Rich are Poor at Giving
So much for trickle down. This article is an interesting read. From the link:
It's well known that Americans lead the world in philanthropy. But those making $20,000 or less give away more, as a share of their income, than do higher income groups.
A very interesting paragraph is this:
Another provocative conclusion is that conservatives are better givers than liberals -- a theme that is likely to draw close scrutiny. This pattern is less about politics, Brooks says, than about charity-linked lifestyles that are most common to people who call themselves conservatives: religious commitment, marriage and children, and entrepreneurship.
That last sentence hints at the kind of scrutiny necessary when examining charitable practices. The finding begs questions like: "What charities do conservatives give to?" and "What percentages of conservative and progressive donations go to charities that benefit all people in need, with no conditions or exceptions?" Would Scrooge have been so generous if Tiny Tim had been gay and his mother an unwed African-American? Based on my personal observations of corporate charity and the generosity of business types, I'd have to guess not so much.