John Kasich is Compassionate Conservatism 2.0
A conservative with a big heart.
In the race for the 2016 Republican nomination, John Kasich is being taken seriously because he’s been a popular governor for Ohio, and because…well…Ohio.
As you may recall, his biggest applause lines in the first GOP debate were for his stance on caring for the mentally ill and for citing God’s unconditional love on the question of gay marriage.
Kasich seems to be running on compassionate conservatism 2.0, but don’t take my word for it.
NBC News reports:
John Kasich Pitches Compassion at Iowa State Fair
Ohio Gov. John Kasich sought to portray himself as compassionate conservative and touted his gains in the polls in New Hampshire when he visited the Iowa State Fair on Tuesday.
His soapbox speech, which had to be moved indoors because of rain, contained little of the red meat typically doled out when Republican presidential candidates address Iowa crowds. Instead, his speech hit on topics ranging from aid to Africa, treating Alzheimer’s disease and expanding Medicaid in Ohio.
“When a young boy or girl dies in Africa, we all lose a little bit of ourselves,” Kasich said while discussing his empathy for the continent.
Kasich recalled a recent conversation with a voter who said he was “a conservative, but I have a big heart.”
Kasich was recently interviewed by Major Garrett of CBS News about his ideas to replace Obamacare. Although he talks a big game on free market solutions, he ultimately comes back to expanding Medicaid. That doesn’t sound like an idea that would appeal to many conservatives:
If you’re still unconvinced about the angle he’s going for, here’s what Shane Goldmacher of National Journal took away from Kasich’s appearance in Iowa last weekend:
John Kasich Shows His Softer Side at Iowa’s State Fair
John Kasich delivered less of a stump speech than a sermon on life, purpose, and happiness during his visit to the Iowa State Fair Tuesday.
“I believe that all of us have to be a center of justice and a center of healing,” Kasich said, “and to realize that life is not just about us alone. Life is about us doing something bigger in our lives for someone else.”
It was an unusual speech, especially in its striking contrast to days of soapbox polemics from other Republican presidential candidates. Part of that was the venue: Kasich’s address was moved indoors in response to unrelenting rain. But mostly it was because, instead of railing against Democrats’ plans or even touting much of his own specific agenda, the sometimes-brusque Kasich spent 20 understated minutes musing about “empathy,” self-fulfillment, and “the value of teamwork.”
This sounds like big government conservatism.
No offense to Governor Kasich but… haven’t we been down this road before?
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
I winder how this compassionate conservative(?) would handle the love and trust from ISIS? I wonder how he will handle the BLM group with their absurd charges that America is at war with black people? I know how he handled obamacare, he went for it big time. No thank you gov. I’d rather have someone who actually is a conservative and not a squish like you.
More politically correct b.s. Another candidate bought and paid for by the GOP establishment.
I am damn tired of Republicans who imply that conservatism is not compassionate by asserting that they themselves uniquely are.
Time to drop out, John.
Tas’ rite…
I dunno why he ever thought to get IN, but it’s time to get out.
“When a young boy or girl dies in Africa, we all lose a little bit of ourselves,” Kasich said while discussing his empathy for the continent.
Did he discuss his empathy for the unborn in this country, under attack by Planned Parenthood?
Yes, let’s elect Kasich so we can save Africa from itself.
One of the most serious problems in the world today is the rise of militant Islam. They say they want to rule the world and force islam on the rest of the world. By death if necessary. This puts 4.7 billion non muslims against 1.3 billion muslims. There will be no room for compassionate anything in this eventuality. Look at the numbers: 315 million Americans against 1.3 billion muslims. We can’t go one on one with them for very long. American families won’t stand for several million casualties. Compassion goes right out the window as casualties mount. The last time we used nuclear weapons, Americans, already having suffered almost a half a million dead, faced another half a million dead in an invasion of Japan. Faced again with these kinds of numbers, America will be forced to use nukes again. Of course, if lead by the progressives we could all convert and avoid the unpleasantness.
America has done more good for the world than all other countries in history combined,although by a smaller amount than before obama took office. obama, Kasich, Hillary, and their ilk continue to push policies that will kill the world’s golden goose.
