Rick Santorum's Higher Education 'Snob' Comment Should Make America Cringe (VIDEO)

by Maressa Brown February 28, 2012 at 11:36 AM

I -- along with the majority of Americans (hopefully) -- keep wondering when Rick Santorum will make such a fool of himself that his supporters will fiiiiiinally see that the wannabe-emperor wears no clothes. It could have been when we heard that he considers birth control "dangerous" and thinks sex should only occur within a marriage to procreate. But it wasn't. This past weekend, the guy dissed higher education ... Could that have been the final straw?

One would think/hope so! In case you missed it, Santorum was speaking to more than a thousand activists at the American for Prosperity forum in Troy, Michigan. He said, "Not all folks are gifted in the same way. Some people have incredible gifts with their hands. President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college. What a snob.” Words that, while widely lampooned since Saturday, Santorum said he still stands by. Ooookay.

He's still convinced that colleges are "indoctrination mills" and are somehow brainwashing kids to become leftist "big government"-loving drones. Rrrright. Because placing a premium on education is such an elitist concept. Not like it might be the key to actually qualifying young people for a variety of career tracks and helping boost employment numbers or anything like that!

And to make it seem as though President Obama doesn't understand or respect that not everyone is meant to attend a "traditional," four-year liberal arts college or university is ludicrous. Clarifying his stance yesterday, Obama told the National Governors Association:

I'm not only talking about four-year degrees. I’m also talking about going to community college to get a degree for a manufacturing job where you have to walk through the door to handle a million-dollar piece of equipment.

While clarification is helpful to those who might have been confused by Santorum's twisting of the President's values, it's also just plain sad that Obama has to waste his time reiterating something like this. It should go without saying that higher education in all its forms is a priority to Americans. Especially when you look at countries like China and India that are beating us -- whether or not we (or especially the GOP) like to hear that, it's the truth -- in the global economy, because they emphasize lifelong learning.

The bottom-line is this: Santorum's extreme stances on copious issues -- from sexuality to education -- defy logic and just boggle the mind. But maybe he's onto at least one thing: Getting Americans to "dumb it down" might be the only way for a guy like this to get elected!

Here's Jon Stewart's brilliant riff on the whole thing at around 4:57 ...

Can you believe this guy?

Image via Marc Nozell/Flickr

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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Comments 51

shirrose

February 29, 2012 at 10:16 AM

Wait, I'm confused - where did Obama ever "demand" that people go to college? And when did he ever say that people who don't go to college are stupid, uneducated, or not worth anything? His exact words from this speech were: "So tonight I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself; it's quitting on your country. And this country needs and values the talents of every American."

I don't see the word "demand" or "stupid" or "uneducated" or "not worth anything" here at all.

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Nonmember comment from Moni

February 29, 2012 at 11:42 AM

Some of the things posted on this blog are very disappointing to read. Obama is not making anyone do anything, he is merely making a suggestion. Those are two different things. To say that his suggestion is a violation of our freedom is ludicrous. We are not living in a time where having a high school diploma is enough, we're living in a time where you have to have a resume just to work at McDonald's. We all know college isn't for everyone but why deter people from going if its something they want to do. Don't say you won't vote for Obama because he is promoting higher education, just say you don't like him and want him out of office. That would actually make more sense to me.

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i.payton

February 29, 2012 at 11:49 AM

The way I understood Obama's statement was that he wanted everyone to have the opportunity to go to college. Obviously, he isn't going to be forcing someone to get a degree.

And it's not to say that people who don't go to college are somehow 'less', it's that college shouldn't be so unobtainable for some American kids. And to say that he's a 'snob' for wanting what he was fortunate enough to have (a GREAT education) is just dumb -- a snob is someone like Santorum, saying, "I got to have this great thing, but I don't really want other people to have it."

