Charitable giving Quote by Jane Mayer
““It would be necessary to use ambiguous and misleading names, obscure the true agenda, and conceal the means of control. This is the method that Charles Koch would soon practice in his charitable giving, and later in his political actions.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Dark Money, Jane Mayer, 2016
The quote warns that power can be hidden behind vague language and charitable fronts to mask true motives and control.
In simple terms: Power often hides behind vague names and charity.
Key Takeaway
Scrutinize motives behind vague names and charitable acts.
Themes
politics
transparency
power
ethics
Mood
skeptical
cautious
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- nonprofit fundraising
- legislative lobbying
- media analysis
Key Concepts
agenda setting
covert influence
philanthropy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we detect hidden agendas?
- What safeguards protect against covert influence?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics can backfire if exposed, leading to loss of credibility.
![“In fact, Charles Koch tried to get [Mike] Pence to run for the White House in 2012.” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/11b/jane-mayer-1031_facts_in-fact-charles-koch-tried-to-get-mike-p_994041.jpg)
![“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts on them, then took pictures and sent them to Charles [Koch] saying, ‘See? We’re doing great things with your money.” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08d/jane-mayer-1031_libertarian_americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of_21572.jpg)
![“One of the oddities of this election is the man that [Donald] Trump chose as his vice-president, Mike Pence, is one of the Kochs' favourite politicians.” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dff/jane-mayer-1031_election_one-of-the-oddities-of-this-election-is_93991.jpg)
![“[The Kochs] they hate big government.” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/758/jane-mayer-1031_big-government_the-kochs-they-hate-big-government-21587_215871.jpg)
![“Is there a difference in the amount donated—based on the "suggested donation" you list? Desmet (1999 ["Asking for Less to Obtain More." Journal of Marketing Research, 29 (4), 430–440.]) found it depends on which suggestions you manipulate. Suppose you have the following "suggested donations": •$15…” quote by Marlene Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/552/marlene-jensen-78793_2013_is-there-a-difference-in-the-amount-dona_1286906.jpg)
