Posted on 07/05/2005 6:43:26 PM PDT by wagglebee
Sen. Rick Santorum compares abortion to slavery in his new book "It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good," which is promoted as an alternative to the views of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The book by Santorum, R-Pa., was in some Washington bookstores on Tuesday. It describes his evolution from a young politician uncomfortable with abortion to a major player in the anti-abortion movement.
It tackles subjects ranging from home schooling to welfare reform, and advocates family over what he describes as the big government village in Clinton's 1996 book, "It Takes a Village."
"The African proverb says, 'It takes a village to raise a child,'" Santorum writes. "The American version is 'It takes a village to raise a child - if the village wants that child.'"
Santorum, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, is sometimes touted as a possible 2008 presidential candidate. Books outlining a politician's philosophical views often precede campaign announcements.
He could face a tough re-election battle in 2006. Early polling shows him behind state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., the favorite to win the Democratic primary.
In the book, Santorum makes the case that abortion puts the liberty rights of the mother before those of her child just as the liberty rights of slave owners were put before those of the slave.
"This was tried once before in America ... But unlike abortion today, in most states even the slaveholder did not have the unlimited right to kill his slave," Santorum said.
Santorum questions why Clinton and other liberals tout abortion numbers decreasing if abortion is OK.
"When you look at the politics she would change, her 'politics of meaning' boil down to little more than feel-good rhetoric masking a radical left agenda," Santorum said.
While first lady in 1993, in a philosophical address at the University of Texas at Austin, she called for "a new politics of meaning" and said the country should pay more attention to its values.
Clinton, D-N.Y., declined Tuesday through a spokeswoman, Lorrie McHugh-Wytkind, to respond to the book.
But T.J. Rooney, the Democratic party's state chairman, released a statement saying Santorum is out of step with the state and "every Pennsylvania woman in particular should be offended."
Santorum said early in his career he was reluctant to take part in the anti-abortion cause, but an impassioned speech by then-Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., helped change his mind.
"You see, all politicians know that when you engage in any traditional values issue, especially abortion, the news media immediately labels you ... Adjectives like intolerant, rigid, far-right, mean-spirited, extreme, hard-line and zealous will routinely be used to describe you," Santorum said.
Santorum should wear this like a badge of honor.
It take a village to raise a child, but only one liberal to murder them in the womb.
_ ON WELFARE REFORM: "The notion that college education is a cost-effective way to help poor, low-skill unmarried mothers with high school diplomas or GED's move up the economic ladder is just wrong."
Can someone explain this statement to me? Is he saying that trying to educate these mothers is too lofty a goal? Am I missing a point here?
I'm not sure, I assume he meant that the best course of action was for them to become employed.
He's saying that paying $40k+ a pop isn't cost-effective.
And at least 5 to enable them on the Supreme Court along with a whole bunch of weak kneed politicians.
Why should we pay for it? Maybe teaching job skills to people who need money now is better than sending them the liberal institutions on the our dime.
The question remains: Why did Santorum support Specter?
The power of speaking the truth rattles the confidence of the politically correct. Santorum is taking unflinching shots at the conceit of radical leftist politics in the US. This places him squarely in the crosshairs of every elitist who believes they and they alone are the arbiter of justice. Listen to the left's criticism of truth tellers such as Ric and you will know precisely who they are. Their criticism describes themselves perfectly.
For example:
"But T.J. Rooney, the Democratic party's state chairman, released a statement saying Santorum is out of step with the state and "every Pennsylvania woman in particular should be offended.""
We know from this statement that TJ Rooney and his compatriots are "out of step with the state and ""every Pennsylvania woman in particular should be offended.""
Try this simple device. Turn every criticism back on left wing radicals and you will have defined them perfectly.
Everything else he said was out of the conservative playbook.
The article is right, unfortunately--Santorum will face a tough fight from Bob Casey in his 2006 Senate race. Even the extremely moderate Specter had a relatively close Senate race in 2004, so the more conservative Santorum might be in trouble. Specter's support will definitely help, so Santorum had no choice but to stand with him when faced with a primary challenge from the more conservative Rep. Toomey.
hate to tell you but Toomey would have lost.
the idea that a few hundred thousand Kerry voters would have voted for Toomey, is unrealistic
Just because one does not have a college education, does not mean they are destined for government aid!!!
My gosh, I don't have a college degree, and I haven't even come close to needing a handout from the government...
Also, most of my highest paying jobs were the ones in which I started out at an entry level position and moved up based on MY work ethic and ability to learn on the job...
My husband has a college degree thanks to the GI Bill when he returned from Vietnam....and he has never once used what the degree was for....he has worked for the US Postal Service, which is who he was working for part-time, while finishing his degree...
I would resent like heck, paying for an unwed mother to go to college, which would mean child care, and all sundries, only to have her/he to get married, or find a job that a degree wasn't necessary to begin with...
I bet there are more IT techs with Computer degrees filing for bankruptcy than blue collar workers in the last 6-7 years!
ping for Rick
Specter supported him.
It's easy to explain if Newsmax is using an AP story. Anyway, assuming the quote is accurate and in context why would you think funding an ill-prepared person to pursue a four-year-degree is the most cost-effective way helping single-mothers move up the economic ladder? What about their kids?
I am convinced Toomey would have clobbered Hoeffle and may have tilted the state to Dubya.
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