the general account.
Surely they didn’t just dump the money into the general account.
And that’s where you’re wrong. It just gets put into the Treasury Department’s general fund, unless the couple specifically stated a contingent use of the funds.
Even then that contingency is really only a suggestion..
And that’s where you’re wrong. Donor intent, specifically the purpose of the use of funds, is a contract between the donor and the recipient of the funds. If the recipient fails to uphold the donor’s intent, any other heirs that were named in the will, if any, could sue the federal government to uphold the donor’s intent. The premise is that other heirs could have received the bequeath instead of the organization that received the funds, and if that organization is not upholding their end of the bargain, then the other heirs would be harmed. There have been several court cases that have come as a result of organizations not using the funds according to the donor’s restrictions.
In this case, though, it looks like there were no other heirs to the couple’s estate, so there would’ve been no other heirs to sue.
I like when you say "And that's where you're wrong". It makes me feel like a movie scene was just cut where the narrator is interrupted by a new one, and theres the record scratch sound.
I guess I didn't consider that... is that something that can be enforced by family heirs vs other family heirs? or just family heirs vs institutional heirs?
I’m not a lawyer (just a tax accountant with enough legal background to be dangerous), so I’m not sure; I would assume that individuals who receive a restricted inheritance would have to follow the same type of restrictions.
I wish there were another "and that's where you're wrong" in this chain. Maybe I can trigger one.
clears throat
I'm operating under the assumption that 2017 was a dull year for students of constitutional law.
Not really. If you were to donate $1 or $1,000,000 to your alma matter and earmark those funds for chemistry lab supplies, the school could only use the money for chemistry lab supplies. Not for redecorating the president’s house or for geology lab supplies.
Yes then they would use the Donated Money for Chemistry Supplies and since unrestricted funds didn't get used to redecorate the president's house.
So there is a way to get the government to fund a Death start after all.
Do you know if someone could ask that the US govt. spend that money on reducing the National Debt?
Nice. Thanks! That site sure as hell doesn't look .gov material haha (in UI, I know it actually is a govt. site).
Depends on how it was bequeathed, but generally monetary gifts to the United States are just dumped in the general account and made available for general budget.
generally monetary gifts to the United States
Does this happen that often? I'd rather die before I voluntarily gave my money to the U.S. government.
It seems to happen often enough that there's a webpage for people who are interested in doing this: https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsfaq/fs_gifts_to_govt.htm
Yep, donations made to the U.S. government are actually handled by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, one of whose functions it is to handle monetary gifts of this kind.
Where's the state departments patreon
Why? The government is essentially an organization created for the public good like any other charity. Granted it has a shit ton of bureaucratic layers and many inefficiencies, but at the end of the day the funds would go toward providing a public service for the benefit of the people. I don’t know how voluntary donations would be bad for society.
Granted we all hate paying taxes (shit, I’m a tax accountant, and I know taxes and how to pay the least; nobody should be obligated to pay more than what they legally need to pay), but taxes are meant to carry out the government’s overall purpose and mission of providing for the public. Making a donation would only help further the cause.
the funds would go toward providing a public service for the benefit of the people
Most likely it would be used to buy weapons.
How is anything he said wrong
Because I work for the government and I see where the "for the good of the people" budgets are going.
Inefficient admin expenses until its non existent?
Try to change my view.
Edit: a word
Just because money goes toward shit that is unnecessary doesn’t mean money doesn’t go toward things that we do need. You know, things like the army and the navy and things like, I don’t know, oversight of the fucking nuclear missiles that could blow this country up, or the court system, or administering tax laws and law enforcement and [insert other necessary federal government service or function].
I think if all Americans stopped paying taxes, you’d soon see that, irrespective of the government’s inefficiencies, funding the government is still pretty damn important. And I’m sure if some people decided to stop donating to the government, some important programs would go unfunded or underfunded.
That's super edgy of you, and yes, a significant amount of the budget goes toward defense, but you can't deny the "promote the general welfare" part of the Constitution no matter how many times you fail polisci 101 for "missing the point."
