Agreed. Maybe Rick Santorum should seriously consider ending his futile campaign and just go back home and take care of his family.

Agreed with Dirp. If anything this is another sign he needs to be at home.

I don't like Mr. Santorum's brand of politics or how he practices it but a sick child is a vexation to us all. I hope Mr.Santorum and family have taken the child to Inova down in Fairfax. They just installed a heart in Mr. Cheney which would be a plus for the Families peace of mind. Get well soon Bella hopefully in time for the Easter Bunny to come visit you. If your worried about it though I know for a fact old Peter Cottontail will seek out good little boys and girls wherever they are.

Praying Little Bella gets well soon. God bless this family with peace and good health.

Wow, Bored! Couldn't just give him and his daughter well wishes - had to denigrate him instead, huh? Classy!

Bill T, THIS liberal is praying (yes praying) that this innocent child and the family who love her have good news soon and that they live a long and happy family life. I refuse to stoop to thrusting politics and name calling into this. Perhaps if we all join in respecting the dignity of this child's humanity, we can take a baby step toward civilized discourse in our country. I simply don't understand how compassion and sympathy are the private property of any political party.

Just wondering if this was a pre-existing condition that the Repub's didn't want to cover in ObamaCare because it might cause ins. companies too much money. You can bet he has ins. because he's rich but how about all those who aren't so fortunate; remember under the new Repub budget they'll be cutting medicaid, medicare and who knows what else. Yes, I pray she does get well.

Bill T, you have to stretch REALLY far to interpret my comment as "mean spirited" or "cruel". It was a wish for something good for both Bella and Rick, unless of course you think learning humility is a bad thing.

The fact is disease can happen to anyone, young or old. Those young people who don't have health insurance coverage can get sick too. You might think, based on the SCOTUS questioning about Obamacare, that the young will never need major medical coverage and would be taken advantage of if they were required to buy health insurance coverage.

Also, there are plenty of older Americans who also don't have health insurance coverage, and need it.

The President tries to get everyone covered with health insurance, and the right-wingers just pounce on him and disagree, despite promoting the same type of mandate just a few years ago. The Republicans say we can do that with market-based solutions but haven't been able to do it in 200 years. We will never progress as a country as long as Republicans refuse to sacrifice for anything.

BoredwithsameO, you're right on the money. Don't let the "have it both ways" types on the Vine sway you from reality.

That said: My sympathies go out to the Santorum family. No little girl should have to suffer this, and I hope actual doctors can help the poor little thing. As much as I despise everything about Rick Santorum, I hope his baby girl enjoys a long and healthy life with her family.

My husband was diagnosed with MS three years ago. Without insurance his medication would cost about $2500 a month.

As far as Romney and Santorum are concerned, tough luck.

I don't want any child to suffer. I hope Bella gets better. She's a beloved member of a family and no parents should have to see a child die.

But, unlike the Republicans, I think every child deserves the care Bella is getting.

I'm saddened by this republican/liberal fight going on here. I'm a liberal atheist. I'm not a fan of Santorum, his policies, or his views. But his daughter didn't choose her condition, her parents, and she certainly isn't old enough to even have an opinion on colors, let alone complex political issues that her dad is involved with.

I just wish her the best and hope that there isn't much suffering in her illness right now, whatever it may be, and that she recovers.

I may not agree with Mr. Santorum politically, but my heart goes out to him and his family. May the Lord heal Bella quickly and offer comfort to her family during this trying time.

I am truly saddened with all the hateful words being said by BOTH sides of the political aisle. This is absolutely the WRONG place for it.

I will continue keeping Bella and the Santorum family in my thoughts and prayers...

As Americans... we have certain freedoms... among which are the right to CHOOSE which products we purchase and which we don't. We make our choices and then live with them... or if we decide to spend our money on cigs and beer rather than insurance... die with them as it may be.

Nonetheless... they are our individual choices and not the responsibly of the government. Feds... stay outta my business!

Sick,

Then you're free to NOT get healthcare when you show up at the emergency room.....at least, not on my freedom's dollar...right?

What you're saying is we have no personal responsibility.

Ahh and just think.. people like those in the above statements, vote and breed.. This isn't about politics you jackasses.. this is about a sick little girl.. My hope is that she recovers sufficiently that neither she nor the family should suffer such an illness...

SickofBickering thinks people can't afford health insurance because they buy cigs and beer. Yeah right, all those kids lined up in the liquior store buying cigs and beer.......then they have no healthcare...dang little rascals.......if they bought ice tea and skittles they would be shot.....tough choices alright...would not want to be a kid again in these teabagger times!

bored - I would be glad to discuss the ability of Christians to believe in both a Natural World and a Supernatural World. We acknowledge that as humans we are subject to the problems and benefits of natural forces, but believe that there are times when something outside the natural order breaks into the natural world. So it is not hypocritical then to accept medical attention and still seek for Divine help at the same time. You see I think I see in you an action which I call supernatural, care to explore that?

@Bored - Give it a rest. Mean spirited comments about helpless children won't make any friends and won't bring anyone around to your point of view.

