Ana Marie Cox writes: "Most politicians, like most people, don't meddle in others' sex lives because that'd be creepy. Santorum is not like most people."
Republican Rick Santorum speaks in Northfield, NH, Jan. 5, 2012. (photo: Elise Amendola/AP)
Why Is Rick Santorum Obsessed With Your Sex Life?
21 February 12
Most politicians, like most people, don't meddle in others' sex lives because that'd be creepy. Santorum is not like most people
nstead of writing this column, I should just be able to turn in a picture of the witness table at Thursday's congressional hearing (convened by showy California Republican Representative Darrell Issa) on Obama's birth control policy: five middle-aged men. When Democrats tried to put a female college student on the witness list, Issa rejected the appeal, saying:
"As the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception, but instead about the administration's actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience, he believes that Ms Fluke is not an appropriate witness."
I watched an hour or so of the hearing and I'll give Issa partial credit: the hearing was definitely about the administration, and it was definitely not about reproductive rights. It was about the opposite of reproductive rights.
Republican congressmen used their time on the C-Span stage to rail against the administration supposedly overstepping its bounds, a weird formulation when you consider that providing birth control is a way of offering people more choices, more freedom. There was a lot of hand-wringing about Obama's lack of respect for the first amendment, a topic guaranteed to generate so much echo-chamber energy that it propelled some representatives to eyebrow-raising rhetorical excess. Rep Trey Gowdy (Republican, South Carolina), veering off the whole "religious freedom" script, questioned government involvement in birth control access on any level: "What," he sputtered, "is the compelling state interest in providing free contraception?"
Gowdy's opposition to abortion suggests a starting point! He's actually on record advocating how "we" should "educate women on preventing pregnancies", but I guess he hasn't considered that there are options on that score beyond not having sex.
Which brings us to sex. Observing the debate (generously defined) over Obama's proposed policy - which, at this point, doesn't require religious institutions to pay for birth control, but apparently, the argument rages on! - one gets the sense that the men talking about the ideals of religious freedom, and supposed anti-religious bias, want to stick to that topic because to engage with the real-world facts about birth control would mean talking about, you know, down there. This is uncomfortable-making for politicians and voters alike.
Aside from Fox News anchors, politics is a weirdly desexualized sphere; in the public imagination, Mitt Romney's resemblance to a Ken doll probably extends further than his bland good looks. We would just as soon not think about politicians having sex. And we'd prefer that they not think about us having sex either.
Here is where I have to give Rick Santorum a perverse (indeed) sort of credit. Unlike a vast majority of those running for office, he is totally OK with going there, penis-in-various-holes-wise. I suspect that it's his apparent comfort with explicitly raising the idea of sex, as much as his out-of-kilter views on it, that rankles all but the most extreme social conservatives. To go from the hypothetical legalization of homosexual marriage to bestiality, you have to have at least given passing thought to the physical act of gay sex.
Santorum's more recent comments relating to birth control specifically betray a similar kink. Last October, he explained why he thinks contraception is "not OK" in terms far removed from the lofty constitutional arguments of the Issa panel. Birth control, Santorum argued, is "a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be". To even have that opinion, Santorum has to have given thought to which sex acts are outside "how things are supposed to be". I dare say Rick Santorum has a richer fantasy life than most.
And right on cue, here is a message about goings-on involving aspirin down there from Santorum's sponsor, Foster Friess:
It's Santorum's internal Penthouse Forum that skeeves people out; even Newt Gingrich, who is the only candidate who has admitted to have done sex that's "not supposed to be", seems to regard Santorum's views on gender issues as inappropriately focused on physical differences. This week, responding to Santorum's insistence that, "naturally", women would be a distraction in combat, Gingrich said, "I just think that Rick completely misunderstands the nature of modern warfare."
But the discomfort about sexuality shared by politicians and their constituents has radically different implications for government policies having to do with sex - at least, when it comes to conservatives. Liberal politicians who believe in the right to gay marriage and free access to birth control are in the mainstream (since 2010, polls have repeatedly shown a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage; while a poll this week showed that very nearly two thirds of people support health insurance coverage of birth control).
When a conservative politician decides he doesn't want to think about people having sex, he (and it is usually "he") lends support to policies that suggest you shouldn't have it.
But when a typical American decides he doesn't want to think about people having sex, he or she just doesn't want to watch.
|
THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community. |
 22 May 2012
|
 21 May 2012
|
 21 May 2012
|
 21 May 2012
|
 21 May 2012
|
 23 May 2012
|
 22 May 2012
|
 23 May 2012
|
 22 May 2012
|
Comments
We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.
