Blue Collar Conservatives Recommitting to an America That Works

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· 60 ratings · 14 reviews

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This books details why our nation is in the state that we are in. This book and it's contents are so important to make way for change. This information pertains to over 70% of our nations population and deserves to be read and discussed. Many people have negative thoughts about today's politicians because many of us feel they don't care about us. They should right? Since they do work for us, we elected them to be our voices.Mr. Santorum proves he does care and wants to make a difference and he k This books details why our nation is in the state that we are in. This book and it's contents are so important to make way for change. This information pertains to over 70% of our nations population and deserves to be read and discussed. Many people have negative thoughts about today's politicians because many of us feel they don't care about us. They should right? Since they do work for us, we elected them to be our voices.Mr. Santorum proves he does care and wants to make a difference and he knows how to. Please take some time to read this . When it comes to the next presidential elections, you will be making an educated vote. Thank you. ...more

In a bold move Senator Rick Santorum takes the reins of the Republican Party's Stigma identity and serves up a New Direction that GOP leaders across the Nation must embrace or continue to hail nothing but continued failed elections on the National level.
The title of the book and content are not what's expected. The meat drives home the failings of allowing the Democrat Party to control and shape the economic policies that drives the lives of all those who WORK for a living.
Senator Rick Santorum In a bold move Senator Rick Santorum takes the reins of the Republican Party's Stigma identity and serves up a New Direction that GOP leaders across the Nation must embrace or continue to hail nothing but continued failed elections on the National level.
The title of the book and content are not what's expected. The meat drives home the failings of allowing the Democrat Party to control and shape the economic policies that drives the lives of all those who WORK for a living.
Senator Rick Santorum appears to be on a mission to actually do something that has never been done. Rebrand, Restore, Recalculate the minds of those that already hold office and prepare to hold office.
After reading Blue Collar Conservatives I believe that Senator Santorum fully embraces the full spectrum of All Americans at every income level without thinking less of or condemning the poor and without simply celebrating the wealth of the privileged. It is more of a love of all Americans and a desire to bridge and unite a country that has been greatly divided by class warfare.
Val sommerville
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Feb 01, 2015 Tony rated it it was ok

It's always difficult to give an opinion about Rick Santorum. All my life I've been a Republican, though the last few years have shifted me to the Libertarian-wing of the party. But growing up in Pennsylvania, I was always proud that Rick Santorum was my senator. The problem is that his view of government and mine no longer align like they once did.

Here's the thing about Rick Santorum: when it comes to diagnosing what's wrong with our country and our culture, he's right. Pretty much every proble

Here's the thing about Rick Santorum: when it comes to diagnosing what's wrong with our country and our culture, he's right. Pretty much every problem can be traced back to the crumbling family unit. While I see this as a cultural issue to be fought, Santorum would argue there is room for government to fix things. In his previous book, "It Takes a Family", Santorum stressed that the government just needs to not make things worse for families and to stop creating dependency. He does that again in this book, but instead of simply repealing bad laws, he looks to create new ones. Instead of implementing a flat tax where everyone pays the same rate and there are no deductions, he wants to tailor the tax code to favor families.

Even as I continue to become more Libertarian, there will always be a struggle for me when it comes to Rick Santorum. I still think he's right about a lot of things, but expects too much from government. This book touched on it a little, but being under 200 pages (with pretty large font) the details were a little skimpy.

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Apr 16, 2014 Cari rated it it was amazing

Blue Collar Conservatives is the game plan I've been waiting to see. The Republican party would do well to read Senator Santorum's simple yet promising ideas to save our country, one blue collar conservative at a time.
Don't be surprised, though, when you see that this is much more than a book about middle income jobs. Senator Santorum eloquently explains how family is our first economy, and "family makes us stronger."
He details why the social programs of today are harming, not helping, struggl Blue Collar Conservatives is the game plan I've been waiting to see. The Republican party would do well to read Senator Santorum's simple yet promising ideas to save our country, one blue collar conservative at a time.
Don't be surprised, though, when you see that this is much more than a book about middle income jobs. Senator Santorum eloquently explains how family is our first economy, and "family makes us stronger."
He details why the social programs of today are harming, not helping, struggling families and why the Affordable Care Act is not the answer to health care woes. For those who don't know, Senator Santorum was responsible for initiating the first health savings account bill, so he speaks with authority.
Blue Collar Conservatives is the game plan I've longed for, so I want to say "Game on!" ...more

Like many people who have an interest in politics and especially those politics that are somewhat right of center [1], I had certain ideas about this author from his unsuccessful campaign in 2012. Despite my dislike of much of the press and the way that it distorts the picture of political candidates, I must admit that my impression of the author was not initially positive. Upon reading this book, though, I have to say that my impression changed a great deal. I found the author to be particul Like many people who have an interest in politics and especially those politics that are somewhat right of center [1], I had certain ideas about this author from his unsuccessful campaign in 2012. Despite my dislike of much of the press and the way that it distorts the picture of political candidates, I must admit that my impression of the author was not initially positive. Upon reading this book, though, I have to say that my impression changed a great deal. I found the author to be particularly relatable and not someone all that much unlike myself--he was deeply concerned with the well-being of working families and has a political worldview not unlike my own. Also, whoever ghost wrote this book with him (unless he wrote it himself) did a great job at giving him a favorable voice and allowing him to be both gracious and score a few political points. Sometimes you have to cut out the middleman of how the media biases one against candidates and read what they have to say for themselves. This book is certainly appealing for one whose political views are similar to myself in being deeply concerned about government inefficiency and a high moral tone as well as intact families and a chance for honest and decent people to earn a good living.

