"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." [-----–Rick Santorum, p. IX It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good (2005)
You, naps, begged me to vote for a big-government politician who is also -- like me -- anti abortion and pro Christian. But those are very different things from being a limited government Christian conservative. Santorum clearly is the opposite, though Christian and anti-abortion.
"One of the criticisms I make is to what I refer to as more of a Libertarianish right. 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. That is not how traditional conservatives view the world....There is no such society, that I am aware of, where we've had radical individualism and that it succeeds as a culture.” -- Rick Santorum
I will ONLY vote for a conservative Christian who comprehends and advocates for LIMITED GOVERNMENT, and who understands that the only "proper role" for government in most of these issues is ZILCH. Clearly, Santorum is a big-government moral Christian. In many ways, and there is much evidence for those with eyes to see it, warning signals are up that Scott Walker is another who has his heart in the right place, but who wants to tweak things.
Eric Latranyi, you talk about claims "lacking substance." Yet there was definitely substance, for example, in Walker's call not very long ago to drug-test welfare recipients? MORE COWBELL, more government.
The real solution, and one I believe Cruz would advance, is to get government out of forced charity (which hence becomes amoral, with taxpayers as forced slaves to support entitled "poor"). Walker's "solution" would only demonize big mean Republicans for refusing to give "charity" at the taxpayers expense to poor drug-addicted victims. THAT IS SUBSTANCE, and it is one of many reasons why I remain skeptical of Walker, and why I take as one more indication that my hunch is valid when I see a Walker supporter acting just like Romney supporters of old, crying "The only reason you don't like him is because you hate him! You're just jealous of him!"
Heed the signs. They are important, worthy harbingers and guides.
Santorum will never be President unless he learns not to look terrorized during debates.