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[[Image:{{Officeholder|name=Rick Santorum|image=Rick Santorum.jpg|rightparty=[[Republican]]|thumbspouse=Karen Garver|Rick Santorumreligion=[[Roman Catholic]]|offices= {{Officeholder/senator |state=Pennsylvania |terms=January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2007 |preceded=Harris Wofford |succeeded=[[Bob Casey Jr.]] }} {{Officeholder/representative |state=Pennsylvania |district=18th |terms=January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1995 |preceded=Doug Walgren |succeeded=Mike Doyle }}}} '''Richard John "Rick" Santorum''' (Winchester, [[Virginia]], May 10, 1958) is an [[America]]n [[conservative]] lawyer and politician. He was a leading candidate for the [[Presidential Election 2012|Republican nomination for president in 2012]], and previously served as [[United States]] [[Senator]] for [[Pennsylvania]], after beating an old faggot, from January 1995 to January 2007. During that time, Santorum was known for his [[conservative]] political views and his tendency to campaign for [[liberal]] Republicans, and was elected to the position of Senate Republican Conference Chairman in 2000.

Endorsed by the [[pro-life]] [[Susan B. Anthony List|Susan B. Anthony]] organization,<ref>httphttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/17/susan-b-anthony-list-to-endorse-santorum/</ref> Santorum was a strong candidate in the [[2012 Republican Primary]]. After winning [[Louisiana]] on March 25, 2012 - his 11th victory in the primary race - the [[New York Times]] noted that "not since [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1976 has a conservative candidate won as many states as Santorum has."<ref>http[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/politics/santorum-projected-winner-of-louisiana-primary.html?_r=1]</ref> He suspended his campaign on April 10, 2012, citing personal reasons.<ref>httphttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/04/10/santorum</ref>

Santorum was an author and floor manager of the landmark "Welfare Reform Act" which passed in 1996 that has empowered millions of Americans to leave the welfare rolls and enter the workforce. Senator Santorum wrote and championed legislation that outlawed the heinous procedure known as "Partial Birth Abortion" as well as the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act", the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act", and the "Combating Autism Act" because he believes each and every individual has value and the most vulnerable in our society need to be protected. Senator Santorum fought to maintain fiscal sanity in Washington before it was in fashion, fighting for a balanced budget and a line item veto. <ref> [http://www.ricksantorum.com/why-rick Why Rick?]</ref>

2012 Presidential candidate [[Ron Paul]] has accused Santorum of being a "counterfeit conservative" due to his quick willingness to compromise (such as supporting [[George W. Bush]]'s [[Medicare Part D]], refusing to aggressively stand up against funding [[Planned Parenthood]], and support for increasing the [[Department of Education]]).<ref>httphttps://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57383263-503544/santorum-fights-charges-hes-a-fake-conservative/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgNJBdTaKE8</ref> Santorum also endorsed [[RINO]]-turned-[[Democrat]] Arlen Specter.<ref>[httphttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/rick-santorums-greatest-sin-endorsing-arlen-specter/2012/02/24/gIQAD0sUXR_blog.html "Rick Santorum’s greatest sin: Endorsing Arlen Specter" ''Washington Post'']</ref> Candidates [[Mitt Romney]] and [[Newt Gingrich]] have also criticized Santorum's record.

On May 27, 2015, Santorum announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>httphttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/27/santorum-set-to-announce-2016-plans-wednesday/</ref>

[[Liberals]] have become obsessed with Santorum, particularly after he stood up for traditional marriage and drew an analogy between support for [[homosexual marriage]] and other illegal forms of marriage and conduct. Rather than dispute the analogy, liberals were quick to [[liberal tricks|feign offense]]. They argue that because the other kinds of conduct are so universally repulsive, pointing out the parallels with [[homosexual act]]s and homosexual marriage unduly disparages homosexuals. But they know the ugly truth -- that truth—that homosexuality is just one step away on the slippery slope towards many other disgustingly immoral proclivities. They can only resort to [[liberal namecalling]] and personal attacks; it's gotten so pathetic that now they're dedicated to slandering his name by equating it with fecal matter, knowing full well they can't refute any of his arguments.

