It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good

In, It Takes a Family, Rick Santorum successfully provides a picture of the last forty years of American history in light of the founders' vision for the republic. While the founders envisioned a national community and communities, each possessing specific functions, today, we are overcome by top-down directed society. Santorum sets out to explain the fundamental differences in the liberal and conservative visions for America. In drawing a dichotomy, he defines the liberal vision as one of the "Bigs" and "Village Elders," and the conservative vision as one of families. Santorum defines the Bigs as the big universities and public schools, big businesses, big national labor unions, big news media, big entertainment, and the federal government. He then provides instances of how the liberal vision and its projects have failed America. For example, he argues that the liberal idea of "no-fault freedom," a freedom that celebrates the individual above the community, is key in the decline in social capital, the increases in absentee parents, divorce, out of wedlock pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, abortions, and many other ills plaguing American society today. In contrast, he argues that the conservative idea of societal engagement through families, civic and fraternal associations, clubs, churches, and small businesses, provides a common-sense and effective approach to combating the effects of the failed liberal project. Further, he contends the conservative approach provides a way to sustain the American republic. Santorum not only points out the shortcomings of the liberal project for America, but he scornfully rebukes conservatives for dismissing Americans who are poor, disadvantaged, and less well off. He argues that the failure to practice fundamental American ideas has increased the power of the Bigs and that Americans must now, and forever, work through families to provide the commonsense and equitable alternative to the liberal project. Unsurprisingly, in response to the failed liberal programs such as no-strings-attached welfare, no-fault divorce, and promotion of relativism in public schools, he argues for an increase in welfare to work programs, assistance to first time homebuyers, assistance to disadvantaged parents, promotion of marriage, and school choice. Also, he presents examples of these and many other programs that are either on or getting on the conservative agenda. Santorum does a good job in highlighting the trials and tribulations of poor and low-income Americans and proposes many commonsense policies to mitigate their plight. With the exception of dividing the liberal and conservative visions for America, he does not divide Americans into an Us vs. Them dichotomy. He promotes the idea that although liberal ideas were well-intentioned and have led to serious problems, we Americans are all in this together. We are responsible for each other and we must be good stewards of ourselves, our neighbors, our c

Rick does an excellent job detailing a true social conservative philosophy from many angles, and drives home the point that many of the tough economic and societal problems we face today can be alleviated by the restoration of the family/and the espousal of rational moral values. Rick's writing is articulate, intelligent, sensitive, and down to earth. I highly recommend his book---even if you don't agree with him on everything, his perspective will provide a springboard for a thoughtful, honest, discourse and debate.

Rick Santorum is right on the money with his book. He clearly explains the principles by which we should all live by. Not to mention that finally someone attacks Hillary's idiotic book about how she plans to have the government take over the world. Every man should have the same values as Rick Santorum. It really is a shame that the liberals of Pennsylvania voted him out because he did nothing whatsoever to deserve it.

A century ago, Theodore Roosevelt said, "It is in the life of the family, upon which in the last analysis the whole welfare of the nation rests....The nation is nothing but the aggregate of the families within its borders." Santorum, has expanded upon TR's sage wisdom in his book, It Takes a Family. Obviously, the title of this book has positioned it as a direct response to It Takes a Village the Big Government playbook by Senator Hillary Clinton. It Takes a Family is a wide-ranging, thoughtful examination of the American social, moral, and intellectual landscape. Santorum's basic thesis is that the liberal/libertarian vision for America of "No-Fault freedom" is resulting in the squandering of our heritage of social, moral, cultural, and intellectual capital. Yet, Santorum's book is not simply a laundry list of liberal ideological and policy failures. Indeed, in an effort to be fair-minded, Santorum goes out of his way to call out some of the more liberal members of the Senate who have helped craft truly effective legislation. The book is one of those rare works that goes beyond naked partisan criticism to propose constructive and creative solutions to present and looming dilemmas. Santorum's work also serves as an effective apologia for the cultural conservative political agenda. Too often, Republicans are seen as little more than "cheap Democrats." No one can accuse Senator Santorum of being part of that caucus. While he very clearly does not believe in Big Government as the solution to every problem, he recognizes that the federal and state governments can help by encouraging objectively good behavior and citizenship and discouraging destructive behavior. He is a firm proponent of the Catholic principle of subsidiarity-the philosophy of social policy that says that the fulfillment of human needs should be accomplished at the lowest possible level, and that state and federal level should assume such responsibility only as a last resort. This completely turns on its head the neo-Marxist philosophy of Big Government as the solution to every problem, no matter how small, and yet is not the anarcho-libertarian ideal of the best government is no government at all. Thus, Santorum believes that the majority of social issues plaguing the United States begin and may be solved at the most basic community level: the family. As expected, the most effective section of Santorum's book is that which deals with the grave moral evil of abortion. Santorum's passion and unambiguous pro-life position comes through in his compelling description of his role as floor leader during the partial-birth abortion debates in the US Senate over the past 10 years. His recounting of his wife's own miscarriage and the effect the debates had on one young couple in particular-who decided not to abort their baby after watching on C-SPAN-were enough to bring tears to the eyes. I found the chapter entitled the Rule of Judges to be similarly effective, providing a concise history

SENATOR RICK SENTORUM BOOK "IT TAKES A FAMILY" IS TRULY A REMARKABLE BOOK ON WHAT IT TAKES TO RAISE AND MAINTAIN AND DEFEND THE AMERICAN FAMILY. I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WRITERS DEEP FAITH AND HIS LOVE OF HIS FAMILY. AFTER READING THIS BOOK I TRULY THINK THAT "IT TAKES A FAMILY" WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THREATEN THE FAMILY TODAY. I PLAN TO GIVE THIS BOOK AS A GIFT TO SEVERAL PEOPLE CAUSE I FEEL THIS BOOK IS A REAL SWORD AND SHIELD FOR THE FAMILY AND MR SANTORUM IS TO BE THANKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!