Add George Mason University to the list of thieving bastards who are after my mother-in-law’s Social Security

Specifically, the university’s Mercatus Center.

“From the Desk of Maurice McTigue, Q.S.O.”

“Dear ----:

“Cronyism is giving capitalism a bad name.

“This government favor factory is dispensing preference and privilege … distorting the market … and costing billions of taxpayer dollars.” (Ellipses in original document.)

Five pages later: “And with a gift of $10,000 or more, you could join our Founders Circle. You’d receive the listing in our Honoring Annual Supporters mailing as well as timely conference calls on current issues and invitations to our special events.”

Wow! For only $10,000 (or more), my mother-in-law could be mentioned in a list and she could get a telephone call!

Just a little information: In the fiscal year 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011, the Mercatus Center reported $11.7 million revenue and $10.77 million expenses. During the same period, COO Brian Hooks received a salary of $225,000.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=7162

Mercatus Mission:

“For over 25 years, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has sought to bridge the gap that often exists between economic understanding and real-world decision making. Mercatus applies scholarly research to the problems facing policy makers. Bringing together a network of scholars and experts from around the globe, the Mercatus Center provides policy makers with the economic tools to make sense of today's most pressing issues. Mercatus turns ideas into action. Capitol Hill Campus is the central outreach program of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. The program bridges the gap between scholarship and policy by making academic research and methods available to policy makers, and grounding academics by making them aware of policy makers' need for relevant analysis of public policy issues.” (Also at charitynavigator.)

(For the amount of money Mercatus takes in, its people can do a lot to “bridge the gap that often exists between economic understanding and real-world decision making.”

(What it is, is a bunch of people with a bunch of degrees sitting around and talking about theory and such. Of course, if you want to play cards at the big guy table, you have to bring big guy stakes.)