Of the candidates that ran for the 2012 GOP Nomination, Rick Santorum would have been the best candidate and the best president.
Indeed. Without social conservatism, there is no fiscal conservatism. Social liberalism always leads to more statism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIw5_a_jI0o
That alienates men like me.
The Presbyterian church left me decades ago.
While I love and enjoy my family, I am basically a loner. If I didn’t have a family with 3 adult children, and at last count 5 grandkids, I would still be a dedicated conservative.
Rick is incorrect.
Without family there is no human race. But the reason why we don’t want social issues in the forefront is that no matter how many Sandra Flukes they bait us with Democrats aren’t running against church and family. Pretending they are makes us look stupid. Or if not stupid, speaking in empty generalities. Like when we talk about individual responsibility or they about shared responsibility. Nobody cares.
Where their policies endanger either it’s almost always an economic issue, anyway. The Fluke thing is about freedom of religion only because government is taking over healthcare.
Familly OK, but ... Church?
Ayn Rand acolytes are essentially near-perfect conservatives, and most of them have no ties to any religion.
Amen. But if he added middle class to Church and family he would win in a landslide. I hope Santorum did not vote for any job exporting trade deals.
I wish the social conservatives wouldn’t insult those of us who are conservatives without the church and family. That is just stupid when you are in elections that are close.
When all is said and done, the most important thing is the math and winning elections, which influence matters of economics, foreign policy, etc.
The fact is that social conservatism will exist in civil society despite who is president.
I’m sorry, but the president isn’t and shouldn’t be the preacher in chief. He isn’t the Pope.
On the other hand, I strongly defend social conservatism against any encroachment by the state and its demeaning by the state or by liberals, the liberal media, or the Democratic Party.
I have no problem being allies with social conservatives, because they are far more protective of my freedom than Marxists, secular leftists and Democrats who despise the United States, but please don’t chuck those of us who you need to protect you from state tyranny, socialism, and an appeasement policy towards Muslim terrorists and illegals.
Disagree with the religious criteria.
There are many nonreligious people who know right from wrong, who have ideals and values we can respect, and who lead morally good and ethical lives.
And there are many examples today of people who claim to be religious, who even believe themselves to be religious, but do not know right from wrong, do not understand what is good and what is bad, and who do not know live a moral or ethical life.
Look at John Kerry for example.
Nancy Pelosi is another.