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In 2002, the year before Obama launched his campaign for U.S. Senate, the Obamas reported income of $259,394, ranking them in the top 2 percent of U.S. households, according to Census Bureau statistics. That year the Obamas claimed $1,050 in deductions for gifts to charity, or 0.4 percent of their income. The average U.S. household totaled $1,872 in gifts to charity in 2002, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University
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Giving, service and compassion are recurrent themes on the campaign trail for Sen. Barack Obama, but the Democratic presidential contender has only recently dug deep into his own pockets to support charitable causes.
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The national average for charitable giving has long hovered at 2.2 percent of household income, according to the Glenview-based Giving USA Foundation, which tracks trends in philanthropy. Obama tax returns dating to 1997 show he fell well below that benchmark until 2005, the year he arrived in Washington.
Both Obama and his wife, Michelle, declined to respond to questions about their charitable donations.
What a couple of scrouges. Of course the political calculation does not go unnoticed as far as the date they got serious about charity work.
The Obama's gave less than 1% of their income to charity until they decided to run for the presidency. I think it is very pathetic for anyone to question the charitable work of Cindy McCain.
If he was such a saint, why did he not do more to help the people of south side chicago? This guy received sweetheart deals from his cronies so that they can stick it to the people he represents.
Obama's donations sound like the Reagans'. Old Ronnie was well-known as a skinflint and for several years as governor of CA paid no state taxes! Of the candidates running when he first won in 1980, he donated the least to charity. That poor Depression childhood scarred him.
But the Obamas have to put two kids through college and had college loans to pay off. They didn't have been money to fall back on. So there is a big difference between their financial picture and that of the McCains'.
And, you must admit, that both Obama's did not go after the major money they could command as Ivy League lawyers.
Why do people keep repeating that they got a deal on their southside house? The did not. Ignore internet rumors.
Obama's donations sound like the Reagans'. Old Ronnie was well-known as a skinflint and for several years as governor of CA paid no state taxes! Of the candidates running when he first won in 1980, he donated the least to charity. That poor Depression childhood scarred him.
But the Obamas have to put two kids through college and had college loans to pay off. They didn't have been money to fall back on. So there is a big difference between their financial picture and that of the McCains'.
And, you must admit, that both Obama's did not go after the major money they could command as Ivy League lawyers.
Why do people keep repeating that they got a deal on their southside house? The did not. Ignore internet rumors.
Because they don't understand the axiom - all Real Estate is Local.
The Obama's gave less than 1% of their income to charity until they decided to run for the presidency. I think it is very pathetic for anyone to question the charitable work of Cindy McCain.
If he was such a saint, why did he not do more to help the people of south side chicago? This guy received sweetheart deals from his cronies so that they can stick it to the people he represents.
It is equally onerous for anyone to question a person's charity.
But Obama still gave less than the average middle class family many doing the same thnig. Gore had even a worse record on giving in the 2000 campign and he had no excuses.When his income tax returns were published Gore started giving more . Chaney and his wife gave like 4 million out of just over 5 million that same year. Just hypocrisy of people who walk the walk and those that talk the talk. Obama is like many;he went after political power while still making in the top 10%. Weh the fact come out they have excuses;excuses and excuses for not walking the walk they claim to.
He didn't start donating until he KNEW he would be running for president.
Who are you to judge one's charity? By what scale do you possess that holds the balance of what one has given in comparison to another? What great thing is money that love, time, energy and compassion may be weighed less as it becomes the singular definition of ones charity?
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