What Santorum is telling us is: What we really ought to appreciate is, being screwed over the Insurance companies...

= Drug manufacturing companies that decide who should live and who should die.

And according to Santorum, who are the people who deserve to live?

Why, the wealthy = people like Santorum Himself.

I like equality. For example, I think America belongs to all of us EQUALLY. We should each have an equal share of land.

Same goes for oil. Any oil drilled on US soil or surrounding ocean should belong to all Americans EQUALLY and not some British company that sells it in free markets.

Oh, and Rick, the concept of equality in America owes a lot to Greece. Yup, an "other culture around the world". It also borrows from the Magna Carta, a British document establishing certain principles of rights and equality into law. The Pope of your church at the time (Innocent III) declared this attempt to limit the absolute power of the king (and by extension the Pope) "unlawful, unjust, base and shameful".

Equality is a GrecoRoman in origin just as is our concept of democracy.

The Bible supports slavery, the subjugation of women, the condemnation of gays, and disgust of other religions.

I see no equality in that.

"But we won't talk about one of the great underlying causes of childhood obesity, which is the instability of the community, the neighborhood and the family."

Yea, he has no @!$%#ing clue what he's talking about. He literally tried to take something about helping children into politics... it doesn't work. here's my excerpt about lara

you know what stops a child from reading? All the news stories about war and people dying!

also, so I'm not completely off topic, judeo-christian values from jesus support equality, but the bible in its whole seems to support the exact opposite, and many, MANY people have used it for exactly that purpose.

Sure he'd hate to hear these values and ideas come from the french and greeks because those are pansies who hate america and love karl marx to the upmost... there's no way they can believe in freedom...

Rick Scrotorum seems to forget the Greeks were not Christian when they invented Democracy. What a putz..

"Equality" talk from someone who wants our government to discriminate against people who were born with a minority sexual orientation...

Santorum, just another rightwingnut liar. Good luck with all your liars republicans.

I can't wait for November.

"Equality" talk from someone who wants our government to discriminate against people who were born with a minority sexual orientation..."

And who wants to turn the United States into a theocracy controlled by the Christian Taliban.

I seriously think that Santorum needs to read further writings by the founding father.

Equality is based on individual liberty. They left God out of the equation for a reason, so people can continue to worship or not worship as they see fit.

His continued attempts to force his beliefs on the rest of us is extremely annoying.

@1.6

Hmmm, I've been calling him Sen. Sphinctorum, but Sen Scrotorum fits nicely...

I've never in my entire life seen such a jacked up group of Republibums as I do now,

Hoorayyy...

So Santorum assumes that universal healthcare isn't representative of Christian values? Wonder what the great healer of all the people, Jesus the Christ, would say about Santorum's political statements?

Santorum is on the Fail Train and he is headed to political oblivion. After this debacle, he is going to disappear from national politics as a public figure and go back to being a back-room lobbyist.

Long history of equality within ancient Greek and Roman culture.. as well as many small tribal cultures right here in America before the European "judeo-christians" showed up to SUBJUGATE them. Way to go, Santorum showing how far up your backend your head is!

And people receiving social services are missing out on the "dynamism of life, and of the ECONOMY"?!? Would that dynamism look anything like the excitement of dodging starvation and malnutrition? Of relinquishing any shred of dignity to beg passers by for a few coins? Or perhaps the exhilirating thrill of having to get through another cold rainy night out on a sidewalk? I would say that the poor among us experience a little more "dynamism" of our brilliant economy than most of us would care to experience.

The obesity epidemic has quite a bit to do with the family structure - and the fact that we now have the working poor where women are compelled to go to work and are too tired at the end of the day to properly cook for their children. When you are dog-tired from running about all day on your feet at an IHop, at WalMart, at Dunkin Donuts, or at any of the other low-wage jobs that still leave these people in poverty - opening up a can of ravioli and passing out on the couch is just about all the energy these people have left at the day. And THERE is your obesity epidemic. Overworked, exhausted mothers dragged out of the home to earn a subsistence wage that still isnt enough to bring them out of federal poverty guidelines.

Santorum is a real piece of work. Go back to the sweater-vested underworld you came from, you soul-sucking piece of carp!

Heres a smattering of your "judeo-christian equality", santorum...

1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them
to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the
law.

1 Corinthians 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is
a shame for women to speak in the church.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord

1 Timothy 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to
be in silence.

Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own
husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Let us not forget or be blind to the fact that the Judeo-Christian religions came to being in one of the most historically mysanthropic regions of the world - the middle-east. This culture of mysanthropy is still in full force today, just as it was then. Ever notice the traditional garb of Mary? Not much different than a burqua. Not much has changed. Women are not to be seen, or heard from. THAT is the Judeo-Christian tradition. Stuff it!!

one of the great underlying causes of childhood obesity, which is the instability of the community, the neighborhood and the family.

Criticizing the First lady for trying to fight childhood obesity is the newest low for this idiot. What does it take for this a****e to get a couple of classes in basic biology?

And 4 people giving a standing ovation???....Folks, If you think that Obama won already the next election by a landslide, due to the "stupidity" of the GOP. Think again...There are people out there that think that Santorum's statements are actually GOOD.

Please vote for Obama in 2012.

Judeo-Christian ethics is the morality which in compasses most of the western civilization.

I would have to say equality was a concept that developed during the Hellenistic area and has slowly made progress since.

In England it started to make headway into legislation to take title away from the ruling family.

True equality also means that the minority doesn't get special treatment to increase stature. Unfortunately it's ignorant Caucasians that have degraded them in the first place.

Correction - in my last post, I used the word mysanthropic (a dislike for humanity). The correct word is mysogynistic (dislike of women).

How is it that Santorum "invented" equality yet practices so little of it?

Today's religions tend to do that... take credit for the work of others...

I've seen them time and again watch while spouses, doctors, nurses, and caregivers work 24/7 to save someone from evil diseases and/or unintentional addictions with sweat, tears, drugs, rubs, and care... only to be "trumped" by a casual prayer that "saved" the love one.

Equality was fought for by many and is practiced and maintained by many more. It's in our minds and hearts. I am just so glad "judeo-christians" invented it for us! (sarc)

If my history is correct, didn't our forefathers come to this land to escape the oppression from the church and leadership in England? Oops.

“The problem with socialized medicine – socialized anything? It’s a narcotic," Santorum said. "You don’t even know what you’re missing. You don’t even see the dynamism of life, and the economy, because you’ve been given something for nothing, and you’re happy to have it. This is not us. We are different."

Right to life is not a narcotic.

Once again santorum clearly reveals his idea of capitalism for the elite. There are some things that should be a right of life and not for profit. We should not be making profit on war and its paraphernalia. We should not be making profit on health. Basic food and education should be free. Once basic life rights are covered then profit can be made on services and products over and beyond.

I find it amazing that 'God' (Nature) gives life for free and we humans would turn this gift into measurable units for profitable sales. Unless we redefine capitalism greed will bring us down no matter if we are in a dictatorship, democracy, communism, or whatever form of political ideology we ascribe to.

The problem with socialized medicine is that the citizens aren't giving a choice on whether they want it. I wouldn't want health insurance to be a requirement, it should remain optional.

I also believe that insurance banks would back us into a corner just like petroleum. These are the things that can happen when people see they can make profits when it becomes a necessity.

And heres another thing.

These hard-core Judeo Christian GOP supporters... they just love to hear the talking heads referring to liberals as east coast elitists. Santorum's latest blustering in this direction was to call Obama a snob for wanting children to be able to get a college education!

Doesnt Santorum have a college education...? why is it ok for him, but not for YOUR children..? could it be that a dumbed down populace is good for his ilk? You BET it is! The GOP loves to foment REAL class warfare by characterizing higher education as elitism! No, its education - not elitism. The GOPers do not want you to have an education beyond what you are fed by your local churches. In fact, if the majority of people listening so enraptly to Santorum had had even a passing education in ancient history, they would be able to see the BS about Judeo-Christian equality, and would turn away in disgust. The GOP leadership RELY on your ignorance, and on your selective education through the Judeo-Christian churches. Religion is not education. There is no shame in education, but great shame in willful ignorance. GET your BUTTS to a library for goodness sake! I know its scary - the threat of eternal fire and damnation if you crack open a book and actually learn some alternate opinions. If your God is so intolerant as to disallow you to seek and know the truth... well.. THINK about that! Just THINK about it for a moment! Its not God - its Man, wanting to control you! Dont live in fear - go find out about the world. LEARN.

LMarcT - I've noticed the same thing - "God" answers prayers and saves people, but when something bad happens you are told not to blame "God" because "he" has endowed humans with free will that they misuse. What a gig! "God" is responsible for nothing but gets credit for everything.

Equality eh?

Ezekiel 18:30 - "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."

Frothy doesn't seem to understand that the Biblical notion of "equality" means "You can be a God-fearing Christian equally like everyone else or burn in hell."

The problem with socialized medicine is that the citizens aren't giving a choice on whether they want it. I wouldn't want health insurance to be a requirement, it should remain optional.

I also believe that insurance banks would back us into a corner just like petroleum. These are the things that can happen when people see they can make profits when it becomes a necessity.

