Before The Last Word, I have always enjoyed your candid, insightful, and personally challenging perspective of how our government is "working" or should be working. The recent introduction of your K.I.N.D. campaign was an especially powerful message. As a retired mental health counselor, my theory/practice of counseling/psychotherapy was based upon the teachings of Alfred Adler; perceiving man as a "social being" with the natural inclination toward being a part of the larger social whole, a striving to feel belongingness, a willingness to serve and be a part of the greater good for the betterment of mindkind. He called this "Gemeinschaftsgefuhl, " meaning SOCIAL INTEREST. Thank you so much for sharing your social interest! If only those who supposedly represent WE THE PEOPLE would consciously apply this basic premise in their governing. Happy Holidays to your and yours and to your staff.

Wow! That is a GREAT demonstration by a viewer in a position of providing actual lessons. Well done via both Lawrence & teacher R. Ellison!! Great story!!!

Hey, switching gears here... no better person to lay this on than an ex Senate Finance committee staffer:

We all know deficit financing TOOK OFF in 1980 with the arrival of Voodoo Economist in Chief Reagan. But not only did deficits and the debt begin to skyrocket, but also the "Free Trade" rhetoric coming from the Conservative Revolution, that's turned out to be extremely COSTLY in terms of the addiction America developed over cheap imported goods, and turned into a flood of borrowed prosperity on an epic scale via soaring Current Account trade deficits. Yet that costly measurment "trade deficits" has very little resonance in the public debate, NOR the carrying cost of the national debt's interest expense.

How about the Senate Finance committee rocket scientist producing a "Sinkhole Index" metric/historical table/chart ... that is comprised of: yearly deficits + "Gross Interest" on the national debt to capture its never reported CARRYING COST + Current Account trade deficit?

The following number should stagger anyone: it's $26.25 TRILLION over the past 29 years, the year the national debt coincidently reached the $1.0 Trillion level after 205 years as a nation, and Reaganomics first year. It's also when trade deficits started becoming a "hollowing out cancer" on the American economy. So in actuallity, the $1 Trillion defict impact over 10 years debate of recent days was small change compared to true fiscal & trade cancer that's been eating us away for 30 years.

"Sinkhole Index" metric. It's about time to quantify just how badly voters have been voting against their interests in voting for the charge-it & forget-it conservatives gang. And "Gross Interest" as opposed to "Net Interest" captures the Trust Fund looting sinkhole dynamic too of not having as an alternative a stand alone, fiduciary set of Trust Funds that produce the bulk of their income from ROI, not simply 100% from paycheck deductions (FICA sourced). It's going to be greater than a $26 Trillion sinkhole, as I only used Net Intererst in my tabulations. It's absolutely staggering the hole we've dug for our nation. Reagan may have dreamed of that "Shining City on the Hill", but what he built via his demonization of "tax & spend (paygo) liberals" was the American Sinkhole instead.

For the rest of you, ignore this comment here... it was intended for staffer Sarah Muller and the Senate Financier. ;-)

Stellar viewer demonstration of Lawrence's great cause. Well done.

 Larry,

 Your emphasis on the value of education whereever it may lead echoed my late son's Danny Riley's (www.dannriley.com ) appreciation of the classroom as the gateway to the future while being the ultimate "now" experience. He went to class up to  October 11,2007 because he loved learning. His death at age 19 of brain cancer on October 31,2007 did not negate this love of learning. Thank you for teaching us that a desk may be the stage of greatness, but is mainly the gift that gives today and every day to those who appreciate the power of education.

Lawrence Mc Donnell Thank you for bringing this to the public. It is a wonderful thing you are doing. We as the people of America are great to donate to such causes. This is a christian thing to do. I support you in this effort, and donates 48.00 for a desk for two. What in the world is worong with Ann Coulter, she is a ding-a-ling, with no honor. Thanks Larry for the good work you are doing. Keep it up. Jean Glover

12/25/10 Lawrence~~Got the Xmas spirit & wanna get a Malawi desk. Your website needs to add SNAIL-MAIL ADDRESS for millions who don't release their credit [debit]-card #s online...or those who've butchered their credit cards [moi] or don't own any by principle. Found Maiden Ln address but WHO TO MAKE CHECK TO? UNICEF.org is no help.

UNICEF phone # doesn't answer phone on Xmas [voicemail pretty much tells ya to get lost...like I'm gonna have Xmas spirit AFTER Xmas]...how stoopid.

Pls fix, zzalexi@gmail.com

Dear Lawrence,
When I listened to your story about getting desks to Malawi school children it reminded me of my own experience of sitting on the floor for lack of desks. In 1971, I was transferring from the University of California, Santa Cruz to the Berkeley campus. Due to a paperwork glitch I had to spend a term at Merritt Community College in Oakland, CA. I was newly married. I am caucasian and my husband is Chinese. I had been raised in a military family and always lived in very integrated communites so I was totally unprepared for the hostilities I experienced from all races in my new environment. My husband and I decided to take Economics 101 together at night school and arrived early for the first class. It was a good thing we did because long before the professor arrived it was standing room only. The professor, who was caucasian, arrived and quickly announced that our first lesson was about supply and demand. There was more demand (students) than supply (desks) so all white students were ordered to sit on the floor. I was furious, as much at my husband for not giving me his seat, as I was at the professor. But I stayed on the floor for three weeks and I learned a lot.

