Rick Santorum, 21st Century Puritan

If you’re one of the millions who have viewed the third Google hit under the search term “Rick Santorum,” you’ve probably laughed, sighed, or clicked the “like” button linked to Facebook. But whether or not you like him, Rick Santorum is still a contender in the Republican Presidential Primary. 

I, like most, have been unable to avoid media coverage of the current race and the candidates involved. I think it is safe to say, regardless of political affiliation, that we have some real characters in this race. We have Newt Gingrich, the man of many wives; Ron Paul, the isolationist from Texas; Mitt Romney, the “Massachusetts moderate;” and of course, my personal favorite, Rick Santorum. I find Santorum fascinating because of his theological approach to politics and its uncanny similarity to 17th century Puritan New England beliefs.

The term “Puritan” was initially assigned to various critics of the Church of England during the 16th century. Later, it came to refer to the colonists who left England in pursuit of religious freedom. Theological arguments regarding the church led to polarizing views on English religious culture and resulted in civil wars during the 1640s as well as the emigration of Puritans to North America and the West Indies. These New England Puritans believed they could create a religious utopia in a place where they did not have to compromise with other sects or opposing beliefs. Unfortunately for the Puritans, their vision had holes, and throughout the coming years, Puritan lives were filled with banishments, executions (most famously the Salem Witch Trials), and the production of criminals, heretics, and outcasts in the course of defining themselves and extirpating anyone who failed to fit into their rigid mold.  

How does this have anything to do with Santorum? First, Santorum, like the Puritans, believes family is the single-most important institution. On Monday, January 16, at a coffee shop in Myrtle Beach, SC, Rick and his wife Karen had plenty to say about the benefits of spending time raising children. They believe time spent at home raising children should be as socially recognized as work outside the home. 

He failed to acknowledge or address, however, options for families that cannot afford his domestic ideal or what kinds of public policy solutions would be implemented to make this ideal more feasible for these struggling families. In Europe, parents spend considerably more time with their newborns because of laws that require paid parental leave. Though he has not addressed it, it is highly unlikely Santorum would support such governmental interference. On Monday night, after Santorum said he would repeal No Child Left Behind, which he voted for, he said, “We should repeal all of the federal government’s role in education.” 

Perhaps his biggest similarity with Puritan ideals is his interesting approach to politics. Santorum uses theology in place of social policy. At the Faith & Freedom Coalition Forum last Monday, Santorum introduced himself by reminding the audience he was named one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in the U.S. by Time Magazine (Santorum is Catholic). When addressing issues of poverty in the United States, Santorum has offered one solution: abstinence-only education. When asked about gay rights in South Carolina, Santorum dodged the question. His wife answered by saying, “It’s very sad what gay activists have done to Rick: they’ve vilified him. Rick doesn’t hate anyone. He just said [gay] marriage shouldn’t happen.” In reality, Santorum not only opposes gay marriage, he opposes allowing gays to serve openly in the military and opposes protecting gays from discrimination in the workplace. He has also famously compared homosexuality to bestiality and polygamy making him, like the Puritans, intolerant. 

As seen with the failure of the Puritan utopian notion, unwavering faith does not and will not be a viable substitute for policy and legislation. Issues such as those found in foreign policy cannot be forged from religious scripture. While the evangelical conservatives adore him, it seems to me that Santorum looks at politics through deeply religious lenses that prevent him from creating practical solutions to the big issues. It will be interesting to see how he continues to fare in this race after the South Carolina Primary.