Who gives to charity?

I read an interesting piece on this subject written by Arthur C. Brooks, a professor of public administration at Syracuse University. In his research he examined charitable giving across America.

Here are some of his findings:
• American people are generous
• People who donate money tend to be happier than people who don’t
• The working poor tend to give a larger share of their earnings than people of higher income
• The non-working poor (i.e., state-subsidized income) tend be give the least to charity
• Tangible evidence suggest that charitable giving makes people prosperous, healthy, and happy
• Giving empowers people because they feel like they are part of the solution
• Conservatives are 18% more likely to donate blood than are liberals
• Those who give money are more likely to also volunteer their time to charities
• Of the top 25 states where people give an above average percent of their income, 24 of those states were red states in the 2004 election (the election prior to the publishing of this book)
• Religious people are more likely to give to charity and give about four times as much including non-religious type charities
• Conservatives tend to give more than liberals even though conservatives tend to make less money than liberals

So much has been made of Mitt Romney’s wealth these past few weeks. He most recently released financial disclosures reveal that he gives about 15% of his annual income to charity. Barrack Obama gave only one percent of his income to charity during the same reporting period.

I like this girl!!!!

From a 21 year old Texan...




Put me in charge . . .

Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine and document all tattoos and piercings. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, smoke or get tats and piercings, then get a job.

Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks?

You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your "home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.

In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the “common good..”

Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules.. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.

AND While you are on Gov’t subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov’t welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.

Now, if you have the guts - PASS IT ON, FAR AND WIDE!!!