I am very proud of the response to your appeal for desks. What I want to add is this perspective. There will be a lag time between when the first desks were delievered and when the last student gets a desk. The giving of desks is an act of charity. Deciding who will get the desks when is a political act.

In the midst of the excitement, I pray there is wisdom during the period when demand is greater than supply. What is often missing in our discussions of politics is how decisions are made and which system of ethics is used in making those decisions. So do you choose what is legal, what is moral, what does the greatest good? Please keep us posted on this part of the story.

Please delete this window.

Thank you,

Margaret Godwyn

Dear UNICEF:

I donated to the K.I.N.D. fund $100 but nowhere in your thank you did you mention this fund. If I contributed to UNICEF general fund, please assure me that my donation will get to where it was supposed to. You mention that the K.I.N.D. fund had surpassed $2 million and that the fund that my donation went to mentions surpassing $3 million.

From: UNICEF USA <email@unicefusa.org>
To: oscar_99@bellsouth.net
Sent: Fri, January 7, 2011 3:16:49 PM
Subject: A warm thank you

Dear John,

Just a quick note to thank you for your December donation. We had an ambitious goal to raise $2 million by end of year, and I'm thrilled to report we surpassed that goal, raising over $3 million!

What that means is that UNICEF will be able to reach and help untold numbers of children suffering from disease, malnutrition and dehydration. Your gift will be deployed quickly to some of the poorest countries on earth to help those children most in need. I hope you can feel satisfaction in knowing the positive impact you've made for a small, vulnerable child barely making it day to day.

My deepest thanks for your generosity – and best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year!

Caryl M. Stern
President & CEO
U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Dear Mr. O'Donnell

I was so moved by your fundraiser because my three young adult children have been blessed with the finest education that we could provide. That was our GIFT to them. T-hey used it wisely and I know are very appreciative . I wanted to give back. If just one person has the chance to enjoy the spirit of learning with grace and focus and dignity then my heart and soul will feel good. My gifts to my friends are now in the form of "desks" to this fundraiser. There is nothing more important than the chance to open one's eyes to the world of knowledge.---to math and science and history and philosophy and literature and music and art and drama and dance -it is all the poetry of life. Cathy Rochelle Fein

wife of Dr Kenneth fein and proud mother of Jennifer Fein- graduate of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago-painter and designer. Danielle Lauren Fein graduate of Barnard College and presently a Law student at Yeshiva University --- and David Fein- new graduate of Emerson College- filmmaker/actor/comedian/screenwriter I made several donations in honor of their education.

what a noble and moral act. this efficient of purpose shames all those so called foreign aid programs that have proved again and again to be ineffective and wasteful. this is the first time i have actually noticed this drive by mr. o'donnell and now i will make my own donation and as long as all the districts in malawi are not furnished with desks, i will make my periodic desk donation. take not professor sachs.

I would suspect this idea may have already been considered, but if not, a partnership between school districts across the country to send surplus furniture, etc. to Malawi or elsewhere would provide ready access to many needed items. As you may know, many school districts are experiencing declining enrollments. As a result, schools are closing or consolidated, which means districts have surplus inventories that are put up for auction or are otherwise disposed of. The notion of schools helping schools, whereever they are, promotes educational initiatives at large.

This is a very touching story. We are parents of disabled child and both of us lost a job. I am not working for 25 months already, and my husband is not working for 18 months. I have M.A.degree in Child and Adolescents Psychology as well as B.S. in Economy Sciences. I am also an Independent Fine Art Professional/Painter. Our child is in wheel-chair and he did not need a regular school desk. We just called a number and donated money for one desk. We will be happy to know that one child in Malawi have a new desk. Lawrence made a great story and we really like and appreciate all his efforts to help people in different situations. Thanks Lawrence. You are a very good man and an amazing reporter.

Lawrence,

Thank you for this perfect graduation gift. I just bought a desk in my daughter-in-law's name for a college graduation present.

Lawrence, thank you so much for creating this wonderful opportunity for each of us to be "Santa Clause" for a child. I just donated a desk and bench in my nephew's young children's name. We'll talk about this over Christmas when I visit them. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Sheila Coxon

Thanks, Lawrence. I give to kids here too. I know the consequences of neglecting children...children here or abroad. They are all our children. We are one species on this little planet and we need one another. Those most vulnerable among us need to be able to depend on the stronger. It's just that simple. We have so much here. We are blessed beyond imagining. Thanks for making this gift of giving so easy.

Rev. Jan Bidwell, MSW, LCSW

we are donating $50.00 twice a year in memory of our Grandson, who passed away when he was 18 days old due to an incurable medical condition. Once in June in memory of his birthday, and the at Christmas. We miss him very much.

