Rick Santorum is Right, It Takes a Family. Now, It Will Take a President

By Keith A. Fournier
4/3/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

I have followed the 2012 Presidential primary campaign closely because I believe the 2012 election is the most important Presidential election in my lifetime

The American dream is threatened - not because the American people have lost that dream, but because we have the wrong leaders in political office. The 2012 presidential election will help determine whether that dream is resuscitated and secured - or usurped and replaced by something not worthy of the American experiment in ordered liberty.

Rick Santorum

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Like many Americans I am deeply concerned about our Nation. The dream called American is threatened. I share the growing sense that it is not because the American people have lost that dream, but, at least partially, because we have the wrong leaders in political office.

Finally, I share a deep sense that the 2012 presidential election will help determine whether that dream is resuscitated and secured - or usurped and replaced by something not worthy of the American experiment in ordered liberty.

I am disturbed to once again hear and read the mantra of the main stream media that the 2012 Presidential campaign is over. You know the drill; that Mitt Romney is the nominee to face President Obama and anyone who feels differently should stop their efforts and sing the song of the establishment.

The lyrics have gone through revisions. He has been the presumptive nominee, the inevitable nominee, the probable nominee and now the nominee by default based on "the Math". It is the same old song and I am tired of it.

On the eve of the Wisconsin primary, I have to speak out. I am a "reluctant Republican". I was raised in Massachusetts in a blue collar family who believed the Republican Party had a silver spoon in its mouth and had no concern for people like us. However, I left the Party calling itself "Democratic" when it was taken over by the strange coalition currently leading it.

That coalition purports to care about the poor while they fail to hear the cries of the poorest of the poor, our first neighbors in the womb. They contend to be concerned for blue collar workers while they foment class warfare and push Statist economic and political policies which are a grave threat to true liberty.

That coalition pays lip service to marriage and family while it promotes a cultural and social counterfeit masquerading under the same name. They do not respect the first freedom of religious freedom and are treating my Church with complete disregard for its proper and important role in promoting the common good.

However, the Republican Party is threatened by its own caricature. The effort to control that Party by the old guard "establishment" smacks of a return to the days of corporatism and an economism. It also fails to assert the primacy of the person, marriage and the family and society founded upon it. Finally, it does not seem to understand that the true source of our liberties, including economic liberty, is found in our shared moral values.

While many are looking for a "consistent conservative", I want a candidate who has moral coherence; and recognizes the necessary moral foundations of a free and just society. There is a political dualism in establishment Republican circles - the idea that there are "social" and "economic" issues and they must be kept separate. They cannot be kept separate. Only free people with moral values can ensure a truly free market. Freedom is a good of the human person.

I find such a moral coherence in Rick Santorum. He does not separate social and economic issues. He knows that the reason we care about expanding economic opportunity is because we respect the dignity of every human person. His economic policy seeks to expand participation in the market economy while respecting fairness in competition. He affirms the dignity of all work because of the dignity of the human worker. He insists that economic policy respect human initiative, promote mediating structures and be built from the bottom up.

His advocacy of smaller government is cut from the same cloth. He calls for the proper application of the ordering principle of subsidiarity. That entails respecting the primacy of the family as the first society, the first government, the first church, first school, first economy and first mediating institution. That principle insists that government begin with the smallest unit, the individual and the family, and that all other government then exists to provide them the help and assistance they need.

He rejects the notion there is a "right" to an abortion even if the positive law currently protects the wrongful act. Every procured abortion is the taking of innocent human life and the denial of the true Right, written in the Natural Law, the fundamental and inalienable Right to Life. He would place respect for the dignity of every human person front and center, using it as the lens through which every other issue would be approached.

What I find in Rick Santorum is the whole package. That is rare in American Politics and I cannot let the moment pass. To my dismay, the efforts to caricature and marginalize his candidacy have come from both sides of the aisle. That is because he is not an "establishment" candidate. He threatens establishment leaders in both major political parties.

Ironically, that is one of the greatest assets ...

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1 - 10 of 20 Comments

NoMoreStupidWars
1 month ago
My Dream: To have a nation free from religious prejudice, where the hindu or the atheist have as little influence as the catholic or the jew.
Where universal principles transcend ancient myths and tribal conflicts.

