Rick Santorum: Contraception 'Should Be Available' Unless Religious Organizations Object

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said on Wednesday that, despite his personal opposition to contraception, he wouldn't work to limit its accessibility if elected president.

"How do I feel about the issue of contraception? It should be available,” Santorum said during an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan. "I object to [it] when the federal government says that religious organizations who feel the way the Catholic Church feels should be required to provide it. I think that's an infringement upon their religious liberties."

Santorum has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Obama administration's decision to require religious institutions to cover birth control as part of their employee health insurance plans, but on Wednesday he said his congressional voting record showed a general support for contraception.

"If you look at my voting record, I have a voting record that supports ... funding for contraception, both domestically, as well as internationally,” Santorum continued, according to a transcript from NewsMax. "And I would not support any law that would put any restrictions on that."

As a Pennsylvania senator, Santorum did vote to support Title X, a federal program that funds family planning and related preventive health services, but his website now includes a number of executive actions he would take to pare back the program. In October, he also spoke on the "dangers of contraception in this country," and in the past has also called it "harmful to women."

Santorum has instead explained that he believes states should have the right to ban things such as birth control and sodomy without the Supreme Court interfering, though he's said he doesn't personally agree with past attempts to do so.

Santorum also spoke about the recent death of singer and actress Whitney Houston on Wednesday, appearing to suggest that the untimely death of celebrities was indicative of the negative influence some of them had on society.

"You see in a sense the royalty of America setting such a poor example," Santorum said. "And being troubled by these things, then obviously it's going to have a downstream effect, and a very harmful downstream effect."

WATCH via CNN:

 

 

Comments

[truly moderate]

08:07 PM on 02/17/2012

Sometimes, I think the liberals in here are so anti religious, they don't consider what religious freedom really means.

Also, I say this as someone that also supports gay marriage so before you case stones, UNDERSTAND what I'm really saying here.

Conservatives bash gays and liberals bash Christians. Each thinks of their organization in a "special needs" kind of way. Meanwhile the general will and totality of rights is left flounder.

[serdelp]

11:45 AM on 02/19/2012

I'm all for religious freedom, it's when this freedom it's rammed down everyone's throat that I find it objectionable. It isn't so much as anti religion, now we have republican candidates jumping on the religious ban wagon to appeal to their base. To actually be talking about contraceptives in the 21st century is absurd and a total waste of time. The republicans are also treading on dangerous territory here. Women will be running for the hills and as far as they can get away from such extreme religious biased views. Imagine saying that you will give states the right to ban contraceptives in this day and age. Does he not realize that women take contraceptives for various reasons not just to prevent an unwanted birth. I guess that's because Santorum is still living with antiquated beliefs,he is still carrying from the 1950's

[zoebear]

01:00 PM on 02/17/2012

"I think that's an infringement upon their religious liberties."

Okay. Then the religious organizations can put their money where their religious "freedoms" are and give the tax payers their money back.

Makes the argument a bit more credible when religious organizations aren't benefiting from government subsidies while complaining about their "beliefs" being ignored, don't you think Ricky?

[Lawyer13]

06:08 AM on 02/17/2012

A view from across the pond : Mr. Rick sanctimonious Santorum, you are living in the DARK AGES, contraception should be available to any woman as a matter of CHOICE, it is not up to RELIGIOUS ORGANISATION or anyone else for that matter. It is a woman's RIGHT TO CHOSE. Religion should be kept OUT of politics.

[Veneita]

06:08 AM on 02/17/2012

He should let the dead rest in peace, perhaps her death is the result of the public's demands on her.

[garden1]

03:51 AM on 02/17/2012

You have to almost feel sorry for the GOP. Santorum is the GOPs "flavor of the month", prior to him there was Gingrich, then Cain, etc., etc., etc...They have all shot themselves in the foot. Santorum is no different (I hope). Common sense has been lost in Washington, leadership and knowing when to compromise -Dems and Repubs- has gone by the wayside, and the hosts of "my way or the highway" are trying to trample on everyone else. Let's hope we, as voters, will choose the least worst and then let Washington know that we expect leadership, not little children who take their ball and go home when they don't get their way.

