Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tightwad is as tightwad does
The Bidens, it turns out, give virtually nothing to charity, causing TaxProfBlog to wonder whether this attempt by Biden to embarrass Sarah Palin (over reimbursement issues) might backfire.
I doubt it. Joe Biden is a statist. He believes that it is the job of the government to care for people who cannot help themselves. His supporters know this, and they are statists, too. They believe that individual effort combined with charitable assistance are inadequate to help the people who need help most. Otherwise, they would be Republicans. According to this way of thinking, charities are useful because they improve "civil society," but not because they substitute for socialism.
CWCID: Blue Crab Boulevard.
9 Comments:
By 
, at
Sun Sep 14, 06:57:00 PM:
It is possible that the Biden's donated anonymously, although I think your analysis is probably correct.
Socialism is now out in the open as the driving force in "progressive" politics. It has all the elements they like, government control of the people, group identity politics and the rejection of religion.
By , at
Sun Sep 14, 07:07:00 PM:
I don't know how fair it is to assume Biden doesn't donate to charities because he thinks government should be doing all the heavy lifting. We'd need to know more about his total discretionary spending. Maybe he just doesn't have all that much left over.
I also think that in a lot of households it's the wife who drives the interest in getting involved with charities. So perhaps this says more about Biden's wife than it's does about him? Just a thought.
By , at
Sun Sep 14, 07:40:00 PM:
Sally-
If Biden wants to give to charity, and he doesn't because his wife won't let him, it would say volumes about him.
As I said, perhaps he gives anonymously, or perhaps Tigerhawk is right. There aren't too many other rational explanations.
By 
Brian, at
Sun Sep 14, 08:15:00 PM:
I especially liked how McCain donated 27% of his salary to charity. His financial sacrifice is touching.
It is completely inappropriate, however, for anyone to ask to see Cindy's tax returns.
By Miss Ladybug, at
Sun Sep 14, 08:55:00 PM:
TH~
I seem to recall having said pretty much the same thing in a blog comment somewhere over this weekend...
By , at
Sun Sep 14, 09:02:00 PM:
It is completely inappropriate, however, for anyone to ask to see Cindy's tax returns.
Why not? The Republicans had no issue asking Teresa Heinz to release her tax retruns during the '04 election (and which she did).
Anyway, it's moot point re: Cindy Lou. After refusing for months to release her returns, the McCains did an about face and released the first two pages of her '06 return. Apparently her '07 return hasn't been filed yet. Look for it after 10/15.
Sarah and First Dude's should be forthcoming any day now too. Or so we're told.
By Escort81, at
Sun Sep 14, 09:27:00 PM:
Biden may have donated anonymously and not included it in his Form 1040 Schedule B relating to itemized deductions? Wow, he really is amazing -- most anonymous donors at least take the deduction, even if they don't want their name on a list of contributors.
Look on the bright side -- at least Biden didn't list donations of used underwear like another Democratic politician running for high office.
By Purple Avenger, at
Sun Sep 14, 11:28:00 PM:
Biden gives nothing because his net worth after 30 years in the Senate is very close to zero.
Apparently he's very poor at handling his money.
By Brian, at
Mon Sep 15, 01:04:00 AM:
I also have to add that despite the unimpressiveness of the Maverick, I'd say that people here are likely being far to generous to Biden in speculating about anonymous donations. I agree he deserves some mud for this.
