text: Can Religious Charities Take the Place of the Welfare State?
  
  No.   As we know, Catholic "religious charity" is primarily funded by the government.  Not the local St. Vincent dePaul society, and many other local efforts.  Important work, but limited in scope.
  
  Does anyone really think that some reduction in taxes (primarily for the wealthy) will end up being given to charity?  
  
  Let's see - now how much has, for example, Trump given to charity over the last ten years?  Oh, we don't know because he refuses to release his tax returns.  But Trump, and people like him, the truly wealthy, are the ones who will benefit most from tax cuts.  How much of that tax cut will be donated to help a poor person pay a heating bill, or  help fund after-school programs, or provide enough funding for Meals-On-Wheels?  
  
  In Georgia, the state legislature has chosen to give tax breaks to people who will donate to a rural hospital, rather than designate funding.  How do you think that is working?