A good working definition of "compassionate conservatism"

From Robert Samuelson in the Washington Post:

"In practice, Bush has taken the most self-serving aspect of modern liberalism (its instinct to buy public support with massive government handouts) and fused it with the most self-serving aspect of modern conservatism (its instinct to buy support with massive tax cuts)....

"'Compassion' for Bush has consisted mostly of distributing new benefits to large constituencies in the hope of purchasing their gratitude and support....

"Spend more, tax less. That's a brazen political strategy, not a serious governing philosophy."