"It Takes a Family"

[verte76]

Santorum should keep his mouth shut. As a Catholic I resent his simplistic attitude about the pedophiilia scandal in our church. The abuse happened because a few priests were screwed up and could get away with abusing kids because Cardinal Law didn't give a damn about the situation. Santorum doesn't address the fact that the archdiocese of Boston covered this stuff up. Loyal Catholics all over were upset and distressed over the scandal. I hope he's pissed off enough Catholic voters to turn him out of office. I know I'm pissed off.

 

[BVS]

I can't belive that more Republicans don't speak out against Santorum, I would think hey'd be embarrassed by him

I think many secretly agree with him.

 

[BonosSaint]

Out of curiosity, how does Penn even elect a guy like this?

I didn't vote for him.

 

[Calluna]

Santorum was a guest on The Daily Show last night. Did anybody see it? If not, they will replay it again tonight.

I thought Jon was too easy on him. I expected him to ask more hard-hitting questions. Santorum must have said the word "virtue" about 20 times during the course of the interview. I guess that is his new buzzword or something.

 

[MadelynIris]

I still think he is on to something with the whole day care thing...

 

[melon]

I still think he is on to something with the whole day care thing...

What did he say?

Melon

 

[zonelistener]

Santorum was a guest on The Daily Show last night. Did anybody see it? If not, they will replay it again tonight.

Thanks Calluna!!!!

I JUST read this post in time (It is on right now).

I read in the Philly Enquirer today that the book IS NOT a setup for a Presidential Run.

He says that he would not want to put his family through two "back to back" elections.

 

[PopFly]

Santorum's next book can be called "How I Got Whipped In A Senate Election," due out in 2007.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

It takes a family, eh? I thought that all that was required for santorum was anal sex with plenty of excess lube.

Call me crazy, but I like the person that being a latchkey kid turned me into, I am thankful for it .

 

[xtal]

And what if shit happens?
Like, for instance, my father was gunned down by a madman psycho serial killer and my mother went into a complete lunacy-ridden world almost drinking herself to death while having a nervous breakdown so she had to give me to the care of her two older sisters.
Are there Rent-A-Parents for those in need?
Just to keep this in balance for people like him to write books on how two parents are needed?

 

[zonelistener]

I believe the problem with his theory is that he believes that, in a normal family setting, that a woman should stay home and that the male should be able to make enough money to support the family.

He also states the feminism movement has lead to the breakdown of the family.

I am not sure that he said people that have been raised outside of the "ideal" are wrong...especially in a situation like yours.

 

[nbcrusader]

Here is a question for discussion: How has society treated the role of "mother"? Have we elevated the status? Devalued the status? Do we value it much at all?

 

[melon]

Here is a question for discussion: How has society treated the role of "mother"? Have we elevated the status? Devalued the status? Do we value it much at all?

Do we need government to define the status for us and hold our hand along the way?

Melon

 

[nbcrusader]

Do we need government to define the status for us and hold our hand along the way?

Melon

If motherhood is something of value, then maybe the government would do something. We have public service ads all the time trying to direct our behavior.

 

[melon]

If motherhood is something of value, then maybe the government would do something. We have public service ads all the time trying to direct our behavior.

As long as it doesn't involve raising your taxes, right?

Melon

 

[BVS]

If motherhood is something of value, then maybe the government would do something. We have public service ads all the time trying to direct our behavior.

Tax breaks? Health insurance?

There are many roles in this country that don't get any acknowledgement from the government...

I agree with Melon, we don't need the government to define our gender roles.

 

[melon]

If people need bribes to be a mother, then maybe they shouldn't be a mother in the first place. We have too many children we don't intend to educate or employ anyway.

If we're going to start extending benefits, it should be to everyone.

Melon

 

[nbcrusader]

Tax breaks? Health insurance?

There are many roles in this country that don't get any acknowledgement from the government...

I agree with Melon, we don't need the government to define our gender roles.

And, I never mentioned "government" per se. I think this a broader issue for society as a whole.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

.

 

[Golightly Grrl]

If people need bribes to be a mother, then maybe they shouldn't be a mother in the first place. We have too many children we don't intend to educate or employ anyway.

If we're going to start extending benefits, it should be to everyone.

Melon

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I saw Santorum on the Daily Show, that was a joke of an interview. I did like the footage of the men getting married after it was over though, that was a nice touch

 

[BVS]

And, I never mentioned "government" per se. I think this a broader issue for society as a whole.

If motherhood is something of value, then maybe the government would do something.

 

[tiny dancer]

I think it's one thing to say that single parenthood is difficult, and not ideal for everyone. It's also one thing to acknowledge that, generally, it's a good idea if one parent can be a full-time parent. But Santorum is a U.S. Senator, for one thing (hopefully for only one more year), and he and his can afford that kind of lifestyle. In a lot of families--particularly the poorer families about which Santorum generally does not give a flying you-know-what--two parents have to work. Obviously. We all know that. Are there some families in which one parent is just working to make the payments on the '06 Explorer or the 5,000-square-foot McMansion in the exurbs? Oh, I suspect that's true, but then again, those aren't the folks at whom Santorum levels his most serious charges. Because those purchases drive the economy, after all, and because those people are very often his base.

No, Santorum's worst attacks are reserved for gays and struggling single moms. How very noble of him.

I hope this guy gets a one-way ticket to Consultantville following the '06 elections. Although I have plans to move, part of me would like to stay living in PA long enough to have the pleasure of voting this jackass out of office.

Bob Casey a who is a Democrat from Pennsylvania will be running against Santorum in 2006 so far is leading in the polls. I would be more than happy to see Santorum voted out of the Senate. What a jerk.

 

[nbcrusader]

Taking two quotes out of context doesn't help the discussion. My second statement was directed towards Melon's insertion of government action in the discussion.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Here is a question for discussion: How has society treated the role of "mother"? Have we elevated the status? Devalued the status? Do we value it much at all?

Indeed. I dont think it has been elevated at all, but not necessarily devalued as the PC Police have ensured most will never speak openly negatively toward women who choose motherhood. I only hope that many actually do feel that the role of a mother is important, and I do reckon most people do. Problem is, we still see the utterly disgraceful way this is shown by society, and yes even everyone's beloved governments.

 

[Golightly Grrl]

Word to everything you said, Tiny Dancer. I think if Rick Santorum et al had their way, it would be legal to discriminate against families where both parents work outside the home, single parents, gays, and the childless/childfree.

I saw Mr. Santorum on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and George really grilled him hard. I loved it. George kept asking for names of "radical feminists" who have denigrated mothers who stay at home and of course, Santorum kept skirting the issue. Believe it or not, but feminists for the longest time have expressed that stay at home moms, homemakers, etc., should be respected for all of the hard work they do despite what right wingers say.

And even though the likes of Dr. Laura say that if women have kids they must stay home, she hardly respects them. I can recall two calls to her show from stay at home moms. One mom wanted to take a class at the local college which meant that her son would either be left with a babysitter or the school's childcare center for two hours a week. Dr. Laura lambasted this poor woman and accused her of wanting to abandon her child! WTF!

Then another stay at home mom called complaining that she wasn't feeling very appreciated by her husband and kids for all of the work she was doing. Afterall, dinner doesn't appear on the table, clothes don't get washed, and the house doesn't get clean by magic. Dr. Laura rips this poor woman a new one and says, "Do you think coal miners like their jobs?" Again, WTF? My answer to this poor, beleagured woman would be to treat herself to a spa week-end and let her husband and kids do all of the work. Then they'll see that homemaking is not easy and very valid work.