COMMENTARY | “Game on! Thanks to all of you, we pulled off our #iowasurprise! Keep going to NH, SC & beyond,” Rick Santorum tweeted in the wake of his super-close second place finish at the Iowa caucus. Now suddenly a dark horse player in presidential politics, where does this candidate stand on the issues? More importantly, can his message resonate with moderate Republicans and Democrats?
Health Care Reform
Santorum opposes “ObamaCare.” His campaign website considers the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law on March 23, 2010, his “priority number 1.” In its stead he proposes to place health savings accounts that work in conjunction with insurance plans featuring high deductibles. Santorum further advocates the ability to buy healthcare coverage across state lines, to increase competition and thereby drive down overall consumer costs.
Foreign Policy
The candidate proposes a 10-step approach to foreign policy. Part and parcel of this agenda are a restoration of the missile-defense commitment to Poland, a revamped intelligence presence in the Middle East, an expansion of humanitarian aid programs in Africa, and a renewed commitment to the support of Israel. Santorum suggests a return to the America presided over by Ronald Reagan.
Likely Stumbling Blocks: Social Issues
Whereas conservatives are likely to be on board with both the candidate’s healthcare and foreign policy approaches, moderate Republicans are likely to draw the line when it comes to social issues. “Now the courts have created a ‘super’ right that’s above a right that’s actually in the Constitution, and that’s of sexual liberty,” the Des Moines Register quoted Santorum when discussing gay marriage. I believe it to be highly unlikely that this sentiment will resonate with moderate voters.
Perhaps even more damning is the candidate’s stand on reproduction. When being interviewed for Caffeinated Thoughts about issues that he will go to bat for, he stated that one issue was “contraceptive coverage.” Santorum went on to opine that contraceptives give “a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.” He tempers his statement with the concession that he is not “running for preacher.”
Sources
Twitter, “@RickSantorum”
“Repeal and Replace ObamaCare with Patient-Centered Healthcare,” Rick Santorum’s Campaign Website
“10 Steps to Promote Our Interests Around the World,” Rick Santorum’s Campaign Website
Jennifer Jacobs, “Santorum in his own words on Huntsman, working women and sexual liberty,” Des Moines Register
Shane Vander Hart, “Interview with Rick Santorum: A Champion for the Family, Manufacturing Jobs,” Caffeinated Thoughts