Who Cares? Who Gives? Who Knows?

You can't get away from news about the issues that divide Americans -- red states and blue states and all that.  But charitable giving should be one thing that rises above polarization, right?

A new book claiming a divide among charitable givers is sparking a debate in the political and philanthropic communities.  In Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth about Compassionate Conservatism, Arthur Brooks makes a case that conservatives are more charitable than liberals. Specifically, Brooks says that while most people agree it's important to give to charity, the four forces that make Americans charitable are "religion, skepticism about the role of government in economic life, strong families, and personal entrepreneurism."

Here we share two perspectives on this topic. Brooks presents his views in an interview with National Review. And Alan Abramson, director of the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program at the Aspen Institute, explains why he questions some of Brooks' conclusions.