05 October 2008

Biden Talks The Talk, Palin Walks The Walk

When it comes to charitable giving, Joe Biden talks the talk, but Sarah Palin walks the walk.

According to contributions adjusted by gross income, the Palins are around 12x more charitable than the Bidens.




Of course, when adjusted by the amount of money he wants you to give to others through higher taxes in a redistribution of wealth, well, that's where Joe Biden shines. He doesn't want to give his money away, but for you to do so is "patriotic."



God Bless America, Joe

H/T: American Digest

2 comments :

  1. CJ said...

    On a talk forum this morning, I was directed to a YouTube video pertaining to Joe Biden's charitable donations last year, or the lack thereof.

    "Bob" wrote,
    "As for that article you posted from the Huffington Post,none of that even checks out at all.It's just talking points for Obama.
    Now,I have a good You Tube link that brings out documented proof about Obama,the person even tells you exactly what to Google so you can check it out for yourself.
    http://www.youtube.com/themouthpeace ...."

    After watching the video, I responded:
    "Bob, that YouTube site didn't have a lot of facts that I could check out. It was mostly music and sound effects and was designed to appeal to its audience's emotions, rather than their intellect. I did google "Biden charitable donations" and saw that he was recorded as giving $369 yearly to charity, but all that that tells me is that:

    A.) he isn't using charitable contributions as a tax deduction
    AND
    B.)that any deductions he may be making over $369 per year are not a matter of public record."

    Three hundred sixty-nine dollars a year... what a piddly amount. Charities and such are a big deal in Washington, socially and politically. Certainly someone of Biden's stature can afford to give more, and Joe's been in politics long enough to know that money given to charity is money well spent, when it comes to raising oneself in the eyes of one's peers and the voting public.

    But maybe Joe doesn't care what people think. Maybe that's because he's such a tightwad that he only gives away $369 yearly and doesn't care who knows it or what that will do to him politically, or maybe he doesn't care because he's obeying Jesus's instructions regarding charitable giving:

    Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Mat 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: Mat 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

    Now, taking into account that the Palins are very upfront about both their Pentecostal Christian faith and the amount of money they "give" to charity (and recieve back again in the form of tax deductions and social and political attaboys)....
    ... WHO'S talking the talk, and who's walking the walk?

  2. Khaki Elephant said...

    CJ, thanks for stopping by and giving the interesting take. It's a valid point that Biden may not report every charitable donation that he gives, I suspect that's the case with most people (perhaps even the Palins)

    However, given Biden's political savvy and self-promotion, I just have a hard time believing this is the case. Remember that this is the man who claimed to understand the writings of Thomas Aquinas better than 2000 years of Vatican scholars and also lied about the greatest tragedy of his life, the death of his first wife, for political gain by claiming in front of certain audiences that she had been killed by a drunk driver. This is not a man who seems inclined to "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."

    But thank you for your comments and insight. It's always refreshing to reconsider perspectives. And you may just be right.