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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDoes Mitt Romney Ever Give Charity to Non-Mormons or Entities without a Political Agenda?
I have noticed, from his tax returns and anecdotes, that Mitt Romney's charitable contributions or humanitarian outreach always centers around his church. Mormons take care of each other, and that's laudable. However, over 99% of us are not Mormons (I know, another 1% line, but it's unintentional).
Last night in the VP debate, Paul Ryan described another heart warming story of Mitt's help, but once again, the people were "members of his Church". Does he reach out to the inner-city? Does he help neighbors of other faiths, or God forbid, no faith at all? Where does my family fit into this?
He gives to charities with a political agenda, like right to life groups, and, as I said, he gives a portion of his incredible wealth to his Mormon Church, but not much outside it, or at least I have never heard an anecdote that didn't center around his church.
Maybe that's why he doesn't bring it up himself, because it would eventually become obvious the Mitt only has charity in his heart for Mormons, and the rest of us can fend for ourselves, unless we convert.
aquart
(69,014 posts)jsmirman
(4,507 posts)mormon church and subsidiaries of the mormon church - anything else or not?
kelly1mm
(4,735 posts)Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)I lived in a Mormon town for a few years. They are a closed society. If you are not Mormon, they want nothing to do with you. Their charity only goes to other Mormons. I grew to hate this about them. Never think the Mormons are there to help you, because they aren't -- unless you too are a Mormon.
AnnaLee
(1,041 posts)when I lived in West Valley (near SLC), I always felt that if my house was on fire someone would call the fire department but if I was outside and neighbors were outside also, I was invisible to them.
No my problem was at my job. I was on the faculty of U. Utah briefly. My dept. head was Mormon. He always brought a man in the room when he had a "meeting" with me. He never addressed me directly but addressed the man about me. He actually talked directly with me twice. The first time he called to ask why I hadn't done what I promised to do. I reminded him that he had obtained that promise from the man in the room who I had not appointed to represent me. He actually apologized before the call was over. The second time was when I resigned. He called and asked if I was leaving because of the way he had treated me. I told him no because he just wasn't that important. I was leaving to find a happier job and place to live.
Today I realize that my experiences (in the 80s) cloud my perspective and I am more frightened of Romney than any that came before him. I don't want to get religion mixed up in it but I do. I hope I can overcome it. (I seem to trust Harry though.)
closeupready
(29,503 posts)He went on about how "we" (royally) all believe we are children of the same god.
So many issues with that. Mormons believe in MANY gods, even believe that they can become gods themselves.
If that's Christianity, then Hinduism is also Christianity if they say it is.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)nt
aletier_v
(1,773 posts)The faster y'all figure that out, the faster you'll really understand Romney.
MrYikes
(720 posts)and gives only when tax deductible.
PearliePoo2
(7,768 posts)We've been hearing all these "ooohs and aaahs" about how generous Mittens is to charities. How selfless he is.
Give me a freakin' break. His donations were entirely to either the LDS or his family. He gave stocks in companies (all owned by Mormons btw) to his kid's trust and the rest went to the LDS $$ corporation.
If someone could show me him helping out an organization that wasn't Mormon affiliated in some way, I'd like to see it.
kelly1mm
(4,735 posts)were mainly, but not entirely, to LDS causes.
dems_rightnow
(1,956 posts)But not all. There are smaller donations to some worthwhile causes. Here's a list of some of them from 2010:
http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-charitable-donations-2012-7
kelly1mm
(4,735 posts)but he has given to:
"The foundation has been the Romneys' main vehicle for giving, whether to keep the lights on with a $10,000 check to a homeless shelter for veterans that couldn't pay its electric bill or to send relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina ($10,000) and the South Asia earthquake and tsunami ($25,000).
The GOP presidential hopeful has donated $127,000 in proceeds from his 2010 campaign book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness." Seven charities serving children, cancer and MS patients and severely wounded veterans got donations ranging from $10,000 to nearly $33,000.
The businessman-turned-politician has also foregone payment for work he did as governor and as head of the Olympics.
As head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Romney took no salary for three years while donating $1 million to the games."
and later:
"Health care. The Romneys have given more than $100,000 to research and service organizations for multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, cancer, epilepsy, Lou Gehrig's Disease and AIDS.
For the man who signed the nation's first comprehensive health care reform law, the choices have sometimes been personal. Ann's multiple sclerosis and her diagnosis in 2008 with early stage breast cancer have informed their giving. So has the plight of associates likes conservative columnist Dean Barnett. An early supporter who was Romney's driver during his 1994 Senate campaign, Barnett died of cystic fibrosis in 2008 at age 41.
Youth. The Boy Scouts of America, the Boston Scholars program for disadvantaged students and the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund to prevent child abuse -- where Ann Romney served on the board -- all have benefited from the couple's largess. They gave $10,000 to the United Way Faith and Action Fund started by Ann Romney to help at-risk urban youth. Romney has given more than $60,000 to City Year, the Boston-based community service organization on whose board he once served."
Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/mitt-romney-gives-million_n_924414.html
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)Do the math!!!!!
If he truly gives 30% of his money to charity - and that's a figure from Liar Boy - but even taking that as true...
Go to the huff po link, and 80% of his charity being to the hateful Mormon Church and subsidiaries (and that seems conservative) would mean that he really only gives 6% of his income(?)(I assume) to non-Mormon charities.
Color me unimpressed.
kelly1mm
(4,735 posts)Question: "Does Mitt Romney Ever Give Charity to Non-Mormons or Entities without a Political Agenda?"
Answer: Yes.
Even your post says he gives some money to non-LDS charities. That was the question asked and answered. I did not say he gave a majority of his money to non-LDS charities, as that was not the question asked. The answer does not require math. It is binary; either he has ever given to non-LDS, non political charities or not.
If the question was does he give over 10% of his income to non-LDS, non-political charities then you would have a point. But it wasn't, so you don't.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)he's not that charitable, he's just a powerful Mormon.
You were not relevant to my decision that this statement required yelling.
I hope you can accept that.
kelly1mm
(4,735 posts)seems to have gone to non-LDS, non-political charities.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)as might others.
It drives me nuts, btw, that people like the reporters on that huff po piece are so math-phobic that they don't take the obvious next step of performing the calculation.
gordianot
(15,249 posts)Mitt himself is the direct beneficiary of charity. Mitt is a front man plain and simple in a very secretive community. His main function in life is to file taxes as a cover for his investors and manage to stay out of jail. Running for public office winning and being there is also a service he must render irregardless of politics. This why and how he adapts and changes so easily, Mitt is a professional liar and bag man.
jsr
(7,712 posts)TheBluestEye
(97 posts)health care, a decent education, and employment opportunities. Bishop Romney cares about 100% of Mormons.