Please explain how the US invading a random middle eastern country provides for the general welfare.
No. You took issue with the idea that taxes are meant to provide for the general welfare. Taxes pay for your roads, your education, your parks, your sanitation, etc. Point fucking proven. Stop moving the goalposts. Yes, we're all aware that the bloated defense spending is ridiculous and unnecessary and in many ways evil. No, you're not brilliant for pointing that out. But you are a moron for suggesting that taxes don't promote the general welfare. Unless you're suggesting that the Preamble states that ALL tax dollars go toward promoting the general welfare, in which case you're just ignorant of the English language.
Edit: I am so sorry, I thought you were /u/Radidactyl. I did not mean to come at you so hard. Please accept my sincerest apologies. My actual reply to you is below:
The Preamble says what the Constitution seeks to do, and one of them is to provide for the common defense. Another part of the Constitution gives the president the ability to issue executive orders, which is where all the preemptive strike crap got started. It's all very legal and technically fits within the parameters of the Constitution. Does that mean I agree with it? No.
I honestly don't understand this attitude, it's so shitty.
I have no doubts that my life would have been a whole lot shittier without various government programs (like roads, regulated healthcare, free public schools, fafsa, etc.). If you weren't born to parents in the .1%, it's virtually certain that you've benefitted greatly from government programs.
I am talking about voluntarily giving money after taxes.
Youre right, they should have spent it lobbying to make govt more efficient
Then make sure you have a good estate plan.
Because dying without an estate plan is basically the same as voluntarily giving money to the government.
Anyone can gift a check or cash, gold, etc to the government. Easiest way is a check made out and then mailed to Treasury of the United States Attn Dept G Bureau of the Fiscal Service P. O. Box 2188 Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188
Hmm, just thought about it, and you almost certainly can deduct this from your taxes since you're literally paying the United States money. Voluntarily.
Um, if you send that too this address, prepare to have the FBI pay you a visit. US Treasury
They payed off about 0.000004367466688538% of the US debt.
National heroes
If only they used it to pay off debt...
Nope. They bought 5 hammers and a screwdriver.
Yes, but imagine how much profit they will make because they'll build something of value! ;)
You can send money to the treasury and specify that its used to pay off the debt.
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/resources/faq/faq_publicdebt.htm#DebtFinance
"paid"
i’m tired but could you please calculate how much national debt we have per person in the US so i can see how much we’d have to donate each
No one has to donate anything, that's not how national debt works.
I met a bobcat once, and the owner said if I don't bump my head into his, it would kill me.
The fuck?
haha wtf
Well, that's a great way to completely erase a million.
I get the gesture, but what a total waste. Guess that 1/10 of a droplet can go into the military.
Should go to the VA... they sure as shit need it.
Or, I don’t know... properly funded, so they have the resources to help the people they’re charged with caring for.
I'm for more help for our veterans, and for more money toward the VA.
But my local VA is massive, well staffed, and is beautiful. However, there is massive waste of funds there.
Source: volunteered at the VA, have taken my grandfather to the VA on dozens of occasions for appointments, and have 2 family members who work there.
My ex was honorably discharged and eventually labelled 100% disabled due to several injuries and traumatic experiences. She's moved states four times to be close to different VA facilities where she could get help, and is finally getting a acceptable level of treatment. The half dozen VA hospitals she tried and eventually left behind all needed serious upgrades to facilities and staff to become functional. It's a shame how poorly some veterans are treated.
That and actually train the workers
Or don't spend millions of dollars on fucking artwork
My state has a 'percent for the arts' requirement for public buildings. Basically, any publicly funded new construction must set aside 1% of its budget for art. Rules like this are why you see some truly weird and awful pieces of art in public places.
Which is a good thing, out of all the money the government wastes spending a small amount of money on artwork for public buildings is a positive.
I'd rather they spend it on better medical facilities, or more workers, or better filing systems, or better medical treatment, or better hospice care, or better research into treatments, or hell just give it to Brenda the receptionist so she'll actually start helping people over the phone, like pretty much anything other than art really. People don't go to the VA to look at pretty things, they go for medical treatment. If I wanna see pretty shit I'll go somewhere else.
