GayPatriot

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GayPatriot Readers: More Generous than the Vice President

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On Tuesday, when I was identified Children’s Hospital/Los Angeles as one my charitable donations to my tax guy, he, recalling my past returns, commented that I always support that international leader in pediatrics.  I always support them, I replied, because of the institution’s sterling reputation.

He then related how when his nephew was suffering from a complicated respiratory problem, he was airlifted there and received extraordinary care.  He’s doing fine today.  It made me feel good to hear an example of the good work that one of “my” charities does.

Because I would be getting back a little more from the feds than I had anticipated, when I returned home to find a solicitation from the hospital in my pile of mail to be sorted, I instantly cut them a check.  I’m sure I’m not alone.  I’m sure countless other Americans, when getting money back, are equally generous.  If not more so.

Unless of course they’re the Vice President of the United States.  On Tuesday, I gave more to Children’s Hospital than the total amount Joe Biden gave to charitable organizations in 1998 or 1999 on an adjusted gross income considerably less than his (via Volokh via Glenn).

You’d think somebody so generous with other people’s money would be more generous with his own.

While Biden has given more in recent year than he has in years past, he gave less than $2,000 last year on an income greater than $250,000.  According to the New York Times, “the White House said the Bidens have made additional donations to charity not listed on the returns.”  And the White House hosted a Fiscal Responsibility Summit only days after the president signed a near-trillion dollar “stimulus,” further boosting the deficit he derided on the campaign trail.

There are many causes worthy of our support, particularly in these tough times.  I hope you’ll join me in supporting Children’s Hospital/Los Angeles.  And when you do so, maybe write the Vice President and ask him to support this great facility as well, without dipping into our tax dollars to do so.

ADDENDUM:  This is not the first time I blogged on this.  The last time I did so, several of our readers commented that they too gave more in charity than does the Vice President.

Comments

  2. Don’t have any money to give, so I give time. Acoustic Highway, my Fresno band, plays free gigs at the Valley Children’s Hospital several times a year. It’s heartening to see these kids smiling and enjoying the music, especially when you think of the pain many of them have to live through each day.

  3. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in [their blogs] and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
    Hope you enjoyed your reward, GPW.

  5. torrent, you really don’t get my points, do you? You are eager to insult, aren’t you?

    I don’t see the praise of others. I seek to point out the hypocrisy of Biden. I don’t give to seek praise; I give because I see it as my duty to do so, given the good fortune I have enjoyed.

    And it doesn’t bother you than the Vice President gives so little to charity? That he’d rather spend other people’s money to (what he believes are) noble causes than commit his own?

    Well, once again, we get proof of what you guys are after. You’re not here to engage us, but to insult us. But, I do repeat myself.

    And I wonder, as per a conversation with a reader yesterday, why you guys spend so much time on a blog whose bloggers you so readily revile.

  6. How did I insult you? I quoted scripture. Your entire post is an insult of another person, based on admittedly less than complete (“the Bidens have made additional donations to charity not listed on the returns.”) information. The Bidens don’t need to get recognition for their good works, as they are donating without the need for tax credits or public favor; you apparently do need to get recognition for them, and you feel the need to engage in a my-charity-receipt-is-bigger-than-your-charity-receipt measuring contest. I may feel sorry for you, but I never insulted you.
    If you feel insulted because that passage hit a little too close to home, that’s on you, not me, but it’s hardly an insult.

  7. Dan, I understand your point but I do disagree with it to some extent. First, as you noted, we have no idea what the unreported donations amounted to. Second, I don’t know that Biden has personally pushed for charitable giving. If he has, then yes, he’s a bit of a hypocrite, but if not… *shrug* I think it tends to be the conservatives position that taxes should be lower so individuals can give more to charities; the inverse of that argument as it would apply to liberals is that they want taxes higher to fund social programs and, through that, we “give” to charity. By that measure, it didn’t look to me like the Obamas or the Bidens were trying to find a lot of loopholes for their taxes.

  8. The last thing I want giving to charity to be is a duty. I understand pointing out Biden’s (and Gore’s and Clinton’s, et al) hypocrisy — raising taxes in the name of ‘fairness’ [review the VP debate] under the assumption that a financial sacrifice to another is itself noble while donating a very small percentage of what’s left after those taxes have been raised, thereby attempting to claim a false generosity not by action but by reputation — and that’s what I take from GPW’s post. However, I don’t like the assumption that high taxes and/or large amounts of charitable donations are necessarily good and I especially don’t like the intentional blurring of what should be a stark distinction between the two.

  9. oh, torrent, torrent, torrent, so it is an insult for me to point out Biden’s hypocrisy, but not an insult for you to level the same accusation against me . . .

    Hmm . . . .

    Perhaps, I was wrong to use the term, “insult,” to describe your remarks. I was writing in haste while attending ot other matters. I just do wonder at your readiness to make assumptions about the bloggers at a site where you spend more time than most of the bloggers’ closest friends.

