BF2S Forums The Charity Gap

topal63 wrote:

Pug wrote:

You: giving to charity does not mean someone does not care about others

I have no idea what this presumption (you've ascribed to me) even means.
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Mason4Assassin444 wrote:

giving to charity equals tax write-off.

No it doesn't - not in every case. It only does if you expect a receipt after you give. I, this liberal does not expect any of the following: a receipt, a tax write-off, a thank you, recognition, praise, or the favor returned one day.
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Yes (Pug), you are completely ignoring everything I've stated... (Feel free to... I don't really care).
You don't know how charitable I actually am, nor do you actually know how charitable Palin or Biden is based upon that singular fact.

What is so hard to understand about "you don't actually know" something comprehensively by a singular fact?

I think it's because I'm discussing in general terms - I'm talking about "image" is an important part of a voter's decision.

It might be helpful to not go back and edit posts BTW.  Gets a little muddled.

My point above: you believe the donation number on the tax return is not an accurate measure of whether someone cares for others.

As far as the "singular fact" issue...see my post above ^^^ "no proof he made donations & didn't claim them"

Last edited by Pug (2008-10-06 14:29:40)

topal63 wrote:

Hardly muddled... as i said, "so based upon that - one single fact - what do you think you know about me?" I have yet to deviate from the main issue.

Of course that statment applies to: Biden, Palin or anyone.

Also: not stating a donation - does not even mean someone has not actually donated to a charity. It only means that haven't declared it.

Ok, can we agree...which is my point...that character is an important part of a voter's decision making process?

And we want a leader who isn't self centered?

And that some people will think Palin is more generous than Biden (even if it's not true)?

And that Biden may (or may not) be more generous than Palin, although there's no "smoking gun" on the tax return?



Lastly, I'm a CPA.  Let me tell you why you SHOULD claim your charitable deduction - you would be able to afford to donate MORE.

If you are planning to make the donations anyway...then take your tax savings and DONATE THAT AS WELL.

topal63 wrote:

Let me clue you in Mr. CPA.

Some money I give away is cash... if I am paying taxes on it, wink wink nudge nudge know what mean, someone else isn't. Can you understand that? Sometimes giving caries a punishment with it (tax) depending on the type of giving you do. Also I'd rather know what it is specifically I am giving and to whom. So no thank you - your advice applies to someone different than I.

WTF are we discussing then?  Your own definition of what a charity is?

topal63 wrote:

Pug wrote:

topal63 wrote:

Let me clue you in Mr. CPA.

Some money I give away is cash... if I am paying taxes on it, wink wink nudge nudge know what mean, someone else isn't. Can you understand that? Sometimes giving caries a punishment with it (tax) depending on the type of giving you do. Also I'd rather know what it is specifically I am giving and to whom. So no thank you - your advice applies to someone different than I.

WTF are we discussing then?  Your own definition of what a charity is?

You're defining a charitable write-off on a tax return. That's not charity itself WTF!!! That's a tax write-off.

Ok...do you make contributions that you COULD put on your return but CHOOSE NOT to?  (If so, you can then take your tax savings and donate that as well).

Or...do you make contributions that you CANNOT deduct on your return?  (If so, wtf are we arguing about Palin/Biden's return...?)

Pierre wrote:

@ OP: if i give 50 % of my taxable income to charity, does it qualify me as a better president?

Is that what I said junior?

Kmarion wrote:

Pierre wrote:

@ OP: if i give 50 % of my taxable income to charity, does it qualify me as a better president?

Is that what I said junior?

I'm used to reading between the BS lines son.

OP wrote:

Once again, we see that liberals talk about charity, and conservatives take action.

Generalisation, ftw.

OP wrote:

The Palins have been quite generous with their cash, while Biden has given far less on an annual basis with a much larger income stream.  Since the two Democrats keep claiming the charitable impulse for spending other people’s money, it’s revealing to once again compare Biden’s own personal giving to his political rhetoric, and to his opponent in November.

Your conclusion: Palin > Biden.


Now, I'm still waiting to get some answers telling me to which charities Palin gave her money to.  I agree paying to charity might prove character, but it's also important to know to whom the money was given, knowing the receiver may tell me more then just the amount. Strolling around http://www.charitynavigator.org/ proved that there are many charities available.

