Thursday, March 15, 2012

A Sanitarium Made of Gullible Saints

RickSaintSanitarium

The wife of a close friend of mine returned from lunch with an older, female, Tea Party supporter and immediately had to tell me all about it.

She was 100% a Santorum supporter,” my friend’s wife said.

I of course am fascinated by this, so I couldn’t wait to find out two things.  “Why?” and, “Did she stay that way?”

You see, my friend’s wife is a no nonsense, salt of the earth, Catholic Tea Party heroine.  She’s one of those women without whom the Early West would have ended up as a an American version of Afghanistan.  You know, like inner city Detroit, Michigan or the boarded up parts of Kansas City.  Those women were as strong as the men, diligent to a fault and made sure that basic values of goodness, hard work and integrity defined their progeny.

Her entire support for him was about religion.  When I asked her what Santorum had actually accomplished to make her think he should/could be President, her example was that he helped stop gay marriage from being stopped and adopted in some state.”

I’ve noticed an inordinate number of religious-ists who continue to present two arguments for Santorum.  Namely:

  • He’s a good Christian man of strong moral character, and,
  • Newt Gingrich cheated on his wives

My friend has another view:

They are mostly gullible, fairly unintelligent religious women.

I would add that they have an unreasonable fear of trusting men.  Or perhaps an unreasonable fear of trusting God’s grace.  My friend went farther.  Having studied psychology, she had a profile including:

  • Religious/Very Moral
  • Married to Wimpier Type Husbands
  • Submissive

She continued, “When I asked what that had to do with stopping Obama or turning the economy around she replied, only that,  ‘it was a very important issue.’”

For the record, PolitiJim is a social Christian conservative.  You will find downloads and videos on my site of sermons I’ve given from church pulpits.  I’m no fiscal-only conservative or RINO.  But, I personally think Santorum supporters whose basis of support is his spirituality are absolutely insane.  (I also share their concern for our culture – but know as a former heathen rebel, more “law” and condemnation of sin doesn’t change minds.) 

My friend’s wife pointed out to this extremely nice conservative lady that A) A President couldn’t pass a Federal anti-gay marriage Amendment, only the states could, and B) that had nothing to do with the top 20 most important functions of a President.  She AGAIN asked this lady what had Santorum had done to turn any economy around, get rid of government programs or unravel the messes of BOTH Bush and Obama?

I don’t know how Santorum has done it, but he has completely hoodwinked these people into thinking religion is the #1 issue facing our country.  She finally agreed that the economy and government control over EVERYTHING was the biggest threat our country faced.  When I asked her who would do the most damage to kicking liberals out of Washington she looked like she was shocked at her own answer.   Newt Gingrich.”

As I’ve been writing in my series called, Santorum Lovers Unwilling To Soberly Syllogize, I think it is great that Sanorum isn’t afraid to talk about his faith and that he has seven children including a special needs little beauty named Bella.  NONE of that qualifies him to be President.  Nor does talking about his platform to ban porn, or keep talking about issues like contraception and the spirituality of others like JFK.  I tend to look for spiritual leaders like Billy Graham or former child TV stars like Kirk Cameron to do those things.

I contend you are not a REAL Christian if you can’t forgive Newt Gingrich for affairs he had that were not products of serial womanizing.  Newt was an insecure child of the Woodstock generation, a broken family himself, who did not use good judgment in committing to two women who both have been documented by third parties to NOT be women conducive to the role of a traditional “help meet.”  Jesus put it differently, (PolitiJim Bible Translation) “If you don’t forgive Newt, Jesus’s Daddy won’t forgive you.” (The lesser known, traditional version here.)

Now forgiveness doesn’t mean making yourself vulnerable to people who have not TRULY repented, or demonstrated new habits.  I can forgive my teenager who has beer at a party and drives home, but I’d be a terrible parent if I didn’t wait for signs of responsibility to manifest before letting them drive again.  In Gingrich’s case he has not only publicly repented, but by the accounts of EVERYONE from Moral Majority founder Paul Weyrich and far right Baptists Don Wildmon and Tim LaHaye who know him – as well as his immediate family – he is a “changed” man.

What about Santorum?  Is adultery worse than lying, greedy and unscrupulous politics that was called “unprincipled” by the backbone of the Tea Party in Pennsylvania in 2006?  Does talking about “religion” make him any better of a person than Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, or Jimmy Swaggert if his personal example of declaring he is a principled, pro-life candidate while not just endorsing – BUT CAMPAIGNING FOR an openly pro-partial birth abortion candidate?

Why does that make Rick a more “righteous” candidate?  Or have ANYTHING to do with skills it takes to be President?  Or getting elected?

