Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Dave Carter ·
Jun 26, 2011 at 8:15pm
(Note: While Claire would likely not make the following points about her new house guest situation, I think they should be made nevertheless. So with her indulgence, or perhaps entirely without it, I've decided to post some random thoughts I jotted down earlier.)
As I put these thoughts down, I'm unsure if this will end up as a post or not. Either way, I need to record some thoughts on Claire Berlinski's new house guest that have been rattling around all day while I've been driving, to wit:
- I've thought for years that the term, “Compassionate Conservative” was at best a redundancy and at worst a capitulation to the left's view of conservatives as mean-spirited and selfish. In the last two days, Claire Berlinski has provided the latest in a long line of examples which prove that the left, and that portion of the right which thinks that conservatism needs more compassion, are full of bull snot. Conservatism is compassionate, humane and right because it empowers individuals to realize their God-given potential, and then frees them to help others do the same.
- When a leftist politician cites the Biblical reminder that we are our brother's keeper, what he really means is, “Stick 'em up.” When Barack Obama says we are our brother's keeper, it's merely the rhetorical foreplay that precedes the rape of the productive sector. In the hands of a conservative, as Claire has shown, the Biblical reminder is an invitation to voluntary acts of goodness and charity. This is why, for example, when it comes to charitable giving, 28 of the most generous 29 states are “politically red.”
- How would various voices of the “compassionate” left have handled this situation? After all, the person in question is too old for Angelina Jolie or Madonna to adopt. He would have never made it past security to approach Katie Couric, Sean Penn, Dick Durbin, or Nancy Pelosi. The front desk at the Ritz-Carlton would likely have never given him Harry Reid's room number. I wonder what these magnanimous paragons of humanitarianism would have done from their limousines? Oh wait, I know. Raise our taxes! That way, a portion of our earnings will go to employ bureaucrats who will create and administer a puzzle palace of acronyms and agencies, all with the purpose of relieving you of more of your property and thereby your means to help these people yourself, see? Then, what little help actually reaches the needy will unfortunately tend to encourage their further dependence on government. Red tape funded at the point of a gun is what passes for compassion on the left.
- Such humane action as Claire is engaged in comes with risks, no doubt about it. There is a line between helping someone get on their feet and subsidizing counter-productive behavior and, as experience has taught me, that line can become blurred. But if there is anyone with the mental toughness to prevent a willingness to help from degenerating into the subsidization of sloth, I suspect that person is Claire. Her guest is in good hands, unless of course he's allergic to cats.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Beautifully expressed. We are not in a position to judge this particular stray except through Claire's own testimony, so I can only hope her judgment is sound in this case. Generosity of this sort has been known to exact unexpected costs.
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Dave, although I mostly quite agree with you (except about my saintliness), Angelina Jolie has recently done more to draw attention to the refugee crisis here than I could dream of doing. As silly as it is for the media to focus on her, given that they do, she did something quite useful. What end, you might ask, does it serve? Well, I suspect a lot of people have now figured out that something awful beyond description is happening in Syria. That's a first step toward a widespread realization of what that might mean for the entire region.
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Indeed. I'm sure we could fill volumes with anecdotal evidence of the unexpected cost. I am struck, however, with the great divide that separates the two approaches. One takes individual initiative, while the other merely uses an existing need as an excuse for the aggrandizement of more power. I also note that when an offer of financial help was made, Claire quickly and politely declined. When's the last time you heard someone on the left take that position?
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Agreed. I didn't intend at all to disparage the good work that Ms. Jolie is doing. My larger point was to highlight two different philosophical approaches to common problems, especially in light of the incessant characterization of conservatives as selfish, unprincipled, etc.
As to saintliness, I stopped just shy of that, actually. Though if you'll vouch that you really are a New Orleans Saints fan, I'll be happy to revisit the issue.
Jun '10
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
All great points, Dave.
I had my own unexpected guest about 25 years ago. In my case it was an Egyptian that I had met in Genoa, Italy. He was an experienced brick mason, so I set him up with a job and a bed in my basement. When he came home one night complaining that he quit because he didn't like his boss, I gave him the boot. He left me with $300 in long distance phone charges, a considerable sum in 1985 dollars. What's the proverb? Something about no good deed goes unpunished.
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
Paules, it's more than a proverb. It ranks right up there with the law of gravity in my experience. The key, of course, is that an individual retains the right to give the boot to a person who abuses your courtesy. When government universalizes the courtesy, however, the individual is powerless resist abuse from both sides.
Oct '10
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
What we call conservatism in America is compassionate because our conservatism is imbued with American ideals and the American dream. American conservatism looks to empower individuals to be individuals, to think and do for themselves, and to take control of their destiny (at least, to the degree one can possibly control their destiny).
The analogy I always think of is the difference between a 'tiger mom' type and a doting mother who hovers over her child and never establishes limits or rules. On the surface, on any given day, the hovering enabler might seem more loving and caring than the demanding disciplinarian.
Extremes and excesses aside, the kid with the 'mean' parents will more often grow into healthy, happy, productive adults, while the 'lucky' kid with the cool parents ia more likely to grow into a 40 year old, single, unemployed, video game playing basement dweller.
Edited on Jun 27, 2011 at 8:21amJul '10
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
If her guest is allergic to cats, should Claire dig into her pocket for the antihistamines?
May '10
Re: Compassionate Conservatism and Claire Berlinski
jhimmi: What we call conservatism in America is compassionate because our conservatism is imbued with American ideals and the American dream. American conservatism looks to empower individuals to be individuals, to think and do for themselves, and to take control of their destiny (at least, to the degree one can possibly control their destiny).
The analogy I always think of is the difference between a 'tiger mom' type and a doting mother who hovers over her child and never establishes limits or rules. On the surface, on any given day, the hovering enabler might seem more loving and caring than the demanding disciplinarian.
Extremes and excesses aside, the kid with the 'mean' parents will more often grow into healthy, happy, productive adults, while the 'lucky' kid with the cool parents ia more likely to grow into a 40 year old, single, unemployed, video game playing basement dweller. · Jun 27 at 8:18am
Edited on Jun 27 at 08:21 am
Sorry to be so cryptic, but I can't think of anything better to write than Booyah!