I appreciate seeing this kind of altruism in a politician. It's not a trump card that makes me want to vote for him on this single promise, but I do like it.
$400,000 is more than lots of annual budgets for some nonprofits in the country. So, that kind of money, while not the millions Romney is worth, can make a huge difference. No doubt, if Romney is elected and he keeps his promise, there will be quite a few nonprofits lobbying for his handout.
But, here's the interesting thing. So far, Romney's raised over $20 million for his campaign. Clearly, even with 8 years in office, he'll never make what he's raised so far.
So, Mitt, why not just call it quits right now and donate that money to charity? $400,000 is nice, and lots of folks will take it. But why not write a larger check with the current cash in your campaign coffer?
In fact, when you look at all of the candidates currently in the race, over $130 million has been raised.
We could debate all night about what's 'worth it:' One of these people in the White House making decisions that affect countless lives, or this cash in the hands of nonprofits serving the world in a different and important way.
So, Mitt, I appreciate your generosity. Best of luck with the election. But, please consider how you can better serve humanity: as a President who works for free, or as a master philanthropist who shows people where to give the money they work for.