Tough Times for Conservative Philanthropist

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After taking a hit of $4 billion in the recent financial turmoil, conservative philanthropist and Freedom’s Watch-backer Sheldon Adelson is no longer the third wealthiest person in the United States, according to a revised Forbes‘ list. Bloomberg:

Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chief Executive Officer Sheldon Adelson’s net worth declined by $4 billion between Aug. 29 and Oct. 1, the steepest drop among Americans who lost $1 billion or more during the credit crisis, according to Forbes magazine.

The magazine, in its Oct. 27 issue, recalculates the effect of September’s financial news on the wealthiest Americans, those who make up its Forbes 400 list. That list was published on Sept. 17.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren Buffett overtook Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates as the richest American by posting an $8 billion gain to $58 billion during the period, the magazine said. Gates’s net worth declined $1.5 billion to $55.5 billion during the 33-day period. He had been first for 15 straight years.

I wrote about the right’s frustration with Adelson’s tendency to take a hands-on role in projects he funded back in the spring. And Peter Stone profiled the casino mogul in the magazine.

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THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

It’s the most important month of the year for our fundraising, with upward of 15 percent of our annual online total coming in during the final week—and there’s a lot to say about why Mother Jones’ journalism, and thus hitting that big number, matters tremendously right now.

But you told us fundraising is annoying—with the gimmicks, overwrought tone, manipulative language, and sheer volume of urgent URGENT URGENT!!! content we’re all bombarded with. It sure can be.

So we’re going to try making this as un-annoying as possible. In “Let the Facts Speak for Themselves” we give it our best shot, answering three questions that most any fundraising should try to speak to: Why us, why now, why does it matter?

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