So what? There's a lot of things that citizens aren't given a choice about.

nate 007

The problem with socialized medicine is that the citizens aren't giving a choice on whether they want it. I wouldn't want health insurance to be a requirement, it should remain optional.

I wish there really was a choice. If you don't carry insurance, you're on someone else's dime. My friend's mother rolled her van while texting, without insurance. The ambulance, the EMT, the fire department, the road cleanup crew, the emergency room staff and doctors, the hospital nurses and doctors and lab technicians and two years of support that followed, was on OUR dime.

So, you have a couple of choices here. 1) Let anyone that has no insurance suffer and die on their own, 2) Live with a hybrid of free market and social services like we have now and buy insurance (with government support if you are poor), or 3) move to totally socialized and government run health care.

Got another option?

Has he hired Christine O'Donnell or Caribou Barbie Palin as research writers?

People still don't realize that the American Dream, capitalism, is a club with limited seating and which exacts an entry fee. Once the club is full the entry door is barred. When the public on the outside threatens to force their way into the building the public becomes marginalized and go to jail for wanting a little of the promised dream. Greed. I have mine and you will not get any of it.

We need an economy that is more just. Profit is ok after basic rights to life are guaranteed.

Has he hired Christine O'Donnell or Caribou Barbie Palin as research writers?

I think he's just cribbing notes from the UK's prime minister, David Cameron. That putz gave a spiel about Christianity being the source of equality about a year ago.

Equality is not a Judeo-Christian Ethic. It is part of what it means to be a human being. Was it a Judeo-Christian ethic that drove the people of Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, etc. in the past year? Was it a Judeo-Christian Ethic that drove the young men and women in China in 1989? Was it a Judeo-Christian ethic that drove Gandhiand his millions of followers in India in the1930s? I don't think so. Part of what it means to be a human being is to be able to participate in the decision-making processes that are determining our destiny and the destiny of our community. When that possibility is being denied then our humanity is reduced. Equality is apart of this. Beyond all the religious symbols and belief systems and philosophical reflections is a great pool which I think of as our common humanity. The concepts articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man flow from the philosophical ideas of the Age of Enlightment. That is why they are in secular language and not religious language. These are human concepts and require us to think in the widest scope possible. We really do live in a global village and that means that we must recognise our common humanity that is behind all the surface things that currently divide us but do not need to. The future belongs to all of us and we reduce our own humanity and the humanity of others when we deny anyone the right to participate in creating it.

I am not really sure if Santorum can make that sweeping statement; a lot of influences contribute to our value of equality in this country. In any case, the "left" has embraced it and furthered it. One of Obama's very first acts as President, for example, was to sign the Lily Ledbetter law that was about equal pay for women. Democrats and liberals stand for equal rights for the poor as far as education and healthcare. The recent flap about contraception is about allowing women to have greater access to affordable (not FREE!) contraception. OMG, I could go on and on. Santorum is sinking fast!

Little Ricky is wrong again. The Judeo-Christian ethic I think he's digging for is treating the poor justly. It's all over the original Mosaic law, and Jesus came along to, very forcefully, remind the Jews of it. Conservatives will have none of that, therefore, conservatives have nothing to do with the Christian ethic. If they followed the Jewish traditions, businesses wouldn't charge interest to other Americans, among other things.

The GOP is the party of hate, anger, fear, greed, and bigotry. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the teachings of Jesus. Period.

Thank you Jim for your well thought out post.

The GOP has done one good thing this election cycle. They have energized the Democratic base with their lies and their demagoguery. The left is stronger every day because of the ridiculous policies and comments from the right. For that, I thank them. For the rest of it, they can eat me. Equality, a Christian value? Rick, you got to be kidding me. You've been going around the country trying to polarize people, and cause a culture war. Hypocrite.

Funny ... my ancestors on both sides of the Atlantic had equality long before the Christians showed up. They took care of the less fortunate - sometimes with laws that stipulated that the first X number of rows of maize in a field next to a road were available for the hungry to take as much as they needed. If someone went farther than X number of rows, then it was considered stealing. The women in the Lakota nations owned the houses and "divorce" was simply the woman throwing the man's stuff out and closing the door. The Pre-Christian Celts also were much more equal in society than the Christians ... look at Boudicca who was a leader in her OWN right and nearly beat the Romans.

Santorum is always and forever sticking his foot in his mouth. Women were instructed to not have any say-so when it came to making decisions in the Christian Church. In fact, we still see that today in Catholicism. After 2000 years the Catholic Church leaders FINALLY decided that women could set foot in the "sanctuary" where the altar is located. Of course, they are still considered to be too evil to become priests. Santorum is desperately trying to win over women voters, even if he has to lie through his teeth; THAT is obvious.

Sorry to say Rick Santorum is ignorant of the facts regarding the word and concept of equality! Several religions that predate Christianity and even Judaism. Budha

“I love it because the left says, 'equality, equality.' Where does that concept come from? Does it come from Islam? Does it come from other cultures around the world? ... No, it comes it comes from our culture and tradition, from the Judeo-Christian ethic. "

This is why blacks in particular vote ove 90% democratic and cannot take republican candidates seriously. The culture in the US allowed blacks to be discriminated against for 80% of teh history of this country. That is a tradition of equality. You see Republicans act as if blacks never existed here and what happned tothem never happened. They will have apoplectic fits because Amadinejead refuses to acknowledge teh Holacaust, as if that matters. But they themselves wiil turn a blind eye to the history of their own country. Hypocrisy abounds and it is becoming more and more apparent to everyone.

I thought telling the truth and not bearing false witness was supposed to be Judeo-Christian values too but that doesn't stop these clowns from lying every time they open their mouths.

Sorry, technical glitch!

Now, Rick Santorum is either joking or is ignorant of the FACTS when he claims that Judeo-Christian ideas were the well-spring of the concept of equality. There are several religions that predate both Judaism and Christianity where the word equality is well developed and used in practice. Buddhism and Hinduism both have well defined concepts of equality and the term is well incorporated in the principles which both of these religions teach and practice. Buddhism predates Christianity by over 500 years. Hinduism, although the precise date of founding is unknown, is thought to be well over 5000 years old and predate the earliest Judaism, by around 1000 years. Also, where is Santorum's equality? Here we have a man who bashes gay and lesbian rights, and women who practice birth control, not to mention his many advesaries. He is actually ignorant about his own religion, Christianity. Why? Simply by claiming, as FACT, that Christianity is the well-fountain for the concept of equality. Does he actually think people will not notice or take exception to his fantasy statements and proclamations?

It is also rather entertaining to see Rick Santorum channeling Karl Marx. Santorum says socialism is a narcotic. Marx said the same about religion being "the opiate of the masses".

Rick Santorum: Closet Communist.

Rick is on board with equality unless you are talking about the poor,sick, elderly,homeless, unemployed and women. He should be as inclined to make the playing field equal when it comes to fair wages and taxes.

Berthie no the left has not embraced equality unless you believe as they do. Is it equality to tell a high school kid he cannot say 15 phrases because another high school kid doesn't want to hear them because that precisely is what happened in our state in January in Midland Tx.. Where was his freedom or his equality? And Limbaugh When you say that Bristol palin is a slut you lose all creditability in condemning Rush because you just did exactly the same thing you condemned him for. But if you are from the left that is OK right. You are the worst hypocrits I have ever met.

If God himself allegedly told israel that they are his chosen people, why didn't God himself tell every other nation about it? Why didn't he say "Hey, I like these people, just so you know."? Why bother to tell one nation at all if he was just going to let other people do stuff to them? It makes no sense.

It's a lot like how God allegedly speaks through the pope....only the pope, yet the vatican has more secrets than the CIA and even brags about their secret vault. If God was talking to the pope, what is he so afraid of the people finding out? :P

On this issue, why were Jesus's writings, and someone with such a love of books would have undoubtedly written his own thoughts, never displayed? Were they censored? Burned? What did Jesus himself feel that is so dangerous to modern chrisianity?

These people who moan around about how miserable you are without God when in reality they are ten times more miserable because all they do is spend their time bemoaning people they don't even know, are going to support our country into world war 3 with these crazy people who hear things no other country hears as they start nuclear war.

Religion is a wonderful thing when: It makes you a productive member of society, when it makes you help those weaker or more defenseless than you, when it makes you care in ways you never thought to, or it makes you conscious of your actions.

The bible is rewritten and christianity does none of these things. A bible verse says "Know them by their fruit." Next time a religious dingbat lectures you...simply know them by their fruit, what kind of good person are THEY to lecture YOU? What do they donate to charity, what child have they saved the life of? What soup kitchen do they dedicate a weekend to?

No...they park their butts down and worry about which politician is going to win and how dare the democrats not want to genocide people because some book said to.

Guess what?

The necronomicon WASN'T written by HP lovecraft, yet was an ancient book written around the time of the bible which was written in blood and on bound leather they assume was human flesh. It travels museums, it has been translated to the best of people's capacity to do so (and I believe lovecraft's was an interpretation of it, like the NIV version), and I do NOT believe a single person should read that book or the reprints of that book OR follow it regardless the fact it is ALSO 4000 year old gobbledygook written in the middle east. That seems very popular for some reason.

Oh dear, Sticky Ricky at it again. Insantorum for the King of the emerging Idiocracy! He's years ahead of his time.....

