Commentary: Deepak Chopra

I feel confused over why "compassionate conservatism" turned out to be so much the opposite of compassionate. As an excluded minority without power, one could understand the frustration of conservatives during the long reign of the Democrats. But they are hardly excluded any more. The Presidency has gone Republican five times since 1980, and both houses of Congress are firmly Republican. With all this breathing room and so much power gained, why is conservatism still so mean?
One answer might be that conservatives enjoy being angry, that it fuels their policies. The conservative revolution needed enemies. If you are politically at odds with those who you think are bringing down society--liberals, blacks, the poor, Muslims, pro-abortion groups, gays, non-fundamentalists, and feminists, your animus could be sanitized. You could turn it into social policy.

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