Dobson: Republican majority has "very little" to show for "pro-family, pro-moral" agenda; Santorum pushed marriage amendment in response

Summary: On his radio program, James Dobson complained that the Republican Party has "very little ... to show for it" in terms of accomplishing the goals of "the pro-family agenda, the pro-moral agenda, [and] the sanctity of life." In response, Sen. Rick Santorum expressed his desire for Congress to vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment, describing the amendment's purpose as "protecting marriage ... between one man and one woman."

During the January 12 broadcast of his radio program, Focus on the Family founder and chairman James C. Dobson complained that the Republican Party, in control of the White House and Congress, has "very little ... to show for it" in terms of accomplishing the goals of "the pro-family agenda, the pro-moral agenda, [and] the sanctity of life."

In a discussion with Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) about the relation of family life to social policy issues, Dobson said he wished that Republicans "would begin to take stock of what they're doing to the family," and lamented that "very little ... has been accomplished that relates to ... conservative social issues," adding that "there's just nothing going on." Dobson speculated that Americans "are pretty irritated" at both Democrats and Republicans for that reason.

In response, Santorum expressed his desire for Congress to vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment, calling it "one of the most important pieces of legislation" for 2006. Santorum described as "foundational for our society" the amendment's purpose of "protecting marriage ... between one man and one woman," and spoke of a recent meeting of the Arlington Group, a coalition that, according to its founder Paul Weyrich, is the source of "the effort to put marriage on the ballot in eleven States."

From the January 12 broadcast of the Focus on the Family radio program:

DOBSON: I wish the -- not only the Democrats -- but the Republicans would -- begin to take stock of what they're doing to the family. You know, it's been over a year now since the presidential election and Republicans have been in power in the House and the Senate and in the White House, and there is very, very little along the lines of what we're talking about to show for it. There's very little that has been accomplished that relates to social -- conservative social issues: the pro-family agenda; the pro-moral agenda; the sanctity of life. There's just nothing going on, and I know there are a lot of people out there that are pretty irritated at both parties, frankly, for that.

SANTORUM: Well, I would agree with you in part. We are -- we are working -- in fact, I was just meeting with the folks at the Arlington Group earlier, talking about the marriage amendment, and I believe that's one of the most important pieces of legislation that we are going to be able to deal with this year. And I'm hopeful that we are going to have a vote on the marriage amendment sometime in the spring. I'm hopeful it'll be March -- in the March timeframe. We need to have a good debate -- as is going on across the country right now -- on the issue of protecting marriage being between one man and one woman. It is foundational for our society.

—R.M.