I disagree. Saying "well, the government already wastes money, why not waste more!" is a poor attitude to have.
Art is never a bad thing to have, it inspires and uplifts in what can otherwise be a very dreary and depressing existence. Not an attitude I would have had when I was younger but as I get older it's important to me.
I can find plenty of things I'd prefer the government to cut spending on before I'd suggest cutting spending on art in civil buildings, not to mention it's just a tiny drop in the bucket.
That does seem like a good thing though. Helping local artists have a job and making everyday life a little less mundane, albeit maybe weird
Fuck you
No thanks Should I have worded it better for it to say "fuck no the VA needs an overhaul first to become more efficient and less fucking Veterans over?"
People probably think I wanna strip away rights from veterans even though I am one
No, the VA is far better for veterans than private health care, if all if the fricking money goes to the VA which could be used to improve our system instead of being left in the limbo or being used for something else.
I think all of the US health care systems should be redone or at least the coverage and insurance premium policies
Aaaaand it's gone.
A wonderful example. To those wondering what happened to the money, after processing deductions, 90k of it went to a general spending fund in DC. Of The deductions, about 400K went to the governors general spending fund which went to his re-election campaign and 410k was for processing fees for the lawyer who handled the donation. I heard he used it to purchase a very luxurious oriental rug. A wonderful tribute to this great couple.
Sounds about right.
True morons.
satire
My sources are behind a very expensive paywall, I don’t think you can afford it, sorry.
The government already has money. The money could be something to help their immidiate family.
Yea this is the dumbest thing I've ever read. Did they not also pay taxes for 60 years and most likely not commit any crimes? That's enough to thank your country.
That's like 1 hole of golf for Trump.
They should have donated it to an anti hate group or something.
Versus spending their money however they see fit. Do we view people as dumb when they bought bonds during wartime?
Truly not trying to be a dick.
I get what you're saying and I agree in spirit. I would never try and hinder someone from doing this, but I would damn sure tell me wife I think they're fuckin reerees when I got home.
...reeree? Really?
If there was currently a real war going on then it would be fine.
I remember the story of a widow that had over $1 million and she willed it to the Fed. Govt. to pay down the national debt.
She could have done so much good in her community by setting up an endowment.
That paid for about 3 minutes of interest payments.
She could have done a lot of good for a few people, but chose to do little good for many people.
That moment when you give money to a hillbilly and hope he won't spend it on coke and hoes.
Everyone is shitting on the government, but they fail to think of why they think the government is bad.
Vote better, folks. Vote for politicians with integrity. (Fuck you people saying that's oxymoronic. You're part of the problem.) If there are no politicians you're happy with, sign up as a candidate, or encourage someone you believe in to do so.
The government is made of people. The people suck? Replace the people.
"Oh, but it's the beauracracy that's bad." Well, how the hell do you expect anything to get accomplished without some level of beauracracy? Again, beauracracy is composed of people. Pick better politicians. Have them pick better beauracrats.
Thinking things are broken and not working on solutions is the best way to make things worse and become bitter. Stop that.
Until we have campaign finance reform were never going to have a major candidate that isn't bought and sold by corporations.
I agree campaign finance reform is absolutely essential, and we need to work towards it. It needs to start small. Get local representatives that aren't bought out. Set up their behaviors as a standard. Show people it's standard. Get local laws passed and bubble it up over time
Exactly this. Try to imagine yourself in many of the other countries where you have no say, and if you do, you will wish you hadn’t!!!
Inspite of the current seemingly incredible divide, transfer of power happens peacefully!
Change does not come from within. If you actually wanna change things,you need to oppose the system and not legitimize it by voting. Freedom is not given from above, but fought for from the lowest ranks.
Are you advocating violence, sir? Something tells me that's against some sort of guidelines...
Oh no, the sacred laws. Who gives a crap when you can get away with it. People need to do what is morally right, not what is legally right.
