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March 25, 2008
Obamas' charitable giving
Ethel C. Fenig
Barack and Michelle Obama just released their tax returns. Interesting.
Far be it from me to tell others how to spend their own money but, keeping in mind Michelle Obama's complaint,
how difficult it was for a young couple like the Obamas to make it on their small salaries, what with paying the mortgage on the now controversial mansion close to the hospital, those lurking college loans demanding repayment and of course the fees for extra curricular lessons for their two young children.
it is noteworthy
how little the Obamas gave to charity -- well short of the biblical 10% tithe for all seven years. In two of the years, the Obamas gave far less than 1% of their income to charity; in three of the years, they gave around 1% of their income to charity.
Only when their income zoomed upward, thanks in part to Mrs. Obama's new job, did their charitable giving increase substantially. Very nice. But, this is America, it is their money except what the government takes and they can spend it as they please.
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