At the same time they are fighting to increase taxes on the wealthy, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden released their 2010 returns, showing that together they paid more than half a million dollars in taxes last year. The Obamas paid $453,770 on an income of $1,795,614 that was attributable largely to book sales. The Bidens paid $86,626 on an income of $379,178.
Once again, the vice president disclosed that he is near the bottom for charitable giving. Biden had been embarrassed in 2008 when tax returns showed that his Republican opponent, Sarah Palin, had given more to charity in one year than the Bidens had in the previous 10 years.
Biden and his wife, Jill, reported $4,400 in cash donations, and they took another $950 deduction for clothes donated to Goodwill. That put his charitable giving at 1.4 percent of his income, below the national average of between 3 percent and 5 percent. Only two of the Bidens’ eight cash contributions topped $1,000--$1,400 to the Northern Virginia Community College Alumni Scholarship Fund, and $1,000 to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, attended by Jill Biden. The return for the vice president, who is Catholic, shows no contributions to any Catholic Church and $500 to the Annual Catholic Appeal for the Diocese of Wilmington, Del.
In contrast, the Obamas gave $245,075 to charity--13.6 percent of their income. A wide variety of charities were listed, including women’s shelters, homeless shelters, reading programs, veterans groups, and groups fighting such diseases as AIDS, diabetes, and cancer. Three of the Obamas' contributions topped $10,000--$131,075 to the Fisher House Foundation, which provides support and housing to military families during hospitalizations or rehabilitation; $15,000 to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund; and $10,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs.
Aamer Madhani contributed
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