Biden Earned $21,000 From Secret Service

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

It's not that Bush (or Reagan, or Carter, or Ford, etc.) charges, it's that the government pays, be it a local hotel, or a rented house, etc.

I don't expect a retired president, even if they have a big compound type of place with guest rooms or guest houses, to put up government agents for free, just because they have the space, simply because they are getting SS protection. And the government doesn't ask them to. We pay to put up our agents there, if it's available, as we should.

Regarding donations: eliminate all church tithes, and I wonder what "charitable donations" really look like?

I understand that the government will pay rent for SS agents. But if the SS agents stay on the property I don't know if the host always accepts rent from the government. I don't know the answer to that and I don't think you do either. We don't know if Bush is getting paid rent right now from the SS.

If that is always done, then it's really not an issue. The author of the article should have made it clear whether rent is normally paid to the person being protected if the SS agents stay on their property. That is the problem with half these news stories. The author (whether conservative or liberal) almost always has an agenda and will usually only tell you half the story. They give you the half that furthers their agenda, which I think is very unethical and dishonest.

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I understand that the government will pay rent for SS agents. But if the SS agents stay on the property I don't know if the host always accepts rent from the government. I don't know the answer to that and I don't think you do either. We don't know if Bush is getting paid rent right now from the SS.

If that is always done, then it's really not an issue. The author of the article should have made it clear whether rent is normally paid to the person being protected if the SS agents stay on their property. That is the problem with half these news stories. The author (whether conservative or liberal) almost always has an agenda and will usually only tell you half the story. They give you the half that furthers their agenda, which I think is very unethical and dishonest.

Right, and they all knowingly do it...and know their audience...

[Riot]

Unlike Obama and many other members of Congress, Joe Biden is not a millionaire. When he was vetted for VP by the Obama team, they were surprised by how little the Bidens have accumulated during his second marriage (after his first wife died). They live pretty simply for "Washington elite" (actually, Biden lives in Delaware and famously commutes to Washington via train)

President Obama's 2011 charitable gifts, from his 2011 return:



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/0...geous-Donation

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

Unlike Obama and many other members of Congress, Joe Biden is not a millionaire. When he was vetted for VP by the Obama team, they were surprised by how little the Bidens have accumulated during his second marriage (after his first wife died). They live pretty simply for "Washington elite" (actually, Biden lives in Delaware and famously commutes to Washington via train)

President Obama's 2011 charitable gifts, from his 2011 return:



http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/0...geous-Donation

I can't knock Obama's charitable donations. I think he gave a generous amount (in terms of both amount and percentage of his income).

I'm not saying that Biden should have given $25,000. As you said, he's not rich. But I think he could give a little more than 1 1/2%. For someone who is a democrat and claims to care about helping people, I think 1 1/2% is a little stingy.

[joeydb]

$21000 is a lot more than $47...

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I can't knock Obama's charitable donations. I think he gave a generous amount (in terms of both amount and percentage of his income).

I'm not saying that Biden should have given $25,000. As you said, he's not rich. But I think he could give a little more than 1 1/2%. For someone who is a democrat and claims to care about helping people, I think 1 1/2% is a little stingy.

Isn't he Catholic? What did he tithe to his church?

I do think Biden is a good example of someone who went to Washington to do good, and didn't change to doing well. He's not a lobbyist, he's not out to make money, he's just an average guy who lost his family and rebuilt a life.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

Isn't he Catholic? What did he tithe to his church?

I do think Biden is a good example of someone who went to Washington to do good, and didn't change to doing well. He's not a lobbyist, he's not out to make money, he's just an average guy who lost his family and rebuilt a life.

When you give money to your church, that is considered a charitable donation. You can write that off. That would appear on his taxes. He must not have given any money to his church, unless he occasionally threw a $10 or $20 bill into the tithe basket. Most people who are going to put more than $5 in the tithe basket, will use a check rather than cash, so that they can get the deduction on their taxes.

[Riot]

I'll let Biden have this one: if someone - even if it's the Secret Service protecting him - is housed in his rental housing, they can pay, and he can charge.

I don't care much what charities other people give to, or don't give to. It's their business. If you earn your money (legally), you can do whatever the (legal) heck you want with it. You can feed poor children or purchase sold gold toilets. Your choice. I don't resent Trump, or Romney, or Buffett, or Jobs, or Gates, in the least because they are wealthy, and may do with their money something I would never do. It's their money.