This isn't about politics you jackasses.. this is about a sick little girl.. My hope is that she recovers sufficiently that neither she nor the family should suffer such an illness...

mssuzieq,

Is this just about one sick little girl? There are plenty of those every day we don't hear about (and you don't pray for).

I do not think Santourm believes in stem cell research which may be the only way to find a cure for Bella. How long do you hold on to a belief before you let it go and look for something that can be tested by different people and come up with the same results.

How many must die before one begans to understand how things work

SickOfTheBickering

As Americans... we have certain freedoms... among which are the right to CHOOSE which products we purchase and which we don't

you choosing not to buy a TV does not affect me. You choosing not to get insurance and then get sick does. It raises MY premiums and my tax dollars go towards unpaid bills.

That said, I hope Bella, as well as all other sick children do get better. It is a tradegy for any parent to watch their child suffer. There should be no children, especially in the richest country in the world, that don't get the best medical treatment they so deserve.

Rick Santorum is, in fact, highly judgemental. I do sympathize though, very sad that this happened on Good Friday and as his campaign is collapsing.

Go home Tricky Ricky, clearly that is where you are needed and belong.

God bless Rick Santorum and his family. I hope everything turns out ok.

From a Liberal Democrat.

SteveH, if you really knew the Santorum family personally, I don't think you'd be trying to make this about him (let alone Obama) rather than his daughter.

Poor little girl. The prognosis for this genetic disorder is terrible.

Best wishes to Bella Santorum for a quick recovery.

And to the few folks who insist on making this thread about anything other than this child, well, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

to theCavalier: indeed--Trisomy18 is a tremendously serious disorder. I had genetic testing with both my pregnancies to ensure this disorder (and several others) were not a risk for my children. I consider myself luckyl

Lkessler

And to the few folks who insist on making this thread about anything other than this child, well, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

As unfortunate as this little girl is, there are many, MANY little girls (and boys) like her that no one thinks about or knows about except their parents. Just because she is Santorum's daughter, does not make her extra special. All children are extra special regardless of their last name.

Why are people making it political? Becuase someone in Santorum's shoes should understand what it's like to have a sick kid but he will NEVER understand (because he refuses to) what it's like to have a sick kid and not being able to pay for a doctor visit or medication. And that's why people make it political.

Uhtred 878 had this to say:

RW and Bill, did you expect anything else but ignorance from these liberals!

Actually, Uhtred, there is no reason to believe that "Bored" is a liberal. S/he might be, or s/he might not be, but not all religious people are conservatives, and not all liberals are un-religious. In fact, in our country, the "liberals" are historically the evangelical do-gooders while conservatives are the science-bound, pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps and decrease-the-surplus-population types.

In this case, the little girl is never going to get well. I hope that she is not suffering all the time and that she has some good days, but she is not ever going to get well--just well enough to go home.

That many people are pointing out that Santorum takes advantage of a system which allows him to properly care for a child whose care would be deemed "futile" and ended in the states of Texas and Virginia, and the child's care would be withdrawn so that she would die more quickly, is not un-religious. In fact, it is quite religious. To know that Mr. Santorum (not Mr. Romney in the past, but he is in the present) is working very hard to deny access to that system to other Americans is really upsetting.

At the very least, Mr. Santorum has to think that he and his family deserve access to this system while apparently others do not. And that, Uhtred, is a statement about the sincerity of Mr. Santorum's religious beliefs.

I have to wonder why the Catholic church--which disapproves of the death penalty and disapproves of denying healthcare to people--with its history of denying communion to anyone who supports women's right to choose, continues endorsing Mr. Santorum and giving him communion. Seems just a tad hypocritical of both Santorum and the church, does it not?

Or are we to read this in the same way that the Catholic church will often refuse to care for its own LGBT members though it not only keeps but promotes priests whom they know full well have abused children (and particularly small boys and young teens)? Or, are we to read this in the same way that we know that the Catholic church arranged for the castration of young boys who complained when they were molested by said priests?

That is, apparently some people are just holier than others--some don't actually deserve either heaven, despite their sins, or health care, despite their income--according to both the Catholic Church and Santorum.

But, no, you can't equate "liberal" with "atheist"--the vast majority of liberals are also quite religious. Most Catholics, for example, are Democrats. Have a great day.

I look at Rick Santorum during times like this, and should forget he is a Politician.

He is a good father, and may his daughter Bella once again come back to a in stable health. Having a very ill child, gives a parent a different perspective on life.

Many good wishes to the Santorum Family.

@Jeff H.

I would entertain having a debate regarding religion and science. However since religion is about belief, having a factual discussion is impossible due to the inherant nature of faith. (firm belief in something for which there is no proof).

Tell you what, you name a religion that followers of throughout time had not changed to support their selfishness, ie Catholics using birth control and receiving communion, Mormons ending plural marriage for Utah statehood, Islam allowing Jihad for nearly everything, Christians.........ad naseum.

Firm belief in something for which there is no proof. This is what would shape a Santorum Presidency.

