Talk:compassionate conservatism
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Well, yes, the term does seem to exist. But is the so-called definition accurate? The definition implies that it is a US concept - is that true? Sould this have gone to rfc instead? SemperBlotto 08:43, 2 December 2007 (UTC)
Not sure. It cites use by a US president. That does not negate quotes in UK and Australia. Goldenrowley 09:33, 2 December 2007 (UTC)Disregard my comment I mixed this up with something else. I'm too sleepy to help.Goldenrowley 09:35, 2 December 2007 (UTC)
- The "definition" given is an illustration of POV. It fairly drips with sarcasm. The phrase had some currency in the US politics around the 1996 presidential election. It seems easier to neutrally define ""compassionate conservatism"" than "compassionate conservatism". ""compassionate conservatism"" is the label that conservatives used to meliorate the harsh image of their policies and indicate a softening of some of those policies. The actual content of "compassionate conservatism" would be encyclopedic/historical, IMHO. DCDuring 22:04, 2 December 2007 (UTC)
- Definitely exists. I suspect it has a 2nd sense as well, a sarcastic sense meaning the exact opposite. Language Lover 02:42, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
Now cleaned up. DAVilla 10:38, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Per above. Apparently Bush called it this at some point? DAVilla 10:21, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
RfV passed. bd2412 T 05:00, 18 January 2008 (UTC)
I think it is very important to note that the term does not imply using more compassionate means to achieve conservative goals. This is not what was intended by those who first used the term. The fact that even some conservatives use the erroneous meaning of the phrase does not change what the phrase means in reality.
This phrase is often used as a dog whistle. To a wider audience it suggests that harsh conservative measures will be adjusted to make their impacts less arduous to those upon which they are applied. While conservative voters no that it means nothing at the kind.
Because it is a term which describes actions taken by conservative politicians it the definition should clearly state how it is used within the conservative movement.
Any other meaning would have to at most be a secondary meaning. Robert Lee Hotchkiss, Jr. 21:50, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
The use of the word "society" is rarely appropriate when describing conservative philosophy as conservatives general down play the importance of society or even deny that it exists. Robert Lee Hotchkiss, Jr. 22:12, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
- Sorry Robert, I reverted your edits to this because you didn't seem to add any more information despite adding at least three lines of code, feel free to revert me if you think that there is no more succinct way of putting it. Conrad.Irwin 00:50, 1 February 2008 (UTC)