Change You Can Believe In, As Long As You're Using Someone Else's Money, And Not Your

[Shek]

Some interesting numbers here, especially when juxtaposed against the campaign rhetoric.



http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/04/...s-long-as.html

Joe Biden's income and taxes 1999-2008, via TaxProf:



Also from TaxProf:

IRS statistics reveal that the average taxpayer with AGI over $200,000 makes over $20,000 of charitable contributions:

$15,000-$30,000 AGI: $1,916 average charitable deduction
$30,000-$50,000 AGI: $2,158 average charitable deduction
$50,000-$100,000 AGI: $2,703 average charitable deduction
$100,000-200,000 AGI: $4,057 average charitable deduction
$200,000+ AGI: $20,434 average charitable deduction



Bottom Line: VP Joe Biden makes $269,000 and contributes only $1,885 to charity, or less than 10% of the average amount for taxpayers in his income group ($20,434), and contributes even less to charity ($1,885) than the average taxpayer making only $15,000-$30,000 ($1,916). In fact, Biden's charitable contributions are less than all income groups.

Update: A comment by David Rotor criticized the chart above for including Biden in an "unbanded range" of $200,000 in AGI and above, which includes Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, Oprah, etc. But the analysis above also compared Biden to the lowest income group, showing that he was even less charitable than the lowest income group ($15,000 to $30,000). The graph below includes the charitable contributions for the income group below Joe Biden ($100-$200k), showing that those who made less than Biden gave more than twice as much to charity. No matter how you do the analysis the result is the same: penury.

My question is did VP Biden pay extra taxes voluntarily? Was he patriotic before it became mandatory?

[gunnut]

Maybe Biden just doesn't want to publicize his gifts to charity because he feels being charitable is a reward in itself.

[Shek]

Maybe Biden just doesn't want to publicize his gifts to charity because he feels being charitable is a reward in itself.

That's certainly a possibility, although it then begs the question as to why itemize anything at all then.

[Robert W]

That's certainly a possibility, although it then begs the question as to why itemize anything at all then.

You see he is the gift.....he's the remarkable "public servant"

[gunnut]

That's certainly a possibility, although it then begs the question as to why itemize anything at all then.

He might have other deductions that are not charitable contributions like mortgage interest on primary residence, student loan interest, or some other stuff. Maybe health care costs in excess of x% of his income...

I don't know. I'm just pulling stuff now.

[gunnut]

Mystery donors give over $45M to 9 universities

By MICHAEL J. CRUMB, Associated Press Writer Michael J. Crumb, Associated Press Writer – Thu Apr 16, 7:48 pm ET

DES MOINES, Iowa – A mystery is unfolding in the world of college fundraising: During the past few weeks, at least nine universities have received gifts totaling more than $45 million, and the schools had to promise not to try to find out the giver's identity.

One school went so far as to check with the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security just to make sure a $1.5 million gift didn't come from illegal sources.

"In my last 28 years in fundraising ... this is the first time I've dealt with a gift that the institution didn't know who the donor is," said Phillip D. Adams, vice president for university advancement at Norfolk State University, which received $3.5 million.

The gifts ranged from $8 million at Purdue to $1.5 million donated to the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The University of Iowa received $7 million; the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Maryland University College got $6 million each; the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs was given $5.5 million; and Penn State-Harrisburg received $3 million.

It's not clear whether the gifts came from an individual, an organization or a group of people with similar interests. In every case, the donor or donors dealt with the universities through lawyers or other middlemen. Some of the money came in cashier's checks, while other schools received checks from a law firm or another representative.

All the schools had to agree not to investigate the identity of the giver. Some were required to make such a promise in writing.

"Our chancellor was called to a Denver law office and had to sign a confidentiality agreement that she would not try to find out," said Tom Hutton, spokesman at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. "Once the chancellor signed it, she was emphatic that we don't try to find out."

Each was delivered since March 1 and came with the same stipulation: Most of the money must be used for student scholarships, and the remainder can be spent on various costs such as research, equipment, strategic goals and operating support.

"We have no idea who this generous individual is, but we're extremely grateful," said Lynette Marshall, president and chief executive of the University of Iowa foundation. "This is the first time in my 25-year career that something of this magnitude has happened."

Usually when schools receive anonymous donations, the school knows the identity of the benefactor but agrees to keep it secret. Not knowing who is giving the money can raise thorny problems.

William Massey, vice chancellor for alumni and development at UNC-Asheville, said the school contacted the Department of Homeland Security and the IRS to make sure the money was legal before accepting it.

"There may be an ethical problem if you knowingly accept funds from ill-gotten gains," said Colorado Springs' Hutton. University officials "do due diligence and ask the appropriate questions and receive satisfactory answers."

The $6 million donated to the University of Southern Mississippi was the largest single gift ever bestowed to the school.

"It was a remarkable gift particularly during these economic times," said David Wolf, vice president of advancement.

"I think somebody is out there, or potentially a group of people, that has a great respect for the value of a college education and the power that it brings," Wolf said. "Gosh, if it's the same person or the same collective group of people, it's an amazing story."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090416/.../mystery_gifts

Coincidence? I don't think so. ;)