Establishment RINOs (or as Mark Levin call’s them “Bushies, et. al.”) – in no particular order:
1-Jeb!(tm)
2-Kasich
3-Pataki
4-“Krispy Kreme” Christie
5-Gramnesty
6-Huckabee
7-Santorum
8-Rubio (gang of 8 puts him on this list, IMHO)
9-Walker (his flip-flop on everything except fiscal policies puts him on this list, IMHO)
10-Carly (she is talking a good talk – right now, but has been a RINO-type in the past)
11-Gilmore (he is a “good-old-boy” GOP establishment guy, even though a pretty solid conservative when gov. of VA)
Middle-ground Repubs (at this time – i.e. TBD):
12-Perry (good on jobs and other things in TX, but not solid enough, IMHO)
13-Paul (his supporting McConnell, and libertarian stances, make me question him)
14-Trump (he may be telling the truth; or he may be making the biggest deal he’s ever made, doing his “magic”….lots of flip-flops make me question his sincerity now….)
15-Carson (solid in MANY ways; but not in many others that concern me, as a Constitutional Conservative)
Solid, Constitutional Conservative:
16-Cruz (his H1-b stance is my ONLY concern with Ted)
17-Jindal (as governor, superb! but not charismatic, and making some unforced errors lately)
Scratch ALL of the first 11 I listed, IMHO. They ALL represent the failed “compassionate Conservatism” that is LOSER-PROVEN FAILURE and will LOSE to ANY Democrat in 2016.
Let the last 6 duke it out!! And may the best man (since Carly is in the first 11) win!!
“7-Santorum”
Santorum is a RINO? hy, because of his proposal for larger child tax credits?
“Solid, Constitutional Conservative:
16-Cruz (his H1-b stance is my ONLY concern with Ted)
17-Jindal (as governor, superb! but not charismatic, and making some unforced errors lately)”
Jindal has proposed arrestingg mayhors of sanctuary cities as accomplices when illegal immigrants they have not tried to turn over to the federal government commit crimes.
That’s constitutional?
Jindal found a loophole in his no new taxes pledge and got Grover Norquist to agree to it.
He raised tuition, not taxes, and accompanied it with a tax cut equal to the amount of the tuition increase, meanwhile balancing that “tax cut” with other tax increases!
The Louisiana state legislature didn’t want to pass such a silly law, but Governor Jindal would sign no other.
That’s a solid conservative?
Walker has achieved conservative results in a Democrat-leaning state, in the face of fierce opposition from Democrats.
Trump’s “conservatism” is all talk as of now, and at least as flip-floppy as Walker’s. He was recently a Democrat, and was giving material support to Democrat candidates and causes in order to enrich himself.
Placing Trump above Walker on the reliability scale depends entirely on trust that “he may be telling the truth” (in your quaint words), and on a calculus that gives more weight to campaign pledges than to action in office.
Amen! dinoRIGHTMARIE!
there is nothing conservative about using th force of government to take my hard earned money away so that you can be “compassionate” with it.
you want to take your money and give it to people, that’s one thing, but stealing mine at gunpoint is immoral, no matter how noble you believe the cause is.
That was exactly my reaction when he did his end run around his legislature to expand MediCaid.
Aren’t we tired yet of executives who pull those kinds of stunts?
And then he had the gall on more than one occasion to claim that somehow made him a better Christian.
“Kasich separated himself from the pack, saying that Saint Peter isn’t going to ask you how small you’ve kept government, but what you have done for the poor.”
Yes, I’d like to tell Kasich to his face that St. Peter is still going to ask him that as Medicaid is a cruel hoax that does nothing for the poor. And he’s also going to ask him if he ever read the 10 commandments, as stealing is a sin. Ripping off the taxpayers against their express will in order to expand government and do nothing for the poor, I don’t think, is going to endear him to St. Peter.
I’d also recommend he read Luke 18:9-14, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Standing in the middle of the temple and bragging about what a pious man you are hardly recommends you to God.
I already couldn’t stand the man, but his holier-than thou act makes me dislike him even more..