Equality huh? Rick, do you even know the meaning of the term? Do you even know American history? I guess we are equal as long as your not black, Islamic, gay or a female in the corporate world. Yes, you're equal unless you've been unemployed for a year or more and prospective employers will not even consider you regardless of qualifications. You're equal if your tax rate is 25% compared to Romney's 14% or GE's 0%. Yeah, Rick, think again about how equality abounds in America. Keep shoveling that horse hockey to your weak minded Conservative followers. To everyone else, how equal have you been treated? What's your experience with equality been?

No, it comes it comes from our culture and tradition, from the Judeo-Christian ethic. "

Really Rick? It does? I'll be the slaves that were owned by followers of "our culture and tradition from the Judeo-Christian ethic" just MIGHT be inclined to disagree with you! A couple of hundred years of enslaving others is HARDLY a testament to a culture of equality!

What the??? Damn it, Rick. Do you know nothing about the history of Christianity and Judaism??? Jesus may have preached equality, but so did Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists. I believe the Koran states that all Muslims are equal; plus I'm not too sure that Christians have followed the equality thing. Remember the Crusades; where Christians openly massacred thousands of Muslims and Jews in the name of God??? Remember apartheid in South Africa (led by Christians) and Jim Crow in the South?? Remember the Spanish Inquisition??? Doesn't seem that Christianity has adhered to the equality thing. I like Gandhi's quote about Christian: "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians."

Oh, and stop criticizing the rest of the world, especially Europe. They might be in trouble, but at least they have some respect for their government. We have NONE, thanks to that dividing idiot Ronald Reagan and his ilk. France tried to emulate us in their way; they were close, and they tried to separate church and state, as they had a more theocratic society than us. Stop being so isolationist and realize that America has its own faults. We are far from perfect. So shut up about American exceptionalism and get a life.

And another thing; I find it funny how you think equality is a Judeo-Christian trait and yet you forget how Christianity refutes the rights of gays and lesbians and condemns contraception. Jesus said that we ALL were equal, no matter what we believed in or who we were. And doesn't it say in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created Equal, and are endowed by their Creator certain unalienable rights, among them to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?" So those laws apply only to heterosexuals like me and not my gay counterparts???

In addition, how can the GOP claim to be pro-life??? I mean, they support the death penalty, killed hundreds of thousands through the War on Terror, and are on the edge of killing thousands more with a new war with Iran. Doesn't seem so pro-life and Christian to me.

Finally, you and your party claim that rights are endowed to us by our creator, not the government. That means that the government has no right to tell us what rights we have. So technically, gay marriage ought to be legal. That means that no government, not even the states, have the right to ban gay marriage, as it is a fundamental part of the right to pursue happiness. And yet your party supports an amendment to restrict marriage as a union between a man and a woman. What the hell??? Are you that blind???

P.S. To all those wondering about my beliefs, I am a Catholic. Yet that doesn't mean I cannot criticize my religion.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS 2012

DEATH TO THE FASCIST, RIGHT-WING, DISCRIMINATORY CLASS WARFARE REPUBLICON PARTY 2012

TO HELL WITH SANTORUM AND SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS

TO HELL WITH RONALD REAGAN

Actually, I hope that Rick stays in the race and wins the nomination. Then it will be easy pickings for Obama and the Democrats in November...

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

Is it equality to tell a high school kid he cannot say 15 phrases because another high school kid doesn't want to hear them because that precisely is what happened in our state in January in Midland Tx.. Where was his freedom or his equality?

Lonereb, I'm not really sure what you're referring to. Was it a public prayer? If so, "the left" had nothing to do with compromising his freedom of speech. We have a very important value of separation of church and state in this country, and it protects both groups. You don't want your child to go to school and hear Muslim prayers, do you? (unless your child attends a private Islamic school) This is a value that we've had since the founding of our country--one that makes Santorum want to vomit, by the way. Maybe you could be more specific about the situation you're referring to, and please explain how "the left" muzzled the student. Thx.

Random,

Chuckle,

I was sitting here, reading your comment, while wearing my Miskatonic University sweatshirt. Would you like to see my wine cellar?

Plus the reason there isn't prayer in public schools is because there are so many people there of different faiths. For one thing, you don't want to let one group of people have a right that others don't. For another, allowing everyone to pray just takes time out of learning; I'd rather have a no-prayer in class public school than one that allows it and doesn't teach me a thing. It just becomes another church that kids have to go to 5 days a week that is paid for by my tax dollars, and frankly I don't want ANY religion, not even my own, to get ANYONE's tax dollars, especially mine.

Yeah, that's why we had slavery for 200 years.

The Bible is nothing but an ambiguous novel to justify the beliefs of a certain type of person. I always find it funny we celebrate Thanksgiving and have no idea the real reason Pilgrims Migrated to America. The Pilgrims didn't come to America to escape persecution , they came here so they could persecute in the name of their Religion. Most Countries would't allow their practices, so they were forced to move on.

Apparently; Humans never Shared, or treated each other Equally until the Jews and Christians were kind enough to save us from our Wayward path.

I want to Hurl!!!

I'm not going to go into a long spiel here... it's not worth wasting my breath. All I have to say is that Gingrich and Santorum...aka Saint Rectum.... must be hitting the same crack pipe and drinking from the same cup of INSANITea. They're both completely delusional, full of BS and outright blatant misinformation and live in their own parallel universe because they sure the hell don't live in reality. In fact they are so OUT of touch it's downright horrifying.

The reality is that the headline is correct...the only question is...what have you been smoking?

More revisionist lies.

“The problem with socialized medicine ... (blah, blah, blah)"

The problem with TALKING about socialized medicine is that it shows Sanctimodium has no real grasp of what the health care reform bill even encompasses, because there is no part of it that can even remotely be termed 'socialism', unless you define "socialism" as anything a Republican shill doesn't like.

The health care reform bilol calls on (nearly) everyone in America to be covered by medical insurance, which is offered on the free market. Medical treatment will also be by free market providers, and a few government run institutions like the Veterans Administration, etc.

The isn't 'socialized' medicine. It is a capitalistic method of ensuring near-universal health care.

Really, you people trying to claim that Judeo-Christian moraility teaches AGAINST equality are only making things worse. You're letting your own biases and hurt feelings get in the way of bringing people TOGETHER.

And those of you who can't tell the difference between Rick Sanctimodium and the Catholic Church are every bit as bigoted as those who can't tell the difference between Osama bin Laden and Islam.

Not that Sanctimodium is as bad as bin Laden. At least Sanctimodium is not a mass murderer.

King George III was the head of the Church of England...it doesn't get much more "protestant christian" than that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we fight some sort of war against him? Didn't equality have something to do with that? Apparantly Ricky-poo thinks our founding fathers were following the anti-christ...

Fundamentally, if you do not blindly follow the Jesus myth, you will burn for eternity in "hell"..."Heaven" is only for the "christians". This, to me, is the epitome of inequality.

And I can only assume that what was said in 1.63 was meant to suggest that the poster was using logic? lol. It is just that kind of thinking that makes one shake his head, and think seriously about voting for Santorum.

King George III was the head of the Church of England...it doesn't get much more "protestant christian" than that.

The Roman Catholic Church generally considers the Church of England as simply a wayward splinter, that it hopes will eventually be reconciled with Rome, i.e., that will eventually return to Catholicism. (Similarly, they anticipate eventually even the Great Schism will be healed, and the Eastern Orthodox churches will "return to the fold".) Contrast that with Protestantism, which involve churches that have rejected the episcopal form of governance. Rome has no interest in pursuing reconciliation with those churches; the presumption is that Protestants are simply wrong, rather than wayward.

So you are correct about the epitome of inequality. The closer Christianity gets to the Catholic church, the more it venerates inequality. The whole concept that one specific belief in God is better than any of the others, the foundation of most Christian veneration of inequality, is, itself, both a falsehood and an offense against God.

"The problem with socialized medicine – socialized anything? It's a narcotic," Santorum said. "You don't even know what you're missing. You don't even see the dynamism of life, and the economy, because you've been given something for nothing, and you're happy to have it. This is not us. We are different."

That's the real pisser with most religions - it's all the suffering and the sacrificing that the commoners should be happy to endure, because it will put them closer to "God."

Ever notice how wealthy a lot of the pushers of this nonsense seem to be? Do without, everyone. Give generously to church, peoples.. God admires your poverty :), says the great holy televangelist as he climbs into his limo, or the pope from his golden palace. The "kings" embrace the religion too - it helps to keep poor people from wanting more - "Tut-tut.. greed is a deadly sin" (so sayeth the guy that's got everything).

So suffer peoples, suffer!!! Ye shall be greatly rewarded later on, yada yada.

And we must trust anyone that comes along with tons of money stuffed in his suit pockets that has been conned, I mean blessedly received from all the suckers, I mean followers that cling to the great holy man's words... That guy wouldn't lie right? He said that he was religious! LOL

So don't do anything that might act like a "narcotic" to yourself (ooh, shudder, "narcotic" - nasty word - conditioning-triggering-now), or that might make yourself happy - Just think of the fine suffering that you might miss out if you had security and prosperity? Wow, kinda makes you want to flagellate yourself with some reeds, doesn't it?