This roughly 200 page book, which reads extremely quickly, is divided into eleven chapters (after its introduction) that give a solid platform for the GOP even if they have not yet done much for the author's own political career. The author begins by introducing his target audience, conservatives of modest means and educational levels, what he calls "blue collar conservatives," and what in an earlier generation would have been Reagan Democrats and independents. He then discusses the need to restore the American dream for workers, appeals for a GOP that stands up for everyone, points out how recent administrations of both parties have ended up putting more holes in the boats of poorer Americans, and appeals for a renewal of the pursuit of happiness for all. The author goes after the inability of government to read bedtime stories, provides a thoughtful and reasonable (and straightforward) plan for health care reform to replace Obamacare, gives some ideas to innovate and personalize education, and discusses some policy moves that could give American workers a fighting chance in the face of global competition. The book ends with an optimistic appeal to raise hope instead of taxes and shows an optimism in America's future despite our present political and cultural crisis--the sort of book one would expect any political hopeful to present.

I'm not sure what the future holds for Rick Santorum. I don't know if he will ever hold high elective or appointive office ever again. I don't know how well read this book was. What I do know is that this book hits all the notes you would expect from someone who is a similar type of conservative to myself, and someone who deserves a kinder fate than oblivion and obscurity. Regardless of whether it serves to benefit the author practically, this book is important not least because it provided a textbook for Trump's successful campaign in 2016. The people that Trump won over to his campaign that provided the difference, a difference that was not captured in many polls, were precisely the rural and blue collar conservatives that Santorum is writing and appealing to here. I am not sure to what extent that was plan and to what extent it was coincidence, but regardless, it is something that draws my own attention personally and something that ought to be a matter of reflection for other people who are interested in politics. Any time someone makes a reasonable appeal and develops rapport with a reader to the extent that this book does, especially when that book ends up showing the decisive element of a political campaign, that book certainly deserves my own attention.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

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There's no question but that Republicans need to broad the party base. Libertarians and the Party establishment have offered their solutions. In Blue Conservatives, Rick Santorum takes his turn at bat.

Santorum says that the reason why Mitt Romney failed to defeat Barack Obama was that he failed to connect with working Americans, and failed to speak to him. Santorum takes Romney to task for his infamous "47% remark" pointing out that many of the 47% who don't pay taxes and are receiving benefits

However, the book is not an attempt to clobber remain and Santorum takes pains to praise Romney's character, his work on behalf of poor peopl, and his personal philanthropy and contrasts that with the legendary stingy ways of Joe Biden. Santorum is clear that while Romney's campaign failed to connect with working people, it's less something unique about Romney and more an endemic of the Republican Party which tailors its message to job creators while ignoring job holders.

Santorum is not opposed to entrepreneurs but makes the point that even if the GOP won the vote every business owner in the country, it would still lose the election. Santorum believes that the key to GOP success is addressing the concerns of people in rural and former industrial areas that have been left behind by globalization and the great recession. He personifies this type of voter in an Illinois family called the Harrisons, a composite of various people he met on the campaign trail.

Santorum's solutions are a good mix of conservative ideas. There aren't many extremely original ones, but some very powerful policy solutions. He focuses on fracking as a way to revive economically struggling areas and create blue collar jobs, he calls for education that is locally run and focuses on local needs, and is bold enough to say that all education shouldn't be focused on getting students ready for college as college isn't for everyone with 70% of Americans not having a Bachelor's Degree.

Santorum will certainly rankle some libertarians as he declares his support for social safety net programs (and many constitutionalists will be bothered by his use of "general welfare" in the preamble to justify welfare spending), but with work requirements for able bodied workers. He takes strong issue with President Obama's shredding of work requirements for welfare.

More than anything else, Santorum's b0ok invariably focuses on the family, not as a matter of a self-righteous religious crusade (as the left and many libertarians would have it) but as a necessity for a strong economy. He uses statistics to show the need for marriage and stable families is essential to the nation's future. Santorum is not foolish or naïve enough to believe government can fix the decline of the family but suggests some common sense changes that would help such as eliminating the marriage penalty as well perverse disincentives to marriage wrought by government programs.

The book remains focused on one issue at a time until the second to last Chapter which practically a requirement of the "Potential Presidential Candidate" book which he addresses a plethora of issues, seemingly because a potential candidate should address them (whether they go with the theme of the book or not.) Perhaps the most interesting tidbit is Santorum's praise for the Fair Tax, albeit he stops short of endorsing the plan to scrap the income and payroll taxes and replace it with a 23% Sales Tax. Saying that it was a good place to start a conversation about tax reform.

