And so it goes...

"I do not believe in an America in which the separation of church and state is absolute."
Former senator and current Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, This Week with George Stephanopolous, February 26, 2012.

As a supporter of President Obama's re-election, I'm thrilled with this quote; as an American, I'm horrified. Not surprised by it, as Santorum has been casually dismissing the doctrine first espoused by Thomas Jefferson, but still horrified.

Defending his outrageous statement, Santorum claims President Obama and others are trying to ban any influence on America from all but secular sources, which is about as far from the truth as you'll find this election year, and that's really saying something. The various religious faiths prevalent in this country have their role and their opportunities for input, as the recent debate about health care coverage for contraceptives proves. Few would deny the religious among us the chance to express their views on public policy.

But that's not good enough for Santorum. He insists that Americans conform to his version of religious faith, his moral code, and his strict rules for behavior. If his church -- the Roman Catholic Church -- says sex is only for breeding and contraceptives are verboten, so be it. If his church declares that homosexuality is an abomination (while historically protecting its own priests from prosecution for child abuse and worse), then gays and lesbians should be relegated to the shadows of our society.

Santorum has said reading John Kennedy's famous speech on his own Catholicism and its place vis a vis the presidency made him "want to throw up." Most Americans regard that speech as one of the finest in our history, and a key in changing Americans' prejudice against Catholics.

It amazes me how these candidates so casually disregard the lessons of our past. Mitt Romney says the proposal to have health care providers pay for contraception is the worst assault on religious freedom in our country's history. Really? Worse than when Mormons -- Romney's religious rethren -- were being murdered for their faith?

Similar in its disproportion is the revival of the Hitler/Nazi slur. If one of the Republicans disagrees with something the current administration is doing, it must be because the policy is the next step toward national socialism, or inspired by Hitler's world view, or some other such garbage. Apparently, we can no longer just disagree about something and propose an alternative.

For purely political purposes, I can take heart that these ridiculous statements should help ensure President Obama's re-election. I retain enough faith in my countrymen and women to feel they will see through the absurdity of these campaigns.

For the future of our country, however, I worry about the dumbing-down, and worse, of our political discourse.