Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum made some interesting comments during a Town Hall Meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa, Friday, November 18<sup>th</sup>. Santorum believes low-income Americans get too much government assistance and the solution to this crime of poverty is to suffer in the "Christian tradition."
Say What?
"If you're lower-income, you can qualify for Medicaid, you can qualify for food stamps, you can qualify for housing assistance." Santorum continued to say that suffering was "a part of life," "essential," "good for everyone," and most important, "the Christian tradition."
Yes, the young Republican that has provided much of Saturday Night's material since he entered the race believes that a person getting help with the basic necessities of life—food, housing, and medical care—is getting too much and needs to suffer more. 
This does back up his stance on taxes only going up for the middle class. After all, less money to fund social programs and help the needy would put more money into the pockets of the corporations funding his and his fellow candidates' own pockets.
Rick Grew Up in Subsidized Housing
The comment Santorum makes about housing assistance is interesting. Santorum grew up with his parents in Veterans housing, for employees that worked at the hospital. This housing was labeled subsidized because it was provided through the government or a non-profit organization. This benefit provided through his parents' employer and the government was just that, a benefit provided to his family that allowed his father to complete his education and helped his parents better provide for him.
So what is wrong with helping people who need it with basic necessities; is that not also a Christian tradition?
©Christine M. Dantz
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Comments: 24
Odd. Many 'Christians' seem unaware of this tradition.
It is impossible for the government to be in the charity business. The government can only give away money that they have taken from someone else. And that is not charity. If an individual does this it is called stealing.
Government aid started in the first place because private charities, whether church or secular, couldn't cope with the demand during the Great Depression. For the past two years, our local food banks have seen an uptick in the number of people needing aid; some of these new clients used to be donors.
Charles Koch to Friedrich Hayek: Use Social Security!
BTW: Most food stamp recepients are employed, which means they pay payroll taxes. They're not exempt from sales/gas/energy taxes either.
PS. Every administration has some official with tax trouble; it's not unique to 'liberals'. I suggest you stop watching Faux News.
"Every administration has some official with tax trouble" - Even if that were true does that makes it ok to be for tax increases and accept Bush's tax cuts and evade taxes? I don't understand your point.
BTW, Fox news is often too liberal for my liking.
And maybe it true that both parties have officials that have tax troubles but shouldn't liberals who are for tax increases and against Bush's tax cuts error on the side of giving too much too the government?
And it's 'err on the side' not 'error'.
I see I have made quite a few spelling errors in my comments.
Sorry for boring you with the facts. I realize fiction is often more acceptable than the truth.