Live 8 and your taxes

A number of conservative bloggers were charmed by Bob Geldof during a conference call on Live 8, and I don't totally blame them. Geldof has been masterful in setting up Live 8, as has been Bono, but a healthy dose of skepticism is always a good thing in the face of an onslaught of charm. Especially when the charm offensive may affect your tax dollars (via RushLimbaugh.com):

BONO: Live Aid, the original Live Aid, 20 years ago, was about charity. You know, we all put our hands in our pocket. This is not about charity. This is about justice. This is about people getting out on the streets, tuning in, being educated about what their tax dollars can achieve in the impoverished continent of Africa and elsewhere.

Most Americans believe the judicious use of their tax dollars on foreign aid is a worthwhile endeavor. We must all take great care as more and more people try and get deeper and deeper into our wallets, though. Bono can try to educate me all he wants about what my tax dollars can achieve in Africa, but I draw the line at Bono trying to determine how my tax dollars are spent, and that is really what Live 8 is about-creeping deeper and deeper into the American wallet.

I'm not saying that what Geldof and Bono are trying to do here is not worthwhile. It certainly is. What I am saying is that Geldof and Bono want your support in helping lift Africa, and that we should approach their opened hand with an open hand of our own. But we should have our other hand on our wallets, just in case.