It sounds like you consider violence morally right. That's troubling.
It's troubling to think that violence is always wrong when all historic changes, wether bad or good, were achieved through it. You don't talk a dictator down.
I cite India.
India achieved it's independence, but it did not change socially. To this day India even still has a caste system in many places. It still is capitalist. It only had a chance in government. Those who actually tried to change that in India were killed during and after the independence. It was no social progress or change. It solely achieved it's political sovereignty.
"only" lol
India's culture historically supports a caste system. It's been endemic to their thought for centuries, partially tied to Hinduism.
That said, social changes are certainly not brought about by violence. That sort of thought is what led to ISIS
Any revolution was achieved through violence. Monarchies basically do not exist anymore, because of violence. Only violence ended the fascists in Europe and only violence allowed the people of several countries to become free, even if only temporarily. Take the Russian revolution as an example. If they hadn't used violence, they would just have been shot and taken down.
Your argument still ignores that it hasn't brought India any social change. You even confirmed it yourself that India supports a caste system.
I do t think anyone's shitting on the government, just the idiots who flushed 900k down the toilet.
That's exactly what I mean.
They thought the government provides value and wanted to give them more resources to help them provide more value.
Everyone here is saying they wasted their resources by giving them to something that provides no value.
They're not saying it directly, but it is directly implied.
No it's not. They are so stupid because it such a tiny amount it's a drop in the bucket. It improved no one's life. Basically they have everyone 3 pennys
Please make a movie. Or someone write a really good book, please.
I hope the government had to pay inheritance tax on it.
They can pay 0% or 100%, It makes no difference.
Yeah, I know. Just sour grapes on my part.
A great time to remind anti tax reformers that you are free to pay more than your tax bill.
Freedom is great isn't it.
Sounds like the couple was delusional towards the end.
What an idiotic decision.
I’m sure someone will find a way to twist this anecdote to supoort the notion that refugees don’t contribute to their adopted nations.
That's the dumbest thing ever. Literally nothing wastes as much money as the U.S. government does. Should have donated to an institution that needed it, like an orphanage or animal rescue.
Well I think it's an awesome sentiment.
Hmm.... I always believed taxes were my 'thank you'....
I'd bet they'd want it back today.
Would that cover a Trump golf trip?
I think this is awesome and I wish more people had this attitude. I know its popular to bash the government, and rightfully so. Everyone has a "get mine" attitude, and certainly the politicians have that mentality too. Wish we could somehow value something more than money.
wish we could value something more than money
praises people for giving money
That's what you took away from my reply?
Yes
That's what I got from it too
And it was immediately wasted. I really hope they weren't Jewish.
That the dumbest thing I ever heard. You could form a charity or something like that. The government will just use it to buy something dumb
What a fucking waste
"We want a refund."
Pay bonus for someone
Unfortunately that is only $300k after taxes are taken out.
Who then used it to attack and terrorize other countries around the world.
Govt probably used it for ammunition
Govt probably used it for new file cabinets.
These comments gave me cancer
This makes me happy.
Meanwhile elsewhere in government...”I only want European immigrants in. Everyone else is from shithole places, are rapists and probably have AIDS. Boy this will help with my weekly vig to Putin.” - Donald Duck
If they could see this shithole now.
Most of it will go to oil and coal CEOs
I hope they weren't alive to see the tiki torch whites come out of the closet.
If only they knew that the US government actually has its own Nazis that hold the highest office! RESIST! PUSSYHATS! MICROAGGRESSIONS! ROFLROFLROFL
"Though not much is known about the couple, Balkema said Peter Petrasek escaped to Ottawa, Canada, from Czechoslovakia, where he met his wife Joan, who was Irish, according to their neighbor."
Looks like they should have willed the money to the Canadian government
Misguided gesture IMO. The "government" is an abstract entity, a social construct if you will. A more appropriate gesture IMO would be to donate to a charity benefiting military widows who's spouse's lives were sacrificed protecting those freedoms.
Living in a delusion your entire life... How sad.
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