On June 6, 2011,<ref>httphttps://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/06/us-usa-campaign-santorum-idUSTRE7551YL20110606</ref>, Santorum announced his intention to run for the Republican Party nomination in the US Presidential election of 2012.<ref>httphttps://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55772.html</ref>

In the [[Iowa]] caucuses, January, 3, 2012, Santorum and [[Mitt Romney]] Fight to a Draw. In the first Republican contest of the season, the two candidates were separated by only a sliver of votes, offering Rick Santorum a chance to emerge as the alternative to Mitt Romney. <ref>[httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/us/politics/santorum-and-romney-fight-to-a-draw.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Romney Wins Iowa Caucus by 8 Vote] </ref>

==Personal Lifelife==

In keeping with his conservative, pro -life stance, Santorum counts as his eighth child Gabriel, who sadly lost his life in 1996 due to an infection contracted in the womb. The baby was born five months prematurely, and died two hours later in the hospital. According to an article in the ''National Catholic Register'', the Santorums "took their child home briefly so that their other children could meet their brother." Santorum stated, "We wanted them to know that there was a baby and that his life was precious and that baby in the womb was real,"<ref name="santorum"/>

The Santorum family's struggle with the sadness of the loss of their son, and their decision to mourn the baby as a human being, served as an inspiration to other families struggling with the pain of losing a child. On the other hand, the criticism Santorum received from pro abortion journalists, such as liberal "gotcha reporter" Alan Colmes,<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=48506</ref> who accused Santorum of "playing" with his dead child's body, has been fierce. Public sentiment, however, is firmly in Santorum's column.<ref>httphttps://www.nationalreview.com/media-blog/286998/alan-colmes-apologizes-rick-santorum-greg-pollowitz</ref>

Santorum is a practicing Catholic.<ref>Sokolove, Michael. "The Believer." May 22, 2005. The New York Times Magazine. httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/22/magazine/22SANTORUM.html</ref>

==Political Positionspositions==Rick Santorum is emphatically pro-life and pro-family as described above, opposing abortion, gay homosexual "marriage", and the spread of pornography.<ref>"Where I Stand." Rick Santorum Presidential campaign website. http://www.ricksantorum.com/issues</ref> He does not believe that humans are causing [[global warming]], calling it "junk science." He favors increased production of [[fossil fuels]] in the U.S.<ref>Johnson, Brad and Somanader, Tanya. "Santorum: 'There's no such thing as global warming.'" June 24, 2011. Think Progress. http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/06/24/253389/santorum-theres-no-such-thing-as-global-warming/</ref> Broadly, Santorum is in favor of reducing the size of government and reducing taxes. Some of the major economic and fiscal policy measures that he supports are:<ref>"Rick Santorum - The Economy." The Political Guide. http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/Senate/Pennsylvania/Rick_Santorum/Views/The_Economy/</ref>

Santorum has opposed giving assistance to illegal immigrants,<ref>"Immigration Reform: Securing and Strengthening America." Rick Santorum Presidential campaign website. http://www.ricksantorum.com/immigration-reform-securing-and-strengthening-america</ref> supported the [[Iraq War]],<ref>"Rick Santorum - The Iraq War." The Political Guide. http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/Senate/Pennsylvania/Rick_Santorum/Views/The_War_in_Iraq/</ref> opposed [[universal health care]],<ref>"Rick Santorum: Healthcare." Electful. http://electful.com/candidate/rick-santorum/issues/healthcare</ref> and supported the [[death penalty]] (although in recent years he has said the death penalty should be more limited).<ref>"Santorum Rethinks Death Penalty Support." March 23, 2005. Associated Press / Fox News. httphttps://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151241,00.html</ref> These four views are in opposition to the teachings of the [[Catholic Church]].

==External Linkslinks==

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