Though it’s arguable, I thought that Governor Palin bested Senator Biden in their debate this past Thursday. Now The Hill reports that Governor Palin has inarguably edged Senator Biden as a donor to charitable causes. Indeed, it’s not close:
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made considerably less money than rival Sen. Joe Biden, but the Palin family gave more to charity in the last two years than Biden has in the last eight combined, according to Palin’s tax records released Friday afternoon.
Palin, the running mate of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and her husband Todd reported meager earnings from 2006 and 2007, at least by presidential-politics standards.
In 2006, the Palins paid $11,944 in taxes on $127,869 in income. In 2007, they paid $24,738 on $166,080.
But in 2006, they donated $4,880 to charity, and in 2007, they donated $3,325.
By contrast, Biden (D-Del.), Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s running mate, has donated a total of $3,690 since 1998 despite his higher Senate salary, according to an analysis posted by National Review.
The Hill story provides no link to the National Review analysis, but I believe it is referring to Byron York’s NRO column “Joe Biden and American charity.” Anyone familiar with the work of Arthur Brooks will not be surprised by this story, but it is a striking illustration of the phenomenon Brooks observes in Who Really Cares.
Via Lucianne.
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