Do these religious supporters suppose that simply being against gay marriage and being President will somehow change the MAJORITY OF AMERICANS who now support it?

The numbers show clearly that votes don’t follow religious issues.  I suspect this is why DailyKos, MoveOn.org and liberal media are gleefully pushing “Operation Hillarity” knowing how quickly they can get the national media to make Rick Santorum an even bigger joke than Dan Quayle.

Unfortunately, just as those sensitive to race were dead wrong in thinking that Obama would HELP race relations, the truth is that Santorum’s approach as a fire brand preacher will end up dividing Americans even more, not winning them to his cause.

And it certainly isn’t helpful to getting those who ARE willing to embrace a conservative approach to the economy.  Most people don’t divide allegiance by ISSUE.  Conservatives won’t quickly trust a bill
co-sponsored by Frank, Pelosi or Reid even if it was to put prayer back in school.

The most gratifying thing about this discussion between this conservative saint and my friend’s wife was that by the end, impressions had changed.  Even if she still wanted to still believe Rick is the most righteous of Presidential race runners, it will mean nothing if he doesn’t have the skill or persuasive skills to get everyone focused on Regan Revolution 3.0.

19 comments:

Thanks for the article. You hit on the two key points that describe my mother:

•He’s a good Christian man of strong moral character, and,
•Newt Gingrich cheated on his wives

Although I do have to say that my mother is a super religious Christian woman who believes that God is directing Rick to the Presidency. I cannot reason with her nor can I even mention the fact that I am a Newt supporter.

I know about Newt's past and can forgive him since he has repented his sins. Maybe one day when all of this shakes out, she and I can have a conversation about all of this and hopefully Newt is President then.

He has the best plan to get the country back on its feet by bringing manufacturing back to the USA where it belongs. You are spewing bullshit.

Thank you! I recently questioned the type of woman who supports Santorum and my list was very similar to yours.

You very clearly draw the line between personal living and actions in a professional context, the two are almost entirely unrelated and success in one of these areas doesn't necessarily translate to success in the other.

Just fabulous

Pashta made the same idiotic comment on Google+. you would think people who throw "crap" would make sure they themselves weren't full of it.

But Pashta you are. (Unlike you using profanity - I am a Christian bird, so how about if I just demean and belittle you with FACT.).

Here is a comparison of each candidates tax plan: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/Summary-of-Tax-Proposals-of-2012-GOP-Candidates.cfm

you will notice that in addition to being the ONLY CANDIDATE WHO DOESN'T ELIMINATE CAPITAL GAINS he also refuses to lower Corporate taxes on ALL businesses. Why? Because he is an opportunist politician with ZERO economic experience, and ZERO executive experience.

Forgive me - he did run a charity and rip off donor money by only dispersing 12% of it to the people he collected it for invalidating him from the Bethlehem Better Business Bureau approval of 75%. He also ran a political PAC which someone managed to only get 18% of the money to other candidates instead of the norm of well over 65%. THE MAN COULDNT EVEN RUN A SMALL CHARITY AND YOU THINK HE HAS THE ABILITY TO RUN THE COUNTRY??

His plan also calls for a TRIPLING of the child tax credit. THIS IS why the AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE gave him the ONLY "D" of all the candidates and the LOWEST SCORE. Because even if the economy showed an uptick (much less likely than Gingrich, Paul, and Romney who ALL GET RID OF CAP GAINS TAXES COMPLETELY) Santorum's plan would BANKRUPT THE COUNTRY CAUSING US TO BORROW EVEN MORE MONEY!!

But that's ok. Rick is use to borrowing money to pay for more government. Just like he did raising the debt ceiling 5 times and running up nearly ONE TRILLION IN DEBT WHILE BEING THE #3 GOP LEADER IN THE SENATE.

When you try and sabotage the campaign of Jim DeMint in SC because he is trying to ELIMINATE EARMARKS THAT RUN UP THE BUDGET - you might get a small clue to the WHY Santorum helped the GOP lose BOTH the House and SEnate in 2006 as a GOP leader.

But perhaps this is what you call the BEST plan. And if it is - you are my BEST reader!

Two more things Pasta. First, it's really not your fault. My Santorum Lovers Unwilling To Soberly Syllogize #4 on all the financial problems Santorum has isn't coming out until Sunday. So you probably wouldn't know that Santorum took a donation from AccuWeather and then introduced a bill TO CANCEL THE US WEATHER DATA that would cause DEATH of people who wouldn't get warnings.

