Conservatives Are More Liberal Givers

Liberals would have us believe that they are much more caring and giving than conservatives. Well in his recently published book, "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism." Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Syracuse University details his study proving that conservatives are much more giving of their time and money than are liberals.

In a recent column at Real Politics, George Will writes:

If many conservatives are liberals who have been mugged by reality, Brooks, a registered independent, is, as a reviewer of his book said, a social scientist who has been mugged by data. They include these findings:

-- Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).

-- Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.

-- Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush.

-- Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average.

-- In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent.

-- People who reject the idea that "government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality" give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

These findings are consistent with those of the Catalogue For Philanthropy who for the last 10 years have produced the Generosity Index. According to their findings New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Connecticut (all blue states) rank the highest in per capita income, yet all five are in the bottom half of states in per capita giving. In fact, every single blue state ranks in the lower half, with New York holding the highest position at #26.

Conservatives do believe the society has a responsibility to aid elderly, care for our children, protect the environment and provide a helping hand to the less fortunate. But over time we have allowed liberal “feel good” programs to be put in place that have slowly but surely heaped society’s responsibility upon government.

This has summarily relieved Democrats of any guilt over the fact that they have done nothing to fulfill their responsibility to their fellow man and the world in which they live. As long they have lobbied for the government to do it, they feel that they have done their part.

Why give should I feed the homeless when the government can do it? Why help my neighbor find a job when the government can do it? Why should I do anything to help others when the government can do it? But who winds up paying for these programs? The middle-class tax payer… That means me and you!

And despite the recent liberal wave of tax initiatives aimed at fleecing high income earners to pay for their “feel good” social programs; we will still wind up paying the bill. Why? Because as California Assemblyman, Ray Haynes once put it- There is nothing more portable than a rich man and his money. And when their henchmen get through rewriting their financial books (ala John Kerry and Theresa Heinz-Kerry) they wind up paying close to nothing in taxes.

Then they have the nerve to say that THE RICH AREN’T PAYING ENOUGH!!!!!!! And they accuse conservatives of not caring about children, the elderly, the poor or the environment. Well I think this study shows that this is simply not the case.

This study just goes to show that Liberal’s generosity begins and ends with other people’s money!

Memo to Blue States: How about you start putting YOUR money where your mouth is instead of MINE!