Mr. Sowell is correct; and right to say "seem to assume" because cynical politicians who issue public statements which claim that conservatives don't care about people may not really believe what they're saying -- which is even worse than sincerely making a mistaken assumption. Of course, if you ask the "man on the street" about this matter, many will unthinkingly parrot their party leaders; and cynical falsehoods are issued with full appreciation of that phenomenon.