1. He understands the crisis of American civilization
Rick Santorum has drawn considerable flak for his unapologetic defense of the nuclear family as the basis of American civilization. But he understands as 19th Century Catholic philosopher Orestes Brownson stated that: “Social corruption, whether ancient or modern, begins in the family, and the corruption of the family carries with it the ruin of society, and of all that deserves the name of civilization.”
And the destruction of the family unit inevitably leads to bigger and more intrusive government as the nanny state rushes in to fulfill the roles formerly occupied by the family. This has been seen in the increase of government programs aimed at the poor who typically have higher rates of illegitimacy than the rest of society. The economic impact of this is borne out by Congressional Budget Office and Heritage Foundation projections that the resulting entitlement costs will account for half of our total economy by 2056.
As Emory University Law Professor John Witte observes: “Sex may be free, but children are not.”
So to say that a focus on social issues has nothing to do with economics is to miss the forest for the trees. Consequently, the free-love ethic does one thing – it breeds bigger government and higher taxes. And Santorum alone sees this among the GOP candidates.
2. He appeals to Reagan Democrats
Tea Party rhetoric about organized labor might play well in the South and West, but it alienates blue-collar workers in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin that have not voted Republican since 1988.
These voters largely vote Democratic because they perceive that Republicans only care about the rich, and candidates like Mitt Romney continue that stereotype and thus fail to connect with the Reagan Democrats. During the Bush years I wrote an article in Crisis Magazine titled: “Why Blue Collar Catholics Don’t Vote Republican”, which underscored this as a reason why Bush lost the popular vote to Al Gore in 2000.
Santorum’s performance with that demographic in Michigan shows that he can connect with them because he understands their issues and what they care about. I am sure that his emphasis on renewing American manufacturing jobs places him in a good position with this demographic.
3. A man of character
The former Senator is a man of deep personal character who places his family first. Having dealt with the Rick Santorum on numerous occasions, I can attest to his understanding of average everyday Americans from first-hand experience.
And yes, he’s the kind of candidate who passes the kind of guy who I’d like to have a beer with test.
4. Opposition to government-controlled health care
Unlike Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum never supported the individual mandate and doesn’t have to explain away his stance on the most important issue of our time.
5. He has a stark contrast with Barack Obama
Rick Santorum presents a stark contrast with Barack Obama unlike Mitt Romney who pushed through Romneycare and who has been squishy on cultural issues and Newt Gingrich, whose personal character has frequently been called into question.
Sure, Santorum is not without his faults, but has been a consistent conservative champion, who one longtime, influential conservative activist said off the record, “The more you get to know Rick, the more you like him.”
