Libertarians and the GOP: Rick Santorum Says Only Social Conservatives Belong in the GOP

Speaking at the Values Voter Summit this past week in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum thought it was time to further constrict the conservative movement and perhaps redefine the Republican Party.  

“Smart people will never be on our side. Colleges and Universities will never be on our side,” Santorum said. 

He implied that economic conservatives and libertarians have no place in the conservative movement. In other words, the conservative movement is for the uneducated, restricted to only those people who believe church and family are what’s important.

The Values Voter Summit was sponsored by the Family Research Council (FRC). The foundation of the FRC is to be a lobbying organization dedicated to promoting family, faith, and freedom.

Given his remarks, it appears Rick Santorum may not have fully read the FRC Action plan. We must focus on church and family to solve our problems. Yet the number 4 item on the FRC Action support list states “Tax and fiscal policies that strengthen rather than weaken America’s families.” Yes it mentions family, but stresses economic policies.

These statements may not be as outlandish as they appear. While Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are trying to expand their appeal to independents and moderates, Santorum’s comments are in line with the GOP Platform. Is Rick Santorum serving as a surrogate, allowing Romney and Ryan to distance themselves from the platform while still appealing to the Religious Right?

If Rick Santorum was not officially representing the Romney / Ryan ticket with these remarks, I would think Romney and Ryan will want to create a sizeable distance between themselves and Rick Santorum. I would expect his vision of the conservative movement doesn’t align in the least with how the GOP wants and needs to present itself at this time.