Too often, conservatives are reviled for not caring about the poor. Liberals point to budget cuts to try to prove that conservatives don't care about the poor, the old, or the children. In their minds, to prove you care about these people, you must support the government spending money on them. In a recent press release, John Kerry says:

We can and must do better. We must raise the minimum wage to ensure that people working hard and playing by the rules can earn enough to put food on the table. We must use existing government programs more effectively in order to end hunger first among children and seniors. We must form real partnerships between the government and community-based nonprofit groups to help feed more people and improve local nutrition. And across the board, we must have create economic policies that give low-income families hope and opportunity.

Kerry, like a typical liberal, believes government is the solution to all of life's problems. But, the thing is, conservatives don't hate the downtrodden. They just don't believe government programs are the most effective way to help them.

Personally, I've always believed that the flip side of voting for small government is that you're obliged to give generously when you're able. Conservatives believe government isn't the solution, not that there are not problems. We just believe individuals and local groups are better at solving those problems.

Americans do give a lot. Just yesterday, the Goodman brothers jewelers in Madison, WI gave $2 million towards a city pool. The Goodmans have always been generous members of the community:

The brothers have already provided help to more than 60 groups, including orchestras, hospitals, churches, arts groups and more, including the 154-acre Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Jewish Community Campus with aquatic center in the town of Verona and UW-Madison's Goodman Diamond softball stadium.

I don't know whether the Goodmans are liberals or conservatives (but, they're from Madison so I suspect they're liberals), but in any case, the Goodmans have the power to give their money to whatever causes they believe in. They're not worrying about their tax dollars supporting some inefficient or nonsensical program.

Kerry wants to create and fund elaborate government programs. He wants the government to decide who gets what. Bush wants to create an economy that makes it possible for Americans to be successful and to have the ability to decide for themselves what charitable causes they want to support. What system do you think will work better?