and their lack of connection with the people and their plight?

btk

Originally Posted by billethkid

and their lack of connection with the people and their plight?

btk

Have you never heard of the Kennedy's? Have you never heard of the Roosevelts? Both presidents connected very well with the people and their plights. It's not a matter of fortune, it's a matter of empathy.

Originally Posted by billethkid

and their lack of connection with the people and their plight?

btk

Someone has responded to your thread with...well, try this on....the other poster implied that Republicans have no empathy.....same old stuff for years...the beginning of class warfare again.....

"Rich businessman Mitt Romney gave more than 16% of his income to charity last year. A few years back, Barack and Michelle Obama gave less than 1% of theirs. Aren't Republicans supposed to be the heartless ones?

According to their tax returns, the Obamas gave to charitable causes just $10,772 of the $1.2 million they earned from 2000 through 2004. In 2005 and 2006, they boosted their giving a bit to 5%.

How about Vice President Joe Biden? Surely he could top the Obamas and save some face for the party that purports to be all about helping the poor. But no.

Biden and his wife gave an average of $369 a year to charity for the decade preceding his vice presidency, according to USA Today. That amounted to 0.3% of their income. They haven't been much more generous since Biden became veep. In 2010, they gave $5,350, or roughly 1.4%.

Maybe the Clintons, the last Democrats to hold the White House before the Obamas, can save the party's reputation. From 2000 to 2006, their donations averaged 8.26% of income, from a low of 1.21% in 2002 to a high of 12.57% two years later, says the Tax Foundation.

Better, but not exactly Romney territory. The former Massachusetts governor gave 13.73% of his income to charity in 2010 and an estimated 19.14% last year.

Romney's top opponent in the GOP primaries, Newt Gingrich, is closer to the Democrats in his giving, having donated 2.6% of his income in 2010.

That leaves him open for criticism. But remember: Unlike Democrats, Gingrich hasn't made a political career of painting himself as a champion of the poor.
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Of course when Democrats talk about helping the poor, they don't mean with their own money. They mean using other people's money. Especially money from rich businessmen such as Romney.

Democrats Are More Generous Than Republicans, But With Other People's Money - Investors.com

These are FACTS...no question and not just subjective rhetoric.

Romney , also, gave all of his inheritance to charity.

Like George Clooney's $40,000 per plate soriee for the Obama campaign. $40,000 per plate is obsene, elitist and verifys that Deomcrats are out of touch with the average guy. Of all of the negative human emotions "disgust" is the worse because it is the only one that has to be learned. I am thoroughly "disgusted" thinking about people spending $40,000 for a meal when so many people in the world are dying from lack of the basics.

Originally Posted by Sally Jo

Romney , also, gave all of his inheritance to charity.

This cannot be...I just heard that he and the Republicans have no empathy !!

This is, IN MY OPINION, the wrong way to approach this campaign. American voters, if not already sick of it, will BE sick of the constant talk about class.

They want to hear what you did and what you will do on real issues. Attacking this way is going to and I think already has backfired on the Democrats.

There is no righteous rich except the Hollywood rich.

Originally Posted by RichieLion

There is no righteous rich except the Hollywood rich.

RichieLion, do not forget the righteous players of the NBA, NFL, and MLB.

Also, do not forget a certain blonde at the Tampa stadium. Nothing to do about being rich but still not to be forgotten!

Originally Posted by Bucco

Someone has responded to your thread with...well, try this on....the other poster implied that Republicans have no empathy.....same old stuff for years...the beginning of class warfare again.....

"Rich businessman Mitt Romney gave more than 16% of his income to charity last year. A few years back, Barack and Michelle Obama gave less than 1% of theirs. Aren't Republicans supposed to be the heartless ones?

According to their tax returns, the Obamas gave to charitable causes just $10,772 of the $1.2 million they earned from 2000 through 2004. In 2005 and 2006, they boosted their giving a bit to 5%.

How about Vice President Joe Biden? Surely he could top the Obamas and save some face for the party that purports to be all about helping the poor. But no.