Pay through the nose, live paycheck to paycheck (better yet: live with little or no paycheck), and by the seats of your pants - whoo hoo!! The "new" American way! How dynamic!! Thank you, Mr. Santorium!!! Yay!!!! (standing ovation now??)

I find it rather humorous that Santorum talks about the affordable health care as a narcotic. Of course, it isn't - it makes people healthier over the long term, while narcotics just make people more out of touch with reality.

Like evangelical Christianity does.

Really, you people trying to claim that Judeo-Christian moraility teaches AGAINST equality are only making things worse. You're letting your own biases and hurt feelings get in the way of bringing people TOGETHER

Commonsense -- sometimes you use that, but not in this case. A great deal of Judeo-Christian morality DOES directly teach against equality. You only need to read the Bible to see that. Equality is ONLY for those of like beliefs.

However, I do agree we need to bring people together ... but we can do that by taking religion OUT of the equation (as our founding fathers so obviously intended). Each INDIVIDUAL is entitled to believe the way they please, but don't make it into law. It's interesting, amongst my friends of differing faiths (and sometimes no faith), if the work in arenas where religion is not an issue ... things get done and done civilly. Food for thought.

In his speech after the Michigan primaries, Santorum gave a quick thumbnail sketch of he history of this country. Aside from making little sense at times (not a great orator, is he?), he showed the entire world that he has no idea of how America got started or what the founding fathers had in mind when they started this country.

Here's the real gem:

The British were the most powerful army in the world and the navy in the world. They were ruled by highly educated, noble people.

Highly educated (BOOOO! Hissss!)

George Washington... was different. He understood that the greatness of this new country was to have leaders who understood that, in spite of their breeding and education, they didn’t have all the answers, that they could trust the people, that ragtag group of people who stepped forward to volunteer to create freedom in this land. In fact, some of his boldest moves came not from him or his generals, but from the ranks.

Ragtag, stupid (YAAAY!)

In a couple of paragraphs, he made his thoughts on education clear. We really don't need this moron in charge of the country.

Great moonbase then stay out of my church with your government.

lonereb keep your church out of my government or be taxed. If you want to preach politics then you are not doing church business and should be taxed.

Amen, Hanover! I'm so sick of going to churches and hearing pastors bash the government and make comments about pending legislation. They cannot enjoy their tax-free benefits if they want to campaign from the pulpit. In any case, I will certainly take my membership, time, energy, talents, and tithes elsewhere!

And churches that run businesses have a business, NOT a church so they should have to follow any rule or regulation that any other non-church owned business does.

Great moonbase then stay out of my church with your government.

And you stay out of my Government with your Church!!...Pay your Taxes!

Exactly Nora. Just because a church owns a business DOES NOT make it a "religious" institution. Does anyone have any CLUE how many businesses the Mormon church and the Vatican run/own ? It's a mad crazy amount... both of these churches are CORPORATIONS... posing as churches.

Doesn't matter if it is a "religious institution", the First Amendment doesn't base religious freedom on an individual being a "religious institution".

Single payer healthcare ( or socialized medicine as santorum likes to cal itl ) is by definition EQUAL.

WHAT IS SANTORUM BABBLING ABOUT???

"Socialized anything is a narcotic", Rick? Really?

Like, say, socialized fire departments and police depatments and socislized military protection? That is what we have now and I don't hear anyone complaining.T

Those services used to be available to only those who paid for them. Rich people complained loudly that collecting taxes to pay for things for the common good would ruin us. Didn't happen.

Equality developed in spite of the judeo-chistian majority, not because of it.

Toasty,

See wot you're saying, but we're not seeing a lot of equality out there right now, whether it is tax quality, voting rights equality or women/men birth control equality.

We are told that the 'real' equality at the Norquisitian altitude, and everyone else is relegated to the lesser-doorknob league of equality.

I wonder how much Rick was complaining about the free health care he got as a U. S. Senator?

Indeed, we still have a long way to go. But keeping this man out of the White House would be a big step forward.

Chuck, he still gets his Senate health care package... he will for the rest of his life. Though I can't afford health insurance for myself, and millionaire Rick goes around harping about how wrong it is to force other people to pay for someone else's insurance... he still makes sure I pay for his.

What is Medicare - is it not socialized medicine?

Time to re-write Webster's thesaurus/dictionary. These creeps give a whole new meaning to the word "hypocrite".

Hey
Tweety(head)!

Medicare is a means for those not wealthy enough to afford private healthcare (which,
last time I checked is still available to all those who can afford/want it) a
way in which not to f...'in die! I'm seriously so sick of hearing this crap;
especially, considering that there are working poor out there who not only pay
taxes, but also have multiple jobs in order to get by.

We are not a "Socialist" country as all of you who choose to fear monger want us
to believe. Everyone still has an opportunity to become wealthy. What amazes me
is that so many of us Americans seem to never have learned the history of what
life was like when there was almost no middle class, no healthcare for anyone
that is not part of the wealthiest class, or when some of the wealthiest
people who owned monopolies were considered "Robber Barons" and would
take advantage of any person they could (including selling them poison) to make
a buck.

I, for one, am happy to pay my taxes to ensure that the foundation of
middle/lower-middle class people remaining here in the United States of America
is not left struggling on the precipice of complete poverty. And for those left
in poverty (including the single mothers who couldn't afford higher education,
single father's working three jobs, people struggling just to exist, etc.) the
concept of abandonment because of one's situation is analogous to any political
agenda that espoused the culling of cultural, fiscal or racial classes/people
for apparent self serving interests throughout the history of modern man. Yeah,
think about it. All of the comparison's many people make of our current
administration to such psychopaths as Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc. in
actuality reflect comparisons upon their own belief systems and ideals. At this
point, frankly, having this argument is inane because so many people have been
"indoctrinated" to believe such BS as supporting freedom, but not at
the expense of allowing someone with different beliefs than them to be what we
might consider to be "free".

Truly, it's nonsensical, stupid and contradictive.

Equality is not a Judeo-Christian ethic, equality is basic morality, one with a conscience is born with. You put a bunch of babies in a room, of all colors and both sexes and guess what? They don't care what color or sex the baby is next to them, they care if they can have fun with that child. Those who hate, are taught to hate.

Brother Rick Santorium needs to practice what he preaches. One cannot claim equality while denying equality to certain groups. And while we're on the subject, how come he gets free health care courtesy of you and me while I spend more per year having health insurance for my family than I do keeping a roof over their heads?

Bart is it equal if you are forcing me to choose my beliefs or my government over this issue. My government will lose I will chose my beliefs. A Catholic Texas woman

Your government gives you the choice to choose your beliefs. Everytime. It doesn't however, give you the choice to force your beliefs on to me. I'm an environmentalist, totally against big gas consuming vehicles on the road. I drive a small economical car. Should I be able to force all the gas guzzeling vehicles off the road. NO, I can only choose what I drive. If, however, you serve the public, you must serve ALL the public. If you cannot do that, get out of the business. We will not allow you to descriminate on the basis of your "beliefs".

I'll gladly stipulate that equality is a Christian ideal..

Equality is a Humanitarian Ideal. Christianity has nothing to do with it.

Equality is an ethic that was not promoted in the bible.

Republican definition of equality : What's MINE is mine and what's YOURS is also mine. There is No "equality" ANYWHERE in the BIBLE or the GOP.

Yawn...the poor state of education is often exemplified on these threads.

Amy, the concept of equality dates back much further than the 'Judeo-Christian' religious philosophies (look up the laws of Hammurabi, for instance, or, as Nathan, above, has pointed out, the laws of Greece). In fact, the Judeo-Christian philosophies do not promote equality, except among free Christian men. The bible recognizes slavery as a valid institution, and demotes women to being subservient to men, and, not only that, any non-Christian is not to have the same social, or civil rights as a Christian.

Know your history, and your religion before claiming things that are demonstrably false. Not everything that is good is due to the Judeo-Christian philosophies, and there are also quite a few bad things in those philosophies. It is one reason I am not a Christian.

Egalitarianism was around a long time before Jesus.

It is a set of cultural practices that has been recognized around the world in NON-Christian contexts.

Amy in CA, there are many cultures that had, and in fact practiced the notion of equality before Christianity existed, not to mention the cultures that have more recently practiced equality and have never heard of Jesus Christ. The notion of equality is an innate human quality, idea, and desire, it does not stem from or depend on someones belief in Jesus Christ or the Bible. The concept of equality may be a Christian ideal, but it is certainly not an exclusively Christian ideal, and it certainly does not originate from or depend on Christianity, and Santorum's implications that it does is patently ridiculous, and is insulting to many other religions, cultures past and present, and even to many Christians.

Amy, trying to follow your argument.

You are saying look at how women are treated in Saudi Arabia. Well, look at how Sandra Fluke and other Catholic women are being treated vis a vis birth control, by the GOP male establishment (who claim to be Christian) and by Santorum.

How is it not unequal treatment of women to a lesser or greater degree, regardless of the New/Old Testament - whether American or Saudi Arabian?

Backhouse, the difference is here we do a high tech media "stoning", as compared to the old fashioned kind.

Sandra Fluke did not ask for it to be paid for. She asked for it to be covered by her insurance. If her insurance covered it, she would co-pay like everyone else. The problem is that some insurance providers want to be exempt from paying their portion of birth control.