Sincerely,

Jeff and Jean

Dear Mr. O'Donnell

Thank you for giving me another way to honorer my son James Maurice Perkins memory. On June 13th 2009, we lost our son James. Fourteen and a half years; James was with his mother and on his way to Thurgood Marshall to take his placement tests for the fall. Just two days before, James attended his graduation exercises at J.H. Johnson Middle School in southeast Washington DC. He was one of three in his class invited to sit on the stage with the school’s teachers and staff for the ceremony. James was the salutatorian, the top boy in his class and second overall. During his promotional exercise, James received the principal award and awards in English, Science and French. In 2008 James received many math awards; 9 medals, 2 trophies and the Apangea Mathematics award in which he became National Champion for DC Public schools. James loved school and my donation may help someone find that same joy. God Bless

Dear Mr. O'Donnel. Don't know if my previous messages got thru and posted, so here goes again. We are retired educators and profoundly moved by your K.I.N.D. program. We have purchased a desk in honor of our wonderful grandson, Tyler Crane, who is serving our country at a remote outpost in Afghanistan, after serving a year in Iraq! This is part of his Christmas present, and we could not be more delighted in making the contribution in his name. John and Ruth Maiolo, Chocowinity NC.

Lawrence, you got to hear my story. I watch your show every day and I am so impressed with what you have done with the K.I.N.D. Fund and the generosity of people coming together for this great cause; and even though it brings tears of joy to my eyes when I see your reports, I have also felt sad that I had not had an oportunity to be a part of it. Since I don't make a lot of money, I had to put some Christmas gifts on layaway for my own child, always with the hope that I would have enough money to be able to buy a desk for a child in Malawi. Well, I got a call from the store where I had my layaway today, informing me that some kind stranger had paid my layaway. I could not believe that something like that could happen to me. I was overwhelmed with emotion. The only thing that I could think of at that moment was that I would finally be able to buy that desk. This is my BEST Christmas ever!

Lawrence thank you for all the wonderful work that you have done for this children and for giving us the opportunity to get involved, and a big THANK YOU to all the wonderful people out there with a kind heart that make this holiday season so special to many. Merry Christmas!!

Lawrence, Just wanted to let you know your efforts at promoting the K.I.N.D fund paid off here. I just sent three (2-person desk) donations in the names of my brother, his wife and two daughters in Arizona for Christmas. I figured this year your efforts in promoting your passion would get some of my donation funds. I am a US citizen living in Canada and watch your show all the time. Keep up the good work! Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow will end my five year career building classrooms and schools for students, teachers and staff at LAUSD and PYLUSD. I will be starting at the Port of Long Beach next week. Donating to the K.I.N.D FUND is more worthwhile than any work I've done - buy a desk or contribute to buy a desk to the K.I.N.D Fund for students in Africa -- I have the best husband in the world. He just bought me two desks for my birthday! I wish that i had spent five years building the schools in Africa! This is a small donation that will make a huge difference! I have helped build or renovate over 100 classrooms, auditoriums, offices, track and fields, etc. Something like a desk as a gift to a child in Africa makes all i have done seem like it was not enough! Please Donate! www.lastworddesks.msnbc.com. Thank you Lawrence for doing this!!!

Lawrence, my 7 year old son Alex had some coins saved and with some help he was able to send half desk to "friends" that otherwise would have to sit on the floor when they are at school. It made hims feel really good.

Thanks for doing this.

I'm proud to head into 2012 having just donated two desks to deserving students in Malawi! Thanks Lawrence for the gracious opportunity and lets keep the momentum going!!!

Laurence, my daughter Marta donated 3 desks and wrote a story below; we also donated 5 desks and are very proud of her:

"My parents and I moved to the United States from Poland in 1983, when I was four years old. We couldn’t take many things with us, just one suitcase per person and less than $200, since Polish money could not be exchanged for dollars. They did have one very precious thing with them, though: my mother and father each received a good education, funded by the state, and had an M.S. and a Ph.D., respectively, in biophysics. From the very beginning, they devoted a great deal of effort and (unfortunately) money to making sure that I received a good education in the U.S., but now they live quite comfortably without ever having worried about finding a good job. Since they instilled in me the importance of education, I am now pursuing a Ph.D. in bioelectronics.

The children in Malawi that you are helping understand the importance of education as well; they understand it much better than the current Republican Presidential candidates! My parents and I watch and enjoy your show regularly, and are proud to be a part of this effort."

Lawrence,

My husband and I are donating desks as holiday gifts in the name of our grandchildren, godchildren and other young adults in our extended family as a way of reinforcing their sense of social responsibility; reminding them of their own good fortunes and privilage, and that there are others in the world who right now can't even imagine what it would be like to live in a dorm room at Harvard, UPenn, U of Redlands or Stanford. However, a donation of a desk now could make that journey to an American Ivy League institution a reality. Thank you so much for helping us all to wake up to the larger world! You are a great journalist and an even greater humanitarian. Thank you.

December 18, 2012