Rick Santorum Thanked For Making The Conservative Case For Gay Marriage

Former senator and presidential GOP candidate Rick Santorum is being thanked for helping to make the conservative case for the legalization of gay marriage.

In a POLITICO.com op-ed, Dough Hattaway and Alex Cole wrote that Santorum's arguments for defending marriage apply to both straight and gay unions.

In a speech about the benefits of marriage to society to the conservative Heritage Foundation, Santorum said that the “essence of marriage is selflessness in a self-centered society” and that “government must promote marriage as a fundamental societal benefit.”

“Santorum went on to argue that government should therefore limit marriage to straight couples,” Hattaway and Cole wrote. “We took Santorum's messages about marriage and inverted his logic: If the government allows more people to marry, including gays and lesbians, isn't that 'promoting' marriage and making society stronger?”

“Santorum's notions about marriage and society hold promise for helping the marriage equality movement change hearts and minds in more conservative parts of America. Thanks, Rick!”