Is there a hierarchy of goodness in public policy?

Melissa Berman of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors makes clear the challenges of using philanthropy for large social change.

But specifically because philanthropy is personal and voluntary, it may supplement - but cannot replace - the rigorous, messy public debate we need in a democracy to decide how we as citizens want to choose between museums and fighting blindness.

Too often, private philanthropy is used to drive the allocation of public resources.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/opinion/in-charitable-giving-no-hierarchy-of-goodness.html?smid=pl-share