America Is in the Midst of a Philanthropic Revolution

To those optimistic, persistent souls who have a vested interest in seeing positive social change in the U.S., here’s a sobering message: If you are looking for meaningful government support, don’t hold your breath.

Political gridlock and mounting federal debt effectively have rendered the U.S. government impotent, robbing it of its historic ability to spur social change. Americans give Congress a miserable 11 percent approval rating, and when the government does take action, it seems to bungle the job. President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act promised to transform health care. After debacles in the rollout of the law, many Americans are accepting penalties versus buying insurance due to the increases in health insurance premiums.