Talk:Betsy DeVos

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Philanthropy/lobbying etc.

Why is it called the former when clearly it's the latter? Only thing they seem to be doing is using their money to buy what they're interested in... since when is that philanthropy? A possibly neutral term could be merely donating, but funding churches that hope for a theocracy isn't quite "promoting the welfare of others"... 92.7.58.211 (talk) 06:02, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

Philanthropy is a vague concept with a lot of nuances. You might think that certain things don't promote the welfare of others, but other people might disagree. Kerdooskistalk 17:02, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

While much of her spending would be considered lobbying, and should not be considered philanthropy any more than political contributions do, the DeVos foundation does, according to the article, give to "hospitals, health research, arts organizations, Christian schools"... all of which would serve under common defintions of philanthropy. And while I share the general concern that every rich person who ever gave a nickel to beggar has folks wanting to identify them as a WP:PHILANTHROPIST in the lede, in the case of the DeVoses, there seems to be sufficient coverage there to use it. -- Nat Gertler (talk) 17:42, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

Request to amend titles in Biography

A request to update the titles which are attributed to Betsy Devos in her biography.

Due to Betsy Devos's deep, long-standing involvement in Christian Nationalism, it is imperative that the world, especially the American public be made aware of her identity and role as a Christian Nationalist.

Similar to Paul Weyrich, and inspired by the movement he co-founded with the Council for National Policy in 1981, a movement whose goal was and, by any recent evidence, still is for Christians-only to rule in government and to replace democracy with a theocracy, Betsy has played an imperative role in the Christian Nationalist movement as a Christian Nationalist herself.

In 2001, Betsy DeVos, who later became the secretary of education under Trump, framed her advocacy for voucher programs and other school choice programs as an effort to “advance God’s kingdom.” [1]

In recent years, a super-PAC run by the American Federation for Children, which is DeVos’ school choice advocacy group, has spent millions of dollars to defeat Republican legislators who oppose private school vouchers, according to reporting by Open Secrets. A prerequisite for students and their families to attend some of the schools that currently receive voucher money is that they accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior.

Thanks to the DeVoses, Michigan’s charter schools enjoy a virtually unregulated existence. Thanks to them, too, the center of the American automotive industry and birthplace of the modern labor movement is now a right-to-work state. They’ve funded campaigns to elect state legislators, established advocacy organizations to lobby them, buttressed their allies and primaried those they disagree with, spending at least $100 million on political campaigns and causes over the past 20 years. “The DeVos family has been far more successful not having the governor’s seat than if they had won it,” says Richard Czuba, the owner of the Glengariff Group, a bipartisan polling firm in Michigan.

Based on the evidence of her and her family's powerful and monetary role in the Christian Nationalist movement, it is a disservice to the world and to the American people who deserve to know the truth, to say that Betsy Devos is merely just a conservative Republican. SeekTruthUSA (talk) 10:05, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Looking at the sources you provide in this, none of them refer to her as a "Christian nationalist". While I can certainly see someone inferring that stance from those and various other things, for a claim as sensitive as this we would need strong reliable sourcing. To merely come to the conclusion ourselves would fly in the face of our goal to avoid original research. -- Nat Gertler (talk) 14:42, 19 November 2024 (UTC)