    So, maybe you’re right. Maybe it wasn’t quite an insult, just another false assumption.

    I point out my charitable donations to lead by example. I can’t ask others to donate unless I give myself. You seem to think I’m seeking praise, but I’m not. I think I would only be worthy of praise if I gave up spending on things I enjoy to fund such good causes as Children’s Hospital.

    And as to the Biden thing, well, doesn’t it concern you that someone who is so generous with someone else’s money is so parsimonious with his own?

    Again, the point about you and others who comment so regularly and so critically; you insult make assumptions about us as a means to bypass commenting on the criticism we level against Democrats and others on the left.

  10. The point is, Torrent & Levi,

    Liberals are cheap bastards.

    That’s the point Dan was making. He just has a nicer, more round-about way of saying it than I do. It’s been proven several times and here’s an example:

    http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780465008230?id=4399061150126

    Liberals love to portray themselves as holier-than-thou, more compassionate, more tolerant, more charitable etc. “than you!” when the truth is that that’s BS. Liberals are only charitable with OPM.

    Another point Dan made was that this is a good charity and he encourages others to give as well. Perhaps you can put your money where your johnny trench is?

  11. Dan, not sure if your last two paragraphs were directed at to or both of us, but I didn’t make an assumption about you — certainly no more than your original post made an assumption about Biden’s views on charitable giving. (And I don’t really know that I’m a regular “critic” either, maybe of Bruce, sure, but not so much of your posts.) I acknowledged that if your assumption about Biden’s views on giving were true, he was a hypocrite. Conversely, I pointed out that if the generalized arguments (I didn’t say “your argument”) did hold true, then Biden really didn’t do anything “wrong”.

    Iggy’s point is a separate issue and is well-taken, and one that I don’t really disagree with except with public health issues, and that opens the door into abortion, family planning, needles and condoms. (Not because I think people have a right to free needles or condoms, but because when folks who can’t afford them don’t use them, it raises the costs of health care for all of us even more than it would to just fund the programs.)

  12. Isn’t it just wonderful that Western Wingnut gives to charity?! My, my what a great one you are. All this, and humble too. Excuse me while I pause to vomit.

  13. I point out my charitable donations to lead by example.

    No, you promote your charitable contributions for political purposes. People who do that are scumbags.

  14. And why on God’s green Earf would we believe Joe Bigot the plaigerist when he says “Oh yeah, I gave a bunch more money. Just didn’t list it”? C’mon. A liberal’s not going to admit that he didn’t donate much when put on the spot.

  16. Nothing but crickets chirping.

    Meanwhile, maybe Terrified Liberal can explain why, after 40+ years and tens of trillions spent on a “War on Poverty” (with no exit strategy), we still have poverty. And why are there so many poor in liberal controlled cities and states?

    (Jeopardy theme)

  18. Farva and the other leftists shouldn’t quote scripture they don’t understand. The point isn’t that you can never discuss your charitable activities. The point is that your charity should be motivated by love of others and love of Christ, not done for the sake of public admiration.

    Where it applies to Plugs Biden is that he and the Teleprompter call Americans greedy, call Americans selfish, and want to force people into some sort of mandatory public service… and GPW is just calling them on their hypocrisy.

    And if GPW did that without mentioning his charity, the first line of attack Farva and the other leftists would use is to accuse him of not giving to charity.

    You can’t win against bigots who are determined to hate you no matter what you do.

  19. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in [their blogs] and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

    Is anyone else amused by leftist liberals who loudly whine about how much government money they hand out to “the poor” quoting this verse?

    Furthermore, isn’t it amusing how liberals demand that others pay for the poor and raise taxes, but as we see with the Obama Party and its unquestioning support of Geithner, Solis, Daschle, Sebelius, Rangel, Stark, and others, never pay these taxes themselves?

  20. An example of Obama Party “charity” is Obama’s aunt, who is fed, clothed, housed, given healthcare, and employed at the expense of the American taxpayer — despite the fact that she is a criminal illegal immigrant.

    Biden supports this. Obama supports this. The two of them demand that she receive “charity”, but they refuse to contribute a dime. That is the Obama Party in a nutshell — force others to pay your charitable duty.

  21. Is anyone else amused by leftist liberals who loudly whine about how much government money they hand out to “the poor” quoting this verse?

    The theory, I guess, is that it’s somehow moral and righteous to loudly proclaim how much you want to spend other people’s money.

  24. Care to explain and prove your charge?

    Care to read Western Wingnut’s posting about how he donates money to the Children’s Hospital and that Biden is awful because he’s not as charitable as the Western Wingnut? Western Wingnut’s “charity” has nothing to do with charity. It’s an exercise in politics. He, like so many other wingnuts, is an ostentatious Pharisee. That’s a very old story.

  25. Thank you, Terrible leftist, your comment makes me happy for having posted as it’s help show yet again how so many leftists would rather insult than engage. Geez, I’ve lost count of the number of slurs in your little post. Not to mention the assumptions you make about me.

