Posted on 03/16/2012 10:56:03 PM PDT by Steelfish
Santorum Says He Would Enforce US Obscenity Laws That Obama Ignores By NBC's Andrew Rafferty
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL -- Rick Santorum accused President Barack Obama of not enforcing the country's obscenity laws and said Friday that as chief executive he would crack down on illegal pornography.
Santorum found himself answering pornography questions during a stop at an Italian restaurant here after the discovery of a statement posted in his campaign website in which he asserts that "America is suffering a pandemic of harm from pornography." Recent reporting has shed light on the letter in which the former Pennsylvania senator vowed to "vigorously enforce" all the country's obscenity laws, though he said the statement was posted three weeks ago.
"We actually respond to questions that we get into our campaign when they say 'What are you going to do about these issues?' And when we respond we post them up on our website. And the response is, ‘we'll enforce the law,’" said Santorum.
"I don’t know what the hubbub about that is," he said. "We have a president who is not enforcing the law, and we will."
The candidate best known for espousing family values argues on his website that pornography causes changes in the brain to both children and adults, and contributes to violence against women, prostitution and sex trafficking. "The Obama administration has turned a blind eye to those who wish to preserve our culture from the scourge of pornography," he wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at firstread.msnbc.msn.com ...
Prohibition is ABSOLUTELY the example of legislating morality. (History is difficult for you, I know) The Women's Christian Temperance Union, sold the government on the fantasy, that ALCOHOL was the root of all immorality, evil, addiction and depravity, and if they could just make it illegal, people would start living “righteous” lives again by law, Church attendance would grow again, and America would be saved from eternal damnation!
The very opposite happened. It actually increased the behavior they were trying to control or stop.
Hi, Ohio!
I'm certainly no fan of pornography, but can't your debating point about needing to help well meaning parents be used for any area the FEDERAL government wishes to become involved in?
Say ... what to eat? Just wondering.
I was being sarcastic with the comparison. I think both are fallacious premises that rely on manipulating statistics to get people to fall in line. The same as global warming. There was one person who posted that because murderers watched porn, porn makes you likely to murder. That is ridiculous.
My argument is whether or not obscenity laws belong in the Federal Government. If the executive’s job is to enforce the law, then he should. I just think there should be fewer laws. A city can ban porn from billboards, Washington doesnt need to.
As far as the Prohibition reference, it is very relevant to the discussion. People who want porn will be able to get it regardless of laws. The only thing is, they would be getting it from the same people who currently supply pot and cocaine, and the porn they get will be FAR more hard-core.
It doesn't matter what laws we have on porn production when people can download hours of it from an encrypted connection to an overseas server, and when hours of porn video will fit on a tiny flash card. Any laws you try to enforce will be counter-productive.
The military has a maxim: "Never issue an order which you know will not be obeyed". The corresponding maxim for politics is "Never create a law which will be openly flouted by a large percentage of the population", because doing so produces contempt for the law in general. Moral issues need to be handled by persuasion and social censure.
Not going to happen - our guys need to stop falling into the traps - at least Newt will either call such questions irrelevant and chastise the questioner; or he will talk about something relevant with disregard to the question. I wish and hope Santorum starts doing the same. I'm a Newt guy, but Santorum will do - if he can stay focused on the more relevant issues and not get sidetracked, he might have a chance. Else, if he's our guy, he'll have his fanny handed to him.
From the Congressional record in 1963 of Communist goals...
18. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
19. Break down culture standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and T.V.
20. Present homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity, as "normal, natural, healthy."
21. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."
22. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
"Boneheaded fundamentalist?" I think not, Longbow. It's a documented fact that the Communists in the 1960's tried to destroy American morality, and it's an obvious fact that in this year, 2012, they have almost completed their goal.
Some of us are fighting it. Obviously, some are not.....
And when Dubya was blathering on during his 4th SOTU address about baseball, how many folks on FR rightly called him out for that nonsense? I sure did. U?
Have you noticed that Santorum supports seem to be, en masse, completely unaware of history... and how their ideas on government enforcement of morality have already played out, time and time again?
It’s like looking at a leftist, who keeps saying that communism will work... we just need to get the right people in charge.
Statism never works in the long term. The more you get, the quicker the nation collapses. Adding G-d to it doesn’t make it work any better.
The laws are on the books and not being enforced.
We are not talking about new laws, new 'prohibitions' as it were, but enforcing the laws and ending the lawlessness of the current administration.
