I’m passionate about my stance as a compassionate conservative. There is a widespread belief that the Democratic party is the more compassionate and caring political party, but this is simply not true. Today I want to dive into some of my compassionate conservative values that support this argument.

Giving From the Heart. While liberals often tout the idea of taking from the rich to give to the poor, this Robin Hood attitude has been proven time and again that it does more harm than good, especially in the long term. Liberals are readily willing to give of their neighbor’s money, but not necessarily their own.

Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in helping those less fortunate than myself. If we are blessed with more than we need, then we should absolutely share our wealth. The difference between my views and those of most liberals is that I believe in significant voluntary philanthropy, not funding government-developed handouts.

When you give from the heart, everyone benefits. Your hard-earned money goes to people, causes, or organizations that you believe in. Unlike mandatory wealth redistribution, this makes donors feel good about parting with their wealth, rather than bitter about having to comply with stifling, government-regulated theft.

In both of these situations, the end result is the same﹘ those with higher incomes give to the less fortunate. I simply believe that giving from the heart will always far outweigh mandatory wealth redistribution.

Humanitarian Immigration Policies. Immigration policy is a hot topic in our country, and I feel I have a unique stance and viewpoint on the subject. My family immigrated to America seeking a better life. They were welcomed into this country, worked tirelessly, and built a legacy that I still carry on to this day.

I believe that our immigration laws are in desperate need of reform. We need an immigration policy that is humanitarian above all else. I believe that legal immigrants should absolutely be welcomed and given the chance to build a life they could only dream of elsewhere. We need to create immigration laws that enable and motivate immigrants to contribute to our economy.

Once a policy like this is in place, I feel that both those seeking citizenship and the existing citizens of this great nation will benefit. America is an amazing place of freedom that was created and built by immigrants. We must remember that almost all of us were immigrants at one time.

Environmental Stewardship. We were blessed with this amazing planet by its creator, and we are responsible for preserving its resources and natural beauty for generations to come. Many people believe that unregulated capitalism leads to the complete destruction of the environment. Liberals believe we need to enforce sweeping government regulations to protect our planet.

While I understand their logic to an extent, I believe that the free market will achieve the same — or better — effect that environmental regulation might, without stifling economic growth. Consumers recognize the importance of our planet, and because of that, companies that respect the environment will win out over those that don’t.

Accepting Others. Lastly, I want to talk about tolerance. Some believe that conservatives aren’t interested in those that aren’t like them. Nothing could be farther from the truth, at least when it comes to myself and my family. I believe that everyone’s worldview is their own right. Differing ideas, opinions, and backgrounds are what makes the world so interesting. America is a melting pot of different cultures, and all people should have the chance to be heard and appreciated free of government intervention.