Spreading the money around?

By J.C. Arenas

Next time the Obama Administration wants to tell the rest of us how we should spread our wealth, they should first look at their own paltry efforts.

According to the tax returns filed by the Obamas and Bidens for 2009, the Obamas donated 31.4% of their income, which exceeded $5 million, and the Bidens gave a mere 1.4% of their income, which exceeded $330,000.

Three points should be made here.

First, before we shower the Obamas with praise, a large percentage of their donations came from the money the president was awarded when he won an undeserved Nobel Peace Prize. Take away that $1.4 million prize and subsequent donation, and the percentage of their income donated decreases drastically.

Second, Obama donated $50,000 to the United Negro College Fund during the same year in which he allowed his colleagues in the legislative branch to terminate the D.C. Vouchers Program--90% of the program's beneficiaries are Black. I consider this a token donation that Obama made to give himself a little credibility with the NAACP. I'm sure the organization was happy to take his check, but they did so while being wilfully ignorant to the reality that leaving the D.C. program to die stymies the efforts of the Black children who may in the future hope to be beneficiaries of the UNCF.

Lastly, the Bidens have never been classified as charitable, so at least they are consistent.