PapaBear, as to your question regarding what is more important...... It is a straw man, and nothing more. No one, including Santorum, has said that pornography is the most important issue. Stop falling for the leftist media ploy to discredit all conservatives by setting up a false comparison, and above all, don't do it yourself.
Understanding that morality is a very real, and very important issue, doesn't displace the issues of the economy, the debt, foreign policy, or any other issue.
THIS, you know. So no more games, OK? It seems like desperation to make a point that has no merit.
Good for you my friend, I hope you keep fighting.
But this is an election year, and: Some of us are unemployed. Some of us are losing our homes. Some of us have family in Afghanistan. Some of us are hurt by the rising gas prices. Some of us are horrified by our increasing national debt.
Please, don't diminish these concerns or the people who bear them. Thanks.
Look, The war on porno sex, The war on welfare programs, The war on drugs...
Is it lack of morals that we are in the deep doodoo we are in? That there are single mothers? that welfare is better than working? The problem is there are some problems that are difficult to reverse. There is no turning back from those breeding in the first place, because they couldn't take care of themselves. It's like those who got into debt knowing they couldn't afford it. Yet some sort of bailout is now demanded by those who have not from those who have.
See here from Pat Buchanan - "The “white community” must invest more money in black schools and communities, enforce civil rights laws, ensure fairness in the criminal justice system and provide this generation of blacks with “ladders of opportunities?"
"Untold TRILLIONS have been spent since the ’60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African-American community into the mainstream." Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, bla bla bla...
"White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to."
http://buchanan.org/blog/pjb-a-brief-for-whitey-969
____________
Those who have and are taken from, need to be heard not just lectured from those who demand and want to continue to take more from the productive of society.
What deeds must we perform to heal ourselves and our country?
What is wrong with Santorum's prognosis and what is Santorum's cure for our country again?
“This whole marxists using pornography to defeat our nation line of argument is utterly ridiculous. You sound completely absurd saying dumb things like this. It is the marxists governments in particular that seek to shut down, filter, monitor and otherwise patrol the internet - not free people in free countries.”
Yeah, the internet freedom in China is legendary. Regardless, the Pompous Pencil Neck’s supporters stand ready to castigate everyone who doesn’t subscribe verbatim to their moral code as sinners, non-conservatives, and unpatriotic...a sure path to defeat by Obama.
Which is why I view the nationwide 55-mph speed limit law as, quite possibly, the most destructive law that we ever had. For it was flouted by every driver in America at one point or another. Which then led to a general contempt of law in general.
Same for all speed limit laws. Every driver has violated them at least once.
It is not an important issue in the election of 2012.
It just is not.... and your emotional sarcasm is forgiven :)
Actually, you have revealed quite about about yourself by your use of the leftist catch phrase "legislating morality." American law is based on "legislating morality" (I won't return your silly insult about ignorance of history).
The laws against murder, theft, drunk driving, etc, etc, and the laws already on the books regarding obscenity, child pornography, etc. are ALL about morality. Do you seriously wish to posit the argument that they should be eliminated?
Now stop being obtuse, and stick with the real issue, OK? You'll never convince me that you want the laws on murder and child molestation removed, so your 'legislating morality' bunk falls flat on its immoral face.
Oh, wow. That's really an emotionally-driven argument that has no basis in reality.
How is it that one's concern about morality indicates to you that one is not concerned about the economy, or Afghanistan (just talked with my son who is there), gas prices, or the national debt.
I will forgive your emotional reply and wait for any rational response to what I've said.
Thanks.
As a matter of fact, the lawlessness of Obama and his Marxist minions, makes it even more important this year.
I would say that all those laws were enacted not because G-d said they were bad, but because you cannot have a society grow and prosper without them. And that those that submitted and passed them did not do it for the sake of the Lord.
Oh, Ohio, my friend (and I mean that...we've been through a lot over the years) I am not saying that morality does not matter. It does. Without question.
But the majority of Americans hear these soundbites from Santorum and read the media spin and conclude he's out of touch with their problems.
I want headlines with Santorum's name to include: "energy policy" "jobs" or "spending cuts" or "Iran" or "Afghanistan".
We're all convinced Santorum's a moral man. Now he needs to convice all that he has the plans and the "stones" to reverse Obama's course.
That is really my bottom line point.
And, Ohio most important: please know your son will be in my prayers for his success and safe home.
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