All posts tagged: pledge

People who pledge 10% of their income to charity are more morally expansive and open-minded

People who pledge 10% of their income to charity are more morally expansive and open-minded

Published by José

According to a new study, people who have taken the Giving What We Can (GWWC) pledge to donate at least 10% of their income to charity display distinct cognitive and personality traits. This research was published in the Journal of Personality. Altruism has been a central focus of social science research, particularly the study of individuals whose moral concern for others far exceeds that of the typical population. These extraordinary altruists, who often make significant personal sacrifices to help others, challenge traditional evolutionary theories of altruism, which suggest that helping behaviors are motivated by potential future benefits or kin relationships. In this context, understanding the motivations and characteristics of those who pledge to donate a substantial portion of their income to charity provides valuable insights into the nature of altruistic behavior. GWWC is an organization that encourages individuals to commit to donating at least 10% of their income to charity throughout their lives. Matti Wilks and colleagues sought to identify the cognitive and personality traits that distinguish these extraordinary altruists from the general population. This …

Will Joe Biden’s immigration pledge convince or confuse the public? – podcast | Politics

Will Joe Biden’s immigration pledge convince or confuse the public? – podcast | Politics

Published by skeptic

In this year’s presidential election, there is hardly a more divisive issue than immigration. Earlier this month, President Biden signed an executive order to temporarily limit asylum claims on the southern border, but just two weeks later he announced a citizenship pathway for hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses. In his speech, he said: ‘I’m not interested in playing politics with the border or immigration; I’m interested in fixing it.’ As he faces accusations of being both too hard and too soft on the issue, will his political gamble pay off? Jonathan Freedland is joined this week by Dara Lind, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know Source link

General election: Conservatives pledge £20m each for 30 towns | Politics News

General election: Conservatives pledge £20m each for 30 towns | Politics News

Published by Sam

The Conservatives have pledged to give £20m to 30 towns across the country – a move the Labour Party has branded a “reckless, unfunded commitment”. Rishi Sunak’s party said it would add the towns – many of which are based in the Midlands and north – to its existing long-term plan for towns, increasing the number that will receive financial support to more than 100. The Tories said local people in each area would decide how the money would be spent, through new town boards composed of community leaders, businesspeople, local government and the local MP. Election latest: Starmer says Abbott ‘free’ to stand for Labour The prime minister said the “bold action” would “transform” 30 towns, as he claimed Labour’s record in government “shows they don’t care about towns – neglecting their needs, allowing them to decline and focusing instead on cities.” “Sir Keir Starmer has no plan to unlock opportunities in towns and would take us back to square one,” he said. “Building on our strong track record of levelling up in Teesside …

Tories’ national service pledge was sprung on candidates, says minister | Military

Tories’ national service pledge was sprung on candidates, says minister | Military

Published by skeptic

The Conservative campaign pledge to introduce mandatory national service was dreamed up by advisers and sprung on candidates, a government minister has said. Criticism of the headline-grabbing policy has centred on claims it was not fully thought through before being announced, while ministers said just two days before the announcement that a return of national service was not on the cards. “It’s a Conservative party policy. The government’s policy was set out on Thursday,” said the government minister Steve Baker, referring to his colleague Andrew Murrison’s previous insistence there were “no current plans to reintroduce national service”. Baker, who serves as a minister of state at the Northern Ireland Office, said on Monday: “I don’t like to be pedantic but a government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of [Northern Ireland]. But this proposal was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers.” On Monday, the Labour leader, Keir …

Sir Keir Starmer to pledge ‘elite’ Border Unit with anti-terror powers to stop small boats | Politics News

Sir Keir Starmer to pledge ‘elite’ Border Unit with anti-terror powers to stop small boats | Politics News

Published by skeptic

Labour will create a new Border Security Command to tackle people-smuggling gangs bringing migrants across the Channel, Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce. The “elite” unit, to be part-funded by scrapping the Tories’ Rwanda deportation scheme, will be led by a former police, military or intelligence chief and be granted new powers under the Counter Terrorism Act. Politics Live: New Labour MP’s apology ‘unlikely to change minds’ These powers will allow officers to conduct stop and searches at the border, carry out financial investigations and issue search and seizure warrants targeting organised immigration crime. Sir Keir will outline the measures in a speech on the Kent coast on Friday, when he will vow to “replace gimmicks with graft” and draw on his experience as the former head of the Crown Prosecution Service. The Labour leader will say: “Let’s be clear at the start, these are criminal enterprises we are dealing with. “A business that pits nation against nation, thrives in the grey areas of our rules, the cracks between our institutions, where, they believe, …