    Makes me feel that I was right to speculate earlier today that in the animosity of some of our critics, it’s “not the object so much that they hate, but the demon they’re trying to exorcize.”

    Thanks for chiming in. You’ve made my day. Much appreciated.

  26. Again, the point about you and others who comment so regularly and so critically; you’re insult make assumptions about us as a means to bypass commenting on the criticism we level against Democrats and others on the left.

    That’s the exact opposite of reality.

  27. Um, Levi, please show me where you, in this thread, address the criticize I leveled against Biden.

    You do provide a never-ending source of amusement and have become a subject for speculation–why do people who are so eager to criticize us spend so much time on this blog?

  28. This is hysterical. It is proven over and over that Liberals give less than conservatives. And it’s the libs who are constantly asking for higher taxes. (Yet as we can see from Obama’s best and brightest,in the cabinet, they rarely even pay what they owe much less any extra). Liberals and Democrats are always telling others how to spend their money or just advocating confiscating more of it. Yet when again faced with the charitable giving chasm, how do our leftist friends respond? They don’t appologize, they don’t pledge to do better and encourage their friends to do better. No they attack the givers. Classic leftist, socialist, communist reactionaries.

  29. I think almost 70% of Obamateleprompters donations last year was to….
    the Black Caucus. Isn’t that hysterical? Nice charity. Remember the year the Gores gave $400 to charities?

  30. Western Wingnut, it’s fun to watch your type play the victim when someone notices what they’re saying and nails them for it. Instead of donating to the Children’s Hospital, who not just pay for a billboard that tells everyone what a mensch you are? All this, and humble too.

  31. Once again, Terrible Leftist, thank you for your criticism. As per your suggestion, I’ll inquire into the costs of billboards.

    Just one thing though, what is my type? And where do I play the victim? Not sure I see it in my rhetoric. And because I don’t want to play the victim, would appreciate if you pointed it out for me where I do so so I can avoid such “playing” in the future.

    Thanks.

  33. Matter of fact you could say that Democrats don’t pay their taxes and don’t donate to charities. So why is it they are portrayed as so, so, so….feeling and giving and caring. Frauds. Creeps, crooks, boobs and morons.

  34. who not just pay for a billboard that tells everyone what a mensch you are?

    Say Dan! Maybe you could contribute toward sending Terrified Liberal to private school so he can actually learn something.

  35. Western Wingnut’s “charity” has nothing to do with charity. It’s an exercise in politics.

    To what end? Is Dan running for VP? Pointing out the fraud of liberals is more educational.

  36. And please explain how Dan is a political Pharisee, but the liberals who run entire campaigns based on their alleged championing for the poor and “the little guy” are not?

  37. TL, since you are foaming at the mouth that Dan gave money to Childrens hospital – care to share with us what good deed you’ve done for humanity lately? Voting for Obama doesn’t count.

  38. Can we call him TerLef or Twit or something,

    I’ve gotten used to people shorthanding my nick into TL, so it’s a bit jarring.

    Maybe call him UI? Useful Idiot?

  39. I’m not sure useful idiot gets it, Live. The point that TerribleLeft and others are making is that Dan sort of, kind of sounds like he’s chest-thumping about his charity-giving largese and how spot-on his choice was because someone he hired had a positive experience with that charity/institution. That’s how the reference to the bad Bible reputation of certain Temple priests trumpeting their great works as an example to be met/matched by the congregation sort of fits.

    Dan’s argument about Biden’s niggardly contributions to charity eclipsed by Biden’s ready willingness to spend other peoples’ money for programs that ought to be served by charity rather than taxpayers’ money is a good one. I think others here might argue it didn’t really need the added flourish of what Dan does for charity. Rabbi Kaufman of our neighborhood temple once said “Give and don’t expect to get credit for the giving. It’s one time in life that keeping a basket over your candle is good even if you ruin the wicker.”

    Dan’s continued attention to Biden’s low-level of charitable giving is fair -especially when you consider a recent GOP policy has been to argue that private charities & individuals are far better at getting the money to worthwhile social causes and institutions than govt programs using taxpayers’ money.

    Was Dan chest-thumping? Nawh, I don’t think so. Does that make the criticism of his disclosure irrelevant? No but they aren’t giving him the benefit of the doubt –and as one of this site’s hosts, he deserves that.

  42. There is an existential rift opening when a Liberal stoops to quote the New Testament in his attack on a Gay Conservative. I would think that some other scholarly work should have been chosen for the attack. Not to worry – Democrats consistenly proved the idiocy of their position by just talking too much. Hence, “Net Spending Cuts/Tripling the National Debt (supposed to make sense in some alternate Universe.

  43. I don´t know why Dan is surprised. Í´ll bet most leftist charitable giving is minuscule, because they believe the nanny state will take care of all our needs. If they make a large donation you can bet that it is to a radical left organization that furthers their agenda.