A world where we figure out the moral difference between the "golden rule" and the military industrial complexes' "bring it on" mentality.
j
1 year ago
I have read most of the comments from the last several days both for and against Santorum. Since this is a Catholic blog, I have some observations and questions for the posters. First, it seems to me that Santorum is trying to live his personal life in line with what the church teaches. And as we all know, our church was founded by Jesus Christ. It is thus founded on tradition as well as scripture. Thus Santorum's outspoken views on abortion, defense of marriage, and his views on threats to national security. From reviewing his speeches, how he answers questions in interviews, and the way he carries himself in public, I come away with the impression that here is a good man. Obviously, he is imperfect. I get the impression that on a shoestring campaign budget, he can little afford the so called 'communication handlers.' This lack can lead to some awkward verbal gaffes. But who among us is perfect? It also seems apparent to me that he cares deeply about America and all of us. Else why put yourself and your family through the meat grinder of political campaigning? Moreover, he has little monetary support and now little backing from the establishment republican power base. Note all of the major endorsements made for Romney over the last two weeks. Nevertheless to me Santorum rings true.

Santorum, it seems to me is so Catholic that it puzzles me as to why there aren't more Catholics in his corner? I have read the reports that more Catholics support Romney than Santorum. What is also striking is that Santorum seems to have more Evangelical Protestant backing than Catholic backing. I tell myself, go figure! I don't mean to point fingers at any particular individual above, but could it be that there are many in this country who call themselves Catholics but because of pride in their intelligence, they decide that it is their right to pick and choose what they will and will not believe as to the teachings of the church? Thus, when Santorum takes the stump and professes a decidedly Catholic belief they are repelled? As the kids today say, 'I'm just saying...'

Finally, isn't it true that one of the things Mother Teresa told all the politicians, jouranlists, and so called power brokers gathered at The National Prayer Breakfast years ago is this, and I am paraphrasing, "when a nation kills its own children in the name of convenience it cannot be at peace?" How many children have we killed in this country to date since 1973? Final question, how do we stand today in America in light of the great saint's observation made some 15 years ago?
Rob
1 year ago
Theresa, every election cycle we hear the same thing..."this is the most important election of our lifetime and a seond term of X president would be the end of life as we know it." I sometimes think we need a basic civics lesson because we forget we have all sorts of means to address our concerns including future elections and a legislative process that does not stop merely becuse someone is elected. If we don't like the laws passed by our legislators we have multiple ways fo addressing it. We can fire the legislators who passed the law, we can amend the law and we can take the law to court (i.e. the ACA) or we can repeal it. We always have a way to push back and get things changed. I used to think that the opposition Bush faced was pretty bad, it's been nothing compared to what Obama has faced. His every move is being watched, studied and rallied against. He does not have the power to radically change our country unless we choose not to fight it, no President has. If we are dissatisfied with the course of things, then we get to voice those concerns in November. If we don't like the systemic problems we have, then maybe when the time comes, we take a closer look at those legislators who have been in DC quietly supporting a machine that is destroying this country. We need to seriously reflect on the fact that there are 311 million people in the US who have allowed themselves to be taken by 545 people in DC. We have great power, we just need to unite and exercise it.
Theresa H.
1 year ago
I voted for Rick Santorum in our Primary, though I wondered (and still do) about his personality/mannerisms.... Yes, personality/mannerism does have something to do with the effectiveness of a President.... In any case, as we see now, it looks like Romney will get the vast majority of votes--compared to Santorum. I just hope that Romney will be able to withstand the Obama Machine that is already gearing up for the full "attack...." If we think Romney's campaign funds (between personal and other) have been overwhelming for the "others" in the fray, Romney has peanuts compared to what Obama has behind him--As we see already, Obama has been knocking at the Republican candidates at every turn (whether by name or generically), in all his speeches and addresses and, sadly, there are a lot of "charmed" people who "hang on" and "believe" his every word! I just wonder what he has up his sleeve for launching after the Republican Convention, and what's coming IF he gets re-elected....He (Obama) scares me, really scares me!
Rob
1 year ago
The main reason that I can't support Santorum is the role he played directly in the passage of financial deregulation that set the stage for the economic ditch we now find ourselves in. I think he has a great social platform, but his economic platform is terrible. And call me jaded, but I'm not going to support another pre-emptive war unless these guys send their kids to fight it. Romney, in my opinion, just doesn't have the economic baggage all of the other candidates have save Ron Paul. It's unfortunate that Romeny is having to morph into a nut job just to survive this nominatin process. It's too bad he can't run on the fact that he seems to be a pretty successful guy that is especially good at turning around distressed operations. I have some pretty strong feelings about the wall street types, but I'm not sure Romney is the bag 100% for them. I will take a chance on the unknown versus the known record that I have to judge. But unless Obama has some sort of major conversion, my vote is going the other way. I just hope the nominee isn't too crazy.
Gerald
1 year ago
The American dream is about money and economics. Followers of Christ are instructed to love, forgive, and spread the Good News of God's Kingdom. No talk of money in those instructions. Politics is corrupt and almost always concerned with money. Could a presidential candidate with only a message of love, forgiveness and a mission to spread the Good News of God's Kingdom possibly be elected.
Judy
1 year ago
cece: Agreed and Amen! Romney supporters, take your blinders off before we are all doomed. Methinks some of you are the ones who voted in Obama last time...and now look where we are. The GOP does not need another sinking of the Titanic. Nor does our Nation. The writing is on the wall. Look around you! Blessings...
Stephanie
1 year ago
I am tired of hearing the "1%" arguments. Obama isn't exactly poor. And just because someone comes from a rich background doesn't automatically make them out of touch with the middle and lower classes. Yet another example of the poor logic skills in America.

