The Cheneys are good people. It would be interesting to know what the Clintons contribute to charity.
Like Al Gore, who donated a miserly $353 to charity as vice president in 1997, John Kerry may be a serial cheapskate.
During the early 1990s, with no apparent presidential aspirations, Kerry contributed the following amounts: $0 in 1991; $820, 1992; $175, 1993; $2,039, 1994; and $0, 1995. Last year, however, after media attention, he gave $43,735.
However, it was painless giving. Kerry published a book -- still available in discount bins -- spelling out his positions on public policy issues. He is drawing from the proceeds to pay his taxes and giving the rest to charity.
In other words, he's polishing his image with proceeds from a book written to further his political career.
Kerry and his wife have a combined net worth between $664 million and $760 million and, because the charitable con- tributions come from the book proceeds, they won't draw down the family treasury.
The question Kerry still needs to answer, however, is why he isn't as generous with his own vast personal wealth as he is with tax money forcibly extracted from everyone else.
My hero!
It would be nice if this charity donation stuff was brought up whenever lefties start whining about his blind trust.
Kerry's returns from 1995 and earlier, before his marriage to Heinz, have sometimes attracted criticism over the issue of charitable giving. In 1995, according to published reports, Kerry reported a taxable income of $126,179, and charitable contributions of $0. In 1994, he reported income of $127,884, and charitable donations of $2,039. In 1993, he reported income of $130,345, and contributions of $175. In 1992, he reported income of $127,646, and contributions of $820. In 1991, he reported income of $113,857, and contributions of $0.
bttt
Yeah, but did Cheney donate his underwear to charity?