Glass half-full (after Uncle Sam took a sip?): Nonprofit leader looks at bright side of April 15, saying our tax deductions "show our generosity".

"Today is typically thought of as tax-deadline day across America. That rarely elicits positive thoughts among citizens. One part of the tax return for many, however, should be more cause for celebration than despair. In the United States, charitable giving is greater as a percentage of income than in most developed nations. Our country encourages charitable groups to provide quality-of-life programs and services, while other countries rely more on government for that. Alexis De Tocqueville noted this unique difference between American and European states in his classic 19th century Democracy in America. To encourage such generosity, the IRS code has allowed tax deductions for eligible charitable gifts for many decades." -- Brian Fogle, the Springfield (MO) News-Leader