Matthew 10:5-6 "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel."

Amy,

I will not quote to you the biographies of ANY of the enlightened folks down throught the ages.

But Unequal = Unequal in any languague.

Or - in any cultural experience, in this case women's experience.

@Amy - then you must also strongly disagree with the following women's preventative health-care procedures that must also be covered without an additional co-pay.

• well-woman visits;
• screening for gestational diabetes;
• human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;
• sexually-transmitted infection counseling;
• human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;
• FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;
• breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; and
• domestic violence screening and counseling.

Why are so you against eliminating co-pays for women's health care? Also, if you had listened to Fluke, she never advocated birth control pills to have sex every other hour of the day. She advocated coverage for medical conditions. I guess you are laughing all the way to the bank at her friend who lost an ovary because she couldn't afford the co-pay to treat her medical condition. What a model of a 'christian'.

And finally, yes, Santorum is all for eliminating birth control pills. To him, the pill equates to abortion and un-natural sex between married couples. He has made his position clear that he would support eliminating birth control.

RedDevs, O - the Inequality of it All,

Menfolks are given all kinds of stuff via health insurance - from viagra to peepea 'enhancement'.

And SantaO'Rum never said a word.

Exactly, Amy. The bible's stance on this issue, like most others, is hopelessly conflicted and confused. Some parts were written by Jewish authors and other parts were later added by Jewish and non-Jewish Christians, so each section reflects the viewpoint of its authors. Any talk of "Judeo-Christian" ideals pretends to a coherence of ideology and theology transcending these distinct cultures that simply does not exist. The bible does not even contain a single consistent Jewish or Christian theology, let alone a proper fusion of the many variants of both.

Ah, equality like Timothy 2:12

IMHO, I looked up yore reference, and here's what it said:

"But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to
remain quiet."

"American women have incredible freedom in America because of our Judeo-Christian heritage. "

Women's rights in America have nothing to do with our Judeo-Christian heritage. They did not even have the right to vote until 1920 and only because they fought hard from 1848 until then with little or no support from any organized Christian religion or anybody else for that matter. Do a little research about the women who led the women's suffrage movement and while you might find they were raised as Christians you will also find that every single one of them railed against the tradition teachings and mores of their churches and were considered real renegades and trouble makers by Christian leaders of all stripes at the time. BTW it was the southern states of GA, AL, and then TN that were the last to fall, all those good evangelical Christians fought women's right to vote tooth and nail. When TN finally voted for it then there were enough states to proceed with the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Women's rights were won by women who stood up and fought hard for themselves and not by any Judeo-Christian religions championing their cause.

"Menfolks are given all kinds of stuff via health insurance - from viagra to peepea 'enhancement'."

HA and more rights have been won by women withholding sex from men than any Judeo-Christian influence.

Backhouse - I will never understand any woman who complains about Obamacare, it eliminates insurance carriers from pricing women at higher rates, and goes a long way towards reducing yearly out of pocket expenses. As to suggesting that it is honorable for Fluke to be called a slut by Limbaugh - well, only a slut would think that.

Forrest,

It must be getting late, as you are gettin cheekier, if poss.

It must be getting late, as you are gettin cheekier, if poss.

Yeah .. he does get funny as the evening grows later.

RedDevs,

Limbo doesn't get it, that we are talking about a prescription drug that is taken once per day rain or shine.

Amy are you home-schooled or just friggen stupid? First off Islam is a Judeo-Christian religion... second all these religions are paternalistic and autocratic in nature. The enlightenment brought us the concept of egalitarianism not Christ-insanity which brought us torture and disease as well as not only the destruction of what knowledge the human race had acquired over thousands of years along with denying our race the ability to advance knowledge so they could maintain the status quo of power, privileges and personal wealth.

Jesus wasn't Christian... he was Jewish. And he did things other men of his time thought were absolutely crazy: he involved women in his ministry. He interacted with despised groups of people: tax collectors, foreigners, non-Jews, the diseased, etc... The account of him speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well is the perfect example of exactly how much he was breaking the old notions of equality.

So in other words, Jesus was a LIBERAL! Oh, the humanity!

Amy Sandra Fluke was referring to the medical need for the hormones. Not for sex. I swear when you vowed yourself to God, did you stop comprehending anything anyone else has to say?

NO, our founding fathers were so far off of Christians, Thomas Jefferson was extremely harsh about the entire subject. What history had proved to him was that in govermment Christianity caused tens of thousand of murders. They were dietists NOT Christians.

Stop trying to force your religious beliefs on the rest of us. Kennedy makes him sick, well Christians make me want to vomit. A bunch of self righteous nasty people who have no compassion for human life.

REDdevs,

That is why we like him so much.

@KeithEnraged- THANK YOU. You have been the only person to bring up the most salient point in the whole freaking argument having to do with Sandra Fluke. All the conservatives keep saying how "they shouldn't have to pay for other people's birth control" when the whole thing is about insurance that is paid for BY THE WOMAN. Personal insurance. Not federally funded insurance. I was reading all of the comments from the article that dealt with Sandra Fluke and the "slut" comment, and going slowly insane. Once you take away the BS tax argument, the conservatives shut up. Notice how Amy didn't respond to what you said?

@Amy in California- you are fun. Someone already said this, but woman's rights have jack to do with "our Judeo-Christian heritage". I see you, like most conservatives, think everyone is like you, and the ones who aren't are small little groups that don't matter. However, NOT all people in America are Christians, nor did they ever really agree on religious matters. In any case, our laws are not based on Christian theology. Notice how only two of the Commandments are actual laws? We have a separation of church and state in this country for a reason. One of those reasons is the whole birth control issue. Your religion has no place in my uterus, or any place in the decision to take any medication I may need for my uterus, in any shape or form. That is why Obama required religious institutions to cover birth control for their employees. The insurance they pay into, just like every other insurance payment. Furthermore, I am going to comment on your Saudi Arabia issue. It is true that women there do not have those rights, although the current regime is actually trying to change that. There is a woman, for the first time, in a government post. However, if you actually study what women there say, they don't want these rights Americans have. It is against their religion. They are not being forced to cover themselves, or have male guardians. They want these things, because this is what they believe in. 80% of Saudi women do not think women should be allowed to drive or be uncovered, or work in the government. You may not understand it, but other cultures do not want to be Americans. I barely want to be an American after reading all the crap the GOP has been saying. Your way of thinking is the same closed minded, ethnocentric attitude that has accounted for all the lies and bigotry aimed at the Muslim religion. The fringes of any sect are dangerous. The Taliban are bad people, who do not follow traditional Islamic beliefs. Just like most Christians do not follow what is patently awful in the Bible (like slavery, and how women should be killed for wearing pants). I'm not a Muslim, btw. I'm not any religion you would understand. I'm just a big believer in understanding history and facts.

Hey I'm just saying the boycott is an effective political tool. If the men say no birth control, and the women then say ok, then no sex for you, HA we will see who changes their minds first. Remember all politics are local, and erections have consequences!

Forrest - haha - erections and elections all have consequences (they can both lead to evictions) .. intended or unintended.

Cheeky cheeky again Forrest. Never mind mancotts, tools and e(l)ections.

Think Globall.

That would be funny, all of those viagra pumped men that was paid for by our tax dollars, and no women to use it on. ;p

Santorum says:

". . . the left says, 'equality, equality.' Where does that concept come from? Does it come from Islam? Does it come from other cultures around the world? ... No, it comes it comes from our culture and tradition, from the Judeo-Christian ethic. "

Santorum cannot claim that the concept of equality comes from the "Judeo-Christian ethic" without explaining how Abraham and his direct progeny OWNED SLAVES according to the Old Testament. . .

I would like Santorum to address the issue of equality in terms of St. Paul's admonition from the New Testament that "slaves should return to their masters" rather than his issuing any remark on the idea that slavery is immoral. The Judeo-Christian tradition has many precedents for advocating equality, but those are matched-at the very least- by precedents from the Old and New Testaments that accept slavery, rape, mass murder, infanticide, polygamy and other crimes against humanity as either ordered or ordained by God.

EVERY GOOD CHRISTIAN SHOULD CALL OUT SANTORUM ON THIS TWISTED READING OF THE SACRED TEXTS.

Amy,

The Republican candidates most certainly are trying to take birth control away altogether. They have all said they support the Personhood Bills being pushed through Republican State Legislatures. These bills would outlaw hormonal birth control.

They say it would be wrong for the Federal Government to do this. But, any state that wants to take rights away from its citizens, that's okay.

Amy in California,

Can women vote, drive cars, divorce their husbands in Saudi Arabia?

Neither could American women before the 1920's suffrage movement changed the US constitution, so you certainly can't claim that it was Judeo-Christian values that were the source then (or even now) that are the basis for women's or human equality rights. Christianity is a patriarchal, exclusionary religion who entire premise is the opposite of equality, which is why Christianity has a long history of suppressing human rights rather than supporting them. Prior to the last century, no one would have petitioned the organized church for equality...what do you think the Protest-ants beginning with Luther were protesting when they broke away?

