Charitable Explanantion. Letter to the Editior (may require subscription) in today's WSJ from Arthur Brooks regarding giving differences and preferences. The charity gap between Giving America and Non-Giving America, he asserts, is driven not by economics (i.e. those with more $$ give more), but by values. Hence, Giving America are generally folks who are religious, married, or who do not believe in income redistribution vis a vie government programs and spending. Folks with these values tend to be politically right-of-center. Brooks goes on to ask, "What does [the fact that conservatives outgive liberals] mean in the wake of the Democratic takeover of Congress?" That is, will private giving be protected and expanded?

My bigger question is this: If the Church had done a better job at caring and providing for the poor and down-trodden, would we even need the plethora of government programs to fill that gap? Or have we have conceded our personal responsiblity and have thus allowed a secular institution to do that which we ought?