Santorum Plans To Attack The Internet (Because The Internet Is For Porn!)

Hardest Hit: Trekkie Monster

From Rick Santorum's Website:

America is suffering a pandemic of harm from pornography. A wealth of research is now available demonstrating that pornography causes profound brain changes in both children and adults, resulting in widespread negative consequences. Addiction to pornography is now common for adults and even for some children. The average age of first exposure to hard-core, Internet pornography is now 11. Pornography is toxic to marriages and relationships. It contributes to misogyny and violence against women. It is a contributing factor to prostitution and sex trafficking.

...

While the Obama Department of Justice seems to favor pornographers over children and families, that will change under a Santorum Administration ... Together we will prevail.

There isn't a whole lot to say about this. Could he do this? Answer: Yes--he could. The law and a Santorum Department of Justice would back him.

Although the idea of Santorum vanquishing Internet pornography may seem far-fetched, a serious effort to combat online smut might actually be successful, UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh told The Daily Caller.

“If the government wanted to aggressively move against Internet pornography, it could do so,” explained Volokh. “Here’s the deal: In most parts of the country, a lot of pornography on the Internet would plausibly be seen as obscene.”

There are a few approaches that Santorum could pursue in an attempt to eradicate Internet pornography. “It wouldn’t be that difficult to close down a lot of the relatively visible websites that are used for the distribution of pornography, if they’re in the United States,” said Volokh.

Santorum’s administration could take American-based porn distributors to court for violating obscenity laws, said Volokh, and have them shuttered. But that would leave foreign-based sites untouched.

To black out foreign sites, Santorum would likely need legislative action requiring Internet service providers to use “a mandatory filter set up by the government or by the service providers,” said Volokh.

But the government could also prosecute individual citizens who view porn, and already has the legal authority to do it. (emphasis added)

Is he the only one? Gingrich is all in too:

Gingrich also said he would appoint an Attorney General who would enforce federal obscenity laws.

Santorum and Gingrich previously signed a pledge by the conservative Christian group The Family Leader in which they vowed to protect women and children from “seduction into promiscuity and all forms of pornography.” But Romney refused to sign, saying the pledge was “undignified and inappropriate for a presidential campaign.”

Romney might be the only one who is smart enough to avoid the 3rd rail of porn-banning--but he might have been responsible for the Marriott hotel chain removing porn from their new hotels:

The hotel chain's lucrative porn sideline was an irritant to Romney during the 2008 campaign, when one social conservative referred to him as a "major pornographer." Now, he has a better story to tell. (I emailed his spokesman to ask whether he participate in the decision to end the service, and will update if I hear.)

What Do I Think?
I think this loses Santorm the male vote. Good grief, Santo--just as it's starting to look interesting again ... (of course he's trying his hardest to self destruct with his Puerto Rico must speak English comments)

Whether or not pornography is a scourge and a cancer on our society one thing's for sure: it's big business and wide-spread. To me this seems like a terrible, losing issue--but what do I know? I guess the moral of the story here is that if you nominate a for-real rock-ribbed religious conservative you get Exactly What It Says On The Tin.

From the Broadway production Avenue Q (The Internet is for Porn)

KATE

That’s gross you’re a pervert!

TREKKIE

Ah, sticks and stones Kate monster

KATE

NO really, your a pervert

Normal people don’t sit at home and look 

At porn on the internet

TREKKIE

Ohhhh?

KATE

What?!

TREKKIE

You have no idea

Ready normal people?

NORMAL PEOPLE

Ready--- ready ----ready

TREKKIE

Let me hear it!

TREKKIE AND GUYS

The internet is for porn!