I love that you quote the English Bible AMY In California. A bible translated by a King from Latin to English because he disagreed with the Puritan version of Christianity so he could have the right to divorce. So where does divorce come? When someone chooses not to follow Christian tradition and sometimes go as far as to change it to meet his needs...

Islam is a Judeo-Christian religion

hmm let's see, "Judeo"=Jew, "Christian"=Christian. sorry, don't see "Islam" in that equation.

Islam along with Judaism and Christianity, trace their religion to Abraham. Hence, all three are part of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Islam accepts all of the tenets of Christianity, except that Jesus was the Son of God. By saying that equality is not a part of Islam, but is Judeo-Christian only reveals his own ignorance.

There is no idea in any religion that is not found in other religions, or other human philosophies that have nothing to do with religion. In a sense, non-religious morality is superior to religious morality, since religious morality demands obedience to some god or other, along with the morality that stems from the non-religious.

By claiming that one religion values equality while other religions don't, Santorum is violating the basic human morality of equality, by declaring that Christians and Muslims are not equal. His own statement proves him wrong.

Red dev can you understand that I a Catholic woman can go along with you on every item you listed except the one dealing with contraception. That one item would force me to deny that which I believe. You will never understand a true believer because you cannot comprehend someone who says not my will but yours Lord and lives by that.

lonerreb - more likely than not, your current insurance policy covers birth control pills and you are paying some portion of the premium. Regardless of whether you are taking them or not, based upon the position of your logic and by your own definition, you are the ultimate sinner in the eyes of your Lord. How do you reconcile that?

What's with this collapsing of Amy's posts? She has been nothing but respectful. I don't agree with her but that does not mean she is inflammatory, and she definitely isn't advertising. Show some respect.

Amy, Rick Santorum has definitely said that he wants contraceptives banned. He thinks that states have the right to ban contraceptives, if they so desire.

No one is arguing that Jesus, if he really did exist, wasn't a good person who believed in equality. What is being pointed out is that the concept of equality is not restricted to the Judeao-Christian beliefs, nor did it have it's inception with them. To claim that it was these philosophies that gave birth to the concept, is to be wrong.

Also, Amy, Sandra Fluke was not testifying that she should have access to contraceptives for her sex life, she was testifying about the medical necessity of these medications for diseases such as endometriosis, that can be cured using the same hormonal pills used for contraception. She was testifying about a friend who had to have an ovary removed due to endometriosis, because contraceptives, that would have saved her ovary, were not covered by her insurance, and she could not afford the pills. Stop listening to Rush Limbaugh (your argument about Sandra is exactly what Rush said), the man is a liar.

I'm with ya Matt there is no reason to collaspe Amy in Ca's posts.

You mean other than their premise being completely stupid? She should be glad they were so that less people here will see how uneducated she is.

Lizard, you may think Amy's premise is stupid, you have the right to that opinion. I don't agree with her, but she has as much right to her opinion as you have to yours. That pesky old Constitution!

Right wing christian extremists cannot tolerate thoughtful, well reasoned arguments. It is against their religion, you know.

Okie Joe and just like Bush she would wipe her ass with it in favor of theocracy...

Seriously?

I'd love to see just one thoughtful well reasoned argument break out with someone from the Left as a participant.

How about this, Santorum says that Judeo-Christian traditional supports equality. By that definition, as he states, the Muslim faith is equal to the Christian faith. But he also says, Islam, which is based on the same Abrahamiac tradition as Christianity, does not promote equality. By his own reasoning he is a liar. Either the Muslim faith is equal to the Christian faith because Christianity believes in equality, or it is not, because the Christian faith does not believe in equality. With either case, Rick, less than erudite, Santorum, is an idiot and a liar.

lol....Next?

Socrates1 Idiocy as an argument doesn't impress me at all. Denying truth doesn't change the facts no matter how much you pray for it...

Yes, the ancient Greek concept of democracy was not quite perfect: they had democracy for all people except foreigners, slaves, women and, of course, children. However, they definitely believed in "Gay Rights."

Garcia there hasn't been an educated debate on the internet in months. That actually requires listening to the other side and responding with something other then namecalling and typing in caps.

just like on Mars' Hill there was some type of monument "..to the unknown god"... the greeks may have been brilliant in their minds but spiritually devoid. they didn't know who they worshipped.

cults do not have truth. they have deception. some intentional, some unintentional. but once "... the veil is removed..." then light is revealed.

Oh? And who are you to tell the ancient Greeks who they can and cannot worship?

Are you now God? Can you access the realm of death and scold dead men and women for doing something we cannot hold them accountable for? I mean, after all, they ARE dead.

Repeat the same @!$%# - and see how many people you lose to YOUR cult. I guarantee you it won't be pretty.

And before you use the whole "if Christianity is outlawed we will be persecuted just like the Jews during WW2", well, here's a history lesson: In all of history, Jews are the only ones who have outright been slaughtered, enslaved, and persecuted like that. I mean, it's not like Islam suffered a similar fate to Westerners (Crusades anyone)?

But name me one instance where a foreign entity has outright persecuted and tormented all of Christianity. Can you?

Thought not. I say "'Bout time you guys felt what it was like to suffer under the bootheel of despair."

If christianity is outlawed i will still be a christian. If I have to go to jail or die I will still be a christian. And I will still proclaim that contraception and abortion are murder even if you jail me for it. I will still refuse to participate in either through this insurance as I would expect my church to do the same. Not my will Lord but yours. So when it is illegal you can find me in Cameron County Tx.

Please. Nobody and none of this is outlawing Christianity. And quite frankly, both the majority of average Americans, and most Lions, find the Christian Extremist equally hard to swallow. so I think your views are safe. You are not being persecuted.

People weren't equal in the muslim empires either. The concept of equality under the law developed during the Enlightenment, which essentially was the rational realization that values and morals come not from gods and religion, but through reason. THAT is where equality came from.

Equality like Timothy 2:12

Does he reference Rush Limbaugh? LOL

@IMHO - May I be the first person to gut you like a chicken? It won't hurt much, I swear.

Get out you Xian Republican Lizard, and don't come back until you grow a brain and stop using the Buybull for every friggin situation.

The Buybull isn't a magical-fix-it tome, like you so claim. It doesn't help you if you're dead.

uh crimson - IMHO is a RETHUG like I am religious (and I make no bones about being atheist) That timothy reference says that a woman is second class property

Oh you mean like in the declaration of Independence That God has endowed us with these inalieable rights Life , Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You did notice life comes first.

Uh, LR? The Declaration was made before the Constitution was written.

lonereb,

Not "God". endowed by their "Creator"... The stated purpose of that word in other writtings of T.J., was to not acknowledge any one faith, but to acknowledge all of them. We all have a Creator, whomever we believe him or her to be.

And lonereb, doesn't the Declaration technically allow gay marriage??? Since it says life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and for some the pursuit of happiness is being who they are, why is gay marriage's legality being question??? In fact, why are the same conservatives who say that we are given rights by God and not from the government urging that the government be the first to rule gay marriage as illegal??? According to the Declaration, that means that gays are given the right to marry by their Creator. Then why should the government have to tell people who they can marry (I mean humans)??? I'm what you might call a big government liberal, and even I think that government shouldn't go into people's private lives.

OBAMA BIDEN 2012

The Declaration of Independence doesn't have any legal impact.

The US Constitution, on the other hand, is the supreme law of the land. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law, and imposes all the requirements to provide constitutional protections onto each and every state individually. As a result, it is required that if some people are granted legal recognition for their right to marry the person that they love, then all people must be granted legal recognition for their right to marry the person that they love.

True, Walt.

Then again, I've constantly heard Republicans referring to the Declaration when talking about social issues. So I decided to use that, maybe to show social conservatives how the Declaration cuts both ways.

I find that Republicans these days are just grasping at straws to try to justify their party's egocentric greed and self-righteous reactionaryism, so trying to apply logic to their manner of arguing their case is a lost cause from the start.

Funny how that commonsense ethic took man until the 18th century to learn. Your Greeks owned slaves was their life very equal.

Actually, very much so for that time period. Athenian Slaves, both men and women, had the right to decent care, to strike, file grievances, and even vote.

I don't think the American South ever was quite that advanced in their thinking.

Ughh, lonereb; I'll be frank. Yes, the Greeks did have slaves. So did the Romans (even after Christianity), the Jews, the Americans, practically everyone had slaves. Let me give you an example of Aztec slavery. Slavery in the Aztec society was bad, but it had its benefits. If a slave in the capital could elude his owner and reach the Aztec leader's palace, he was a free man. He had some rights, yet was balanced out with the fact that he would be killed on his third misdemeanor (something like that). African slaves had rights and were practically citizens. And yes, it did take until the Enlightenment for much of humanity to realize that ethic. Yet it wasn't until the 1860s did the so-called Christian America ban slavery. It wasn't until the 1950s when schools were desegregated, and it took all the way up to the 1970s and even now for African Americans and other minorities to gain somewhat equal rights. It's gonna take at least 20 more years for that right to be extended to gays. And the Greeks may not have been perfect with the slavery thing, but at least they gave us things like democracy and science. It was the Greeks who thought up ideas like egalitarianism, and some Greek women were equal to men (a major accomplishment). Don't think that the Christian faith has been true to its ideology. I may be a Catholic, like you, but even I know that while equality was preached by Jesus, it wasn't Christianity's creation, nor that of the Jews.

