Family Plan

Sen Rick Santorum (R-PA) has likely handed ammunition to his enemies with his new book, It Takes a Family. The title is an obvious rip on Sen Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) book It Takes a Village. Sen Santorum talks about his beliefs in such detail, Democrats see the book as instant and detailed opposition research -- and a chance to show how far out of mainstream America's beliefs the Senator sits.

Some of his views, as excerpted by the Philadelphia Inquirer:

On unmarried couples living together: "Despite all the evidence, as a society today we will go to almost any length to avoid telling ourselves, and others, the truth: marriage is better than living together. Too few of us dare say living together without the benefit of marriage is wrong."

On working mothers: "Many women have told me, and surveys have shown, that they find it easier, more 'professionally' gratifying, and certainly more socially affirming, to work outside the home than to give up their careers to take care of their children.... Here, we can thank the influence of radical feminism, one of the core philosophies of the village elders."

On home-schooling his children: "We liked the idea so much that we have some of our children enrolled in some of these public cyberschools - until the increasingly uncivil world of partisan politics extended its venom into our home and into our children's education."

On "powerful forces" shaping our society: "When I hear that catchphrase of the liberals, 'It takes a village to raise a child,' I hear... . Top-down, elitist prescriptions imposed by those who believe they are the postmodern kings of the masses - particularly of the supposedly ill-informed 'peasants' of red-state America."

On abortion: Abortion puts the liberty and happiness rights of the mother before the life rights of her child....

The book comes out as Sen Santorum is up for re-election. (Philadelphia Inquirer)