Yesterday proved what we already knew. The Democrats, as personified by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, are much more happy giving away the government’s money than they are their own. For someone who keeps telling the American people that we are all in this together and that some sacrifices will be needed to survive the current economic troubles, it is more than a tad ironic that he and his chosen vice-president once again donated a smaller percentage of their income than the average working American. Way to go, Joe!

According to their 2021 tax filings, the Bidens reported an adjusted gross income of $610,702. Of that, they gave $17,394 to charity, or 2.8%, to charity. Gee, for Biden to be such a good, church-going president, he sure doesn’t tithe much, does he? (Especially since we know they are donating to the Beau Biden Foundation and the other foundations the family has started.)

According to 2016 data from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, the average charitable deduction for those making between $500,000 and $2 million is 3.1% of adjusted gross income. Filers earning between $100,000 and $500,000 donate 2.9%.

So, not only did they donate less than others in their income bracket, they also gave less than those in the bracket below them. What a shining example he sets as he keeps telling the working men and women of this country that they need to keep sacrificing to help the less fortunate. You’d think someone who lives rent-free, who doesn’t have to worry about paying the utilities or gas or even buying groceries could afford to be a bit more generous.

Remember, Biden draws a salary of $400k/year and has an expense account of, if I remember correctly, $50k/year. Without taking into account what Dr. Jill makes, you’d think they could afford to donate more than a mere 2.8%. After all, “those earning under $50,000 who itemized charitable deductions handed out 8.4% of their AGI.” But not the Bidens–or the Harrises. It seems the more money Democratic office holders make and the higher the office, the less they are willing to share with the less fortunate.

Welcome to the world of the Democrats where the more equal among equals have their own set of rules.

Let’s not forget Kamala Harris and her husband. For 2021, they reported a “federal adjusted gross income of $1,655,563.” Now, a good chunk of that came from the sale of a home in Cali. But their charitable donations came in at a pitiful $22,100, or 1.3%. Talk about not putting their money where their mouths are.

But the Democrats are supposed to be the party of the people, the caring party.

The giving party.

Yep, they will happily give money away–as long as it isn’t theirs.

It is important to understand this year’s tax figures are not an anomaly when it comes to charitable donations. In 2019, Forbes reported that the Bidens had donated ” just $70,000 to charity in the two decades leading up to 2017.” That year, 2017, should have raised some questions among those who watch the finances of politicians. That year, the Biden’s reported a huge increase in their income. In fact, they made almost twice as much that year as they did the previous 19 years combined. So, yes, they donated more to charity.

That year they handed more than $1 million, or about 9% of their income, to 26 charities—including their family’s Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children ($150,000) and the Joseph Biden Foundation ($100,000).

Hmm, charities they started and at least one of which, the Beau Biden Foundation, uses very little of the monies donated for the actual cause behind its formation.

But that donation amount quickly dropped back down to the level of a pittance. By 2019, the Bidens donated less than 1.5% of their AGI to charity. The “average giving for a comparable income level is 8.3%.” Harris donated approximately 1% of her AGI. I don’t know about you, but that isn’t the sort of example I want to see coming from political leaders who keep reaching into my pockets for money for their pet social projects. That’s especially true when I’m not only paying their salaries but also their room and board. There is no excuse for them to be donating so little.

Let’s drive the point home a bit more where Biden’s concerned. He claims to be a good Catholic (although his stance on abortion would put the lie to that). The rule in the Catholic Church used to be that parishioners were to tithe 10% of their income to the Church. Over the years, that has been adapted, not so much by the papacy but by individual diocese or even parishes, to 5% tithe and 5% charitable donations. At a time when, thanks to Covid lockdowns, church attendance and donations to the Church have declined, one would think a “good Catholic” like Biden would want to do his part.

Nope, not at all. His own tax records make that very clear.

Now let’s put that into perspective. Prior to Biden’s election, the only other Catholic to sit in the Oval Office was John F. Kennedy. He earned the princely sum of $100k/year as President. He donated his entire salary to charity. Yes, he came from a rich family. But this wasn’t a case of not accepting a salary. This was donating it to charitable organizations. Too bad, Biden and Harris couldn’t learn that particular lesson from JFK.

Biden wants to go down in history as the caring President. He wants to forgive student debt. He has forced this country to pay for billions in free Covid testing, vaccinations and even free masks and home tests. He’s following the battle cry of his party: Let the Government pay for it! After all, it doesn’t impact him or Kamala. They aren’t opening their wallets to help offset the bills. They’re leaving that to you and me and they don’t hesitate to reach into our pockets to grab whatever money they think they need.

Charity begins at home unless your name is Biden or Harris.

Featured Image: Joe Biden caricature by DonkeyHotey. Creative Commons 2.0 license.