Compassionate Conservatism: Not So Compassionate, Not So Conservative

MensNewsDaily.com ^ | July 21, 2007 | Steve Farrell

[average american student]

Things are not always as they seem. Marxism's war on religion presents evidence-a-plenty that this notion is true.

From both the left, in the name of Social Democracy, and from the right, in the name of Secular Government, Marx's Atheistic teammates have pushed, shoved and pressed upon religion in public life until a bipartisan squeeze has effectively crushed what was once publicly pervasive into the less than popular enclave of that which is now publicly suppressed.

Christianity, today, though tarred and feathered, spit upon and lied about, has not given up however, and thanks be to God has begun to grow up, wake up, and in many instances live up to its duty to fight back.

Good news.

But not necessarily good enough – for while many Christians have come to table fully arrayed in the armor of God, with faith and reason, love and patience, perseverance and persistence, moral courage and good works, doing what ever it takes, and then some, to slow, check, and at times, reverse our nation's amoral freefall into possible oblivion; there are other Christians, some of them Christian ministers, sad to say, that are among our worst enemies, whether by intent or not.

They are the sort who, when the going gets tough, look not to themselves or to God, or to both, but to the state to bail them out, or lift them up, or even in fairly good times to move them forward (in their careers), as if God and His congregation, and their own two strong hands aren't good enough to take them where they need to go, to do what they need to do, without a state subsidy, or a dole, or a handout, or a cushy cushion.

That's a problem. ...

[donna]

Third Way Compassionate Conservatism claims to deeply believe that re-enthroning private enterprise, private charity, local decision making, and civil society are noteworthy long term goals.

I've never heard the Third Way defined in this way. Here is a good column about it:

Return of the "Third Way"
Washington Times 10.27.98
Balint Vazsonyi

"Hard to believe, but the Russian revolution of 1917 was hailed by many European intellectuals as the "Third Way." No lesser authority than Georg Lukacs, doyen of communist thinkers in this century, welcomed it thus. Yet his was just one of countless instances over many centuries when third-way rhetoric and labels were deployed to conceal true intent." (snip)

http://www.balintvazsonyi.org/washtimes/wt102798.html

[average american student]

Third Way Compassionate Conservatism “claims” to deeply believe ... with “claims” being the key word. Yes, great link. Compassionate Conservatism is the term team Bush decided to latch on to when I and other writers exposed the Third Way during the Clinton Administration (a Third Way that inspired the so-called Republican Revolution - “opposition” to Clinton - under Newt Gingrich and his Contract With America as well). The link you sent astutely observed that we must do away with labels if we are to preserve our republic and get down to evaluating substance instead. I agree. Thanks Donna!