Get Rid of the Tax Deduction for Charity

With tax-deductible donations in danger, the nonprofit world is mobilizing. Its lobbyists and supporters will be blanketing Capitol Hill this week. “Take action,” urges the Web site of Independent Sector, an organization of philanthropies and philanthropists. “Tell Congress not to limit the charitable deduction.”

Their entreaties are not falling on deaf ears. In a paper explaining why income tax rates must rise — why closing loopholes won’t raise enough money — two White House economists, Gene Sperling and Jason Furman, argue that it isn’t “plausible” to assume that Congress would eliminate the charitable deduction.