Compassionate Conservatism - by Marvin Olasky (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Compassionate conservatism is a new political force in the land, sweeping the grassroots of people of all faiths, races, and ethnicities. In its parts it offers solutions to many of our most intractable problems; in its whole it is nothing less than an innovative philosophy of government. No author is more qualified to explain its power and promise than Marvin Olasky, described by The New York Times as "the godfather of compassionate conservatism."

Compassionate conservatism offers a new paradigm for how the government can and should intervene in the economy. It begins with a long-lost premise about human behavior: economics, by itself, is not what changes lives. Only faith, and deeply held beliefs, can do that. For decades government has focused only on material well-being, ignoring the passions and convictions that make life worth living. What is conservative about the new movement is that its leaders also know that government cannot instill these beliefs. What it can do is help them flourish. It can give aid, inspiration, and direction to America's natural "armies of compassion" that have been a hallmark of our history since the founding.

Compassionate conservatism offers a way to transcend the root problems that currently oppress too many deserving Americans. It offers a unique vision of the triangular relationship between the state, our many churches, and our tens of thousands of charities. It is a true reinvention of welfare, a wholesale revolution in the welfare state, and a redefinition of the social safety net.

In Compassionate Conservatism Marvin Olasky takes us on a road trip with his son, Daniel, across the country, showing exactly how the new movement is unfolding. Along the way, he offers a set of principles, and a brief tour through history to show that these are not so much radically new ideas as rediscoveries of long-lost wisdom. Read this book for a blueprint of the future of politics and welfare in America.

Review Quotes

Senator John Ashcroft (Missouri) What is compassion? How can this good and generous nation best help transform the lives of Americans struggling to overcome the ravages of drug addiction, crime, broken homes, and poverty? Marvin Olasky offers fresh and compelling answers to these pressing questions in "Compassionate Conservatism." Marvin Olasky's seminal work on the failures of Washington's old welfare system is a shining beacon of hope to men, women, and children who want to change their lives and claim the American dream of hope, self-reliance, and independence.

Senator Rick Santorum (Pennsylvania) Once again, Marvin Olasky defines the moment. He unveils the human face of the movement with which many of us identify, and shows that our objective is not political posturing, but helping real people with real needs -- truly transforming lives. His roadmap to practical and policy prescriptions will help shape the national debate -- not whether to care for those in need, but how best to.

Stephen Goldsmith former Mayor of Indianapolis Marvin Olasky has long been in the forefront of new ways to help impoverished neighborhoods and individuals. His new book shines a bright light on the appropriate role of government, community, and faith, and will help all those looking for answers.

About the Author

Marvin Olasky is Professor of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and a Senior Fellow at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. He is the author of more than a dozen books of history and policy analysis, and the editor of World, a weekly news magazine from a Christian perspective. He has been an adviser to George Bush since 1993.