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Posted on 01/12/2012 4:58:10 AM PST by IbJensen
"I believe what I've been presenting is the genuine conservatism our Founders envisioned. One that fosters the opportunity for all Americans to live as we are called to live, in selfless families that contribute to the general welfare, the common good."
Posted by Jeff Emanuel (Diary)
Despite strident opposition from supporters who maintain that Rick Santorum is a “true conservative” in the mold of – you guessed it – Ronald Reagan, the already huge mountain of evidence that he is, at heart, a ‘big-government conservative’ continues to grow. As Erick noted previously, in 2008 Santorum said:
This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don’t think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues. You know, people should do whatever they want. Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can’t go it alone.
Now, consider these two quotes from Santorum’s 2005 book It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good, both of which are very telling:
What was my vision? I came to the uncomfortable realization that conservatives were not only reluctant to spend government dollars on the poor, they hadn’t even thought much about what might work better. I often describe my conservative colleagues during this time as simply ‘cheap liberals.’ My own economically modest personal background and my faith had taught me to care for those who are less fortunate, but I too had not yet given much thought to the proper role of government in this mission.
-Preface, p. IX; audio here
And:
I suspect some will dismiss my ideas as just an extended version of ‘compassionate conservatism.’ Some will reject what I have said as a kind of ‘Big Government Conservatism.’ Some will say that what I’ve tried to argue isn’t conservatism at all. But I believe what I’ve been presenting is the genuine conservatism our Founders envisioned. One that fosters the opportunity for all Americans to live as we are called to live, in selfless families that contribute to the general welfare, the common good.
-Conclusion, p. 421; audio here
Though the second quote is the “money shot,” as it were, the value of the first is that it sets the stage for Santorum’s exploration of the role of government in the book. As the second quote demonstrates, Santorum has not only concluded that it is the role of government to ensure that “all Americans…contribute to the general welfare, the common good” by acting as the chief arbiter of charitable resources and their distribution.
This is wrong on several levels. While there is absolutely a role for government in creating and maintaining a social safety net (Medicare, Medicaid, welfare, etc.) for the population that cannot take care of itself (whether that should take place at the federal, state, or local level, and in what measure each, is a different discussion), Santorum’s instinct appears to be to use government to expand that safety net to all who may be in need or want of charity. Further, he accuses conservatives in Congress who disagree with a significantly expanded role of government in enforcing redistributive charity and welfare of being “cheap liberals” who haven’t “though [enough] about” the issue of “the poor” to recognize that making decisions about charity is clearly government’s job to do.
Not only does Santorum argue for an expansion of the welfare state as the proper way to ensure that “all Americans…contribute to the general welfare,” and not only does he dismiss criticisms that his view represents “an extended version of compassionate conservatism” or “big government conservatism,” but he actually claims that increasing the size and scope of government, and its role in growing the welfare state, represents “the genuine conservatism our Founders envisioned.”
I’m not criticizing Rick Santorum for being concerned about his fellow man. However, instinctively turning to government to cure all that ails our society and individuals within it – and calling that a “conservative” instinct – shows a lack of understanding about the role of government itself within our society. Further, his belief that only government is able (and benevolent enough) to ensure that “all Americans…contribute to the general welfare” in an acceptable manner reveals a lack of faith in, and understanding of, conservatism and conservative Americans. Were he to step outside of his more-government-is-the-solution bubble, he would learn, for example, that conservative Americans voluntarily contribute to the “common good” by donating to private charities at a very high rate – much higher than liberals who, like Santorum, look to an ever-expanding government to take care of the poor using Americans’ tax dollars.
Santorum certainly isn’t unique within the community of current and former lawmakers in his faith that government has the answers and the moral requirement to make fiscal decisions (including where charitable contributions are to be made, and in what amounts) for the American people as a whole. However, denying that such a belief is “big government conservatism” (if it is conservatism at all) is only surpassed on the absurdity scale by the claim that such a belief truly represents “the genuine conservatism our Founders envisioned.”
Is he better than Rick Perry?
Not by a long shot.
Just the wording of the general welfare clause in context demonstrates that the means by which the general welfare was to be promoted were the limited and enumerated powers of the Constitution.
When the government forces "altruism", it is communism. When altruism is performed by an unfettered and willing people, it is "community", such as the Amish or the early church.
Thanks for your excellent post on this hit piece. It saved me the trouble of doing it myself. Rick doesn’t have a chance for the top spot but would make a fine VP pick (IMHO).
Rick “you’re heartless if you want to enforce immigration law” Perry?
Thats a tough one but we can talk about it when Rick wakes up from his nap.
He also is well connected to the lobbyist community — Rick is no “outsider.” People who put there hopes into him as some true conservative outsider are going to be very disappointed.
You're right, though, about the necessary function of altruism. Unfortunately, it is also the lynch pin on which deceivers build their argument.
I agree
I have a problem with these kinds of arguments in the context of candidates for national offices because they just make sweeping generailzations about "what the government should do" without specifiying or taking into account which government we're talking about.
We are a republic. That means there is a system of defined spheres of authority divided between the State and national governments.
It's fine to think that government in general should be taking care of the poor, but if it is to be done it needs to be done by the state governments. There is no enumrated power of the national government that empowers them to do that.
Glad I’m not the only one who says this a a hatchet job on Santorum. The title itself is pure BS as if he ever made such a statement. Lots of out of context mish mash here folks.
Santorum or Newt 2012
Wrong, there was a perfect candidate out there. Name was Herman Cain. The left was mortified of his popularity and honest. So they found a few bimbos willing to lie and exaggerate any fact on his behavior.
Newt has to be the nominee if Cain doesn’t return, period. This Santorum is no better than Obama if he leans socialist. As for Romney, he makes me puke. I’ll have to carry a pail to the polls to vote for him so I can puke on the way out.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
And just to think...if someone decent had actually run...they would have walked away with it.
And just to think...if someone decent had actually run...they would have walked away with it.
yes Cain was a good candidate. Is he still a candidate? No, but perhaps you haven’t read the news lately.
To compare Santorum to Obama is ignorant.
Exactly the AstroTurf these Romney bits are peddling is not
Even logically anymore
First the concerned freak that Rick is stripping away
Medicare or SS now he is evil for not doing it.
They have run out of smears do they make
It up.
That idiot Rick Perry is looking better and better every day.
“selfless families that contribute to the general welfare, the common good.”
There is a difference between “contribute” and “compelled”.
The kind of difference that sparked creation of this country in the first place.
Thanks. Unfortunatley, I believe that even if Mr. Santorum is somebody’s VP pick, we’re still going to lose (see my tagline). Using a conservative to bolster a weakling ticket is a tired and unprofitable tactic. No, scratch that. Using a conservative in this way is nothing more than baiting the trap with an attractive scent so that we’ll all be trapped and killed.
In this election, far too many conservatives will be willing to go down that road and, as a result, we’ll likely see another BO term. If, and I do mean if, the country can be saved after that, it will be far more open to men and women of principle and direct action than the weak and vaccilating are now - “conservatives” included. Any candidate who is chiefly electable is nothing more than an empty husk that mirrors the fears and greed of an unprinciple electorate.
We are in deep, deep waters and principles - even unpopular and unelectable ones - are exactly the prescription needed to save the Republic.
My $0.02
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