COMMENTARY | Former senator Rick Santorum has been in hot water lately discussion his opinions on same-sex marriage as well as speaking about the “dangers” of birth control, in what some feel invades the privacy of the rights of Americans in the bedroom.
Santorum has insisted on more than a few occasions that he is not for banning birth control; however, at the same time he believes the Supreme Court should not have overturned local laws concerning birth control, and he said he is firmly against federal subsidies that provide contraception. He tried to avoid the subject during Saturday night’s debate by stating there were no states who were considering banning birth control so it didn’t make sense to discuss it.
But the Republican presidential candidate has said that he believes the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut decision, which struck down a law that criminalized the use of contraceptives by married couples, was wrong. Which means that the question certainly made sense and that Santorum just felt uncomfortable answering it and tried to avoid it at all costs.
The discussion on social issues is a valid one and should be continued, along with the other important issues like the economy, and especially job creation. Knowing the candidates’ stance on all of these issues paints a complete picture for someone who would potentially be the leader of our nation.
For people who are afraid of Big Brother invading our individual rights to privacy, social issues are a big window into what our future might look like under a man like Santorum.
Under Santorum, if you are a woman who is raped, or a woman whose life is in danger by delivering a baby to full term, you would no longer have the option to terminate the pregnancy. I’d say this issue is at least as big as the issue of building our economy and creating jobs.
Then we have GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. It’s important for voters to be aware that while he likes to talk about his purported family values, at the same time he thinks nothing of cheating on his wives and is on his third marriage. He’s against same-sex marriage because it’s not in line with his “values.” His remarks make one want to bang their head against the wall, wondering how these people can get away with their obvious hypocrisy.
It’s important that every issue across the spectrum is given equal time so that voters are aware of who they are truly electing to represent the United States of America. The last thing we need is another embarrassment in the White House, as in George W. Bush.