Biden and his wife gave an average of $369 a year to charity for the decade preceding his vice presidency, according to USA Today. That amounted to 0.3% of their income. They haven't been much more generous since Biden became veep. In 2010, they gave $5,350, or roughly 1.4%.

Maybe the Clintons, the last Democrats to hold the White House before the Obamas, can save the party's reputation. From 2000 to 2006, their donations averaged 8.26% of income, from a low of 1.21% in 2002 to a high of 12.57% two years later, says the Tax Foundation.

Better, but not exactly Romney territory. The former Massachusetts governor gave 13.73% of his income to charity in 2010 and an estimated 19.14% last year.

Romney's top opponent in the GOP primaries, Newt Gingrich, is closer to the Democrats in his giving, having donated 2.6% of his income in 2010.

That leaves him open for criticism. But remember: Unlike Democrats, Gingrich hasn't made a political career of painting himself as a champion of the poor.
mp3Subscribe to the IBD Editorials Podcast

Of course when Democrats talk about helping the poor, they don't mean with their own money. They mean using other people's money. Especially money from rich businessmen such as Romney.

Democrats Are More Generous Than Republicans, But With Other People's Money - Investors.com

These are FACTS...no question and not just subjective rhetoric.

If you'll check the facts, you'll find the tax returns for 2011 state that the Obama's contributed 22% of their income to charity. President Obama also contributed his $1,000,000 Nobel Peace Prize to charity. Of course, we don't know what Mitt Romney's contributions were for 2011 since he has not released his tax returns.

When is Mitt Romney going to release all his tax returns? His own father started the practice in 1968 releasing 13 years worth. President Obama released seven years of tax returns in 2008 and every year since then.
Romney has never released tax returns, not when he ran for senate in 1994, not when he ran for governor in 2002. What is he hiding? Why the foreign bank accounts?

Note to those interested...the link is for 2010 tax returns if anyone read the article dated in January of 2012 and frankly the link was supplied because a poster implied very strongly that the Republican party lacked empathy.

I can only wonder about the nightmare this class warfare rhetoric will reign down on those participating.

I am not sure of the relevence of the post giving the 2011 figures for Obama.....he does not need to be defended.....the information on here is related to the Republican party being called out as not having any empathy.

But whatever makes people happy I suppose.....

Originally Posted by janmcn

Have you never heard of the Kennedy's? Have you never heard of the Roosevelts? Both presidents connected very well with the people and their plights. It's not a matter of fortune, it's a matter of empathy.

Originally Posted by Bucco

Note to those interested...the link is for 2010 tax returns if anyone read the article dated in January of 2012 and frankly the link was supplied because a poster implied very strongly that the Republican party lacked empathy.

I can only wonder about the nightmare this class warfare rhetoric will reign down on those participating.

I am not sure of the relevence of the post giving the 2011 figures for Obama.....he does not need to be defended.....the information on here is related to the Republican party being called out as not having any empathy.

But whatever makes people happy I suppose.....

No where in the above post do I mention the republican party. I was speaking of individuals: ie Franklin Roosevelt and Jack Kennedy. Mitt Romney is the one who is devoid of empathy, not the whole republican party.

I really find it doubtful if Mitt Romney is devoid of empathy for people. He is very rich - so what? He worked hard and I am sure he is a very honest and decent man - and probably would make a good President of the US.

He parks (or parked) money off-shore in the Caymans. Hey, why not? I probably would too if I were rich. He takes advantage of tax breaks. So does everyone I know.

It does not matter if Mitt is rich or not. Character counts and he has good character.

Originally Posted by buggyone

RichieLion, do not forget the righteous players of the NBA, NFL, and MLB.

Also, do not forget a certain blonde at the Tampa stadium. Nothing to do about being rich but still not to be forgotten!

All I mean by that is that Democrats only seem to have problems with the rich who've gotten there through business.

If you're rich because you make 20 million dollars a picture, you're admired and not despised.

It's interesting, is all.

I am impressed some think the the differing characteristics of the rich follow partisan lines.

How much more partisan brain washed could one be than that?

btk