The Intrinsic Compassion of Conservatism

"Eight years of failed policies." The words echo in my ears and frustrate me today just like they did during the 2009 US presidential campaign. With an unpopular war testing the patience and attention span of the American people, Senator and candidate Barack Obama found traction in showing disdain for the entirety of President Bush's political philosophy and track record.

Eight years prior, Governor George W. Bush of Texas campaigned successfully with an economic philosophy tagged Compassionate Conservatism. But in 2009 as the markets slid and mega-corporations began to fail, Obama was more than happy to point the finger of blame at free market capitalism specifically and conservatism generally.

Coming soon...

I notice some have already signed up for feeds of this brand new blog. As you can see, I wanted to get the environment and links set up before posting. Apparently some of that is working!

Opening comments are likely to be based on Marvin Olasky's Compassionate Conservatism. The term is used in a million ways, but I admire his core intentions.

The 7th Congressional District in Wisconsin will feature a showdown this year between 41-year incumbent Democrat David Obey and 38-year-old Republican challenger Sean Duffy. I believe the two candidates represent two vastly different approaches to compassion in public policy. I also believe public conception of compassion in politics is as distorted as one's reflection in a house of mirrors.

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