HUNTSVILLE, AL—
You've got to hear this, Uncle Sam is asking for a handout to help offset its 12 trillion dollar debt. The government is accepting your donations!Money, money, money! Some people have to have it. Some people really want it. Others desperately need it.
The U.S. Government falls into that need category. It has a debt of more than 12 trillion dollars.
The Feds say you can help them knock their financial headache down.
"I think it's really wild. The government takes enough of our money," said Jeff Jauken.
"It has its pros and cons, but I think it's good," said Abdullah Muhammad.
Some people told WHNT NEWS 19 they had never heard of the law enacted in 1961 allowing the government to accept donations to pay down their debt. The donations are tax deductible.
Joyce Neighbors has a clear message for Uncle Sam.
"He's not going to get it. He's getting all he is going to get from me," said Joyce Neighbors.
Contributions given to offset the debt usually come in under $100. According to CNN Money, fiscal year 2009 donations totalled more than $3M. It's the most given in one year over the last decade.
The biggest total before this year was $21M collected in 1994.
Jeff Jauken believes enough if enough.
"The government takes enough of our money, and they expect us to send them extra money to pay off the debt. That is their responsibility to pay down," added Jauken.
Abdullah Muhammad told WHNT NEWS 19 he doesn't mind giving up a few bucks.
"$5.00 would not put me in the poorhouse. If $5.00 puts me in the the poorhouse, I am in trouble any way," added Muhammad.
Jauken says the government should do its job of using taxes to pay down the debt and balance the budget.
"It's a principle thing. It has to do with what our government is suppose to do for us," added Jauken.
Neighbors, who is now retired, agrees sort of.
"They can't take care of what they, when they learn to take care of what they have, then we may give more," added Neighbors.
The number of those not wanting to donate to the government was the majority in our story, but there are a lot of people who agree with sharing their money with Uncle Sam.
The largest single donation to the government ever was made in 1992. It totaled $3.5M.
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