Ithaca, N.Y., adopts new climate justice spending pledge

Ithaca, N.Y., adopts new climate justice spending pledge

Published by skeptic

Ithaca residents called for officials to take action on climate change at a rally on Earth Day 2024. Aurora Berry/WSKG hide caption toggle caption Aurora Berry/WSKG Ithaca residents called for officials to take action on climate change at a rally on Earth Day 2024. Aurora Berry/WSKG Five years after setting some of the most ambitious climate targets in the nation, Ithaca, N.Y., is hoping to set a new standard. The city council unanimously voted this week to require that half the funding spent on its energy transition and on major infrastructure investments go toward those residents most at risk from climate change. The vote makes Ithaca the first U.S. city to set a ‘climate justice’ spending benchmark higher than the target set by the Biden Administration. It’s the latest development in the college town’s effort to model how a small city can tackle climate change. In 2019, Ithaca passed a Green New Deal resolution, becoming the first city in the country to commit to removing fossil fuels from all buildings within a decade. That effort …

Keir Starmer reveals Labour plans for pensions with five year pledge

Keir Starmer reveals Labour plans for pensions with five year pledge

Published by Sam

Sir Keir Starmer has made a firm commitment to maintain the pensions triple lock for at least the next five years, should Labour with the next general election, targeting older voters with his pre-election promise. The Labour leader emphasised that pensioners “deserve certainty” and assured that under his leadership, the triple lock would be “protected for the duration of the next parliament”. The policy, which ensures the state pension increases annually by the highest of either wage growth, inflation, or 2.5%, has been a key feature of Conservative governments since its introduction in 2010. However its sustainability has been questioned due to financial implications. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has similarly pledged to uphold the triple lock throughout the forthcoming parliament if the Tories secure victory in the next general election. Sir Keir’s promise is clearly aiming to appeal to the senior electorate and maintain Labour’s significant lead in the polls. Currently, the over-65s represent the only age group where the Conservatives are more popular than Labour. In an article for the Sunday Express, Sir Keir …

Minister Roasted Over ‘Misleading’ Defence Spending Pledge

Minister Roasted Over ‘Misleading’ Defence Spending Pledge

Published by skeptic

Presenter Stig Abell clashed with a minister on Thursday morning over the government’s recent pledge to increase defence spending. Tory MP James Cartlidge went on Times Radio to discuss Rishi Sunak’s new pledge that the UK will spend 2.5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by the end of the decade. The government has repeatedly said this would equate to an extra £75 billion for the ministry of defence over the next six years – but this figure has caused significant confusion. Abell asked the defence minister: “Was your government trying to con us yesterday? “Were you trying to con the British people when you said you were going to spend £75 billion extra on defence? It’s not 75 billion extra.” He pointed out that chancellor Jeremy Hunt had explained it was only £20 billion more when compared with the current spending of 2.3% of GDP. The presenter added: “That number was, it was an untruth, was it not, yesterday?” The minister said, “not at all”, and said the cash amount the government …

Rishi Sunak’s defence pledge sets trap for Sir Keir Starmer | Politics News

Rishi Sunak’s defence pledge sets trap for Sir Keir Starmer | Politics News

Published by Sam

On the plane from Warsaw to Berlin, Rishi Sunak was buoyant as he briefly chatted to the travelling pack.  Having delivered his hat-trick of welfare reforms, the Rwanda bill and now the big lift in defence spending, he was a prime minister who clearly feels on the front foot after a torrid few months. He looked like a man enjoying the job. Politics live: Sunak warns Europe is at a ‘turning point’ Allies said Mr Sunak has spoken a lot about the spending decision with his current Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron, who has “form” in prioritising these decisions, having committed to defence funding back in 2010 when he was prime minister in the face of competing spending demands. “The PM’s thought about this a lot, which is why it’s so detailed today,” said one government source. The big decision he announced in this election year to increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2030 was a choice. He could have committed funding to schools, the NHS or local government. But, for this prime minister, it …