Of course, politicians who spend more time urging others to help than in helping aren't the best salesmen for the benefits of voluneerism. Moreover, even truly voluntary contributions are viewed by many firms more as a tool of public relations than as an exercise of moral responsibility. However, neither hypocrisy nor self-interest diminishes the good that can be done by volunteers. We all have an enormous capacity to aid those around us. Nevertheless, encouraging firms to voluntarily drop a few dollars on the less fortunate should not blind us to the most important issue.
Government stands in the way of helping the needy at almost every turn.
Most bizarre are government policies that discourage volunteerism. Mother Teresa's religious order dropped a planned AIDS facility because New York City insisted that the building include a costly and unnecessary elevator. Labeling requirements in Los Angeles prevent restaurants from giving food away to the homeless. The federal government threatened to put Salvation Army rehabilitation centers out of business when the government proposed applying the minimum wage law to participants. The state of Texas attempted to restrict the hiring of counselors by Teen Challenge, a religious drug treatment program with a far higher success rate than government programs.