Does the Bush administration really mean what it says? The question usually comes up in the context of big issues-like Iraq or Social Security. But the neglected matter of compassionate conservatism is not a bad yardstick either. Back in 2000, George Bush defined himself as a compassionate conservative. This was partly a matter of branding: he softened the image of his party by talking about spending more money on education and health. But compassionate conservatism was also presented as a new (and, controversially, religious) way to help the poor: its aim was to use public money and private donations to involve churches, temples and mosques in America's social policy.
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