There was a book that came out over a year ago detailing the fact that conservatives are more generous with their own wealth and time than liberals: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/IS...wishworldrevie

George Will recently wrote an article about the book which can be found here: http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/will032708.php3

So Brooks, the researcher, believes the two things to look for are 1) religiousity 2) beliefs about the role of government.

So does anyone have a theory about why liberals are relatively stingy?

They're not stingy; they're just generous with other people's money.

We already have a thread on this over here.

I don't buy it. An opinion by a conservative commentator based on questionable extrapolations on "red state" and "blue state" donations to charities?????

HUH????

1. Where does volunteerism and free labor and donated time fit into this theory?

2. Exactly what constitutes charity ... donations to government approved organizations only?

3. What about community activism and advocacy in regards to such issues as clean air, clean water, lessening violent crime, getting guns off the streets, historic preservation, creating green spaces, environmental issues, human rights issues not excluding civil rights for gay and lesbian people. (I do not see "conservatives" rushing in numbers to support these issues!)

Rather than go and on, let me just state that from my own experiences - as a resident of University City and a member of the Spruce Hill Association and the UC Historic District , among other organizations, I can conclude the opposite is true.

Conservatives tend to be tight wads and stingy. Concerned more with property rights as opposed to human rights.

"Compassionate" and "Conservative" is a contridiction in terms.

"The Moral Majority" is neither.

Look it up in the dictionary: "liberal" is a synonom for "generous".

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"Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes." -- Walt Whitman, Leaves Of Grass

Well stated! I've never met a happy liberal, most of them are downright angry.

It was factored in. Conservatives give more in each category.


His research seems pretty solid. Follow the other thread linked to for more information.

Your biases don't seem supported by facts.

Geoff, I would strongly encourage you to read a few of the following books from progressive and moderate Christians that address generosity and giving in the larger context of American society and the world:

Just Generosity- Ronald J. Sider, founder of Evangelicals for Social Action ( http://www.esa-online.org )

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger- Ronald J. Sider

Faith Works- Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners ( www.sojo.net )

Wallis also speaks of the great disparity in the intpretation of the 'moral values' contained in Judeo-Christian scripture, and the fact that all too often liberals have been too secular, while conservatives have not demonstrated a consistent public committment to care for 'the least of these' through meaningful public policy or financial committment.

David Kuo, former director of the 'Faith-Based Initiative,' under George W. Bush's first term administration, wrote an excellent book called:

Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction- David Kuo

Kuo began his assignment to head up the Faith Based Initiatives with hope and optimism in the 'compassionate conservativism' that Bush espoused. However, as he writes in his thoughtful book, despite Bush, Rove, and other key members of the Bush administration touring the country, speaking to church group after church group promising tens of millions of dollars in faith-based funding, the administration delivered on only about 25% or so of the promised funds. In other words, they were there for the big photo-ops and news conferences to try to pander to religious voters for the upcoming elections, then, after throwing a few bones to faith-based programs, they forgot about them, and as Kuo points out, even privately referred to faith leaders as 'nutty' after finishing their weekly conference calls with them.

Beyond that, the Bush administration made huge cuts in funding for vital social programs on the one hand, while doling out huge tax breaks for corporate donors and the wealthiest of the wealthy on the other. This would hardly seem to be 'compassionate' by any stretch of the imagination, even for George "Forest Gump" Bush.

There are certainly very generous people and groups on both ends of the political spectrum, but from a social justice standpoint, I do not think there has ever been a serious effort on the part of staunch conservatives to make social justice for 'the least of these' a priority.

Wallis also says as much in his book God's Politics: Why the Right Get it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get it.

Can one truly be 'compassionate' and 'generous' while supporting policies, leaders, and legislative agendas that are inherently unjust and disproportionately benefit the wealthy and corporations?

Personally, I do not believe one can live with integrity and consider oneself generous while supporting such policies.

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John

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I'm familiar with Ron Sider's work. But those discussions aren't really pertinent to the thread. The research doesn't say that conservatives are perfect or couldn't do more. But it is about the differences in generosity between conservatives and liberals and what explains it.

But to that point, I would argue against Wallis and yourself that conflating generosity with government action is a false premise I will not accept. That's basicly saying "I will be generous with someone else's money." Robbing your rich next-door neighbor and helping the poor with your loot may benefit the poor but isn't something I would want to be a part of.

I wouldn't say they are all angry. I find that allot of them tend to be immature and naive about life in general.

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"I'm sorry but it's not my fault that I am not infected with white liberal guilt syndrome like you are!"

If such a belief gives you a smug sense of superiority, enjoy the feelings!!!

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"Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes." -- Walt Whitman, Leaves Of Grass

Liberals think conservatives are evil, and conservatives think liberals are stupid.

I think that pretty much sums it up for the most part.