@Engnenk

I have posted nothing mean spirited. Facts are facts. The GOP states in their platform the exact same thing I have posted except that for all poor children instead of one little girl. It is her most vile father he would allow her to suffer due to his belief that I dispise. The fact is that she will not get better and will continue to suffer. I understand that the raw truth of the matter is rough to take, Almost no one wants a child to suffer needlessly. But isn't that the point?

Sean whines about having to pay taxes yet has no kids. Well Sean, did you go to school? If yes, then there was the whole school structure all in place and set up waiting for you on kindergarten 1st day. Go to another school after highschool Sean? There was the whole system set up for you to use. Buses, roads, teachers, suppliers, etc...all set up for you to use. Then you knock someone up and that kid has a whole structure set up for them while you go to work with your talent you learned in school....BOO HOO!

Sean:

Please put the Politics aside, even if it were Doctor Seuss who had a child like Bella..

Here is a child who has a terminal illness. Please have compassion for Bella, and forget about Rick Santorum, the Candidate.

Do you have children? There is no way to tell from your comments. I do. It is particularly devastating to a parent when a child dies before the parent.

Compassion please. You can Politicize R.S. after this column has been long forgotten.

Health Care. There are many Newsvine Articles you can write on about this subject..

I hope this little girl gets the care she needs. That being said, I hope that every little girl and boy (and woman and man) gets the same kind of care, but they won't. Right now, the Santorum family is paying nothing for the first class care their little daughter is getting and deserves. We taxpayers are, through the free insurance plan he and his family gets for life simply because he was a senator, even though he is wealthy enough to pay for everything himself. However, he expects the rest of us, many of whom are struggling to pay the next month's rent and can't afford to even buy a bottle of aspirin, to pick up the bill. And yet, he wants to make sure that no one else can get that type of high quality care unless they can pay for it themselves. Santorum believes he is entitled and privileged to it. He believes he "worked hard for" and "earned" it. He thinks his being on the taxpayer's dole is a proper part of free enterprise and the free market. He thinks people who can't afford the quality care his child rightfully gets should just suffer through it and all it's consequences. He thinks that, too, is a part of the free enterprise and free market which he touts. That's his view of capitalism: to those with the most goes the most, even to the point of forcing the least to fork over for it. That's his idea of "freedom."

May the innocent child do well.

Dear Sean, and all my dear right-wing and left-wing brothers, please stop all bashing on this matter. There will be another day and time for us to resume our battles of ideology.

Let's all try to reach across the divide to hold our hands to our hearts and wish little Bella an early and full recovery, please, for my sake. I should know the pain in the family as I lost my 3yo baby Tina to Reye's Syndrome some years ago.

Let us show we all have that bit of compassion in our hearts. Thank you.

Sean, having a sick child does change your life and therefore it changes your priorities. It does this even in civilized countries, those that provide universal health care. In a country such as yours, that has not, at least to date, found the civility to do so, it ought to also be changing political priorities. That it hasn’t done so for Rick Santorum speaks volumes, all of them extremely negative, about the man.

That said, however, this isn’t about Rick Santorum, but about his extremely ill daughter, Bella. This is not a survivable condition. With that in mind, I’m not certain if the compassionate thing to do is to offer my best wished for her recovery from this particular setback or to offer my best wishes that she lives the rest of what will be her altogether too short life in peace and dignity. Either will do. So, my thoughts are with Bella, her parents and the rest of her family, as they are with every person in the US who does not have or does not have adequate health insurance. That’s something about which I have no personal worries, as I live in a civilized country (Canada) with universal health care. That means that despite having not one, not two but FOUR chronic health challenges, I can and do see a number of doctors who are also professors of medicine. In fact, at least one of my doctors is a world-class specialist in her field. And I get this level of care, I get care, period, at no cost to myself.

"The family requests prayers and privacy as Bella works her way to recovery."

"That is why we announced it to the media."

Dirp are you a friend of Job's?

Real nice thinker, real nice you showed a lot of "thought", but little sympathy.

It was going to get out anyhow don't you think?

I'm standing up for Bored. Clowns like Santorum probably is the reason we are not more advanced in our understandings in science. They stand in the way and don't even realize they block loved ones as well. Not just us dirty little heathens and our wanting for a better REALITY.

Now, Santorum is a good father. I mean that whole heartedly. I hope Bella pulls through. Santorum you don't have much of at all of my respects sir, but I'm rooting for you and your family 100% in this situation.

Best wishes for the child, and I hope that flaming evil SOB santorum AND his b-tch of a wife are suffering psychological torture over this.

Sorry, But I grew up with religious scum like santorum, who preached crap and then didn't even follow their own BS.

I don't believe in any judgment after this life, so scumbags like santorum,a dn the millions that support the same vile evil crap should be judged NOW, when it counts and we can do something about.

So, again, I hope this child gets the treatment she needs, and I hope her miserable parents suffer every single bit of agony possible during this little girl's life - they richly and justly deserve it.

