“Compassionate Conservatism” is the foulest of curses. It took a vibrant party that was ascendent in the mid-to-late 1990s and destroyed it. It witnessed politicians who were elected on the promise of bringing small government back to Washington turning into bigger government whores than the Dems.
After World War II, no one wanted to be named Adolph anymore because of the foul association it had with Hitler. I hope this cancer of Compassionate Conservatism (aka Rockefeller Republicanism) has the same fate. I can’t explain how much I hate it.
“Compassionate Conservatism” is neither.
And I’ve ALWAYS said that.
It is actually rather queer to observe, almost surreal in a sense.
Methinks it is akin to a turkey telling a pilgrim on the chopping block at Thanksgiving, "thanks for at least having the common courtesy of using a sharp hatchet."
During the 1950's, "Compassionate conservatism" was called "Modern Republicanism," and the case for this brand of what was essentially "welfare state lite" was argued in books such as A Republican Looks at His Party (Harper, 1956). However, with "modern Republicanism" as its guiding philosophy, the GOP steadily lost influence and was finally routed in the 1958 elections. By the end of the decade, "Modern Republicanism" was on the way out, as the conservative faction led by Barry Goldwater began to revive the party.
I share your opinion about “compassionate conservatism.”
Thanks for posting it.
Most days of this administration, I have been hard-pressed to articulate the difference between compassionate conservatism and liberalism.
Yep. Not to mention that it has taken our country closer to the brink of ruin than it has been in many years.