GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s statement yesterday claiming that there should not be absolute separation of church and state does not simply place him at odds with the First Amendment, or with presidents ranging from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, it also places him wildly out of step with the American people:
The number of Americans who believe that the First Amendment requires a clear separation of church and state remains about the same as last year, with 67% agreeing there is a clear separation and 28% disagreeing with the statement.
It’s important to note just how far Santorum is willing to go to break down this wall between government and religion. Santorum has previously suggested that religious groups should be able to unilaterally exempt themselves from laws they do not agree with, a view that simply cannot be squared with the rule of law.
[HT: Nate Silver]
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