As a liberal and an agnostic, I certainly have compassion for innocent children who don't choose their (disgusting, often) parents. But as several have already said, the prayers for Rick Santorum's child ought to also be given for all the sick children who don't have the access to the highest quality medical care that she,, as the child of a former U.S. senator, does have. Just by serving one term and being kicked out of office (hopefully forever) in the next election, Rick Santorum has managed to get on the taxpayers' dole and gets far better insurance than we could ever have unless we were among the wealthy 1 percent that he so Christianly supports to the exclusion of "plain old people" who aren't among the rich. Rick, are you reading something heavenly in today's occurances? I think Rick is one of those alleged Christians who like to say the innocent will suffer for the sins of their fathers andmothers unto the ......future generation, whatever it is? Hope that's not true as this child is certainly innocent of all that her father has perpetrated on the rest of us.

Your whining is not beyond anyone Sean. Regardless what you say, you feel you are getting a raw deal when you pay taxes. "Being forced".....Pick and choose is not an option. Whine some more if it makes you feel better!

Santorum is the supreme idiot that forces his religion into the race. Romney wants whatever Santorum wants , only 3 hrs later. I believe we both agree on that! Affordable healthcare is the answer. I raised 4 children, and remember the bills quite well even with healthcare. More people have died in war over "god" than any other reason! Man creates life, takes life away, and sometimes can bring it back to life. Religion is quite the business.

PJuliett

Dear Sean, and all my dear right-wing and left-wing brothers, please stop all bashing on this matter. There will be another day and time for us to resume our battles of ideology.

Let's all try to reach across the divide to hold our hands to our hearts and wish little Bella an early and full recovery, please, for my sake. I should know the pain in the family as I lost my 3yo baby Tina to Reye's Syndrome some years ago.

Let us show we all have that bit of compassion in our hearts. Thank you.

No, Juliett, this is the time. Yes, we all hope for the best for this little child, but it's the Insanitorium family that is using this situation to make the best political fodder it can to try and get Ricky-Dicky to be the prez. They are the ones exploiting this innocent child. They make it public, and then ask for "privacy." We have compassion for this exploited child, but none for her parents. They continually insist that no one else should have the free access to first class, high quality care for their child (which we are paying for, as we should) that they have.

By the way, I'm sorry for the loss of your child to the same disease as the Insanitoriums' daughter is now facing. Did you get free health care for her the way they are? If not, then you need to ask Ricky-Dicky why he and his family should, but not yours. Don't let your child have died in vain because people like the Insanitoriums think their child is more important than yours because they're rich and you're not.

As far as I'm concerned, CPS should remove her from her "family." She's nothing more than a publicity stunt for them. She deserves everything possible for her. As for Insanitorium and his breeding mare and the other things they've bred, they deserve no compassion. They're using a sick child to promote his groveling need for power and money. Ricky-Dicky and his abortionist-shacking wife are repulsive. They are abusive parents. Joan Crawford would look like parent-of-the-year compared to these sick excuses for human beings.

Santorum is not Presidential material and he never will be and he will not get any sympathy votes from me like last time.

PS - "BEST WISHES TO HIS DAUGHTER"

So after the mythology doesn't work out its back to science?

Thank you Jerry for reading my post, your response is appreciated.

I look to our President as a savior of the nation from the terrible atrocities being committed against peoples’ decency and rights since decades at the hands of Big Money. The Grand Obstructionist Party has lost all sense of shame and is looking at its unfortunate forthcoming demise. We, The People, have the power to remove the corruption.

I look forward to your support in November with numbers even Karl Rove cannot dream of. We must get the country back for the sake of our sick, poor and victimized people.

But that is for November and our efforts must begin tomorrow.

Today let us hold our hands in prayer for the full and early recovery of little Bella.

Wow, so much for "Do not judge, lest you be judged," or does that only apply when someone is judging YOU?

Bella's condition is untreatable.

Children born with her genetic disease, Trisomy 18, seldom live to their teenaged years. Half do not live a week.

The mental defects are so severe, that these children cannot understand how to swallow their own saliva - meaning they injest it into their lungs. That accounts for the frequent hospitalizations.

Sad but this is one reason healthcare is so expensive.

Horrible when the little ones are sick. Best wishes to Bella.

Horrible when anyone is sick. Especiall those who cannot be insured due to pre-existing conditions.

What I cannot believe is that with a child this disabled, Rick Santorum is running for office. I child like this is a full time job for the parents, especially when there are other children in the house. It looks like Karen Santorum is carrying the load alone, probably with the help of family but, without her husband. I don't know if I would be happy with that. Public office is just not conducive for raising a severely disabled child and being POTUS is just unheard of. Being First Lady is a full time job and the public eye is on you at all times. I am sorry, but what is Rick Santorum thinking???

hollywood,

What I found out was Bella IS the reason he is running. Why do you think he is hammering Romney so hard about Romney Care?

He is a Lawyer and an MBA who wrote a good portion of the Bills that Gingrich chose to pass in the mid 90's. He read the ACA. He knows that it will eventually limit or eliminate care for kids like Bella. There are few other reasons strong enough to make someone quit a profitable business, sell your luxury car, to spend a year in Iowa, traveling in a car, sleeping in campgrounds, speaking to anyone who would listen. I found out he would call home to Karen ready to quit and she kept telling him to keep going.

