Romney’s equating of taxes and charitable giving sparks debate

[Liberal_in_LA]

Are taxes a form of charitable donation?

Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney seemed to suggest that he might think so last week, when he responded to questions about how much he pays in taxes by suggesting that people should take into account his total contributions to the government and charities.

The comment was a quick one — a by-golly insistence that despite paying a relatively low tax rate on his vast income, the millions he has given to charity show that he’s not a greedy guy.

But experts who research public attitudes on philanthropy on both sides of the political spectrum said it was an inadvertently revealing moment, a brief window into the deep philosophical differences between how liberals and conservatives view government and society.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romneys-equating-of-taxes-and-charitable-giving-sparks-debate/2012/08/18/63bea3e6-e891-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_story.html

[Bluerthanblue]

1. he's only taxed on the post charitable income -

and imo taxes aren't a charitable contribution, they are a tax- the dues you pay for living in a civilized society. Charity is a choice, where you can give to causes that may only benefit select causes or individuals and not society as a whole.

Romney's gifts to the LDS church only benefit individuals within his church family, social programs funded by taxes are not 'exclusive'.

[Bjorn Against]

2. No taxes and charity are not the same, especially when you consider the Mormon church a charity

Even if he were donating to a good charity and not a hate group it would still not be the same thing, even the very best charities are not able to provide for the same needs the government can. The idea that charity can take over the government's role in providing for people in need is a lie, no charity has the resources to fill in for the government most charities are tight on money as it is and if they had to take over for the government they would instantly collapse under the burden. If Mitt chooses to give to real charity great(although I refuse to call a homophobic hate group like the Mormon church a charity) but you should still have to pay taxes. I don't have a problem with some tax write-offs for charitable giving within reason but no one should be able to pretend charity and taxes are the same thing

[summerschild]

3. He's so proud of the 13% tax he paid.

Which was supposedly calculated after DEDUCTING his church contributions.

Now, you nasty people, give me credit for both!

(After all, the $77M for the wifey's hobby horse didn't pass the muster.)