Who's Really Compassionate?

Last week Senator Kerry gave a pseudo-Pentecostal speech/sermon that set off my asininity alarms. This man must think we’re incredibly stupid. Speaking of George Bush’s “compassion,” he said that the president was like the man who passed by on the other side of the road and refused to help in the story of the Good Samaritan.

Okay, now for some perspective. I don’t care much for the president’s “compassionate conservatism.” It falsely implies that regular conservatism is not compassionate. Under the Bush administration and a Republican (or is it RepubliCON) congress, federal spending has skyrocketed in an alarming way. Stop the spending! Please!!! And stop using the word “compassion” in reference to federal spending (and Democrats, stop using the word “invest” also). You cannot be compassionate with other people’s money! If anyone reading this would volunteer to send me their credit card for a day, I’ll show you all some real compassion! Again, you cannot be compassionate with other people’s money. The government only has what they confiscate, by force, from us. It’s not their money, and it’s not their duty to be compassionate with it.

And now for the real test of who is compassionate, and who passes by on the other side of the road. John Kerry's tax returns from 1995 and earlier have attracted criticism over the issue of charitable giving. In 1995, according to published reports, Kerry reported a taxable income of $126,179, and charitable contributions of $0. In 1994, he reported income of $127,884, and charitable donations of $2,039. In 1993, he reported income of $130,345, and contributions of $175. In 1992, he reported income of $127,646, and contributions of $820. In 1991, he reported income of $113,857, and contributions of $0. As far as Bush is concerned, in 1991, the future president, then a private citizen, reportedly had income of $179,591, and charitable contributions of $28,236. In 1992, Bush reported income of $212.313, and contributions of $31,914. In 1993, Bush reported income of $610,772, and contributions of $31,292. When he became governor, Bush's returns revealed major changes in his financial health. For example, after his 1997 return showed income of $271,920, his 1998 return revealed income of $18.4 million. The vast majority of that came from the sale of the Texas Rangers baseball team, in which Bush held an 11-percent ownership stake. Bush's tax bill that year was $3.7 million. That year, Bush donated $334,425 to charity.

So, who’s really compassionate, and who’s the phony, empty suit?