Who is Santorum ?

Right. Why the news release if they want privacy? And why the run for President, hopefully a losing one, when he is needed at home? I don't understand the earlier post by someone who made out like Santorum is some kind of hero running for office "just for Bella"? Give me a break, because you argue eventually kids with such terminal conditions eventually won't be treated, are you talking about the great satan Obama or are you talking about the fact that hardly any child with her condition EVEN NOW can get the care she is getting and would have not a chance at it UNLESS OBAMA CARE is allowed to stand the test of this righteously, hyena-like rabbgle of Repulbican shills called the U.S. Supreme Court. He wants to deny to otehrs what his daughter needs and gets, by virtue of Rick's privileged standing as a former Ssenator. You are delusional, fellow. Somehow your tr4ying to make this egomaniac into a heroic, self-sacrificing "father" doing it all for the child doesn't ring true. If he were really as noble as all that would he be trying to deny the reest of us the level of care that the Obama administration and Coingress has put into place, I think not. Go peddle your stupid transparent lies to the Tea Partians. They are djust dumb ebnoyugh to sswallow it.

The trick is they want their privacy only after people have an understanding of how sick their daughter is for sympathy votes. Sad but true people. There is an enormous political bend to this. Time to face reality - Rick is too far behind Mitt to catch up unless something major happens.

Guys, he's a Presidential candidate. He has to announce why he isn't going to functions on Monday. It's because his daughter is in the hospital. Sheesh! If he didn't announce it, people would be saying he was trying to hide something! The privacy thing has to do with specific details about her and her condition not the fact that she is in the hospital in the first place. You guys will criticize anything, won't you?

If this was my 3 year old she would already be dead because we don't have insurance. AND we would be in bankruptcy, because we don't have insurance. But, she would have been born because I can't get an abortion either!

Right on, Locksmith.

Agreed, but Victor doesn't even deserve your time to comment.

Victor is simply quoting Santorum.

Was it Mr Santorums idea that his wife should be there with him on his quest to be "king of the Mt"? Seems to me that his wife should have been there with Bella instead of a nurse. Nothing like a mother's nurturing to make things better. I will bet ya, that "HE", Mr Christian Conservative demanded her to follow him on his plight.....which has failed......hes out of it.....like lost !

F Walsh. You speak for all men? and you want to talk about self righteous. Stop being a stunted moron for condemning a person for doing the same thing you're doing. Its called hypocrisy, look it up.

And Bob is right. If my child is sick they come before all else. This disease is always fatal! meaning he should spend time with the child before she is gone forever. He would have earned points for dropping out and trying again next go around.

Morality starts at home, where he should be.

@andrelee5 - I abhor Santorum (not as much as my mom who had the displeasure of having to interact with him through her job but an awful lot). That said, even if Karen Santorum were home, they'd need a nurse there with Bella at all times. Their wealth and ability to have 24/7 nursing care and medical equipment is the only reason Bella has survived as long as she has. While there have been advances in care over the years, half the children with Edwards Syndrome die in infancy and even those with milder forms (partial trisomy/partial translocation which I assume Bella has due to how long she's survived) are very sick children who usually die very young.

Mrs. Santorum is a nurse. she can take care of her own child, unless she is away from home. I know how horrible it feels to have a sickly child. All my hopes go to Bella.

Socialized medicine wouldn't help a child born with full trisomy 18, because the prognosis is so poor that the medical establishment would not have authorized life saving measures to be taken. Medicaid/Medicare denies testing repeated if they do not see a medical necessity. I see it every day.

I am sure that the family is using alot of their own personal financial means to provide care for their daughter. Which, agreeably, the average American, employed and insured, could not do, let alone those that are unemployed or uninsured. Putting healthcare coverage into the hands of government will not insure that everyone will get healthcare, only those with medical necessity. In Bella's case, most parents choose not to go to extreme measures because the quality of life is so poor, even if they survive infancy.

Bob

Explain to the world how Bella has suffered because Santorum was on the campaign trail?

PMR - I'm afraid that is exactly where government health care will go. Research and development for many of these conditions will stop, because it is costly and worth the effort.

I've known several people who have special needs children. I don't know one that would give up even one moment of when they were with them.

DB - I agree that we need to continue into research into improving quality of life for special needs kids. But government mandated healthcare in not the solution.

I also think that everyone should have a choice in how to handle these matters in their private life. Mr. Santorum and his family most likely made a choice to carry this child to term and pursue life saving measures when she was born. Other family should have that choice, or the choice to terminate the pregnancy, given the very poor prognosis and most likely outcome. And there are others that will choose to continue the pregnancy and NOT pursue life saving measures. Each family should have that choice. It shouldn't be mandated by government in any fashion.

Andrea - Santorum is not "out of it", just yet. No, it looks bad, but few things ever really looked good for Santorum. Living out of a car, sleeping in campgrounds with opinion polls stuck on 1 - 3%, until December 2011.

