Creative Compassion
Thursday, January 25, 2007(The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation)
Creative Compassion
by Richard C. Harwood
- msnbc.com,
August 3, 2000
Aug. 3 - Texas Gov.
George W. Bush's notion of "compassionate
conservatism" has resonated with Republicans
gathered in Philadelphia this week. Colin
Powell got the party started early on in the
convention, when he asked Americans to treat
all children in America as their children. The
crowd was brought to its feet in wild approval.
But what happens when the speeches end, the
confetti stops and the crowd goes home? What
will Americans do then?
COMPASSIONATE
CONSERVATISM combines two terms not often put
together. Some may say itís an oxymoron.
Others actively belittle it. And still others
simply assert that it is nothing more than an
empty campaign slogan.
Beyond Knee
Jerk
Let us call a collective truce on
the need to take instant positions on what we
hear and see.
In the end, all three takes
may have elements of truth. But before too many
of us rush to judgment ó either to trash the
phrase as mere salesmanship, or to give it our
knee-jerk support ó we should think about its
potential meaning.
Indeed, let us
declare a moment of silence amid the noise of
the conventions. Let us call a collective truce
on the need to take instant positions on what
we hear and see. We Americans have an
opportunity in this election to set a course
for our nation, and we should not forfeit that
chance simply because politics demands us to
sling names and point fingers at each
other.
Life, Not Politics
The
Bush campaign is on to something with the idea
of compassionate conservatism. People
increasingly want to wrestle with our public
challenges; they tell us that too many of our
values are out-of-whack, out-of-sync with basic
American ideals. But they do not want a return
to ideology ó to big government or to the
slash-and-burn times of Newt Gingrich. The
struggle within the nation is not about
political ideology, but about life in
America.
From the get-go, compassionate
conservatism signals the need for greater
empathy in these United States. Powell spoke
eloquently about such a need when it comes to
children. His soundings echo those we hear from
Americans across the land. People say we cannot
afford in sheer economic terms ó and that it
is morally vacuous ó to cast aside those
members of society ó especially children ó
who cannot read; who have lacked adult
guidance; who cannot find their way.
A
Call to Action
We must look within our
own hearts and souls and be prepared to act
with conviction. That notion is as old as the
founding of this nation.
Compassionate
conservatism also is a call to action. It
suggests that government alone can not do the
job; that each and every American must take on
more responsibility. Parents, neighbors, civic
and faith-based groups and others must step up
and do their part. This is a theme that runs
throughout Americansí thinking
today.
Powell may have made some of his
listeners very uncomfortable by talking with
such honesty and hope and despair; if he did
not, then they should have
been.
Compassionate conservatism, by any
name ó call it Ameri-Corps, volunteerism,
civic action, Peace Corps, civic virtue ó
requires that individual Americans do
something. It acknowledges that we can no
longer look just to government, or to the
United Way, or to our schools to right
ourselves. Rather, we must look within our own
hearts and souls and be prepared to act with
conviction. That notion is as old as the
founding of this nation.
What Does Bush
Mean?
As the campaign progresses beyond
Philadelphia, Americans will be looking to see
how Governor Bush talks about compassionate
conservatism. What does he really mean by it?
How does this idea play out in his policy
proposals and other initiatives? How do his
views of compassionate conservatism square with
the Republican Platform? How about with the
voting record of vice-presidential nominee Dick
Cheney?
And from now till November, we
will see how the governorís idea stands the
test of a rough-and-tumble campaign. Perhaps it
is too early know if compassionate conservatism
is Bushís genuine belief or just another
focus-group tested phrase. Time will
tell.
But the real test sits with us. No
matter who is elected president, we, the
people, have much work to do in this nation.
The next president will not make or break the
faint call to action so many Americans are now
beginning to hear.
Powell brought the
conventioneers to their feet on Monday evening,
and maybe even a few of us in our living rooms
too. Soon the eloquent rhetoric, sustained
applause and streaming confetti of the
convention season will end. What about it
America? Will we stand up again ó not simply
because someoneís words touch our hearts and
move us to tears ó but because is time for us
to act?