/charity seems like such an odd thing to pick on./
I understand what Obama is up to perfectly. Not only do you increase the level of immediate dependence on government to take up the slack, and increase the rationale for the argument against "the rich", but it fulfills a couple of other fundamentals of liberalism. Government aid to the poor negates the /need/ for individuals to do charitable things, over the long-term. This plays into the selfish "thee, not me" attitude most liberals espouse by shifting the moral burden of charity to the amoral act of writing a bigger check to the gubmint. The purpose is to indirectly attack the moral superiority of the charitable individual, in favor of the collective. Likewise, once you eliminate the individual responsibility of charity, you accept the premise that government is the cure for /some or all/ social ills. This creates an atmosphere in which the existence of social problems is proof of insufficient government oversight and control. That, I believe, is the true goal of this whole thing: to create an atmosphere in which resistance to government intervention and expansion is generally accepted as evil. Posted by: Soylent Red | March 25, 2009 at 03:53 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b45b2970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b45b2970c> /If that is really Biden's claim couldn't that put his church at risk for audit, to see if they reported that income?/ Porch, Churches, unlike other non profits, don't have to report income (yet). Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkywatzky | March 25, 2009 at 03:56 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b49c6970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b49c6970c> I've got another interesting result of this stupidity: political action committees will be on the same footing as charities. Take the money you would have given to the United Way and give it to the RNC. It's only fair. Posted by: Fresh Air | March 25, 2009 at 03:57 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f53ee48970b#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f53ee48970b> "That, I believe, is the true goal of this whole thing: to create an atmosphere in which resistance to government intervention and expansion is generally accepted as evil." Sorry Mr Red.Obysmal isn't that smart.Somebody would have had to think that for him. Posted by: PeterUK <http://Tiscali.com> | March 25, 2009 at 03:58 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b4cdc970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b4cdc970c> Ah I forgot one other element... The shift in the burden of social ills to the massive middle class, and away from the elite. As much as they may argue the opposite, making charity dependent upon tax driven government programs moves the financial burden from the rich (liberal elite rich who subscribe to "thee, not me" and the collective mindset) to the middle class taxpaying schlub who can't afford the kinds of people and methods that shelter and hide money from taxes. Posted by: Soylent Red | March 25, 2009 at 03:58 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b4d9b970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156e5b4d9b970c> He isn't specifically targeting charity. He is going to limit the amount of total deductions people can take. It's just that charity is the only deductible item that is discretionary, so that's where people will cut back. If I could cut back on my property tax bill and give more to charity, I'd do it! My guess is it just never occurred to him and Turbo that this would be a byproduct of their tax manipulations. So now better to deny than admit it. Posted by: MayBee | March 25, 2009 at 04:03 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f53f6f9970b#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f53f6f9970b> Exactly, Soylent--and it diminishes the power of the unfavored charities--i,e, churches-- vs. Planned Parenthood whom the govt will continue to fund one way or the other;boy scouts vs the Jugend; private schools vs state sponsored dummy making institutions.. Posted by: clarice | March 25, 2009 at 04:13 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/i-give-up.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f540a16970b#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201156f540a16970b> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
