Earlier I read the libertarian case for Santorum (by John Samples, Director of Cato’s Center for Representative Government):
One recent poll has the former senator running even with Obama, but most polls have shown a decided gap of about eight points between the incumbent and Santorum. Right now the latter is not well-known to most voters. As Santorum becomes better known, he might close the gap with Obama. More likely, I think he would drive more secular and independent voters away from the GOP ticket. A ten-point Republican loss in a year when economic weakness suggested a close race would be a political disaster not just for the candidate and his party but also for the ideas they embody. Rick Santorum could be the George McGovern of his party.
Such a disaster might open the door for a different kind of GOP along lines indicated earlier, a party of free markets, moral pluralism, and realism in foreign affairs. Ron Paul has taken some steps this year toward creating such a party. He has attracted votes and inspired activism. His son or another candidate might take up the cause in 2016 and build on Paul’s achievements. Fanciful thinking? Perhaps, but it may take an electoral disaster to free the GOP from the ideas and forces that Rick Santorum represents.
Maybe so. But here’s the problem. Whether he wins the nomination or not, Santorum does not represent a clear majority of the Republican Party, and he certainly does not speak for a majority of Americans. I suppose it would be nice if his defeat meant that the Republican Party would then become more libertarian, but that means maybe in 2016, and maybe not. Eventually I’ll be too old and tired to care.
Coco may have the right idea.
Now, if only her master had such sense…
Comments
9 responses to “Wake me when it’s all over”
“As for his social conservatism — and I’m not a social con by any stretch, because they don’t allow Jews in that club who refuse to wear the curly sideburns — I’ve argued a number of times now that if Santorum’s social conservatism plays any role (outside of the role the Left will assign it, which Obama has helpfully weakened), it may actually help the small government cause: Santorum’s complaint is that the government, through legislation or the courts, routinely interferes with the foundational rights of the religious to follow their faiths unmolested by the secular religion of progressivism, which uses the State to crush religious competition largely by pretending it is itself not a form of religion. That is, Santorum wouldn’t appear such an intrusive moral busybody were the State not taking away the rights of the faithful to be private moral busybodies. That is, were the state not so eager to bully the faithful by driving them out of the public square, demanding they ignore or hide the tenets of their various faiths, it’s likely we could just go back to slamming the door in their faces when they showed up to push church fliers on us during a “Law and Order: SVU” marathon.
Obama’s overstep of First Amendment protections with his recent HHS mandate is a perfect way for Santorum to illustrate the differences between the moral busybodying of the Left and the defense of certain traditions embraced by the religious right — and to show how and why the Constitution and Declaration were written as they were, and who and what it was, precisely, they were meant to protect. Ditto Obama’s refusal to defend DOMA, whether you agree with it or not: either we accept the checks and balances and the various processes of a constitutional government or we stop pretending we’re a free people living under a stable rule of law. ”
http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=33747#comments
Santorum says lots of stuff. His Senate record says big government big spender.
Either way, if the Republican Party nominates him, I’m gone. I’ll be a registered Libertarian in 2016, they will be welcome to try to lure me back.
Happy Valentines Day, Eric.
“His Senate record says big government big spender.”
are you saying you blame gwbush? ’cause that’s what he voted for.
<3
so should the rethuglican senate leader vote against the rethuglican president?
If Sen. Santorum is the Republican nominee there will be no FISCAL conservative running. If you want smaller government, you won’t have a candidate.
If the US economy blows up it won’t matter at all if the President is a social Progressive or social Conservative. In that case the country falls apart.
Thank you so very much Republican Party. By choosing Sen. Santorum you have doomed the USA.
How so very proud you all must feel.
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