Santorum says:

". . . the left says, 'equality, equality.' Where does that concept come from? Does it come from Islam? Does it come from other cultures around the world? ... No, it comes it comes from our culture and tradition, from the Judeo-Christian ethic. "

Santorum cannot claim that the concept of equality comes from the "Judeo-Christian ethic" without explaining how Abraham and his direct progeny OWNED SLAVES according to the Old Testament. . .

I would like Santorum to address the issue of equality in terms of St. Paul's admonition from the New Testament that "slaves should return to their masters" rather than his issuing any remark on the idea that slavery is immoral. The Judeo-Christian tradition has many precedents for advocating equality, but those are matched-at the very least- by precedents from the Old and New Testaments that accept slavery, rape, mass murder, infanticide, polygamy and other crimes against humanity as either ordered or ordained by God.

EVERY GOOD CHRISTIAN SHOULD CALL OUT SANTORUM ON THIS TWISTED READING OF THE SACRED TEXTS.

@Lucille - Yeah right. If there was any reason for the Asians to cross over, it was in opportunity, not religion.

And Africa as "the dark continent"? Lemme guess - was Cleopatra the real reason for that? So if one woman can't control her sinful urges, then everyone on that continent is branded inferior to everyone else?

One last thing: Indians respected nature. They didn't overtly genocide it like you Whitetrash Arses do today. They feared, respected, and admired nature. You can't say those who came from across the Great Blue were able to say the same.

O You Mother of Tyranny, Despotism and Greed - may you know the hellish truth your words and actions have brought upon you.

@ Lucille

So the good Christians came to their land showed them the ways of God. The vengeful ways!!! The Conquistador came and asked the Aztec: "Follow in the path of Christ it will grant you passage to heaven and give me your gold you ab-origin" (Do you need me to translate that in Spanish for your?) as he ties him to a pole and keep twisting the rope around his neck. Or Instead of sending missionary's, they just sent guys to capture the dudes from the dark continent and bring them to American to learn Christianity and don't even teach them to read the Bible? Not all the horror they had to go through.

Lucille-4025671 the church is not perfect.

You can say that again!

but God often raises up an adversary when a people are not doing right. it's called judgment. such as the Philistines against israel.

Your point being?

the indians were not supposed to worship the totem pole.

The Indians could damn well worship anything they pleased. As can anyone else, for that matter, including you, you sanctimonious twit.

the earth is nobody's mother and the sky is nobody's sister. that kind of stuff is nonsense in the eyes of almighty God. and it still goes on today.

The Earth is EVERYBODY's mother.

africa was called the dark continent at one time. reasons please ____________________.

It was called that because its interior was largely unknown and therefore mysterious to Europeans until the 19th century.

the yellow people came over here on their own accord to work the mines, and on the railroad. they were seeking a better life from buddha, confucious, hindu, etc.

No, they were seeking work. Religion had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Try checking your facts before posting nonsense like this.

crawl back under your oversized buy-bull lucille. Don't come out until the mythical rapture

the indians were not supposed to worship the totem pole. the earth is nobody's mother and the sky is nobody's sister. that kind of stuff is nonsense in the eyes of almighty God. and it still goes on today.

All religions are the stuff of nonsense. Believing that the Earth/Sky/Coyote is your brother is no more nonsense than believing an all knowing, forever existing bearded sky friend (who is also 3 different people. But they aren't different, they are the same) who was once vengeful but then decided to be nice sent his only son to earth to be nailed to a piece of wood so that all your sins could be forgiven, even though they are only sins because the bearded sky friend says they are in the first place.

"the indians weren't suppose to worship totem poles"

LMAO Are you serious? Your whole post sounds like one big joke!

I bet to the indians, your religion sounded even nuttier than theirs. Why is Christianity right? Why was their religion wrong? There's no answer that you can give me based on facts. Christianity has just as much of a chance of being "nonsense" as their nature worship.

You make it sound as if these people should be punished for not worshiping your god. Not very Christian of you.

Wow, Lucille, must be nice to be one of the "enlightened" ones. I'm sure you will do what's best for the rest of us, whether we like it or not. As a descendant of native American heritage, you make me want to vomit.

Actually i think the Asians came to find work, escape warlords I don't think escaping Buddha had anything to do with it since they brought the religion with them. I know they did they have real pretty temples all over the country. My christian oriented company I worked for honored their religion more than most people on ths blog of either side

this is my teaching as a Christan, any teaching basedon christain teaching would be proud, and i agree with santroum , usa based on christains ethics and it build by a christains people

¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

²¹Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

³¹It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

³³Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

³⁴But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

³⁵Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

³⁶Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

³⁷But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

³⁸Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

³⁹But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

⁴⁰And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also.

⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?

⁴⁸Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Lucille, Africa was called the Dark Continent because it was mostly unexplored by Europeans. It was a big blank on their maps.

There are good odds he is a paranoid schizophrenic.

" lol ! " Whew!

There for a sec, Dave, I thought your first sentence there was referring to some of our commentators.

Don't worry- the people who show up for these things are always the lunatic fringe. And since Santorum is their king, they must pay homage by standing when he gets especially crazy. There will always be radically ignorant people, and they will always follow the biggest radical idiot they relate to. To be honest, I LOVE reading the crap Santorum says. He's hilarious. The only thing I wish for is that he would ratchet it back a bit so he'd win the nomination. Then we'd be 100% safe from the GOP for at least another 4 years!

Because they have left reason behind just as most people posting against him here have. Thinking for yourself or courtesy towards those who disagree with you has left the american political scene. We are dogmatically polarized and give no respect to the right to disagree and so those on the other side feel embattled and become more dogmatic. It is a dangerous spiral I'm not sure we can get out of anymore.

Once religion enters the mind, logic seems to leave. Anyone that can believe unbelievable things "simply on faith" which is the explanation one gets if one asks.... try and get one person to believe your hallucinations "on faith", will you? The men in the white coats will soon arrive.

Who said "your" religion is THE one anyway? You? So it makes it so? I'm sorry but there are millions out there that will disagree with you as do I. You have all these "christian" followers and they scream and shout about how "christian" they are, how they live in the footsteps of JC and all that yet they do all they can to have an affluent lifestyle, gather as many possessions as they can, are vain, selfish, corrupt and have egos that tell everyone they know the true path & that they're going to heaven.... really? You know this for a fact? You might want to believe this, yet this is not based on fact, it's just a wish and you hope you're right but that's it. You do not compare to JC, you don't walk in his steps at all or a very different world it would be, you would demand that the massive Vatican machine be dismantled, all assets sold and the money distributed to the poor, the power setup there be dissolved since JC would have NEVER agreed with "princes of the church", are you kidding me? IF (big if) JC was here a lot of things would be different and I'm sure a more socialistic view of things would reign, he was for the poor and the weak, hated the rich, the powerful and went out of his way to set things right. He would also listen to what people truly needed, not what gave them more power and $.

When the Anglos showed up in this Continent there were already people living here, the Indian tribes (who were doing a better job by the way), the Aztecs, Mayans, Inca's yet the Conquistadors seemed to think we were found by them (we never thought we needed finding and were doing just fine without them), but everyone decided "us savages" needed saving and so crammed your christian beliefs upon us by force (nice, huh?) because they were in the right.... Same thing is happening now, your religious right screams how "this is the way everyone should live because the founding fathers said so", really? You were there I suppose or they left writings to this effect too? Nope, in fact they were against the pious ones and the persecution they knew all too well.... this is where separation of church and state comes from because they knew that the religious are unreasonable and will not consider ALL MEN but start making racist & discriminatory selections, injustice will follow and all will be undone. This is why the requirement of candidates being religious is most definitely NOT desired in these positions, because they must represent ALL MEN AS BEING EQUAL....

So keep your beliefs at home where they belong and if you want people to respect them then respect my right to not share them and stop trying to impose them upon me as well. Let's give all citizens as many benefits as possible to give them the best life we can which means quality health care, equality, freedom, a quality retirement, logical vacation and time off for all, protection from unemployment, hunger and homelessness, protections for the most disenfranchised, a safe and secure nation, violence free in all aspects of life, free and quality education, free of bias from one group to another, an honest & productive government free of the influence of special interests and lobbyists and officials that consider the welfare of ALL people when making decisions for the country. All these benefits should be provided free of charge to all citizens since they will come from a realistic and just taxation initiative in order to guarantee all citizens a long, healthy and secure lifetime. Does this sound like socialism? Might be, but it would clearly be an improvement of this $ based society we now have, let's stop this insanity and have a true, united nation.

Native Americans had slaves and no science.

i am better off with the republicans at least will stop evil that already established in the middle east. i am not looking for some one to do apology and sorry all the time and support muslim brother hood evil

Because rattling our swords at Islamic nations has worked out for our nation so well in the past fifty years, right?

We've played favorites in the Middle East, instead of providing leadership to foster peace and mutual prosperity in the region, and we have paid for our failure in that regard.

And even if you think that the Muslim nations of the Middle East would never have been our friends, that doesn't justify that failure to lead. The smartest scoutmasters know to teach their scouts to walk around a wasp's nest rather than to poke at it.

