Monday, March 06, 2006
Compassionate Conservatives
First the Welsh Conservative Party Conference - an excellent time had by all I'm sure, some great speeches, and some awesome drinking. My tie is utterly ruined from beer stains and burnt holes from ash, I was introduced to 'The Game', and to top it off may I say good luck to the person who first discovers my underwear and shampoo that I forgot to retreave from under the bunk beds in our flat.
To business: the highlight of the weekend was definately David Cameron's speech. Its always a great experience to see the party leader address the faithful. However being the irritating cynic I am, lets take a look at Cameron's reference to our party as the "modern, compassionate conservative party"
What does he mean by this? I doubt anyone particulary knows. But perhaps we could get a clue from looking at the politican who first used the phrase "compassionate conservative" at the forefront of an election campaign - George W Bush
Now how do "compassionate conservatives" behave on the domestic front?
- Become the highest spending president in US history, even beating Lyndon Johnson, and he had the Great Society and the Vietnam War to contend with.
- Create the Department of Homeland Security and the PATRIOT Act, bestowing unprecedented powers on the government and treating every citizen like a potential terrorist
- Restrictive new laws on the right to free speech and demonstration, creating "free speech zones" and other monstrosities
- Great new education initiatves such as 'No Child Left Behind' which display distain for localism and decision making close to the people
- Protectionist policies and steel tarriffs which hurt trade with developing countries
Now David, if this is your inspiration, if this is what you mean by "compassionate", if it is these kind of things that you want to replicate in Britain... then I for one don't want it
To business: the highlight of the weekend was definately David Cameron's speech. Its always a great experience to see the party leader address the faithful. However being the irritating cynic I am, lets take a look at Cameron's reference to our party as the "modern, compassionate conservative party"
What does he mean by this? I doubt anyone particulary knows. But perhaps we could get a clue from looking at the politican who first used the phrase "compassionate conservative" at the forefront of an election campaign - George W Bush
Now how do "compassionate conservatives" behave on the domestic front?
- Become the highest spending president in US history, even beating Lyndon Johnson, and he had the Great Society and the Vietnam War to contend with.
- Create the Department of Homeland Security and the PATRIOT Act, bestowing unprecedented powers on the government and treating every citizen like a potential terrorist
- Restrictive new laws on the right to free speech and demonstration, creating "free speech zones" and other monstrosities
- Great new education initiatves such as 'No Child Left Behind' which display distain for localism and decision making close to the people
- Protectionist policies and steel tarriffs which hurt trade with developing countries
Now David, if this is your inspiration, if this is what you mean by "compassionate", if it is these kind of things that you want to replicate in Britain... then I for one don't want it
# posted by Chris Hughes @ 9:54 pm 
Comments:
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Interesting post Chris,
However I have to admit I don't like it because you've just caused me to lose, and further I will keep losing until this post is off the front page lol.
Glad you had a great time mate, it was bloody ace!
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However I have to admit I don't like it because you've just caused me to lose, and further I will keep losing until this post is off the front page lol.
Glad you had a great time mate, it was bloody ace!
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