COLUMN: Compassionate conservatism sweeps the land

From Mark Fiore's, "The Right Stuff," Fall '99 From Mark Fiore's, "The Right Stuff," Fall '99Compassionate conservatism -- the phrase seems to be the buzzword of the day. Coined by Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the slogan is both catchy and kitschy. In Penn's own backyard, Republican mayoral candidate Sam Katz has made Philadelphia a two-party town with one version of the compassionate conservative agenda. And New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani now plans to require homeless persons to find responsible employment before they are eligible to spend the night in the city's shelters. But compassionate conservatism has become so overused lately that the idea has come under fire from all sides. Some conservative critics have dismissed the goal as a warm fuzzy with no backbone. On the other end of the spectrum, many liberals have criticized the philosophy as unsupportive of struggling individuals. Such misguided attacks are unfortunate. When stripped of all its sound-bite gloss, what compassionate conservatism strives for is an America in which personal responsibility replaces dependency, self doubt and free rides. No pursuit is more noble. For much of the last half-century, far too many Americans have become dependent on government handouts -- the New Deal, welfare, Social Security and other entitlement programs. Now, led by Bush and others who believe in the worth of the individual, the nation is beginning to shift away from universal dependency. Bush's presidential campaign has focused attention on failing public school systems like Philadelphia's. On his World Wide Web site, Bush asserts, "The federal government must be humble enough to stay out of the day-to-day operation of local schools, wise enough to give states and school districts more authority and freedom, and strong enough to require proven performance in return." If the schools fail to live up to the standards, they will be held accountable -- they must be held accountable. But if that sounds like old-fashioned conservatism, there is more to Bush's philosophy. In announcing his bid for president in June, Bush proclaimed: "We should make a solemn commitment in this country: That every child will be educated; that no child will be left behind." And that's where compassion comes in. No matter how much society holds people accountable, some are unable to overcome circumstances that keep them struggling. In such situations, the government has an important role to play. But the government cannot hold everyone's hand. Even Democrats like Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell have begun recognizing that. Just last week, Rendell -- in a dramatic turnaround from his previous stance -- announced that welfare recipients who are not seeking jobs would be cut off from receiving benefits. The reasons for such "tough love" are abundant. Morally, it is wrong to tolerate citizens unwilling to lift themselves up by the bootstraps and get a job. Certainly, in today's whirring economy, employers are begging for workers. With such options, individuals simply have no reason not to better themselves. It is inconceivable that some would not even try. What's more, systems like welfare, despite any short-term benefits they may provide, can have serious long-term effects on those they are supposed to be aiding. Instead of helping recipients achieve a sense of accomplishment, those on entitlements can be forced into a rut where they feel they have no chance of success. The economic advantages are also considerable. Those individuals or schools that cannot improve become a drain on the government and ultimately on taxpayers. It becomes wiser, then, to shift money from delinquent programs to others that can produce results. At the same time, policies like Bush's, by encouraging every individual and every institution to strive for success, will result in a more economically efficient and prosperous society as a whole. How could anyone object to that? Indeed, the notion is as old as the ancient West African proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."