General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.
Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.
- The RSN Team
There may as well be only 1 Commandment instead of 10. The Right Wing is not alone in this false morality. Watch MSNBC or read the Left Wing blogs blather excitedly about any Republican misconduct in the sexual arena. To justify this as indicting the Republicans for hypocracy is just as hypocritical. Report it, if you must; better yet, just ignore it.
This does not excuse sexual activity such as child pornography, rape, and any other actions that physically or emotionally harm others; with or without consent.
I would much rather discuss why aren't we, the richest nation, not teaching the poor to fish. Instead, the Republicans, with Democratic acquiescence take away the fish, and ask the poor to pay to learn how to fish. Jesus, Buddah, Moses, Mohammend and any other Religious icon would condemn such an act. For the religions that believe in Hell, creating a no win scenario that keeps them in poverty is certainly a one way ticket to Hell. Consensual sex with someone other than your spouse is a ticket to Divorce Court. Preventing pregnancy and aborting a fetus is only a sin to those that believe it a sin, and they should leave the rest of us alone. And let me have sex with whomever I want and marry whomever I want.
I think this issue of abortion, contraception and gay marriage is very simple: do unto others what you would have others do unto you". i.e. it is the individual's choice. Very simple, but the religious right are not real good examples of the faithful following their own precepts of faith! IMO, if it is not hurting other people, then let it slide.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Buddhism can be summed up in one sentence, as well. "Never harm anyone".
Christian and Catholic fundamentalists ,
Santorum, et al, are using a platform which is antithetical to the OT, NT, Buddhism and the teachings of Christ.
The candidates are using anachronistic details contradictory to the true meaning of theological and spiritual ideas, which promote love, compassion and charity.
I belong to the Church that Murders Adulterers. Unfortunately, our Murder Clinic Temples are only open to those that belong to our faith, so If you mess around on your spouse you and your spouse must join our Church by attending services, then your spouse may murder you.
May the forgiving all powerful being bless you and your righteous spouse.
These devout followers of the wizard in the sky really believe this stuff, that is what is so scary, and they want to turn this country into the Christian Taliban. We cannot allow this to happen.
Keep repeating and exposing this small detail. Thank you.
A majority of women vote Democratic. By stepping back the legal rights that women have rightfully taken from the Oppressor class, they can revert the right to vote back to the "man of the house". The long game is Republican/Right Wing total political control. I say Oppressor Class because I believe, but cannot right now prove that the many of same people that believe in oppressing Blacks, Hispanics, and/or others also oppress women. A victory for this class against women will open the door to step back Civil Rights, especiall voting. Whoops! Never mind they already are.
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN!
Especially if there is woman you love. Especially if you are a woman.
Especially if you believe in modern Representataive Democracy.
men writing before the constitution was in existence or law protecting womens' rights. A rational person would assume that prohibitions based on culturally accepted ideas of that time would change over time. Contraception, abortion, pre-natal screening, did not even exist at the time.
GOD didn't write the bible. The bible was written by ordinary men totally unaware of the impact medical advances, science, technology, literature, & feminism would have on cultural morways & ideas about a woman's role in the world.
First Wave feminism gave women the right to vote. Second Wave feminism sent a majority of women into the work force, business, professions, factories. It gave them the self respect that comes with functioning as a full-fledged adult capable of making decisions about her own body and her life.
A misogynist, political opportunist who thinks he's going to take away a woman's right to control her body & destiny will go down in history as a man who brought on & was brought down by Third Wave feminism.
She's 84 years old, and believe me, she's just one of millions of Catholic Americans who might not have voted for Obama before this.
BUT THEY WILL NOW.
I agree with LiberalLibertar ian's comment: "It's only a sin if you believe it is," and ilenewells interjection that the 'devout followers of the wizard in the sky... want to turn this country into the Christian Taliban."
IT IS NOBODY'S BUSINESS if one uses birth control or not.
IT IS NOT THE RIGHT OF THE U.S. GOVT to tell the people of this country to abstain from using birth control.
NO RELIGIOUS FACTION, claiming that they 'are' the religion of the United States (i.e. Christianity) has ANY RIGHT to force their beliefs on any American citizen - period!
I want to know -- why and how -- so much religious doctrine has been allowed to get into politics?
One's sex life: whether they are gay or straight, whether or not they use birth control or not or believe in heaven or hell (or not) HAS NO PLACE IN POLITICS!
