AI Corner:

 when a thimble is filled with the compassion of the federal government how much room is left?

The statement "when a thimble is filled with the compassion of the federal government how much room is left?" is a rhetorical device, not a literal question

. The amount of "room left" is a matter of perspective and depends on an individual's opinion regarding government effectiveness and compassion. 

The underlying sentiment can be interpreted in a few ways, with no single correct answer:

• Government compassion is limited: One interpretation is that the compassion of the federal government is so small that it would barely fill a thimble, if at all. From this perspective, the amount of room left would be almost the entire thimble, signifying a profound lack of government empathy.
• True compassion is personal: The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) argues that government compassion is not the same as personal and private compassion. Since government action is an institutional process, it can't authentically replicate the personal, heartfelt compassion that one human can show another.
• Compassion is not a government function: Another perspective suggests that the government is, by nature, not an agency of compassion. The American Enterprise Institute has described the perception of government as a compassionate entity as a "vile and cunning lie," arguing that government's primary function is coercion, not kindness.
• Compassion is a matter of perception: The question highlights the ongoing debate about how effective the government is at helping people. While some see government welfare programs and foreign aid as acts of compassion, others view these same efforts as inefficient, ineffective, or impersonal.