I think Santorum is a great candidate, perhaps the best candidate, but y'all should also write some positive stuff about Romney. He is ahead and unless Santorum gets a TON of votes over the next few months, Romney will be the Republican candidate. We need to remember that the media loves to divide non-liberals and will use any attacks on whoever gets chosen to try and win more votes for Obama. While the conservatives fight and insult each other over who makes the best Republican candidate, the liberals have the advantage that they already know Obama is their Democratic candidate. When a president has a chance for reelection, he has the advantage over the other party.

It is important to support all the Republican candidates, even if Santorum isn't chosen, to avoid Obama's reelection. Obama targets religious freedom and wants to turn America into a socialist or communist state. And maybe if the Santorum camp is nice enough (say you're the best candidate without trashing/insulting your opponents), maybe Romney will choose him for VP, or Romney can be Santorum's VP.
abey
1 year ago
Where a country's strength comes from the policies to the uniting in the rise , the present Administration's policies are to the dividing in the fall, which is clearly against everything & anything Christian, even unto hatred, which result is to be seen & known, which History has taught but to blindness, that it definitely does not pay to go against the word of GOD, against the very redemption of man which being far greater, since it is unto eternity than any of these narrow based "Liberal & Secular policies" deceitful as it comes through the false pagan beliefs of old in its modern avatars, which if understood in the depth is nothing but to indulgences in the appeasings to Political gains, again unto "Dividing the land for gain", cheap as it comes into making life as cheap, demeaning to it.
Vance
1 year ago
Great article, you are spot on when you say that Santorum is not an Establishment guy. I still wonder as I have for the last 25 years who these Establishment guys are. They seem to embrace candidates who are moderate to Liberal and weak against Marxist Democrat opponents. Example: Gerald Ford against Carter, Bush Sr against Clinton, "Bob Dole knows Bob Dole" vs Clinton and "Walk Across the Isle" John McCain. A critical thinking person would have to conclude that it must be the Marxist Democrat Party Bundlers who are behind the scenes financing the weak GOP candidate to give the Marxists the advantage. RINO Romney is spending 10's of millions on attack adds, yet he can't seal-the-deal. If Romney can't seal-the-deal while out spending Santorum 10-1, how in the world is he going to be a serious contender against Obama's "Billion Dollar" machine? We the faithful have no room in the Marxist Democrat Party, so we need to take back the Republican Party that was founded by "Abolitionists" Church going Christian faithful.

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