Republicans have got to convince blue collar voters the party cares--or “we’ll never win another election,” Rick Santorum maintains, “and we won’t deserve to.”
The former Pennsylvania senator and 2012 Republican presidential candidate is promoting his new book, “Blue Collar Conservatives.” In an op-ed in the Daily Caller, Santorum argued that “Republicans like to quote John F. Kennedy’s observation that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’ But what about the millions of Americans whose boats are full of holes?
“Working families want to believe there is still opportunity for a good life in America. They seek stability and security. They want their children to go to good schools, get decent jobs, and build families of their own.
“Above all, they want reassurance that despite these hard times, the American dream is still alive for them. But neither party seems to hear them. When will politicians recognize that these working people are just as important to our economy and our country as the entrepreneur or corporate executive?”
Democrats, Santorum says, have failed to revive the economy for these people.
As a result, he said, “Republicans need to remember the old adage that ‘people don’t care what you know until they know that you care.’ It’s important to encourage job creators, to replace Obamacare, and to control government spending. But if we don’t step up for America’s working families, we’ll never win another national election. And we won’t deserve to.”