Did you know that gifts to religious causes totaled $93.2 billion in 2005, almost 36 percent of all contributions?

Parker, this one's for you: The NRA Foundation

And would some one please tell me why Zionist Organization of America is also considered a charity?

So, once again, before you evaluate the characters of Palin or Biden, to whom did she give her money to?

Pierre wrote:

Now, I'm still waiting to get some answers telling me to which charities Palin gave her money to.  I agree paying to charity might prove character, but it's also important to know to whom the money was given, knowing the receiver may tell me more then just the amount. Strolling around http://www.charitynavigator.org/ proved that there are many charities available.

Did you know that gifts to religious causes totaled $93.2 billion in 2005, almost 36 percent of all contributions?

Parker, this one's for you: The NRA Foundation

And would some one please tell me why Zionist Organization of America is also considered a charity?

So, once again, before you evaluate the characters of Palin or Biden, to whom did she give her money to?

Wow, I was trying to comb through IRS tax return data for charitable contributions and bounce them against party affiliation numbers for each state.

Michelle "Anchor Baby" Malkin attempted to do the same, but she was going by some rather strange math conclusions from the same IRS data which skewed her list a bit.  It was, however, basically spot on.

What I couldn't figure out is if the majority of red states gave an average of 1% more to charity than the majority of blue states...

Why, of the top 30 most-contributed charities in the last year (according to Forbes), 26 of them are for very clearly liberal causes (environmental, arts/museums, university research, Planned Parenthood, medical research, etc.)?

The answer can be found in the IRS instructions for charitable contributions - Church offerings are clearly a charitable contribution under the current law.

Basically, the Christian right is giving their money to their local church/megachurch to pay for things like $26 million statues of Jesus, and the IRS lets them spin it off as charity.  It also explains why Utah blew every other state out of the water in percent...5.1% being 1.6% above the next in line - liberal D.C. at 3.5%

Cute.  The numbers actually made sense if you didn't bounce them against political party...but bounced them against church attendance which in a few cases don't correllate....Alaska, for example, being relatively Atheist by total population but strongly "libertarian" or Oregon being strong Dem but having a large % of church-goers.

Utah    5.1    Strong GOP
DC    3.5    Strong Dem
Georgia    3.1    Weak GOP
SC    3.0    Strong GOP
Alabama    3.0    Strong GOP
Oklahoma    3.0    Strong GOP
Maryland    2.9    Strong Dem
NC    2.8    Tied
Mississippi    2.8    Weak GOP
Idaho    2.8    Strong GOP
New York     2.7    Strong Dem
Arkansas    2.6    Strong GOP
Tennessee    2.5    Strong GOP
Wyoming    2.5    Strong GOP
Nebraska    2.4    Strong GOP
Virginia    2.4    Tied
California    2.4    Strong Dem
Oregon    2.4    Strong Dem
Michigan     2.3    Weak Dem
Kansas    2.3    Strong Dem
Minnesota    2.3    Strong Dem
Delaware    2.3    Strong Dem
Arizona    2.3    Weak GOP
Colorado     2.3    Tied
Illinois    2.2    Strong Dem
Missouri     2.2    Tied
Florida    2.2    Tied
Kentucky     2.2    Strong GOP
Montana     2.2    Weak GOP
NJ    2.1    Strong Dem
Indiana    2.1    Tied
Texas     2.1    Weak GOP
Nevada    2.1    Tied
CN    2.0    Strong Dem
PA    2.0    Weak Dem
Ohio     2.0    Tied
Iowa     2.0    Strong Dem
Louisiana     2.0    Strong GOP
Hawaii    2.0    Strong Dem
WS     2.0    Strong Dem
MA    1.9    Strong Dem
Wisconsin    1.9    Weak Dem
NM     1.9    Weak Dem
RI    1.7    Strong Dem
Alaska     1.7    Strong GOP
Maine    1.6    Weak Dem
SD     1.6    Strong GOP
NH    1.5    Strong Dem
Vermont    1.5    Strong Dem
ND    1.5    Strong GOP
WV     1.4    Weak GOP