We don't own the whole world. Just these fifty states and a few other small territories. Some folks seem to keep forgetting that.

Walt, nice post!

Good one, Walt. If only these right-wingers would learn how America is NOT the only country in the world...

Santorum:

Nothing to see here folks. Just another rightwingnut republican liar. Keep moving. Keep moving.

Amy in California- These people were also all liberals. Christians and liberals are not mutually exclusive. And again, I will repeat what others have said to you already- the Christian religion as Santorum sees it is by far the least equal faction of all the religious factions, if you are aware of their histories. Also, again, the idea of equality stemmed from the Greeks; Aristotle called it the Golden Mean. Harmony, symmetry, and proportion. Other Greeks added to this utilitarian thought of everything should be done for the good of the whole, not its parts. These ideas, and others from Buddha, from Islamic teachings (a beautiful religion when taken on the path of which it is meant) all came thousands of years before Jesus Christ, and a thousand more added to that, when Christianity came along. Santorum was trying to say that everyone before the 11th century were evil heathens who hated everyone else. When truly it was the Christians who hated everyone who was not like them- that is why the history of the Christians are dripping with blood. Have you heard of the Spanish Inquisition? Yes, there are many Christians NOW who truly believe that everyone should be treated equally and loved by God, and that it is not their place to judge others, lest they themselves be judged. However, Santorum is not one of those Christians. He hates any other religion other than his own- and in the same breath touts "religious freedom"- hates homosexuals and thinks they have "brought Satan" to America- hates liberal thinking people, hates women, hates the poor...he hates anyone who does not think exactly like he does. Where is the equality in that?

To no form of religion are women indebted for one impulse of freedom.

- Susan B. Anthony

Timothy 2:12

Religion of any kind is the worst drug problem we have today. To some it works as a happy drug while others it turns into fanatical homicidal and/or suicidal nutcases.

A perfect example of that is "Science flies you to the moon, religion flies you into buildings".

Santorum says:

". . . the left says, 'equality, equality.' Where does that concept come from? Does it come from Islam? Does it come from other cultures around the world? ... No, it comes it comes from our culture and tradition, from the Judeo-Christian ethic. "

Santorum cannot claim that the concept of equality comes from the "Judeo-Christian ethic" without explaining how Abraham and his direct progeny OWNED SLAVES according to the Old Testament. . .

I would like Santorum to address the issue of equality in terms of St. Paul's admonition from the New Testament that "slaves should return to their masters" rather than his issuing any remark on the idea that slavery is immoral. The Judeo-Christian tradition has many precedents for advocating equality, but those are matched-at the very least- by precedents from the Old and New Testaments that accept slavery, rape, mass murder, infanticide, polygamy and other crimes against humanity as either ordered or ordained by God.

EVERY GOOD CHRISTIAN SHOULD CALL OUT SANTORUM ON THIS TWISTED READING OF THE SACRED TEXTS.

@IMHO - Will you friggin stop spamming that crap? It's gettin' annoyin'.

Khylira you can answer that for me in about a year or 6 months when I'm in jail for refusing to participate in the healthcare plan because of religious objections. I really want to hear your answer then.

Ughh, lonereb. You're not going to prison. At the very most you will simply pay an extra tax, and at the very least you might get an exemption for a religious objection. Don't try messing with the truth, because there are many people who will hunt those who distort the truth.

You know, lonereb, no one is ever planning to make you use birth control. Have all the babies you want and do whatever you want in the bedroom. It's no one else's business and really it isn't yours what other people do, either. If I pay health insurance premiums I am paying for my own health insurance, not yours. If you really want your world to solely operate on your own religious terms go join a religious order so you are surrounded by those who only agree with your religious views. Then you can not use birth control and be surrounded only by those who don't want it either. I might end up paying for all your kids you might have because you refuse to use it in your theory, so guess that wouldn't be fair either, would it?

But assuming you don't plan to live in a convent you will be living in the real world where many other points of view are present, and perhaps you didn't understand that many times (in my view most times since health care for women does involve fertility or lack of it, health relating to pregnancy and childbirth and its consequences) contraception IS NOT just to prevent pregnancy. From your posts I see a narrow worldview you apparently see contraception used for one thing and perhaps by limited groups of people, and you feel you are the one group privileged to decide what anyone else should be allowed to do. I have no idea about you personally, but that is what your posts seem to indicate. How would you feel if I told you that because of my religious beliefs you must take the pill? You would be pretty offended I think, but then why do you get to decide what medicines my doctor/insurer should be allowed to pay for? Insurers aren't arguing about this...one religious group is, and that doesn't make sense.

I hope you wouldn't rather see women die or be sick, lose their fertility, have children they can't care for (and no, women often don't get real options over when and how often they have sex...many marriages aren't equal...so don't bother to say the old, "keep your legs together"" thing), or be injured in childbirth, not be able to afford to feed the children YOU feel they should have than pay for THEIR OWN health insurance that includes contraception.

This is about health care and not your personal religion, whether you like it or not. I used to be Catholic and I saw many mothers dragging several kids around, and the women were haggard, exhausted, many were poor, and the kids were rumpled and crying half the time. I'm not saying all Catholic mothers are like that, of course, but then most use contraception anyway, so I wouldn't expect it. If that's your version of what your God wants for you then I agree you have the right to have all those kids and I hope it makes your whole family happy..sincerely! But not everyone has that ideal and many believe that conception is a mature and responsible, loving, and legitimate choice for them and their families. Look at statistics...most Catholic women do too! I used birth control when I was Catholic, and I assure you that if I hadn't I would most likely have died in childbirth or been on the streets with my line of hungry kids by now. Not having sex wasn't always an option, so don't bother to say it is since you didn't live my life or see inside many marriages or other relationships.

Please feel free to not buy bc if you object to it, but if I need it for medical reasons (which include not having several children, but can be many reasons that would be none of your business and would be between me and my doctor just as yours would) and I pay insurance premiums I should have the option to get them covered. You go right ahead and don't participate, but others who do want the option are paying huge premiums and want it.

I guess you wouldn't like it if I said I hate kids (I don't) and that I didn't want to pay for anyone else's kids or that my religion says only one child is allowed, so you shouldn't get any pregnancies, births, hospital care, or health insurance for your kids covered, would you? You pay premiums and that is covered...your business, your premium. My premium, my personal business. This is about health care and not anyone's religion, and that is a fact. It isn't taking anything from you to have contraception covered for other women. If you choose not to get health insurance and you are able to pay, then you choose any consequences that come along as well.

Nice one, ram. Tell it like it is.

"Everyone is equal- as long as they are exactly like me". You see, Jesus was all about that "equality" crap, giving the poor and hungry, sick and infirm stuff for nothing, but WE, we only give stuff to the people we like. We're the NEW kinda Christians.

I was being snarky, just so I'm not misunderstood! :)

Americans - I must really be missing out because I still work. Can't wait to hit retirement age, draw Social Security and Medicare, and feel the full narcotic buzz - no wonder all those retirees look so darn happy all the time.

I wonder if Santorum knows of that narcotic buzz from personal experience or is it just some more of his vivid imagination?

Thinking about it, Santorum reminds me of a employee who had serious delusions when she didn't take her medication. So one day she came to work and accused my Japanese employee of being a whore and a bitch by rubbing it in her face that they were sisters and her father had screwed her mother when he was in Japan after the war. What an imagination she had when she was off her medication.

And don't forget that Santorum thinks that free health care was an narcotic ideal sent by the devil to imprison us all? He sure does see a lot of evil lead by the devil in everything. A paranoid, burning down there, super-charged religious zealot, ah.... the republican tea party's most perfect candidate.

Only religions require membership, God is not that petty.

Yep. By definition truth is exclusive and each religion (atheism included) has its own truth. Even inclusivism (think the bumper sticker with every religious symbol imaginable) has its own truth, i.e. each person has his/her own truth. Is this logical? Probably pays to think through which truth is true...or say ta hell with it and and have another beer.(which is a truth...epicureansim..nothing new here either)

We should either all get the same benefits Congress and the Senate have or nobody should get anything at all. Aren't we all the same under the law? We pay for all the benefits these morons get and they get to cut us all out of everything, how does this work?

If Santorum won the nomination he would would get no less than 50 million votes. There are real issues among our population. Very few Republicans even like Romney but if he gets the nod again he gets that guaranteed 50 million. This election is a refendum on what Americans think of this President. And it doesn't matter in the end how they draw their conclusions. Because those conclusions are generally long drawn.

Oddly the times that these so-called Judeo-Christian values were devised were hardly times of equality. They like so many other such codes do not speak to the fact there were and still are OBVIOUSLY different levels of society and those levels would be maintained. The same was fact at the time of our independence. Our founders made it clear as to who was what percent of a human being and who had the vote. We have worked to rectify those injustices for several centuries. Those like Santorum wish to reverse that progress and we should fight them tooth and nail. He has made clear he cannot see division by social level in America. Yet such a blind man could still get 50 million votes!

This election is a refendum on what Americans think of this President.

The Republicans would like it to be that. However, like all elections, it rightfully should be a comparison of the available alternatives, one against the other, not one option running against the ideal.

One reviewer of Santorums' book said he "Has a fine mind, for the 13th Century". And these statements prove it.