Not when their ability to get the job done dips below a certain percentile; then they have to turn to politics. Trouble is, the minute they stop running for office, people inexplicably stop sending them money… and they seem to like having money regardless of whatever they may say concerning it. So they run, and run, and run.
I used to cut Rick Santorum slack, but that stopped in 2012, after I saw the list (which pops up on FR from time to time) of his actual votes. After confirming the information to be true, I concluded that Rick had been playing conservatives for fools.
And now he comes back to Iowa, the land of 10,000 rubes. (Again!) Well, why not? When an unsuccessful mediocre lawyer is willing to fleece well-meaning but rather naive Christians, he goes where the well-meaning but rather naive Christians are.
Mr. niteowl77
Not sure that Rick is clever enough to "play" anyone as a "fool."
The fact is that he is not really a "social conservative." Opposing usurpation of power in Washington is a profoundly important social issue--the preservation of the intended American political experience is dependent on that. Rick is more apt to simply try to refocus that usurpation on his issues, rather than have the discipline to address those issues in the proper State, local & social forums.
Another danger, even on the social issues where most of us would agree with Rick, even apart from his misdirection in seeking remedies; is that he comes across as simply opinionated, without showing any understanding of how to win over anyone who does not already agree with him. The contrast between a Rick Santorum & a Ted Cruz on any issue, is on a Mount Rushmore scale! Cruz being the mountain side, versus s small rock falling of the unsculpted background