Psst. Maybe you can tell me how much money the big banks give to
all these think tanks. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
Think tanks have proliferated, and the political left, right and
center all have their idea factories spitting out policy
prescriptions. Most are nonprofit organizations, supported
mainly by donations.  Those donors get a tax break for their
contributions. In other words, the public is subsidizing the
giving. In turn, because most research groups pay little or no
federal income tax, a subsidy accrues to them, too. What's more,
though nonprofits do have to disclose the names of donors to the
Internal Revenue Service, that information is withheld from the
public.  Of course, there is a great deal to be said for
subsidizing the vital work done by many nonprofits, which range
from religious groups to universities to hospitals. There's no
compelling reason they should have to reveal their donor lists.
Think tanks, though, don't provide spiritual solace, school the
next generation or ca