Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bleeding Heart Tightwads
The New York Times ^ | December 21, 2008 | NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Posted on 12/21/2008 5:52:27 AM PST by Amelia

This holiday season is a time to examine who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, but I’m unhappy with my findings. The problem is this: We liberals are personally stingy.

Liberals show tremendous compassion in pushing for generous government spending to help the neediest people at home and abroad. Yet when it comes to individual contributions to charitable causes, liberals are cheapskates.

Arthur Brooks, the author of a book on donors to charity, “Who Really Cares,” cites data that households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than households headed by liberals. A study by Google found an even greater disproportion: average annual contributions reported by conservatives were almost double those of liberals.

Other research has reached similar conclusions. The “generosity index” from the Catalogue for Philanthropy typically finds that red states are the most likely to give to nonprofits, while Northeastern states are least likely to do so.

The upshot is that Democrats, who speak passionately about the hungry and homeless, personally fork over less money to charity than Republicans — the ones who try to cut health insurance for children.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: charity; compassion; liberals
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last
Interesting findings. Conservatives give more to churches, liberals give more to institutions that cater to the wealthy. Conservatives are also more likely to give time, give blood, etc., than liberals are. Also finds that gays are quite generous to charities.
1 posted on 12/21/2008 5:52:28 AM PST by Amelia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Amelia
In other news:

The Sun Rises in the East

Bears Sh*t in the Woods

2 posted on 12/21/2008 5:56:48 AM PST by WorkingClassFilth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

It’s easy to give away OTHER people’s money.....is it any wonder Libs are gutless?


3 posted on 12/21/2008 5:57:08 AM PST by rightwingextremist1776
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia
If you subtracted from “liberal giving” the amounts “donated” to Foundations that they run and continue to live off “liberal giving” would be nonexistent.
4 posted on 12/21/2008 5:58:12 AM PST by wastoute
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastoute

Note Barack Obama’s “charitable” contributions to the Congressional Black Caucus!


5 posted on 12/21/2008 6:00:42 AM PST by Tax-chick ("And the rum is for all your good vices.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: WorkingClassFilth

One reason I posted it is because it’s research by liberals validating what we’ve always thought.


6 posted on 12/21/2008 6:01:10 AM PST by Amelia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

I would include this:

Liberals donate more money in an attempt to gain power than they do to help the poor, needy and unfortunate among us.

That should tell you all you need to know about their true motives.


7 posted on 12/21/2008 6:03:11 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

Progressives are compassionate, but only with other people’s money.


8 posted on 12/21/2008 6:06:00 AM PST by LiberConservative (Stop climate change! I want a spring day, 70 degrees and sunny, 24/7 and 365)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Does Obama really count political contributions as charitable contributions?


9 posted on 12/21/2008 6:13:38 AM PST by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

If you’re surprised and disappointed, Kristof, you’re even more a fool than I’d thought. Liberal equivalent of the Salvation Army? Ain’t none. Liberal Boy Scouts? Only in San Francisco, and they’re primarily engaged in scouting for more boys. Hell, the biggest charity in New York was the Democrat-donating Madoff Investment Securities LLC, hayna?


10 posted on 12/21/2008 6:17:10 AM PST by flowerplough ("The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: oblomov
Ping!

In light of our conversation on another thread: I wonder if liberals are less generous with their own contributions but because they figure they "give" through their taxes.

11 posted on 12/21/2008 6:17:20 AM PST by Alia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LiberConservative
Progressives are compassionate, but only with other people’s money.

Yes, and it would have been far more honest for George W. Bush to run as a "Compassionate Progressive."

12 posted on 12/21/2008 6:18:27 AM PST by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Gondring

oops... “to *have* run”


13 posted on 12/21/2008 6:18:59 AM PST by Gondring (Paul Revere would have been flamed as a naysayer troll and told to go back to Boston.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Amelia
Republicans — the ones who try to cut health insurance for children.

Always the dig.

14 posted on 12/21/2008 6:20:29 AM PST by McLynnan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

I suggest Freepers go to this author’s blog site and post a comment. No registration necessary.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/

I suggest you be respectful as it seems liberals cannot believe this study. Use it to tell them that conservatives are not uncaring, cold bastards.


15 posted on 12/21/2008 6:28:24 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia
households headed by conservatives give 30 percent more to charity than households headed by liberals.

That's because conservatives are all rich and can afford it, because they oppress and steal from liberals.

/insane liberal knee jerk reaction

16 posted on 12/21/2008 6:30:31 AM PST by Hardastarboard (Why do I find the Toyota "Saved by Zero" ads so ironic?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

fifteen or twenty five[I forgot which] cities with the worse poverty in the nation are all run by dems. They haven’t had a Republican administration since 1962. I wish I could find that study.


17 posted on 12/21/2008 6:36:31 AM PST by Shooter 2.5 (NRA - Vote against the dem party)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia

The Bidens and the Obamas are walking examples of charitable stinginess

Two presumptious hypocrites

Now zerO is calling for everyone to do a “day of service” on the MLK birthday. They are clueless that tens of millions of American provide charity through service and giving- routinely


18 posted on 12/21/2008 6:37:18 AM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amelia
The upshot is that Democrats, who speak passionately about the hungry and homeless, personally fork over less money to charity than Republicans — the ones who try to cut health insurance for children.

That's right - it's the intentions that really matter. Republicans want children to starve and die. The same old, tired demagoguery.

19 posted on 12/21/2008 6:37:18 AM PST by HondaCRF450
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hardastarboard
That's because conservatives are all rich and can afford it, because they oppress and steal from liberals.

Well, sure, that's what they'd have you believe. But, from the article:

Amazingly, the working poor, who have the least resources, somehow manage to be more generous as a percentage of income than the middle class.

Another liberal sacred cow bites the dust?

20 posted on 12/21/2008 6:44:10 AM PST by Amelia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson