http://www.beliefnet.com/story/204/story_20419_1.html Philanthropy Expert: Conservatives Are More Generous Here are a couple of excerpts from the article: SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse University professor Arthur C. Brooks is about to become the darling of the religious right in America -- and it's making him nervous. The child of academics, raised in a liberal household and educated in the liberal arts, Brooks has written a book that concludes religious conservatives donate far more money than secular liberals to all sorts of charitable activities, irrespective of income. When it comes to helping the needy, Brooks writes: "For too long, liberals have been claiming they are the most virtuous members of American society. Although they usually give less to charity, they have nevertheless lambasted conservatives for their callousness in the face of social injustice." Harvey Mansfield, professor of government at Harvard University and 2004 recipient of the National Humanities Medal, does not know Brooks personally but has read the book. "His main finding is quite startling, that the people who talk the most about caring actually fork over the least," he said. "But beyond this finding I thought his analysis was extremely good, especially for an economist. He thinks very well about the reason for this and reflects about politics and morals in a way most economists do their best to avoid." _______________________________________________ I think his book will be an interesting read. Although I am not surprised by his findings, I am interested in getting a much more in depth look at the study.
There are only two members in the new Congress who had been volunteers for Katrina recovery for the New Orleans area. Guess what party they belong too... Democrats of course. If you are a conservative, you qualify yourself as a compassionate conservative to ensure that others don't think that you are a selfish bastard. Remember chimpboy proclaiming himself that before the 2000 elections?
What does this have to do with the study? Besides, I bet more Republicans donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Funds than Democrats. They most likely voluteered more of their time than Democrats and all the while, the only thing Democrats did was complain that the government wasn't giving enough money to Louisiana. This is what the article is explaining. Try actually reading the article first. You might learn something.
He should have compared religious conservatives to religious liberals and secular conservatives to secular liberals if he wanted his study to have a degree of validity. The way he did it is nonsense - apples to oranges. Besides liberals don't believe in helping the poor through private donations, they advocate doing it through government programs so obviously they are not playing the game according to the rules set by conservatives that they don't believe in.
This is why I am going to read the book. The article only takes a glimpse of what is in it. For all we know, it may make those comparisons. As for your second point. If you know enough money is not going to these programs at this point, wouldn't you try to donate money that you are not being taxed at present to those programs? I think you make a very weak argument on this. What that says, is that I am not going to be generous without government mandating that I do. Is that the way liberals view it?
Yes, why should a liberal spend a penny of his money when nickels and dimes can be suckled from the teat of the US taxpayer?
Yeah, conservatives rob the poor blind and then they go to church and donate $10. They have no doubt in their mind they are going to heaven when they die.
What that says, is that I am not going to be generous without government mandating that I do. Is that the way liberals view it? Not exactly, what that says is "I don't believe it's going to make a dent so why should I even bother, I'd rather spend that money to get democrats elected and make them implement long overdue government programs that will help ALL poor. Besides as I suggested before people who don't go to church have realistically less opportunities and insentives to make donations than people who do. I have very little doubt that secular conservatives donate just as little as secular liberals (assuming the same income level) and religious liberals donate as much as religious conservatives do.