Rick Santorum Quotes

Powerful Rick Santorum for Daily Growth

About Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum is an American politician, commentator, and author, best known for his service in the U.S. Senate and two unsuccessful presidential campaigns. Born on May 10, 1958, in Winchester, Virginia, Santorum grew up in a devout Roman Catholic family. He earned his B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1980 and his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State in 1986. Santorum's political career began in 1990 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 18th district. In 1995, he moved to the Senate, where he served until his term ended in 2007. During his tenure, Santorum gained a reputation as a social conservative, advocating for traditional values and opposing abortion, same-sex marriage, and stem cell research. One of his most influential works was the book "It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good," published in 2005. The book explores Santorum's vision of conservative politics based on strong families, personal responsibility, and community values. In 2012, Santorum ran for the Republican presidential nomination, finishing second to Mitt Romney. He again sought the nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries. Since leaving politics, Santorum has been a regular commentator on television and radio, particularly on issues related to social conservatism. Despite his controversial views, Santorum's career underscores the enduring influence of social conservatism in American politics. His biography serves as a testament to the power of ideological conviction and its role in shaping political careers.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Freedom isn't free."

The quote "Freedom isn't free" implies that the cherished value of freedom, which is essential for personal liberty and self-determination, does not come without cost or effort. This cost can be paid in various ways such as time, resources, and sometimes even sacrifices of life. In essence, the quote serves as a reminder that maintaining and protecting our freedom requires vigilance, responsibility, and often hard work from individuals and governments alike.


"We have to decide what kind of country we want to be: a country where personal responsibility matters and our laws reflect that, or a country where everything is provided for you."

This quote by Rick Santorum highlights a fundamental debate about the role of government versus individual responsibility in society. He advocates for a society where personal responsibility is valued, suggesting that laws should reflect this value system. Conversely, he implies that an alternative society exists, one where the emphasis is on providing for individuals rather than fostering self-reliance and accountability. The choice between these two visions of a nation, according to Santorum, is crucial in shaping the character of our country.


"There is no such thing as same-sex marriage. Marriage is the union of a man and a woman."

This statement by Rick Santorum reflects his traditional view on marriage, defining it as exclusively between a man and a woman. The quote is a reflection of his belief that "same-sex marriage" is not a valid or recognized institution in the context he subscribes to, given his religious or cultural perspective.


"We need more people in this country willing to work, not more government to help them."

The quote suggests a stance that encourages self-reliance and personal responsibility over relying on government aid. It implies that a solution to social or economic issues lies primarily in an increase of individuals who are motivated and capable of working, rather than expanding the role of the government to provide assistance to these people.


"If we're going to have liberty and freedom in this country, there has to be some restraint on what the federal government can do."

This quote by Rick Santorum emphasizes the importance of balance between individual liberties and the role of the federal government. He suggests that for a nation to uphold liberty and freedom, it's essential to have limitations on the federal government's power, ensuring that its actions do not encroach upon the rights of citizens excessively. This perspective underscores the idea of a limited government in a democratic society.


Watching President Obama apologize last week for America's arrogance - before a French audience that owes its freedom to the sacrifices of Americans - helped convince me that he has a deep-seated antipathy toward American values and traditions.

- Rick Santorum

Values, Week, Before, Antipathy

I'm always told that what I say is controversial. Why is it controversial? Because I speak from a tradition that has now fallen out of favor with the dominant media in this country. And so when I say things like marriage should be between one man and one woman, I'm called a bigot.

- Rick Santorum

Woman, Country, Why, Bigot

When I say things like 'Marriage should be between one man and one woman,' I'm called a bigot.

- Rick Santorum

Woman, Say, Like, Bigot

In 2006 it was a horrible election year, and, you know, I lost. But I lost because I continued to be a constant conservative, and the last six years I was someone who was a national figure in the sense that I was the third ranking Republican in leadership and I had just run President Bush's campaign in Pennsylvania.

- Rick Santorum

Conservative, Year, Constant, Pennsylvania

The more moral the people are in their business dealings, the less paperwork you need, the more handshakes you can have, the more the wheels of capitalism work better because there's trust in the marketplace. Business ethics is not a joke. And, in fact, I think most businesses that I've dealt with encourage exactly that type of behavior.

- Rick Santorum

Trust, Wheels, I Think, Joke

Who are benefits promised to, overwhelmingly? Well, they're promised to older people. And if you have a society like Europe that is upside down where there are a lot more older people than younger people, you have economic calamity.

- Rick Santorum

Down, Benefits, Promised, Older People

As the Wall Street Journal called our economic plan, supply-side economics for the working man, is resonating in Minnesota and here in Missouri and across this country.

- Rick Santorum

Country, Here, Resonating, Journal

You can't ignore the reality that faith and family, those two things are integral parts of having limited government, lower taxes, and free societies.