Clearly, you don't understand.

Santorum's, it was his wife that insisted he run, to protect kids like Bella from the ACA, which will ultimately hold the power over who lives and dies, based on what care they decide, not you decide you, or your kids will get.

Santorum had left politics to go to private business and had settled in. How do I know? No politician who is planning on office purchases a foreign vehicle.

http://www.rightspeak.net/2012/02/rick-santorum-and-his-german-love.html

He sold the A-6 in 2009 after deciding to run for president and started visiting Iowa. He was constantly there and campaigned out of the back of a car and slept in campgrounds. There is no other candidate that has gone to such lengths.

What I can find is the only reason he has continued to campaign against all odds is because he and his wife see the ACA as it is - a threat to Bella and other wanted children.

That's a lot more than I can say about most of the people I tortuously read here, day in, and day out.

PMR - I think the big difference between most people and SOME Christians is that they see any life as a gift of God.

Not only they see them as a gift of God, but also with the gift a responsibility to care for whatever God has given him.

That is not a holier than thou attitude as many would claim, but the humility to accept what was given and do the very best to give the gift the best opportunity possible to grow up and live a full life, just like they have been given.

There is one attribute Santorum has followed quite well is this one. God gave us our planet, our lives, and the ability to choose right from wrong (do what God says or not do what God says).

He is only trying to follow what he sees God wanting him to do, in God's strength, not his own. The only other candidate I have seen do this is Palin. Before every campaign, she would drop out of site for a few days, to search her heart out, was it what God wanted her to do, or was it what she wanted to do.

In the end for Rick, it would be true to say this, Rick Santorum is driven, by his love for his God, his wife, and his family. As it should be.

I don't believe in god. And I don't believe in the government or politicians right to tell me I have to follow the teaching of any particular religion. I thought our country, The United States of America, was founded on the principles of freedom. That is freedom of religion to worship whoever or whatever you believe in, as well as freedom FROM religion, if you don't believe it in. I guess we might as well all drink the cool aid and let god drive from now on. I guess I'll just quit my job and let your god take care of everything from now on.

Government left unchecked becomes all powerful and in effect a god. The trouble is a poor god government makes, because even government only "lives' so long.

The concept that all men are created equal - comes directly from their understanding of the Bible and God. The concepts of "unalienable rights" and "freedom" were ones they understood from the Bible. Some were Christians, some were deists, some were athiests, and some were agnostic.

One of those rights was the choice to acknowledge God and serve him, or do what ever you want including freedom from Religion. Put correctly, either choice has it's consequences. Unfortunately, as big as our world is, it is small and no matter what we do, we are going to bump into some kind of religion that someone else has every same right to practice.

And don't quit your job - unless you figure out that is what you are really supposed to do.

DB from Akron, I suspect, works for Rick Santorum. So disregard his seriously flawed and delusional ravings trying tomake this bigoted rigid Catholic fanatic into some kind of wise statesman. The worst thing we can ever do is elect Rick Santorum to even dog-catcher. He has no pity for anyone or anythng not already part of his little, self-satisfied, enclosed bubble. Because regardless of the fate of the health care law, his child is not likely to live as long as her parents. So like someone said, he should be spending all the time he can with Bella, not on somoe wild goose chase for public office. He's stupid and I would hate to see a President with his temperament. Talk aboutmeone without imagination, diplomacy, the abilivyt to see more than one side of an issue, plus the bull headed idiocy of being unable to stop pursuing a willo-the-wisp, a real religious fanatic. God protect us....from Rick Santorum and all that want to turn America into a theocracy and force their religion on the rest of us.

God blah blah blah.. Where T F was "God" before Bella was born and keeping her from getting a disease in the first place?

Yeah.. too bad "God" couldn't have blessed Bella earlier in her life and kept her from getting the disease in the first place?

You believe in God, Typo? If so, then you know. People who don't understand the Christian concept of God don't seem to get that God didn't promised to keep bad things from happening to his followers. Also that the reason bad things happen in the first place is not God's fault-it's ours dating from the very beginning when WE messed things up. Blaming God for bad things happening is like blaming a jewelry store owner for the fact that a robbery occurred because he had diamonds on display. Do you think a jury in the country would buy that?God is the one who came to straighten things out for us after we had screwed them up. The first thing God did was to get our sorry rear ends out of death row when he sent Jesus, who came willingly to die and to pay the penalty instead of us for all the wrong things we have done and the times we have hurt others. He did not promise to end all bad things at that time but in the future. Your concept that the Christian God should keep all bad things from his followers or from all people or whatever it is that you think is your own concept of some other god. Christians do pray for God's help, and he does answer; but sometimes his answer is "no" or "wait." A prayer is not some kind of magic spell that compels God to do the will of the person who prays. It is a petition to a sovereign God who answers according to his own will.

