I know I'm probably a little behind here...

...but I'm just getting around to wondering about Darth Cheney's taxes. according to whitehouse.gov:

Vice President and Mrs. Cheney filed their federal income tax return for 2007 today.

The income tax return shows that the Cheneys owe federal taxes for 2007 of $602,651 on taxable income of $2,528,068. During the course of 2007 the Cheneys paid $466,165 in taxes through withholding and estimated tax payments, and will pay the remaining $136,486 upon filing their tax return.

The wage and salary income reported on the tax return includes the Vice President's $212,208 government salary. In addition, the tax return reports a pension benefit of $32,500, which the Vice President received as a former director of Union Pacific Corporation. The Vice President became eligible for this benefit in 2006 when he turned 65. The tax return also reports Mrs. Cheney's book royalty income, a salary from her continuing work at the American Enterprise Institute, and a pension benefit of $32,000, which she received as a former director of Reader's Digest. The amounts of the pension benefits received by the Vice President and by Mrs. Cheney are fixed and will not increase or decrease regardless of changes in the earnings or revenues of either company.

The Cheneys donated $166,547 to charity in 2007. This brings the Cheneys' total charitable contributions during his Vice Presidency to $ 7,966,566.

Okay. First of all, I don't care about what kinds of charitable contributions they're making. It's all a writeoff, and it doesn't make up for all his other shady dealings. (Is he no longer in cahoots with Halliburton? Where's all that on his paperwork?)

Second, I can't find anything to back this up, but I heard on the radio this morning part of the income that was claimed stems from Darth Cheney drawing Social Security. If the Social Security thing is true, doesn't it seem a little backwards? I mean, really... do these people sound like they NEED Social Security? No wonder my generation won't have it. ;) If anyone knows where this could either be confirmed or debunked, I'd love to read it.

Third... hey Dick... I still haven't forgotten about you shooting a guy in the face.