About the original campaign

Give It Back for Jobs, 2010–2011.

The idea

In December 2010, an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts prompted a proposal: people able to do so could direct some of their tax savings to charities serving the public. The original site offered a way to calculate a tax cut, choose a charity, and make a pledge.

The campaign linked individual giving to concerns about family security, employment, and how the gains of economic policy were distributed. Its organizers argued that voluntary contributions could help organizations and people left behind by the tax decision.

The people behind it

Yale’s contemporary announcement identifies political scientist Jacob Hacker, Yale law professor Daniel Markovits, and Cornell law professor Robert Hockett as the founders. The announcement was published on December 20, 2010.

Reading the campaign in context

The project belonged to the debate over recovery after the financial crisis, public resources, and the extension of earlier tax reductions. Its charitable-giving proposal reflected a particular response to that policy moment. It was not a general economic-news service.

Charitable activity and government programs can both affect people’s economic lives, but their funding, accountability, and reach differ. Those questions remain relevant to today’s reporting on jobs, taxation, and public spending.

This preserved address

This page provides a new historical account at the earlier /about address. It is not a verbatim reproduction of the former page. The current publication is independent of the original campaign and does not accept pledges or donations on its behalf.