- Rick Santorum

Limited, Having, Lower, Free Societies

What we should be teaching are the problems and holes and I think there are legitimate problems and holes in the theory of evolution. And what we need to do is to present those fairly from a scientific point of view. And we should lay out areas in which the evidence supports evolution and the areas in the evidence that does not.

- Rick Santorum

Evidence, I Think, Holes

Saddam Hussein was not an Islamist. He's not a radical jihadist. He's not a radical Muslim. I mean, he was a - he was a Baathist. He was a secular - even though he professed to be a good and devout Muslim.

- Rick Santorum

Muslim, Radical, Hussein, Professed

One of the things that I realize is that if you look at big business, I mean, they - and what they fund and what they do, they don't really - they don't fund the small non-profit community-based organizations that really are out there on the front lines helping people. They fund the big philanthropies. They're safe.

- Rick Santorum

Small, Big, Community-Based, Helping People

I have nothing, absolutely nothing against anyone who's homosexual. If that's their orientation, then I accept that. And I have no problem with someone who has other orientations.

- Rick Santorum

Other, Absolutely Nothing, Homosexual

Marriage is an institution that existed before governments existed. It's something that reflects nature and reflects God and God's will for us. And both from the standpoint of faith and reason it makes all the sense in the world. And it's beneficial for society.

- Rick Santorum

Nature, Reason, Before, Standpoint

My feeling is that the judge has a responsibility to the Constitution first, precedent second. Precedent is one factor. It is not the only factor. If it was the only factor, then, you know, we wouldn't have had Roe vs. Wade. We wouldn't have had Griswold. We wouldn't have had Lawrence. We wouldn't have had all these cases which the Left love.

- Rick Santorum

Love, Constitution, Roe, Factor

Every society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because society is based on one thing: that society is based on the future of the society. And that's what? Children. Monogamous relationships.

- Rick Santorum

Woman, One Thing, Based, Upheld

It's very interesting, if you look at a study that was done by the Brookings Institute back in 2009, they determined that if Americans do three things, they can avoid poverty. Three things. Work, graduate from high school, and get married before you have children.

- Rick Santorum

Graduation, Study, Very, Get Married

The problem is neutrality ends in poverty, neutrality ends in choices that hurt people's lives. This administration is deliberately telling organizations that are there to help young girls make good choices, not to tell them what the good choice is. That is absolutely unconscionable.

- Rick Santorum

Young, Tell, Telling, This Administration

I love it when the left and when the president say, 'Don't try to impose your values on us, you folks who hold your Bibles in your hand and cling to your guns.' They have values too. Our values are based on religion, based on life. Their values are based on a religion of self.

- Rick Santorum

Love, Values, Guns, Cling

There are certain skills that business people have that are - that are, in fact, helpful in - when it comes to being in political leadership.

- Rick Santorum

Business, Political, Fact, Business People

Look at the political base of the Democratic Party: It is single mothers who run a household. Why? Because it's so tough economically that they look to the government for help and therefore they're going to vote.

- Rick Santorum

Why, Going, Democratic Party, Base

President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college. What a snob.

- Rick Santorum

College, Everybody, Once, Snob

The president of the United States is a commander-in-chief, and the president of the United States, you know, executes the laws and tries to motivate the American public to make changes that are necessary. It's not necessarily a CEO type of position.

- Rick Santorum

Laws, United States, Tries, Commander-In-Chief

The government has convinced parents that at some point it's no longer their responsibility. And in fact, they force them, in many respects, to turn their children over to the public education system and wrest control from them and block them out of participation of that. That has to change or education will not improve in this country.

- Rick Santorum

Country, Some, Participation, Respects

NASCAR and the Daytona 500 are about as American as you can get.

- Rick Santorum

Get, NASCAR, About, Daytona

People of faith, people of no faith, people of different faith, that's what America is all about; it's bringing that diversity into and challenge of the different ideas that motivate people in our country. That's what makes America work.

- Rick Santorum

Work, Country, About, Different Ideas

Candidly, I believe most corporations actually don't mind big government.

- Rick Santorum

Mind, Most, Actually, Corporations

The idea is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' wants and passions. I disagree with that. I think we absolutely have rights because there are consequences to letting people live out whatever wants or passions they desire.

- Rick Santorum

Desire, Think, I Think, Passions

What makes America great was a government that was founded to be limited to doing one thing. I really believe the whole purpose of America, the aspirational value - why everybody who wants to come to this country wants to come here - was because we respected the dignity of every living person.

- Rick Santorum

Doing, Country, Here, Respected

I'll never forget the first time I saw someone who had died. It was my grandfather. And I knelt next to his coffin. And all I could do was eye level was look at his hands. They were enormous hands. And all I could think was, 'Those hands dug freedom for me.'

- Rick Santorum

Hands, Next, Had, Coffin

We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. And that's why most Americans are saying, 'Look, let's just be honest. Let's have lower rates, but everybody pays them.'

- Rick Santorum

Why, Everybody, Had, Shelters

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