Jul
18th
2007
Pimping the Poor for Political Gain
If John Edwards sold his mansion and donated the proceeds to the poor and less fortunate, I would vote for him. But he won’t give up his luxuries because he doesn’t care about the poor…he only cares about becoming the next president.
Yup, John, trying to find the money has got to be really hard. Maybe you could scrounge a few silver dollars from in between the couch cushions from your home.
8 Responses to “Pimping the Poor for Political Gain”
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low blow.
Chung, you must explain.
so every rich person has to sell all their toys and leave comfy living if they really cared about the poor? edwards has raised a lot of money for charities and established a poverty research center.
i don’t like edwards because he made ignorant comments about poverty back in 04. he probably knows more now, after fiddling with hedge funds. but you have to admit he at least has a bleeding heart.
Well, not all their toys, but yeah…you’ve got the idea.
If I am campaigning to forcefully take your discretionary income (through taxes) and give it to the poor…should I not be willing to voluntarily give a bigger piece of my discretionary income to the poor as well?
I think so.
As a side note, I don’t think that John Edwards’ actions should influence anyone’s charitable giving (my own included).
I only point out his hypocrisy to show what a shallow human being he is, like so many other politicians who campaign to “end poverty” by demanding sacrifice of everyone but themselves.
So John Edwards has to do it because he believes in progressive taxation and you don’t because you believe in flat taxation.
Nope. It has nothing to do with progressive or flat taxation.
It has everything to do with a self-righteous rich dude who has the audacity to prance around poorer neighborhoods lecturing the rest of us about caring for the poor while he is building an uber-mansion back in North Carolina.
By the way, you didn’t read my second comment above:
As a side note, I don’t think that John Edwards’ actions should influence anyone’s charitable giving (my own included).
I give because I believe God wants me to. It’s the humane, caring thing to do. John Edwards’ actions have no effect whatsoever on my personal desire (and obligation!) to help the less fortunate.
“Forcefully” taking people’s income and giving it to the poor is the classic argument against progressive taxation; did you unwittingly make that argument?
I did read it. I thought that meant that you shouldn’t be held to the same standard for charity as Edwards because of different views on wealth redistribution.