Until the bedrooms of America are placed on the front lawns of every abode, it's nobody business.
Left unreported, though, is the code that Santorum uses to tipoff his "Dominionist or Reconstructioni st" views when it comes to the environment. If you understand Rousas Rushdoony and his son-in-law, Gary North, you pick up on this agenda "between the lines." In effect, Rick Santorum is our first Reconstructioni st candidate for President. When this gets out in the open (Rachel Maddow are you listening?), and the so-called conservatives (even the authoritarians) figure out what the agenda is, his support will collapse.
I hope.
Then I sink back into the fetid reality of Donald Segretti, the 'patriotic' untruthiness of the Swift Boaters, false equivalency of SCOTUS simultaneous "free" and "corporate" speech, Rovarian division politics, and the Moral Majority, Tea Party or (How in hell DO or CAN you?) "Restore Our Future" ... what does that MEAN?
I guess superPACmen - Adelson, Friess, Simmons, the Koch Brothers and a few dozen other patrons - significantly influence virtually ALL of this ART of political propaganda. The "special" nature of their INTERESTS generally defines the direction, intensity and enthusiasm of their 'investments' in government. The impact of their voice does drown out the murmurs of those who OCCUPY the underclass.
Acceptance of this SURREALITY is problematic. It seems likely that righteous whores are not stupid. They know who they are screwing AND who is paying for it. They don't represent me and I have little respect for their 'pimps'. It is unlikely that ANY of them have a clue about "representative" democracy.
There is something "unnatural" about Rick's obsession about what goes on in other people's bedrooms.
What's going on here?
When repugs talk about "Freedom" of ANYTHING, they're just lying. That's all there is to it.
-Grover Norquist
I think their real intention is to DP women and sodomize men. Really, Grover et al just want to F, they don't care who or where. Its our job to make sure they only stick it where it can't harm us... Wrapped inside their own hands.
I mean, these four wannabe's -with the possible exception of Ron Paul (who is at least trying to stick to socio-political issues, a bit bent as they are in his case) are so lacking in substance and ideas that they have to try SOMETHING that will get the attention of the mostly disengaged-by-their-favorite-soaps-and-game-shows once every four year activists.
You have to ask his handlers but inevitably as DaveM mentions, these God-botherers who wear their religion on their sleeves for daws to peck on, are usually the ones caught with their hands in the choir-boy's knicker or y'r equivalent of choice.
Ask Newt (I know, know, Democrats done-done it too but I'm talking about what the Scottish call the "Kirky Folk", overwhelmingly Repug' over here).
and in the closet...like many 'Christians' who don't have the courage to face it!
Of course, if you don't like it you can tune out and watch the guns, guns, guns.
"Rick Santorum is a nice smiley fanatic. He does not believe in evolution or global warming or women in the workplace. He equates gay sex with bestiality (Rick 'Man on Dog' Santorum).
He equates contraception with the guillotine. Only a brain-dead party could think him a worthy presidential candidate. . . He is presented by television pundits as a model Catholic. Torquemada was, in that sense a model Catholic. What we are seeing is not a defense of undying principle but a stampede toward a temporarily exploitable lunacy."
Fact of life - none of us would be on RSN if two people somewhere at sometime didn't have SEX!! It is way past time for the senile old men in DC to move on - we have been down this same road way too many times!! and to exclude women from the discussion is a totally patriarchal, arrogant attitude!!
Women are a distraction to men even when men are having sex with a woman! Most men want to have sex with an ILLUSION instead of a woman, and any reality at all takes away from their pornification of force fantasy, whether it is the real violence of war or the fantasied violence of a sex "war" on women.
I suggest we now start to tax all religions unless they do substantial benefit for all of the public, like hospitals that accept all without any faith biased restrictions whatsoever, that includes providing abortion on demand and contraception etc etc etc despite that religious organization's beliefs. If they insist on maintaining and holding onto their belief's then hit them hard with taxation. This is for the good of the people, not for the good of the clergy/church. The people shouldn't fear the clergy, the clergy should fear the people. Apply this to politicians and the private sector as well...
If you Vote GOP/TP - we will be back in the 14th century with women bare-foot and pregnant and "you know the story"
Vote Dem and hope a 3rd party of 99%ers emerges in the next 4 years while the Citizens' United along with Supreme Court justices Scalia/Thomas go to jail or wherever those "good folks" go.
Don't vote GOP/TP or we fall with into the hell described by the circus of Republican candidates (none need or know of people who need jobs and a life)
RSS feed for comments to this post.