Mark Dayton Donates 2.8% of Income to Charity

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton released his tax returns.  The heir to the Dayton fortune was embarrassed to have donated just $1,000 to charity last year.  But don't worry, this year the trust fund baby dropped $10,000 to charity.  On an income of $353,000.  For 2.8% of his "income" (note, this has nothing to do with the wealth he has tucked away).

I reading the article on the StarTribune, it is interesting to see the apologists for the Governor/Cheapskate.  There are two basic themes there:

• Conservatives give to things like churches, which aren't really charity.  If you take that out of the equation, Liberals donate more 
• Conservatives don't understand that things like taxes actually benefit everyone, not just religious fanatics

Let's take each of these one at a time:

• On the church argument, there are two points.  1) Take the Catholic Church, for example.  There is no bigger entity in the world that educates, heals, protects, feeds, clothes, and takes care of people.  It's not even close.  And it is absolutely being done down at the parish level.  So take your assumptions about religion and stick them with the rest of your ignorance.  2) Even factoring out religious donations, I guarantee Conservatives donate more.  That certainly applies to me relative to Governor Dayton, and my income was significantly less than his, and my bank account is a rounding error compared to his.  Just a couple that got my support last year were Wounded Warriors, Caring and Sharing Hands, Alzheimer's Association, American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Goodwill, United Way, Second Harvest, Messmer Schools, Disabled American Veterans, Food for the Poor, the Salvation Army, and over a half dozen wildlife conservation organizations.
  And this is not the full list.
• Taxes aren't charity.  Despite what Joe Biden and Mark Dayton claim, they aren't.  They're wasteful contributions (spent on things like IRS hard drives, for example), that keep people needy, and not moving them out of poverty or predicaments.  Are there examples of some being helped?  Oh, sure.  Has poverty gotten better since Lyndon Johnson declared war on it 50 years ago?  Hell no.  Not one damn bit.  Suckers.

So, my Liberal friend, the next time you look in the mirror, in your smug sanctimony, considering that the taxes you pay let you off the hook for your obligations to take care of your brother, remember that you're looking at a liar.  Conservatives give more to charity, and are the ones that are actually making a difference