Run! Do not walk to your local bookstore and purchase a copy of "It Takes a Family : Conservatism and the Common Good" by Rick Santorum. If your local bookstore does not carry it: ask them why they are atheist commie bastards -- ask them why they hate America.
With gems like these (courtesy of CapitolBuzz) it will undoubtedly become a classic of its kind:
"In far too many families with young children, both parents are working, when, if they really took an honest look at the budget, they might confess that both of them really don’t need to, or at least may not need to work as much as they do… And for some parents, the purported need to provide things for their children simply provides a convenient rationalization for pursuing a gratifying career outside the home." (It Takes a Family, 94)
"Many women have told me, and surveys have shown, that they find it easier, more “professionally” gratifying, and certainly more socially affirming, to work outside the home than to give up their careers to take care of their children. Think about that for a moment…Here, we can thank the influence of radical feminism, one of the core philosophies of the village elders." (It Takes a Family, 95)
"The notion that college education is a cost-effective way to help poor, low-skill, unmarried mothers with high school diplomas or GEDs move up the economic ladder is just wrong." (It Takes a Family, 138)
"By asking the right question, we can see that when it comes to socialization, mass education is really the aberration, not homeschooling. Never before in human history have a majority of children spent at least half their waking hours in the presence of 25 to 35 unrelated children of exactly the same age (and usually the same socio-economic status), with only one adult to keep order and provide basic mentoring. Never before and never again after their years of mass education will any person live and work in such a radically narrow, age-segregated environment. It’s amazing that so many kids turn out to be fairly normal, considering the weird socialization they get in public schools." (It Takes a Family, 386)
If those quotes aren't enough to make you beg, borrow or steal to purchase it, how about these glowing reviews?
“I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Senator Rick Santorum personally over the past several years, and he has impressed me time and again with his integrity, vision and unwavering commitment to the principles and beliefs upon which the United States was founded. Senator Santorum is one of the stalwart defenders of human life and the pro-family cause, and his leadership within the halls of government has been invaluable to our nation and its people."
—James C. Dobson, Founder and Chairman, Focus on the Family, Advocator of beating on the brats! Review found here.
“In this era of adult self-centered behavior, minimally concerned with the well-being of children, this book is a welcome response. I am amazed at the depth and breadth of information, wisdom, and sensitivity. This is the book that will soften people’s hearts to the blessing of commitment to family values.”
—Dr. Laura C. Schlessinger, Internationally Syndicated Radio Talk Host, Author of The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, Her long feud with her own mother helped led to the woman being dead in her apartment for three months before she was discovered! Review found here.17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Thank you from a grateful constituent!, July 5, 2005
Reviewer: "Maria in Pgh" (Pittsburgh, PA)
Being from Pennsylvania. I've always been proud to have Rick Santorum as my senator. :-) After reading his book, I am even prouder and more well informed. I now know that as a single woman, if I should ever have a child, a college education will not help me move up the economic ladder (pg. 138) and that if I ever become married (to a good HETEROSEXUAL) and have children, that most likely I would be selfishly trying to gratify myself (under the influence of RADICAL FEMINISM) if I continued to work outside the home (pg. 94-95). This all makes so much sense that I will advise my future daughters to skip higher education as once they start popping out the kids, they will not need a college degree, and I and my future heterosexual spouse will not have to save any money for their education.
Thank you, Sen. Santorum! X X O O :-) :-) :-) Review found here.
I haven't read the book, but based on these excerpts, here goes:
ReplyDeleteI would submit that there is nothing terribly radical--or perhaps nothing reactionary, I should say--in the notion that children fortunate enough to be raised in a two-parent household are better off if one parent is able to stay at home with them, at least until they go to school. Where I would differ with the good senator is the notion that this role should automatically fall to women, and that somehow a mother who wants to work outside the home is selfish and a father with the same desire isn't.
I also don't disagree that many two-income families, if they considered the cost of childcare, probably could afford for one parent to stay at home. Having a child does entail sacrifice, and I think many of us--single, married w/o children or with children--desire a lifestyle above and beyond what we need. But the fact is that many families do need two wage-earners, and the debate we should be having is what kind of policies can help them raise their children and still meet their economic needs. That's not exactly a discussion that the senator's party has been eager to engage in lo these many years.
The rub is that the last sentences of Jonathan's commentary aren't gong to be discussed much unless the Dems push the issue. For many on the Right, including many here in Allegheny County, Santorum is simply saying what they already know as THE TRUTH. Unless the Democratic Party pushes the economic side of this argument - that if you want stay-at-home moms you have to provide more opportunities (e.g. the Earned Income Tax Credit) for more people feeling the squeeze.
ReplyDeleteIt's also interesting to note that the excerpts from his book don't mention any statistical evidence. It's all polemic, as in, pure Theo-porn.