Jeb Bush is the GOPe pick for president, Kasich the VP pick. Ohio + Florida. Compassion squared + Big government cubed. Democrat Lite – Now with more compassion! And amnesty for everyone! Including puppies!
They are judged by the GOPe to be the most ‘electable’, you know, like McCain and Romney were.
And Dole…
“Benevolence is the heroin of the Enlightened.” -philosopher Davis Stowe, “What’s Wrong with Benevolence: Happiness, Private Property and the Limits of Enlightenment”
The above quote is an epigram to the chapter “What’s Wrong With Benevolence” in the book titled “The Fortunes of Permanence: Culture and Anarchy in the Age of Amnesia” by Roger Kimball (A must read!)
Also quoted in the same chapter, James Madison (1794): “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”
The government should not be in the health care business. HSAs and the interstate sale of health insurance sound like valid propositions. I would prefer that there be no health insurance companies at all except for major medical insurance. Cut out the middle man and have prices listed for each medical service.
At the north end of Chicago’s Millennium Park is the BCBS Tower, a monument to towering health care premiums and to crony coercive government.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Cross_Blue_Shield_Tower
See Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness.
I am not of the same mindset as Ayn Rand. I am a Christian and not an Objectivist.
The Apostle Paul quoted Jesus as saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
Per my comment above, Rome was not involved in the transaction of giving.
One of the silliest statements ever made by a supposed intellectual is Rand’s assertion that anyone who isn’t an Objectivist is therefore a Communist. I don’t know why so many self-described conservatives treat Rand as gospel.
Opposing government-controlled compassion-by-force does not lead straight to Randian selfishness-is-good. In between, there’s a vast ground where people can be compassionate and helpful to others on their own initiative, either individuality or in voluntary organizations. That is how civil society runs.
Absolutely. I cited Rand not as a proponent, but for the point that unbridled “compassion” as many understand that term is not compassionate at all.
I’m glad to know that you’re not a dogmatic Randian (even if I have no idea who you are).
I saw Kasich on the CBS Evening News on Monday.
I didn’t like the way he answered a question. He said something about something like Trump’s immigration plan. He said something like first it wouldn’t work and second it was wrong (or contrary to our impulses or something like that.)
Not good.
He should have said first it was wrong and second it wouldn’t work.
You get the point?
I didn’t like the way he handled that at all. If it’s wrong, that’s the first thing to say. If it can’t work, the fact that it’s wrong is almost irrelevant. Why bring that up, even? If it’s wrong, the fact (if true) that it won’t work is a legitimate extra point to add for people who don’t agree that it is wrong.
Giving the hospitals a reward for keeping people health and out of hospitals. Huh. Sounds like the hospital is entitled to our money just like the government is. This isn’t “free market”, this is the Government deciding who and what the market is, and then running the market. And this is all better than the old system (not free, but freer than what we have now) how?
Good grief, let’s leave Kasich in Buckeye Land.
We had a compassionate conservative serve fairly recently and while, IMHO, his defense of our nation was good, his compassion seemed out-placed several times, but especially on economics and on his perceived need to yield to Democrat demands; school issues, financial / economic issues to name a few.
Rather than wanting a compassionate conservative, my preference is a nominee who adheres to the written Constitution, to the law as written, and to the oath of office, while defining a foreign policy that promotes America’s best interests and security, while also promoting domestic policies that help grow our economy and economic well being of our fellow Americans, including providing work age Americans with opportunities to support themselves and their kin.
The broad details provided by the candidates, to achieve these very generalized goals, will be how I determine which candidate to support; hair style, family genealogy, or prior acts are side issues, for me, in many instances.
Kasich is not my first preference, he needs to keep Ohio on track and to continue to climb out of its abyss.
Compassionate conservative is double speak for “taking your money to buy votes for me”.
‘Compassionate’ is the adjective modifying the noun ‘conservative’. A synonym might be ‘caring conservative’.
As opposed to? Implying exactly what about regular conservatives?
F**K “compassionate” conservatives.
“F**K “compassionate” conservatives.”
Needs to be said a second time…
Ditto, since third time’s a charm.