From The San Francisco Chronicle:
Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Thursday of failing the Biblical test set by the Good Samaritan, saying, “He’s seen people in need, but he’s crossed over to the other side of the street.”
…”Four years ago, George Bush came to office calling himself a compassionate conservative,” Kerry said. “Well, in the story of the Good Samaritan we are told of two men who pass by or cross to the other side of the street when they come upon a robbed and a beaten man.
“They felt compassion, but there were no deeds. Then the Good Samaritan gave both his heart and his help.”Byron York covered the discrepancy in the two candidates past charitable contributions earlier this year in a larger examination on John Kerry’s tax reporting issues.
Kerry’s returns from 1995 and earlier, before his marriage to Heinz, have sometimes attracted criticism over the issue of charitable giving. In 1995, according to published reports, Kerry reported a taxable income of $126,179, and charitable contributions of $0. In 1994, he reported income of $127,884, and charitable donations of $2,039. In 1993, he reported income of $130,345, and contributions of $175. In 1992, he reported income of $127,646, and contributions of $820. In 1991, he reported income of $113,857, and contributions of $0.
As far as Bush is concerned, in 1991, the future president, then a private citizen, reportedly had income of $179,591, and charitable contributions of $28,236. In 1992, Bush reported income of $212.313, and contributions of $31,914. In 1993, Bush reported income of $610,772, and contributions of $31,292. In 1994, Bush reported income of $474,937 and in 1995, income of $419,481. Published reports at that time did not list Bush’s charitable contributions for those two years.In 5 years John Kerry, who earned $625,911 in that period, donated $3,034 to charity. That’s .5% of his income.
In those same 5 years George Bush, who earned $1,893,091, donated $91,442 (more likely the amount was over $150,00 if the missing years were added). Even minus the two missing years that’s 4.8% of his income. If you assume that Bush’s donations were actually $150,000 (probably a low estimate) over the five years, he would have donated 7.9% of his income to charity.
It seems that Senator Kerry should be the last person to talk about the Good Samaritans.
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I can tell Clinton’s people are advising Kerry. His statement on the Good Samaritan reminds me of the Clinton days. Clinton liked using a Bible as a prop whenever he got into trouble, as well.
I can tell Clinton’s people are advising Kerry. His statement on the Good Samaritan reminds me of the Clinton days. Clinton liked using a Bible as a prop whenever he got into trouble, as well.
Of course The Hee-row’s charitable donations spiked after he married Tuh-ray-zuh. Democrats are always generous with other people’s money.
Good and funny point, Peter. Kevin, just a quick note that the national office of the Fraternal Order of Police (over 200,000 cops strong) this evening endorsed President George W. Bush. These are the people who fight crime and terrorism in America and they believe the right man for the job is Dubya.
Show’s how much they care about Bush’s National Guard record.
Now now, let’s not be too harsh. Perhaps John F. (the “F” is for F*ckwad) Kerry believes that one is a Good Samaritan only if spending millions other people’s money.
This type of do as I say, not as I do attitude is typical of liberals. If memory serves me, Clinton and Gore were both quite stingy with their own money.
As I’ve long believed, if you’re truly in need, a conservative will give you the shirt off his back while a liberal will try to give you the shirt off someone else’s back.
“In those same 5 years George Bush, who earned $1,893,091, donated $91,442 (more likely the amount was over $150,00 if the missing years were added). Even minus the two missing years that’s 4.8% of his income. If you assume that Bush’s donations were actually $150,000 (probably a low estimate) over the five years, he would have donated 7.9% of his income to charity.”
Hmm. Bush is a fairly fundamentalist Christian. I’ll bet that Bush’s donations were $189,3091 – a tithe of his income.
Bill, that’s the firt time I’ve heard Methodists decribed as fundementalist Christians.
Down here in Texas we call Methodists Babatists who dance an’ have nicer houses.
A lot of people seem to think Bush is a fundamentalists just because he isn’t afraid to admit his Christianity. Peter has it pretty much right, though — the Bushes are Methodists, and the main doctrine on which we Methodists are willing to wage holy war is that we absolutely must get out of church and to the resturant before the Baptists do.