Is it so surprising that a being that could make the cosmos in all its complexity might possibly be beyond the understanding of little beings like us on the third rock from the sun and that this God could do things that we don't understand that are still good? Think of a child whose parent makes him wait until after dinner for a treat. At a young age he thinks the parent is a tyrant for not giving him the treat that he wants, but the parent is really looking out for his well-being in making sure that he has nutritious food. Could that be true of God as well, that we don't understand all that he does for us and misinterpret parts of it? I've heard many people say that events that they initially thought were terrible turned out to be for good for various reasons-and they were totally sincere and perfectly sane. I've experienced the same in my own life as well. My areas of pain have allowed me to experience my deepest joy and have been used to help others the most in my life. And there's much more to that story...

If only there was a shred of evidence to back up your claims.. If only.

What are we teaching our children in the name of God?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rwioe1SGkQ

God: We Report, he (god) decides, and hey, he probably didn't bless bella because he wanted one of the other candidates (romney, gingrich, paul,or even obama) to win.

If God provides them an opportunity for medical help, it would make sense to take it. That is, after all, God's plan.

@ccmnxc Are you saying that it is God who provided Bella the opportunity for medical help? What about all the other children? Sadly, he must have overlooked them.

no excuses, you seem to not understand the concept of sarcasm.

I had hoped it was sarcasm, but you can never be sure considering all the nutjobs that choose to comment here.

Sorry, no sarcasm intended. I believe everything comes from God. However, it is us humans who split the money, resources, and care. Since God (indirectly) made everything to care for Bella, and gave people the skill to treat these diseases, I give the credit to Him. Of course humans help, but I believe nothing is possible without God. I give credit to the lack of care of others to humans, since the money and resources exist, but those with overly-abundant resources deprive others of them. It is greed and indifference that deprives others of care. People could be donating money or time or energy to those without care. It is also our responsibility to care for others because it proves our love of others and God, and we have the ability to do it. If God took care of everything we wanted or needed, us humans would be pretty spoiled, and you know how spoiled people tend to act. I can give you a hint. It often isn't lovingly and generously. The reason other kids suffer is because we don't do anything about it. If we didn't have the power to do something, it would be God's fault. However, since we do have that power, it is our fault.

Bella's condition is untreatable. There is no recovery.

Children born with her genetic disease, Trisomy 18, seldom live to their teenaged years. Half do not live a week.

The mental defects are so severe, that these children cannot understand how to swallow their own saliva - meaning they injest it into their lungs. That accounts for the frequent hospitalizations.

You need to reread my post.

no caring/devoted parent should ever have to go through having a child suffer from something that cannot be cured.

I know what she has and I know it isn't curable which is why I said so in my statement.

Our niece had testing done when she was pregnant and they thought the baby she was carrying had Trisomy 18 and she was told there was no hope and was not treatable and she might want to consider abortion. She chose to carry the baby and she was born perfectly healthy, and is now a normal 5 year old little girl, she did not have Trisomy 18 at all.

JanG -

So I hope they sued for malpractice? If it was exactly as you said the they have a good case.

I would be very surprised if a medical professional told her to consider abortion. We went through some similar testing with my son and abortion was never mentioned.

State of Awareness: I did read your post, carefully.

Children born with such defects do not have healthy lives, and THEY suffer more than caring parents. In past years, before aggressive, full-time, multi-million dollar treatments, these children were allowed to die naturally. And if you believe in God, isn't that what God intended?

TNSEVOL, do we know if the Santorum's, even Rick Santorum himself, believe in amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling? Even if he does believe in it, and even if either of those tests were done, would the lab have been looking for Trisomy 18 without a history of it on either side of the family? If the answer to any of that is no, then why would the Santorum's have been counselled about aborting the fetus? He would, of course, have said no to the idea. And since he doesn't believe in abortion for any reason, there would have been no reason to have any testing done at all. Once again, this speaks volumes, all of them negative, about the man.

JanG

WTF?

Just give her a couple of aspirins, put her to bed and call Dr.Rick Santorum in the morning.

Agreed. ♥ prayers to their entire family.

Surprised myself with how easily I turned from negative critic to ardent supporter in this time of need. Stay strong Rick!

Lucky its not for you to judge. Unless you are in their shoes, leave it alone. I cannot stand Saint Orum politically. But his family is his. and I am sure those parents do all they can for their childfren.

Very true, but with his access to a full-time nurse and hospital equipment in his home, I wish Santorum would realize that the rest of us would just have to watch our child die in the same situation because we wouldn't have the good insurance and money to prolong her life. I heard him say that it's a "good thing" that medicine is so expensive (ie, because it's the big money that prompts the pharm companies to create new medicines) when a woman with a sick child asked him about how regular folks can get adequate medical care covered. I wish his experience with his own child made him a more compassionate person.

But none of this is Bella's problem, poor thing. I wish her well.

Well said, Lee...agree.

Mrs. Santorum is a nurse. She probably only needs someone when she is gone, or needs a break.

Rick Santorum doesn't seem very compassionate towards anyone with medical problems, does he?

Lee,

I heard him say that it's a "good thing" that medicine is so expensive

You must be mistaken, You can google it - you are the only one who can be quoted as saying that. Got a youtube clip on that perhaps, cause that would be totally out of character of ANY politician.

