--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Compassion is the use of public funds to…" description: "\"Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes\" — Thomas Sowell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_compassion-is-the-use-of-public-funds-to_3226759.jpg" --- # Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes ![“Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_compassion-is-the-use-of-public-funds-to_3226759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_compassion-is-the-use-of-public-funds-to_3226759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/thomas-sowell-247_compassion_compassion-is-the-use-of-public-funds-to_3226759.jpg) > “Compassion is the use of public funds to buy votes” [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public funds are sometimes used to buy political support, turning compassion into a transactional tool. **In simple terms:** Public money used to buy votes. Key Takeaway Demand transparency in political spending. Themes politics economics ethics public policy campaign finance Mood skeptical concerned analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - campaign strategy - policy analysis - civic education - media scrutiny - activism Key Concepts transactional politics misuse of funds public trust Questions to Reflect On - How does vote‑buying affect policy outcomes? - What safeguards can prevent financial coercion? A Different Perspective Even if intended for welfare, such tactics erode democratic legitimacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [At the most basic level, a central bank must be clear and open about its actions and operations, particularly when they involve the deployment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/at-the-most-basic-level-a-central-bank-must-be-clear-and-open-about/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [If we allow public funds to be used to support our relatively benign, morally grounded schools, we will have to allow those public funds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/if-we-allow-public-funds-to-be-used-to-support-our-relatively-benign/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [We don't know what proportion of public funds is regularly lost to collusion and corruption. Is it 25 per cent? 30 per cent? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-marois/we-don-t-know-what-proportion-of-public-funds-is-regularly-lost-to/) [Pauline Marois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-marois/) > [We can only restore faith in government if the state itself becomes an efficient, effective and transparent ally of the people. Bureaucratic inefficiencies, abuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-ponta/we-can-only-restore-faith-in-government-if-the-state-itself-becomes/) [Victor Ponta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-ponta/) > [It's important that public funds be spent in research directions that are pushing market frontiers rather than working in existing areas. This means funding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-mazzucato/it-s-important-that-public-funds-be-spent-in-research-directions-that/) [Mariana Mazzucato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-mazzucato/) > [When we appropriate money from the public funds to pay for vaccinating a horde of negroes, we do not do it because we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-appropriate-money-from-the-public-funds-to-pay-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public schools are supported entirely, in most communities, by public funds-funds exacted not only from parents, nor alone from those who hold particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-public-schools-are-supported-entirely-in-most-communities-by/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [ The \[Barack\] Obama administration has both their hands in your pocket. 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Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [The key thing about any fund is to make sure its expenses are low. You know, if you look at the funds in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-bernstein/the-key-thing-about-any-fund-is-to-make-sure-its-expenses-are-low-you/) [William J. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-bernstein/) > [If you don't like the idea that most of the money spent on lottery tickets supports government programs, you should know that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-don-t-like-the-idea-that-most-of-the-money-spent-on-lottery/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [When we started Appaloosa, we were going to name it Pegasus because everyone was using Greek names. We filed the name. We paid $300,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tepper/when-we-started-appaloosa-we-were-going-to-name-it-pegasus-because/) [David Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tepper/) > [The only issue cash presents you is the independence of not stressing about funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-only-issue-cash-presents-you-is-the-independence-of-not-stressing/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) ## More by Thomas Sowell > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There is no bigger waste of time than doing 90% of what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/there-is-no-bigger-waste-of-time-than-doing-90-of-what-is-necessary/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/if-you-have-always-believed-that-everyone-should-play-by-the-same/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“In 1962, Democratic President John F. Kennedy, like both Democratic and Republican Presidents and Secretaries of the Treasury in earlier years, pointed out that “it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/in-1962-democratic-president-john-f-kennedy-like-both-democratic-and/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Ideological bigotry has become the norm on even our most prestigious campuses, where students can go for years without reading or hearing anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/ideological-bigotry-has-become-the-norm-on-even-our-most-prestigious/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Bailing out people who made ill-advised mortgages makes no more sense that bailing out people who lost their life savings in Las Vegas casinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/bailing-out-people-who-made-ill-advised-mortgages-makes-no-more-sense/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“One third of all Scots in the mid-nineteenth century moved from one county to another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/one-third-of-all-scots-in-the-mid-nineteenth-century-moved-from-one/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. 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If not, then why should the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/do-all-children-have-some-inherent-right-to-live-in-america-if-they/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“those parts of the British Isles without the advantage of coal deposits or ports, industrialization was as handicapped as in other countries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/those-parts-of-the-british-isles-without-the-advantage-of-coal/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The whole idea of equal justice under law is completely incompatible with the idea of judges deciding cases according to "empathy".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-whole-idea-of-equal-justice-under-law-is-completely-incompatible/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) [Explore all 823 Thomas Sowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. 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