Secondly, Best plan? How about the fact he has reinforced Davids Bacon so unions have an unfair advantage against non-union employers. Best plan? How about the fact he has NO change in a regressive tax system strengthening the IRS. No wonder he acted like 999 was so bad. It was because Heritage, CATO, WSJ, Forbes, Fortune and Art Laffer ALL thought it was WONDEFUL to finally FIX a broken tax and economic system while all he did was gain a political point for one of the weakest areas of our economy (manufacturing) while leaving investors and the service industry (where MOST of our jobs and economy survive) under continuing tax burdens!


.... you don't know what you are talking about. Don't bring your crap back here without FACTS.

The reality is simple - we in the GOP have only two choices. Those choices are Mitt Romney or a brokered convention.

Ron Paul is a whack-ob supported by racists, anti-Semites, and neo-Nazis.

Rick Santorum is not able to focus on the right issues (and I hate to say that, having graduated from the same high school as the guy ust a couple of years later).

Newt is despised and/or feared by enough Americans to make him unelectable.

Either we nominate and elect Romney or we draft someone else from the convention floor in August. Those are our choices -- other than the most unacceptable one, which is surrendering and letting Obama win.

By the way, I accept that God has forgiven Gingrich. I still find his marital failings a proper basis for rejecting him. Why? Because given his tendency to fall into marital infidelity when under the stress of high office ("I cheated on my wife because I was working so hard for America."), we have a moral obligation to not place him back in a position where the occasion of sin presents itself -- for the same reason that I believe that God can redeem an alcoholic but still would find it improper to put said alcoholic in charge of the wine cellar.

Greg, Romney's own campaign admits there will be a brokered convention. There is a reason why Romney can't get consensus behind him from at least 60% of the GOP. It's why Human Events called him one of the top 10 RINO's in 2007 and why Paul Weyrich felt he was DANGEROUS to the conservative movement. (interview on Featured menu of Poltijim or search Weyrich)

It's because he lies. About pretending he didn't initiate the gay marriage initiative, about the fact he actually LOST GOP seats during his 4 years, about how badly he performed (bottom 3 governors in job creation while rest of America grew jobs) and he outright lied about wanting ObamaCare for the country both in his book and in his 2010 interviews. He told abortion and gay advocates he woudl be a "stealth" candidate within the GOP.

There is NOTHING to say Newt is despised/feared by enough Americans. NO ONE EVEN KNOWS HIM (including most in the GOP). Most of the country only goes by name recognition . Gingrich lead higher than anyone else in the polls TWICE last year and after SC (RCP) and higher OVERALL THAN ROMNEY ever has in the national poll.

But polls are crap. Hillary had 70% negatives after leaving the WH and over 55% negatives before running against Obama and dropped it down in the 30's when people saw her for themselves. Polls are crap.

Except on their PERFORMANCE. Romney lost to McCain who lost to Obama. A GOP moderate NEVER wins and it is how they got GHWBush elected by making him an extension of REagan - something Romney can't do.

As I wrote yesterday - there is a STRONG chance that gas will be back under $3 and GDP will be back to nearly 4 because of manipulation (and timing) of Obama and the Saudi's WHAT CONTRAST is there with Romney and Obama if Obama can claim his plan is working? ESPECIALLY WHEN the planned Occupy Wall Street violence is occurring all aimed to smear WALL STREET BANKERS LIKE ROMNEY. People will only see $1 Billion of ads about the people thrown out of work by BAIN.

Frankly, if I was forced to choose ONLY between Santorum and Romney at the end of a red hot poker about to be inserted up my beak - today I'd choose Romney knowing America was finished. (I'm now convinced Santorum is unelectable).

A brokered convention with either Gingrich or Palin (or another Reagan-like populist) will be the only sure way to beat Obama.

Well Greg then you must also eliminate Romnney who FORCED the Catholic church to dispense abortion pills and NAMED Planned Parenthood in RomneyCare which opened government payment of abortions.

Although God looks at murder, adultery, lying and cowardice equally - under your criteria Romney who ruined the GOP in Massachusetts, ruined the Real Estate market and put Mass into a $2 Trillion unfunded liability must not be allowed any where near the wine cellar. Or anywhere people are expected to believe what he says. He is

What a friggin ridiculous argument. Gingrich actually balanced the budget 4 times with a DEMOCRAT president, engineered three of the greatest Republican conservative movements and single handedly fought even REAGAN when he wanted to raise taxes.

You are a moron if you think ANY leader (especially a habitual liar like Romney) isn't with sin.

And unlike Romney, Gingrich didn't decide to take off his last year as Speaker (Romney wasn't even in office for 220 days in his 4th and final year) while he decide to let the people of MA finance his Presidential campaign.

I think of the two any sane person would trust the work ethic AND MORALITY of Gingrich over Romney.

