Americans Cheap? Surely You Jest!

[Hobbit]

Apparantly, people like to call Americans 'cheap' on charitable contributions based solely on how much the government gives. However, when you add in private contributions, Americans gave $900/person to charity last year, 7 times more than the Germans and 14 times more than the Italians. It should also be noted that charities are far more efficient at getting the job done than the government except in special circumstances (I don't think there could have been a private substitute doing as good of a job as the U.S. Navy warships and rescue helicopters after the Asian tsunami two years ago). Remember this the next time somebody accuses Americans of being 'cheap.' Americans are generous with their own money, rather than the government forcing charitable donations on everyone.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/11/are_americans_cheap.html

 

[theHawk]

Very true, much to the chagrin of big government liberals and neocons.

 

[Avatar4321]

Dont you understand? To the left, you arent giving to charity unless you give away the money of other people.

 

[dmp]

Dont you understand? To the left, you arent giving to charity unless you give away the money of other people.

Worse - don't just give to people who will act responsibly. TAKE money from people and increase welfare levels to promote perpetual and multi-generational welfare. I mean, who needs to get off their lazy, good-for-nothing arse and (gasp!) work for a living, when the state gives them $2500/month?

 

[Mr. P]

Watch 20/20 tonight.

 

[glockmail]

Apparantly, people like to call Americans 'cheap' on charitable contributions based solely on how much the government gives. However, when you add in private contributions, Americans gave $900/person to charity last year, 7 times more than the Germans and 14 times more than the Italians. ....

I've suspected this for a while. Ties into the recent study about conservatives vs. liberals for charity spending.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

If you really want to infuriate the left, then point out this fact, and then suggest that it may be directly related to american's ability to keep more of their own income. Government hasn't come up with some grand new thing since the 30's and 60's, they've merely transferred existing private charity functions into the government realm.

If you want massive evidence that pre-1930's america was not a Darwinian hellhole of people starving in the streets, then check out a book called "The Tragedy of American Compassion". It's mind blowing.