Rick Santorum and his "hero", his wife Karen - image independent.ie
The media has tried to paint 2012 GOP Presidential Nominee as a religious extremist who would be especially harmful to women in multiple areas. The biggest issues hammered home is in the area of contraception – the theme coming from the left – Rick Santorum wants to take away your right to contraception. Nothing could be further from the truth, and those who have listened to the former Pennsylvania Senator stand on key issues affecting the economy, national defense and foreign affairs, also understand the difference between one having a faith and expressing a faith, or one giving a lecture based on morals, and most significantly, one standing up for one’s Church when it is singled out by the Federal Government. It is not one issue that has the majority dubbed a minority supporting Rick Santorum for President.
An article in Town Hall by Gina Louden, speaks to the reasons mothers are voting for Rick Santorum – from his stance on education to his defense of freedom of religion (see Contraception brouhaha) to his pro-life and pro-family values, to his defense of women and children, and his stand on protecting the rights of children with disabilities.
She speaks about the women in his life, his mother and his wife. This is where one finds the metal of a man who is running for a higher office: how he views those women in his life. Are they accessories, and are they experiencing a complete “do-over” as did Michelle Obama in the 2008 campaign? Karen Santorum appears at times in a rope of pearls, but just as often she appears with her sleeves rolled up and in the trenches – in other words, her husband (the candidate) and his advisors are not dictating to Mrs. Santorum.
The reason that this bloggers first looked at Santorum seriously as a Presidential Candidate came during one of the multiple debates - the question to all candidates was in reference to their wives. It was Rick Santorum’s “She’s my hero”, followed by a litany of pride in her accomplishments in work and academia, followed by her giving that up to raise their children, which gave a solid picture of how a man values women and in what order: her accomplishments, her work both inside and outside their family circle. This is what makes Rick Santorum look at his wife with both passion and love, in every single appearance. His pride in her is evident, and it is not a pride of “ownership” – it is a pride in a partner (another word used by the former Senator in reference to his spouse).
This took me to the Congressional Library to see how his views translated to legislation – and it was the empowerment of women, the protection of women, that was a focus for the Senator.
Yet, the media kits pounding home on the fact that Santorum is a Catholic, and you know, those Catholics, especially those Catholics that actually practice their religion are just one-dimensional religious nuts. A case in point in a piece from Irish Central entitled: Is Rick Santorum Running for President or Pope?” This is reference to his not hiding his faith under a bushel, and standing for the Catholic Church before any other politician, when the Obama administration decided to trample on their Constitutional Rights as a religious organization. How? By forcing the church to provide services: birth control, abortion and sterilization to those working at Catholic Charitable Organizations. It was a mistake by the Obama administration and since Rick Santorum stuck up for the Church, (and by way, all Churches, Synagogue's, Mosques) he became the brunt of the media’s fury – and they have blasted him for his Catholicism consistently since. He is now considered, by those in the beltway and those in the media, “the social issues candidate”.
Nonsense
Here are some suggestions as to what branding might honestly be used on Rick Santorum:
He is the best looking, Italian, amazing in that suit candidate. (For those who play the American Idol for President Game)
He has a solid economic plant to bring jobs back to the nation and fast through his 0% tax on manufacturers, to implementing Reagan era Tax rates.
He has a strong grasp of the dangers of the Iranian Regime. He stood up for the pro-democracy forces in Iran, when no other Senator, Congressional Representative or the President would. While thousands upon thousands of demonstrators were being murdered by the Theoretical Regime, that had to call in Saudi Mercenaries to eliminate those demonstrators, Rick Santorum stood by those people. It took our President three weeks to offer a weak call of sympathy, after Russia and China weighed in (Pro-Iranian Leadership nations). This was of particular interest to this blog, as the world watched (or more to the point ignored the plight of those so desperately longing to voice dissent. Something we all enjoy in the U.S. every day – without fear of being imprisoned, and then condemned to die.
He is the one candidate that is hammered by those GOP contenders who need a boost in Conservative credentials because he supported labor in his home state of Pennsylvania while Senator. Yes, Labor, and the businesses that employ Labor – there is precious little left of traditional union labor – those people that work in factories, not those who hold Masters Degrees or work for the Federal Government, but those people who depend on the union reps to keep them safe, fight for simple benefits, and, most importantly, fight to keep their jobs in their state through legislation. What most people hear on the right and on the left form whatever media they prefer, is that Unions are either all perfect or all Socialists. There are two types of unions – those that support the worker at the local level, and those national unions, who take the cash from dues and funnel it into one party. Blue collar workers in most cases need a union, while those white collar, degreed professionals, and athletes making millions, frankly, do not. It is the difference between working in a dangerous position, making a living wage, with some benefits, and the national unions that defend workers that have no apparent hazards other than paper cuts, and have the education and wherewithal to pursue careers in the private sector. Whereas, that worker in a meat-packing plant, faces real dangers, and will most likely work in that same company until they retire, die on the job, are injured on the job, or the plant folds. It appears that Rick Santorum understands the difference.
When questioned on these issues, he does not make up excuses, he answers with a yes, “I did because (pick a reason that can be further substantiated by the Congressional Record or old news reports in archives), and I was right or wrong – because” – He does not, as some in the race do, outright deny a position was taken, and or continue to stand for a failed program, while touting its abilities.
He’s squeaky clean, in sweater vest, and rolled up sleeves with his large family and a wife whom he respects. He is a candidate where searching for “dirt” on Santorum brings up nothing more than the aforementioned ties to the Catholic Faith, lectures he gave and stood by, given the context, and his support of manufacturing and free enterprise, especially where blue-collar workers are concerned.
He connects on more than one level, and that is why he is the most electable candidate, and the candidate with the longest record of that he actually stands by and with a conviction that is based not a recent change of heart, but on the facts of what promoted a decision.
So what we have here is really what every woman (with some exceptions) would want in a man, let alone the leader of the Free World: Good looks, dressed up or down, a healthy respect for women, and an obvious passion when he celebrates with his wife, and the mic picks up - “thank you, my love”.
A man that is looking to help all Americans’, regardless, of race, religion, party, and or economic standing, he may have certain personal beliefs by his faith, but his legislative record assures us he has a strong grasp of the Separation of Powers (and Church from State), (something that the current Administration apparently does not enjoy.) His issues page ( www.ricksantorum.com/issues) gives a brief outline of where he stands on a variety of hot topics. Would we agree on all of his stances? Perhaps not - but can we, as women, deny the obvious – no we cannot – even though the press and the administration may think we are sheep that would believe the ridiculous (and one must assume there are those sister sheep available), we are, for the most part, able to cut through the hysterical rhetoric and see the man for who he is – capable, smart, one of us, and one who is willing to make great sacrifices, both financially and personally, in order to take part in the process, to win the nomination, and to win the Presidency.
All for us - in hopes of restoring our fiscal house, our standing on the world stage and our educational system, while bringing back desperately needed jobs. He is humble, and most importantly, he’s easy on the eyes, suite, sweater vest, or jeans - (to use an old phrase.)
He is no more a one-dimensional candidate than the women who support him are one-dimensional – they work outside the home, they are mothers, they are single, they are young, they are old, they have different issues of import, and they are pragmatic and steadfast in their support of this candidate – because they trust him to tell the truth.
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