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billsfan1104

February 29, 2012 at 12:35 PM

TJ, I hardly believe that you have a masters degree or any education. Your husband probably doesnt either. You are jsut a faceless person on the internet making claims, that you cannot back up. You are the bigot. You are the one calling people without a college degree, undeducated and beneath you and your precious husband and friends with all these degrees. Well guess what, there are people in this world that are smarter, funnier, better, and have much more love for EVERYONE than you and your husband and friends with a piece of paper that says you are smart. You are the one that is making disparaging remarks about people without a college education, like somehow you and your friends are better than them.

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Nonmember comment from Moni

February 29, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Billsfan, you should seriously stop making comments on this particular blog. Nothing you have said has made any sense whatsoever. To say that you are a democrat who will be voting republican because of the higher education SUGGESTION, further let's us know your level of intellegence. And it's not because you chose not to go to college. If that is the only reason you would vote against president Obama, then you obviously haven't been paying attention to the race thus far. Watch the other candidates and listen to the fatuous remarks and comments they have made and tell me you can compare that to Obama's speech about higher education. Let me then reiterate my earlier comment, just say you don't like Obama or don't want him in office, because that would make more sense to all of us...

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Nonmember comment from TJ

February 29, 2012 at 1:23 PM

^Yes, I called people with a college degree liberal pussies. Quote one disparaging remark of mine. Yes, I did suggest that I break down what I had written earlier into 3 and 4 letter words after you twisted what I had written. BTW, you go from denying that my husband and I have any college degree to stating that my friends and I possess a piece of paper that states that we are smart all in one paragraph. A piece of paper does not prove or disprove that you're smart. In the case of a degree or certificate, these do show that the person may have some type of dedication and ability in a certain field, whether it be cutting hair or performing the most delicate of surgeries. Your feelings of inadequacy are showing. I have friends with and without degrees and I love and respect them equally. You would do well to respect those that have pursued some type of higher education. As I mentioned earlier, keep living in your narrow and bigoted world. All this because you won't admit that you just simply do not like President Obama, and will find fault in even the positive aspects of his presidency. THAT is the elephant in the room.

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billsfan1104

February 29, 2012 at 1:47 PM

WTF are you talking about Moni?? Who said I was a democrat?? I will never ever vote for Obama. Not because he is more educated than me, but because he is brought this country further into debt, made us look like assholes by apolgizing to every country, and numerous other things. Maybe you should read a little better, instead of assuming stuff. Maybe you should stop posting on these blogs or rather reading them, because its obvious that you dont want anyone to have a different opinion

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billsfan1104

February 29, 2012 at 2:30 PM

TJ, I have never said I liked Obama nor have I denied that I dislike him. I dislike him for a range of reasons. He has nothing, nothing positive that HE has done, that will make me like him or give him kudos. I freely admit that and dont care that you dotn like that. You are the one bigoted. You are the one that looks down on anyone that does not hold a degree. You have made that quite clear through your posts. I love how because you dont like what I say or disagree with your precious Obama, I am living in a closed minded bigoted world. way to go.

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Nonmember comment from TJ

February 29, 2012 at 3:03 PM

Bills... still waiting for a direct answer from you. How do I show that I look down on people who are less educated than me or don't hold a degree (which by the way you claim that I don't hold, so pretty much contradicting yourself there)? Are you really that dense? Seriously lady, you must be hopped up on something. I think I can reason better with my 2-year-old than you. What people are commenting on in this post is your refusal to see the whole picture. You, like Santorum, took a sentence from President Obama and twisted it to fit your agenda. Like him, hate him, or have only a neutral reaction to him, what Obama was trying to do was make people reconsider the idea of some form of higher education: college, tech school, apprenticeship. Nobody is twisting your arm to give kudos to the man, just don't be so close-minded about what he said. It does make you look very ignorant, and I'm not talking about lack of college or other form of schooling ignorant. Now go ahead and twist my comment so you can reiterate that I look down on people that do not hold degrees. IDGAD

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i.payton

February 29, 2012 at 3:17 PM

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/

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