[MarcDel]

03:19 AM on 02/17/2012

People like him have a bad downstream effect. It's interesting to me that he never mentions the role of men in contraception. I have to wonder if vasectomies were being discussed if he's be saying that there is a danger of contraception in this country. I think he and his old supporter Friess are very sexist on the matter.

[BPorter51]

02:53 AM on 02/17/2012

People of faith are free to practice their faith. Churches are tax-exempt and receive no government funds. However, religious institutions such as hospitals and universities do receive government funding and are required to follow Federal wage and hour, fair and safe labor standards; therefore, they should not be treated any differently than any other employer. No exceptions. It is not, and has never been about suppressing religious freedoms.

[jimme]

03:23 AM on 02/17/2012

It's nothing but an election time ploy by the Right, that's all.

[BloUrHausDown]

11:19 PM on 02/16/2012

An a employer and a Mormon, I object to paying for Christians to have more babies! Sorry Christian employees, no more baby insurance for you! Mormon employees, have all the babies you want! Hooray for employer rights and freedom of religion and always vote 1001 Tea Party!!!

[Debra Reece Simons]

10:56 PM on 02/16/2012

what a joke. Santorum feels to insist the catholic church provide birth control to those who choose birth control is an infringement on the religious freedom of the church, whereas I feel the sexual abuse of children is an infringement on freedoms, a far more dire crime.. debra reece simons, asheville,nc

[mcmutter]

09:47 PM on 02/16/2012

Little Rikki wants to take the US back ..... to a time in the 13th century ..... when women were more obedient ....

[zoebear]

01:07 PM on 02/17/2012

...and dropped like flies from pumping out all those babies.

F&F

[walkerhds]

02:32 PM on 02/17/2012

he's die-hard Catholic, it's not like he can divorce the old lady for a new model now the current one is worn out.

[dawn2dusk]

09:27 PM on 02/16/2012

back it up Santorum, back it up. He must be beginning to believe he's going to win given this slight attempt tp sckooch toward the "middle"

[Surgate]

09:02 PM on 02/16/2012

My question has to do with when the right to exercise religioun such as those connected to attendance in public schools, and the 'right' to exorcise religion --as manifested in curricula (evolution) or events (prayer) comes in conflict with the rights of those who dont hold those religious views. It seems to me that the courts have always over the past 75 years, sided with religion-free or religion neutral public programs.

I think Santorum and Gingrich are --unfortunately-- trying to reverse that.

[dmcblaine]

08:38 PM on 02/16/2012

Didn't Rick wife sues for 1/2 million buck on $18000 medical bills and was awarded $350,000 so much for medical Tort reform. Didn't his wife have a abortion so much for right of life this was posted by Vschwanki.on Yahoo 2-16-12

[Pieter Reyneke]

08:26 PM on 02/16/2012

Dear Pieter,
Thank you for your message about the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception ruling. This campaign is being built by the American people, and messages like yours will always help shape it.
We want to make sure you have the latest information regarding this decision.
President Obama’s announcement on the contraception ruling addresses concerns raised by religious leaders while still ensuring women can access free preventive care regardless of where they work. This decision changes nothing for women.
If a woman works for a religiously affiliated university or hospital that objects to providing contraception coverage, her insurance company – not her employer – will offer her free contraception. As always, no religious institution will have to provide contraception directly, while female employees will have access to free contraception if they so want it.
People of good will on both sides of the debate have fought to find a solution that works for everyone. The policy recently announced achieves that goal, protecting our Constitutional right of religious liberty while maintaining women’s access to free preventive care.
...... Letter is longer, limited space

Thank you again for your message.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Cutter
Deputy Campaign Manager
Obama for America

[zoebear]

01:10 PM on 02/17/2012

Thanks for sharing, Pieter!

#6 F&F

[throwcautiontothewind]

08:23 PM on 02/16/2012

The best contraceptive is having to hear Rick S. on the TV every night; if that doesn't give every woman a headache, I don't know what will.