And Lee - he is probably paying the bulk of her treatment himself - unless Bella was still covered by insurance before the "no life-time maximum" mandate passed.

Since Rick has not problem answering ANY question - why doesn't someone ask him if he has insurance on Bella.

Probably won't happen because people don't want to really know, just assume like everyone else. Besides if it got out that he self insures like Limbaugh, then that would obliterate the image of the rich having special priviledge health insurance people can hate easily.

Ahh yes, I was about to quit when I found the info.

Last week, we reported that over a two-year period, GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum had run up nearly $100,000 in medical bills beyond what his private insurance paid for to care for his disabled daughter, Bella, who was born with the usually fatal genetic disorder Trisomy 18. On Sunday, Santorum acknowledged his insurance plan's failings, and said that the bills were a huge burden for his family, though he did it in the context of explaining why his personal charitable contributions were so low. He told Fox News host Chris Wallace:

"I was in a situation where we have seven children, one disabled child who we take care of, and she's very, very expensive," he said. "We love her and cherish the opportunity to take care of her, but it's an additional expense. We have to have around-the-clock care for her, and our insurance company doesn't cover it, so I have to cover it."

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/03/santorum-concedes-his-private-health-insurance-sucks

Another one who does not understand all children are insured in America....and it includes the same level of care.

@mommiof1

Not sure what koolaid you been drinking but insurance co's will not take children....oh, wait, they ONLY take children if parents are on the policy. Deny the parent, deny the children, They did that to me SO, I can't buy ANY, also, not poor enough for medicaid and I'm a widow with 3 daughter's

GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE POSTING. You are SO WRONG...

No, mommi, not all children are insured in America. Where do you live? Many children aren't covered or covered adequately, many fall through cracks in care, and what you are saying just isn't true. Even with some health care insurance many families go bankrupt and then have nothing left. It's obscene that many people don't have it, and just having insurance doesn't even mean they get what they need since companies get away with no paying so many things.

Actually mommi may be onto something here. While I was a single mom working full time and in college, I did not have health insurance for my daughter. I applied for medicaid but made too much money. Lo and behold public schools offer insurance for children while in school. I signed up for it and it ran me 15.00 a month. My daughter had an accident one day and everything was covered, including the ambulance ride and hospital stay.

Later after we moved for a new job and before I had the opportunity to sign up for insurance, I had to take my daughter to the hospital. The hospital reduced what I owed and worked a payment plan out for me. Never once was my child denied care due to my lack of health care insurance coverage. Nor were we treated any differently. From the doctors to the nurses who provided my child care not once did they provide substandard care. The help is out there but it is not going to come knocking on your door.

Hospitals receiving federal funding are required to provide emergency care. That does not mean it is paid for by federal or state funds. It is called charity care. It is the MOST EXPENSIVE form of care that is provided, and everyone who has insurance pays for this through higher premiums-the hospital did not reduce the bill out of the goodness of their hearts--they charged me and everyone else with insurance through higher costs. There is no free ride. Mt grandson had NO heaerlth isnurance for two years when my son-in-law was out of work. My daughter's job had no insurance plan and she 'made too much' ($9 an hour) to qualify for medicaid. So don't speak if you don't know.

No one hates this little girl.....NO ONE HATES THE LITTLE GIRL!.....we hate that republicans want all children with out health care to die, to stay sick, to be in pain when they could be treated with healthcare like all other strong nations do. Some of you start with the freedom quotes, apple pie baseball and chevrolet, and keep the feds out. Well take your money out of Soc Sec, don't take medicare, stay off the highways and roads, don't send your kids to school, stay out of the airports, don't ever use the post office again, don't use police, fire, or be protected by the armed forces..............get the picture? Keeps the feds out?...then they vote republican....no contraceptives, no womens healthcare, no healthcare for pre existing, let yourself be stripped search for anything while at least not even getting a dinner out of it!...Vote republican....Freedom?...Really?....That is freedom?

All children in America have health care! Do your research first before discussing something that you do not have enough information about. All children who lack insurance get Medicaid. In each state it is called something different. In California it is called Medi-cal, Georgia- Peachcare. Either way even if a parent was too ignorant to apply for state/government insurance for their child and an emergency arose, children cannot be turned away from the hospital.

No they don't, mommi. There are exclusions, income guidelines, and waiting periods. I live in AL where the guideline amounts are really low and if I took my kids off our horribly expensive and not good insurance to get them on that program they would have to wait months to qualify. Then if something happened they would have no coverage meantime and not only would they be at risk of not being cared for well or at all, but if they were off our plan so we could actually afford to pay health insurance for my spouse and myself and they didn't get accepted, they would be totally without insurance and no getting back on ours without at least waiting periods for covering their meds or appointments.

if they had to go to the er they get crappy care especially with no insurance and we would be easily ruined financially paying for it. As it is we owe medical bills and that is with insurance, such as it is. You make it sound easy and simple and it isn't. Perhaps where you are it is, but for many it isn't.

Mommiof1 - you have bad information. Not all children have health care coverage. Sorry, you are just wrong.