Great piece! Charity needs to be on top of paying one's taxes, not as a partial replacement.

I think about all the things we do here in the US to raise money for school-related activities (bake sales/car washes/candy drives etc) - and who supports those things? The middle income folks who already pay their taxes! (And frankly, we end up supporting each other's kids - I'll get my car washed if you buy 2 candy bars...)