For quick reference, here's the summary of giving rates:

Clinton - 10.8 percent, 2014
Cruz -- 0.9 percent, 2010
Kasich -- 2.4 percent, 2008
Sanders -- 5 percent, 2014
Fiorina -- 13.4 percent, 2013
Bush -- 3.7 percent 2014
Christie -- 2.9 percent 2014
Carson, Rubio, and Trump -- N/A

So , what do these rates mean? Are these adequate giving amounts?

We can compare them(or at least the ones we have) against one another.
Doing so, the ladies win and are the only two to break double digits --Fiorina at 13.4 percent and Clinton at 10.8 percent.

We can also hold them up to those who were in their position four years ago, Obama and Mitt Romney, who just last month suggested all candidates release their tax returns (pronto)

For his 2011 tax returns, Romney reported an adjusted gross income of $13,696,951 and charitable donations of $4,020,772 for an impressive 29.4 percent giving rate.

Obama also had a noteworthy giving rate of 21.8 percent, with $789,674 in adjusted gross income of and $172,130 in charitable donations.

With those numbers in mind, the 2016 candidates are hardly as impressive.

http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/how-much-do-the-presidential-candidates-give-to-charity/

Nothing.
You have no idea if they were made with kick backs in mind, or solely for a specific tax break.
You have no idea how those numbers were actually generated nor why.
There's no guarantee there was anything actually given.
People lie on their tax forms all the time.
Unless you believe politicians are altruistic in nature, never lie, and what they report is absolutely infallible and impeccable?


They are just numbers that don't mean much.


I can have five people crap in one hand and put hope and change in the other and tell you which one weighs more, then you can compare their answers .
It would be about as useful.

These numbers mean nothing.

How about how many hot dogs you can eat at one time?

just depends upon how much one equates giving to others as caring about others


someone giving a double digit perentage of what they work for to help others,, says something to me about character and ability to care for others

but thats just me

I agree if they are real. I just don't trust the numbers.

I look at the issue this way: If you are including charitable donations in a tax return, then aren't you asking the government to reimburse you for those donations by not taxing you as much?

if you include charitable donations than you are being honest about your charitable donations and yes the government reimburses you based upon your tax bracket


but it doesn't take it back from the people you helped, and its applied to all charity so it still relatively amounts to the same comparison,,,

It's their money. They can donate as much or as little as they want to.
I would like to see the donations given to the Clinton foundation and by whom.

I know they can

parents can feed their kids as much as they want to , barring starvation

but I probably am more suspicious of how much that parent 'cares' about their kids who feeds them a bowl of cereal once a day while they eat steaks,,, know what I mean?

I feel it's better to worry about how much oneself cares and gives to others than to evaluate others.

And giving money is easy, it does not really mean caring if it is given for show only.

My two cents.

My Thoughts exactly...
I have been giving for years and I don't put it on my tax returns...

Never ask for the tax receipt.. But I guess it makes you look good on paper if you can show you donate..
IDK

or it makes you look suspicious if any person or cause associated with the charity comes under investigation, makes you look as if you are 'hiding' something when you reach a certain financial status


giving is giving, to me,, if it helps, I admire it , without making a lot of assumptions about the reasons ,,

if you already 'earned it' and then used it to help someone other than yourself,,,, I admire it

This is a true story.

I was flying to the far East, sitting in the departue lounge and I got talking to a Lady who worked for 'save the Children' one of the biggest charity's on earth I think.

She was flying first class, which I thought was unbelievable.

Granted she may have had an important meeting the next day or whatever, but first class, could have fed half the world for the price of that ticket.

never know

being gracious doesn't require one , in my eyes, to never treat themselves

and maybe that wasn't her only job or source of income,,,

I worked in securities for a minute,, the world of investment is an amazing place,,

Yeppers... I agree.. And yet to be fair her ticket could have been comped. never know...

This is the main reason I don't give actual money to charities...
Because there has been so many scandals that I dont' know where my money is going to go.

I know I have I have a rough idea on how much I give yearly.. and I give merchandise such as coats for kids and the food pantry and the local animal shelter..

I won't give the homeless on the street money but I will go and get 30 or 40 off the 2$ menu...we don't have a dollar menu up here and give them out to the ones that I are panhandling...

its all good, for me

giving is giving


I prefer to give cash directly to those on the streets , if I were in a higher income, I would definitely do more of the regular charitable contributions too,,

but its all different ways of trying to help others,,,

Silly guy, she was carrying a bundle of cash. One can never be too careful.

personal experience and personal perception tie strongly together

I lost my apartment to a fire and red cross was right there,,I still have high regard for the work they do

I never give to pan handlers. But if I see someone in need and not asking for anything, I will help that person or family.

I have been involved in some rudimentary investigations into some local panhandlers through the local university. The panhandlers we talked with claimed, off the record, to be making anywhere from 40-90K a year. They think why work when all you have to do is look poor and ask for the money...

I will never give an individual cash. I will buy them food or maybe a specific item they need, but never hand over cash...

However I will donate money to charities that are certified to give 95% of the money received, to those they claim to help. Unfortunately, those organizations are few and far between.

to give is to be blessed, whether its money, or tangible goods


kudos