Should Charitable Giving Be Tax Deductible?

  • 1
    56.37% (805 votes)
    Yes
  • 2
    38.24% (546 votes)
    No
  • 3
    5.39% (77 votes)
    Not Sure

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  1. Martini said on Jan 05 2011, 19:01 PM:

    It's a simple thing - we tax what is bad for society (alcohol, drugs, "excessive income"), give tax breaks for what is good (home ownership, children, philanthropy) and ignore the rest. For as long as there has been income tax there has been an exemption for charitable giving. Eliminating the deduction is guaranteed to dramatically curtail this giving and to destroy or deeply damage the institutions that depend on it. Destroy churches and charities and more people will have to rely on the government. Exactly who wins there?

  2. locomotivebreath1901 said on Jan 05 2011, 16:01 PM:

    It's a universal truth that gub'mint has way too many tax dollars in their possession, and WASTE a good many of those dollars. Being able to deduct charitable gifts from one's taxable income - and there by depriving at least some tax dollars from gub'mint waste - is, IMHO, a good thing. Either that, or substantially lower the tax rates for ALL tax payers and eliminate deductions. Either way, bottom line, this is OUR money - not the gub'mint's.

  3. Monkey Man said on Jan 05 2011, 02:01 AM:

    Charitable giving should be about giving, not receiving. Its interesting that the poor often are the most generous, and the rich only give if there's a healthy tax break to be claimed on the 1040 later on.

  4. Dean T. said on Jan 03 2011, 16:01 PM:

    There are far more good charities than bad and there do so much for our communities. Also any dime I can chose where it should go to rather tan my government choosing for me is a winning choice.

  5. Michael L said on Jan 03 2011, 11:01 AM:

    Nothing wrong with charitable giving - it just shouldn't be related to paying (or not paying) taxes. The government shouldn't be involved in how you use your money. When the government does get involved, then it has to decide what "charitable" means, what meets the qualifications, etc. ultimately leading to the kind of frauds and manipulations we all abhor...and which is probably why this practice persists.

  6. greyangel said on Jan 03 2011, 11:01 AM:

    Lets not confuse things here. Expecting our oh so beneficent government NOT to take our money from us is not exactly welfare. Nobody is getting cheated out of their rightfull entitlement be cause there is a tax credit for donations.

  7. Gimmie a Break said on Jan 03 2011, 07:01 AM:

    Charity isn't charity if you're asking for something in return for it.

  8. JohnF said on Jan 02 2011, 23:01 PM:

    Charitable giving has a huge societal benefit. Hospitals, schools, all kinds of local and national groups doing good things. Problems yes. But overall many times more effecient than good things done by imposing madatory giving "taxes". And it is voluntary! It isn't half annoying as the requests from politicians. Give to a charity- do good. Give to a politician- you get more taxes and lose more freedoms.

  9. Buzz Mega said on Jan 02 2011, 23:01 PM:

    What is most revealing at this moment is that nearly 40% of poll respondents think it's a bad idea. What?