Written by Juliana Simone

National Harbor, MD – Republican Presidential candidate 2012 and former veteran Pennsylvania Senator and Congressman Rick Santorum addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday. The articulate legislator who often uses spiritual and historic references in his well-versed speeches told his fellow conservatives “he who has a why to live for can bear almost how.”

Speaking about lower income Americans who are suffering today, he asked if they were worse off than those of the same status one hundred to two hundred years ago. He recognized the old adage without one’s health you’re nothing, but pointed out that healthy or not people on this tier are far better off today than centuries ago due to government assistance and modern advancements.

Regardless, Santorum told the room on culture leadership has robbed them of the why today. He asked, “What is the why of America? What is the American dream?” He told patrons we’re not about ethnicity and we’re all hyphenated in terms of our lineage – Italian-American; Irish-American; African-American. The conservative former Senator surmised it is the Declaration of Independence that brought us together and gave America our soul – “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

He continued observing that God is mentioned four times in the Declaration of Independence and noted we are the only country in the world whose government was not formed from a sovereign, a King or a legislature. Santorum said in essence, America is a moral enterprise and focused on the human dignity of every person.

Talking about the Democrat Party, the expert law maker noticed the left can always provide “more stuff” through government programs that are paid for with someone else’s money. He said with concern if all we do is offer people a way to get more stuff than we lose and that to gain sometimes meanings losing soul.

“President Obama says he wants to transform America,” Santorum proclaimed. He sneered “leave it to Obama to see himself in such a grandiose way…But, America’s been transforming itself for hundreds of years…he just wants to close the deal.”

Going back into history, Rick Santorum spoke about the French Revolution which followed the American Revolution and how French officer Lafayette wanted to mirror our Forefathers vision for his own country carrying two picture frames with him – one with the Declaration of Independence and one empty with the hope to hold a similar document that would leave something great for the future of France. Lafayette died with the frame empty. Why? Because the French Revolution, though it sounded like us, was not… They replaced a sovereign King with a sovereign mob, Santorum explained, which led to the guillotine and Bonaparte.

The principled conservative leader went on to say that a society that is Godless is without faith – specifically anti-cleric/anti-God – they then believe the Government is the one who cares for us. “This is the President’s New Deal!” Santorum declared. “Give us more power and we’ll take care of you.”

Santorum asks his fellow conservatives how to make a difference. He said he’s done his part. (cheers) He talks about starting his organization “Patriots Voices” and about the film he’ll be presenting to attendees later that day at the convention.

He asked listeners how did we win? How did we win the American Revolution? Because we had bigger guns? Better uniforms? No, because we had the passion. He said the left lives every day to transform us. Talking about Americans today, Santorum said we go about everyday living our lives. We don’t have the passion they do (the left).

“The Founders said the greatest threat to freedom was time,” the Republican Presidential candidate reminded supporters. Their greatest fear was we would lose that revolutionary fervor –  that passion for truth. Senator Santorum said he was out today with his wife Karen because they’re not going to let that happen.

“Don’t look to Washington D.C. to solve this problem. I served sixteen years in the Congress – and there are very few leaders and lots of followers…you’ll be disappointed. The answer is here.” Quoting English author G.K. Chesterton, Santorum asked “what’s wrong with the world? I am.” “We’re part of the problem,” he surmised, urging followers to rededicate themselves to our churches, families, communities and schools.

He told convention goers we have to help those who need it; they don’t want government money – they want your money; not because they want your cash – but because they want what comes with it…your caring.

He pontificated on what’s hailed as America’s ‘greatest generation’ and wondered how this could be for a variety of reasons in terms of argument when for one example people watched Britain get bombed during World War II and just hoped things would get better…

In closing, Rick Santorum asked people to join him on “Patriot Voices” and to text or email him. He asked people to commit themselves to being the next great generation and WE will be the ones who saved America and preserved the next great hope for the world.