Just as the founder of the Moral Majority said. Romney is a sleazy opportunistic moderate. (He didn't say sleazy but he sure implied it)

WOW, PolitiJim, I don't know what's better these days: Your blog posts or your replies to your blogposts!!!

Thank you for taking politically ignorant people like myself under your "wing" (;

Think of what we would be dealing with, without Gingrich. Without Newt, I would be forced to support Santorum. I like Santorum a lot, but not because of his religiosity, although that doesn't hurt his qualifications. The thing I believe is true about Santorum, is that he will definitely, surround himself with true conservatives throughout his cabinet and appointees. I'm not sure I can that about Gingrich or Romney.

I am backing Gingrich and have not given up on him, but I'm not sure, once he has the power in his hands, he can resist the urge to reach across the aisle or into the GOP establishment. I don't know that he will have as conservative a cabinet as Santorum. Maybe he will, but Newt has shown us he isn't terribly discerning about the company he keeps.

If Santorum is our nominee, I believe he will make a great President, and I do believe he will get behind another Reagan Revolution. The problem is, can he win?

I believe Newt is the man who can win, and I certainly think he will make a great president. At one time, after he insisted all of our medical records must go online, and after he wrote the globull warming book and perched with Pelosi, I would have never believed I could support him. But...

It comes down to the choices we have. I believe Newt now understands how dire our Constitutional problems are. In fact, I believe all the candidates understand it, even Romney, but we need a powerhouse and I believe Newt is it.

Maggie@MaggiesNotebook
http://maggiesnotebook.com

Thank you, Politijim. So disheartening that "religious" people vote on the marriage issue alone. Praying God will open people's hearts and see that we need Gingrich (nobody else even comes close). Forgiven means forgiven of all sins. Remember David, a man after God's own heart. Gosh, what a field day the left will have if Santorum is elected. Facebook is lighting up already. Doesn't help that Democrats are allowed to vote in some of these primaries.

5/8/11 Setting the record straight by Jackie Gingrich Cushman http://bit.ly/tZre1b

More emerges about Marianne Gingrich http://bit.ly/w3OeL8 6 yr 'affair' took place while separated

Pushta,

A "plan" to bring back manufacturing which consists of lowering that tax rate to be competitive with the rest of the world. I'll bet that single 'plan' took you several days to absorb and anyone who reads your response will instantly be reminded of why the term 'bitch slap' was coined and considered absolutely necessary.

Thank you winghunter. It was widely reported his first wife (the much older professor he married) was so bad that BOTH families pleaded for them to get a divorce.

I know both men & women who have gotten married to a she-wolf (or frankstein) with zero clue until afterward. Often through no part of their own - the other spouse makes life so unbearable that it is truly hell on earth. The fact that Newt's children ACTIVELY love and campaign for him tells me all I need to know about the first marriage and his character. These are both women of great character and it is sufficient for me to believe there isn't some hidden character flaws in the Speaker that we have to worry about.

Gosh ... what would these right-wing religious ladies think if you told them that at the time she and Rick met in 1988, Karen Garver was shacked up with an abortion clinic doctor, who just happened to be the same doctor who delivered her from her mother's womb?

Worse, she and Saint Ricky lived together, unmarried and in mortal sin, for about two years until their July 1990 marriage.

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/PhillyMagSantorum.pdf

Gadfly,

That's a good point although unfortunately most of us Believers "rank" sin. I've stayed away from this stuff not because I don't see the hypocrisy (believe me I do) it has little to do (in my opinion) with Rick's character from MY Point of view. Just like I have no problem with Gingrich repenting and making his life right, I rejoice in the Santorum's doing the same. I just wish he would come clean and have the same awakening on his other trangressions...

Dear Maggie,

To quote the great economist, Thomas Sowell, "Dwelling on Newt's past won't help our nation's future." http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/286226/gingrich-s-past-our-future-thomas-sowell

However, I will say this. There is something from his past worth watching that WOULD help our Nations' future & that's the 1995 documentary:

"Newt Gingrich and the Republican Revolution"

http://youtu.be/tS83Y5we-iM

It will be SURE to quell whatever doubts you may have about what he will do once he has power in his hands. because, at one time, he DID have power in his hands... and he embraced it and changed the Republican party like no other....!!! This documentary will also show you EXACTLY what he is capable of if he becomes our next President.

Blessings!

It's called FANATICISM. Right now Hannity is interviewing saintorum and he is rambling, Yelling and fast talking again ( exhibiting signs of FANATICISM). interesting, hmmmm. However, I intend to look up his speeches and see where he has been using the name of the Lord, thy God in vain...anywhere else. so far, no one on Facebook has come up with any...

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