Overall, Blue Collar Conservatives is a good and worthwhile read even if it's not a prelude to its authors next presidential campaign. It doesn't call for conservatives to abandon principles to win elections but rather to apply conservative principles to the problems and challenges of working Americans in order to make a better country and broaden the Republican base.

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restructure relationship between Fed and people, stayed home no vote, rights from God not state, we the family, bailouts subsidies cronyism, most everyone sees self as middle class, Obama envy resentment fear, education and parent help single parents, appeal to workers big tent republicans, the rich to poor gap has greatly increased, unemployment benefits at 99 worst help as history proves 27 weeks to re-employment when benefits for 26 at 99 less likely to be re-employed, the rich and npr, HS gr restructure relationship between Fed and people, stayed home no vote, rights from God not state, we the family, bailouts subsidies cronyism, most everyone sees self as middle class, Obama envy resentment fear, education and parent help single parents, appeal to workers big tent republicans, the rich to poor gap has greatly increased, unemployment benefits at 99 worst help as history proves 27 weeks to re-employment when benefits for 26 at 99 less likely to be re-employed, the rich and npr, HS grad job marriage before children is best way to avoid poverty, welfare now discourages marriage and promotes an unaccountable with no incentive govt to fill space, Britain reforms to similar dilemma, Obama promoted same sex marriage ahead of the black family and black single mom, strengthen family vs replacing with govt of inefficiencies and corruption prone, good kids vs culture of relative truth, not assembly line education as common core, parents are customers of schools and parents responsible, collective bargain schools perform worse, break monopoly of education and unions, multiple tax layers heavy corporate, 20% burden in US vs offshore before labor factor, poorest age 18-30, welfare work requirement dropped, fraudulent claims, cut fat not meat, increase tax deduct for children, do something good stand up for right, get involved what are schools doing what books, be faithful virtuous local help. ...more

Jul 19, 2014 Jake rated it it was amazing

"The family is the first economy," says Santorum in this book, and he could not be more right.
Despite cultural slide, expanding government intrusion, and and economic shifting to a sort of service-based, connection-oriented technocracy, certain pillars still provide the foundation for our society and constitute the cornerstones of our freedom: faith, family, work, and the protection of our God-given liberties. I was already a fan of Santorum because of his promotion of these things, but the clea "The family is the first economy," says Santorum in this book, and he could not be more right.
Despite cultural slide, expanding government intrusion, and and economic shifting to a sort of service-based, connection-oriented technocracy, certain pillars still provide the foundation for our society and constitute the cornerstones of our freedom: faith, family, work, and the protection of our God-given liberties. I was already a fan of Santorum because of his promotion of these things, but the clearly-explained ideals in this book proved to me that this man understands what is important and is worthy of election. If American families are not protected and intact, the consequences will be devastating for our future.
Since I became a husband and father, the American Dream came into sharp focus. The people realizing their own dreams is what made this country. It is our secret to happiness. I firmly hope conservative leaders wake up and follow Santorum's ideas to a platform worthy of the American spirit. After the last couple of decades of the political class ruining things, we need it more than ever. ...more

Jun 13, 2017 Ezra rated it really liked it

Santorum believes the family is the core unit of society not the individual. That has interesting implications such as what does that mean where there are so many divorces, single parents, and "failures to launch"? Making policy decisions based on that are also interesting.

I can definitely see evidence that supports Santorum's story that Trump based his campaign on ideas from this book. Certainly he sought the votes of those in the rust belt, jobs for everyone, gut the government, repeal Obamaca

The examples have that right homey feel politicians are so good at relaying. I found myself frustrated with the prescriptions, but I agree with the problems.

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A solid work which gives Santorum's views on a variety of issues. He doesn't get too deep, but shows how his ideas are different than Obama's and others. He is a pro-life Catholic conservative. I like that he mentioned the Fair tax and raising the retirement age. Nice to hear some of his tales from his campaign and learn more about his family and history.

Excellent. Clearly written and to the point with common sense approach to our situations.

Good treatise. Whether he can work within the Republican Party to advance conservative values is still up in the air. I like him more after reading this.

Insightful book that is very relevant to the current political era. It presages the election of Donald Trump and provides an understanding of the political currents that shaped his election.

American Republican Party politician. He served as a United States Senator representing Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, and was a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination. On April 10, 2012 Santorum announced the end of his presidential bid.

Santorum holds socially conservative positions, including opposition to same-sex marriage and birth control.

In the Senate, he voted for

Santorum holds socially conservative positions, including opposition to same-sex marriage and birth control.

In the Senate, he voted for tax cuts and a balanced budget amendment, supported the use of earmarks, and played a leading role in enacting welfare reform.

He also voted for spending programs for education and transportation such as No Child Left Behind and funding for Amtrak, which he later disavowed.

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