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Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:17 am
by UNI88
Interesting commentary ...
Vice President Joe Biden has urged that Americans earning more than $250,000 accept higher taxes as their patriotic duty. But he fails to take the societal obligations of the rich to heart. Last year the Bidens gave $995 to charity, 0.3 percent of their income of $320,000. Perhaps inspired by President Barack Obama's "spread-the-wealth" message, this paltry amount was, for the Bidens, unusually generous. In the previous 10 years Biden and his wife donated an average of $369 a year. In 1999 they gave $120 to charity.
...
Gore and Biden fall well short, not just of their professed ideals, but of the American average. Typically, about two-thirds of U.S. households report charitable donations, averaging about 3 percent of income.
How much praise is due these politicians for voting and otherwise advocating for the poor while failing to personally act on this ideal? Perhaps ordinary people deserve some credit for imposing greater tax burdens on themselves. But those who seek to gain political power at the slight cost of higher personal taxes — if they actually pay them — deserve no more credit than a slave-owning abolitionist.
I am unaware of any data on this, but I concede that liberals are more likely to drive a Prius and recycle their garbage. It is curious that they seem to prefer cost-free gestures of conscience over doing measureable good for real individuals. Perhaps this is the modern version of the doctrine of faith over good works.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... 8305.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:10 am
by Ivytalk
Isn't the Trib picking up that story a little late? The Arthur Brooks study was done a couple of years ago.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:11 am
by Skjellyfetti
Your article conveniently leaves out Obama's $300,000+ charitable contributions released on his tax reports in 2008.
And, also, just because the Bidens only claimed a certain amount doesn't mean that's all they gave. It just means that's all they claimed on their tax forms
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:13 am
by clenz
Skjellyfetti wrote:Your article conveniently leaves out Obama's $300,000+ charitable contributions released on his tax reports in 2008.
And, also, just because the Biden's only claimed a certain amount doesn't mean that's all they gave. It just means that's all they claimed on their tax forms
If it was Bush, Beck, Limbaugh, or Cheney that only claimed $900, 9 times the amount given as recently as 10 years ago, you would be all over that shit. However, since it is a lib being brought up of course you are going to make excuses.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:16 am
by 89Hen
UNI88 wrote:I am unaware of any data on this, but I concede that liberals are more likely to drive a Prius and recycle their garbage.
I'll also concede the Prius, but I'm not so sure about the second part.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:16 am
by 89Hen
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:23 am
by Ivytalk
Skjellyfetti wrote:Your article conveniently leaves out Obama's $300,000+ charitable contributions released on his tax reports in 2008.
And, also, just because the Bidens only claimed a certain amount doesn't mean that's all they gave. It just means that's all they claimed on their tax forms
Herr Spindoktor, that has to be your weakest effort ever! Knowing Biden, he wouldn't leave a single penny on the table.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:39 am
by HI54UNI
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:10 pm
by Skjellyfetti
Do y'all claim every charitable donation you make? I don't... usually because I can't keep up with the receipts and such. Only charitable donation I claimed this year was to Yosef Club and that was because I have easily accessed proof of that one. I donated a lot more... just no idea $$-wise.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:13 pm
by 89Hen
Skjellyfetti wrote:Do y'all claim every charitable donation you make? I don't... usually because I can't keep up with the receipts and such. Only charitable donation I claimed this year was to Yosef Club. I donated a lot more... and no idea $$-wise.
STOP. You're only going to make the hole deeper.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:16 pm
by Ivytalk
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:16 pm
by Vidav
I donated to CS.com and claimed it.
That's charity right?
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:58 pm
by travelinman67
Vidav wrote:I donated to CS.com and claimed it.
That's charity right?
...add it to line 65z..."Greens Fees, drinks and prostitution"
Say it ain't so, Danefan?
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:05 pm
by ASUG8
Skjellyfetti wrote:Do y'all claim every charitable donation you make? I don't... usually because I can't keep up with the receipts and such. Only charitable donation I claimed this year was to Yosef Club and that was because I have easily accessed proof of that one. I donated a lot more... just no idea $$-wise.
Yeah, I do...I use a "folder" that I put in a "file cabinet" in an "office", one per tax year. Makes filling out my tax forms much easier (the IRS isn't a big fan of "I'm pretty sure I gave $xxx to _____").
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:51 pm
by AZGrizFan
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:53 pm
by Skjellyfetti
AZGrizFan wrote: You are in an income bracket where you get back every dime you pay in anyways....
No I'm not.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:59 pm
by dbackjon
Don't you have an Indian casino to hit?
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:59 pm
by AZGrizFan
dbackjon wrote:
Don't you have an Indian casino to hit?
Nope. Gave it up for lent.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:00 pm
by AZGrizFan
Skjellyfetti wrote:AZGrizFan wrote: You are in an income bracket where you get back every dime you pay in anyways....
No I'm not.
So salaries have gone up at McDonalds? You move up to shift supervisor or something?
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:03 pm
by dbackjon
AZGrizFan wrote:dbackjon wrote:
Don't you have an Indian casino to hit?
Nope. Gave it up for lent.
JoltinJoe will be so proud of you
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:14 pm
by AZGrizFan
dbackjon wrote:
JoltinJoe will be so proud of you
Oh, I don't know. I already need absolution since I broke my vow on Friday night.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 6:27 pm
by dbackjon
AZGrizFan wrote:dbackjon wrote:
JoltinJoe will be so proud of you
Oh, I don't know. I already need absolution since I broke my vow on Friday night.
I am sure there are far worse things you could be doing in Yuma
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:09 pm
by AZGrizFan
dbackjon wrote:
I am sure there are far worse things you could be doing in Yuma
I was at Fort McDowell.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:21 pm
by SeattleGriz
Skjellyfetti wrote:Do y'all claim every charitable donation you make? I don't... usually because I can't keep up with the receipts and such. Only charitable donation I claimed this year was to Yosef Club and that was because I have easily accessed proof of that one. I donated a lot more... just no idea $$-wise.
Yes. The cash donations I gave, came with a 501(c)3 receipt and non cash with receipts as well, I just had to place a fair value on the items and save in my tax file.
Re: Talking left, living right
Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 8:38 pm
by Ursus A. Horribilis
Wow, as soon as I saw Jelly's post this morning I knew it was gonna be great fodder but I really didn't know it would be a bloodletting like it is.
Just the fact alone that there is no way that it helps Biden either personally or in appearance of giving how could jelly possible think that statement was going to fly?
