In an exclusive interview with Creative Minority Report, former Senator Rick Santorum leveled criticism at both Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Catholic bishops for their stands in the current healthcare debate, even going so far as saying he was “appalled” by the statements of the USCCB.

Santorum said he’s “not surprised” that Casey, a self professed pro-life Catholic, has declined to take a stand against abortion in the healthcare debate. Casey recently told CNS that he refused to draw “a line in the sand” over abortion.

Santorum said that kind of response is typical of Casey. “If it is convenient for him to vote pro-life he’ll do it but he’ll put other issues above abortion,” said Santorum. “And I don’t think he hides that. I think he’s been very upfront about it.”

Santorum added that it shouldn’t be a surprise that so many Catholic politicians ignore what the Church is saying. He said that for too long dissent from the teaching of the Church was ignored by bishops. “You have examples from the Kennedy’s on down. The Kennedys and the Cuomos. It was made clear that you can dissent from the Church and still be a Catholic in good standing” he said. “For a long time many bishops in country didn’t say too much about it.”

Santorum said abortion is dissent from core teaching that should never be compromised on. He said the silence from the bishops over the years “confused the faithful as to what the church teachings were because they didn’t condemn it in any practical way.”

Santorum made it clear that Casey puts the goals of the Democratic Party over the goals of the pro-life movement. “There are some real true pro-life Democrats and I applaud them” said Santorum. “They’re in a difficult situation because they are part of a radical pro-abortion party. I say pro-abortion not pro-choice. And resisting the culture in that party is very difficult.”

Casey has voted pro-life on many bills but failed to on others. Maria Vitale, Education Director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation said, “We are thankful for the times Senator Casey has voted pro-life and we’re disappointed when he does not.”

When contacted, Casey staffer John Richter said that Casey “favors” the current healthcare legislation. When asked whether abortion being in the bill gave the Senator pause, Richter answered, “Abortion’s not even mentioned in the bill.”

Santorum called that response “disingenuous.”

“They think pro-lifers are simpletons. That’s what they think of all pro-lifers – clinging to their guns and religion” said Santorum. “They treat you like you’re an idiot.”

Santorum pointed out that cancer treatments are also not explicitly named in the bill but that doesn’t mean that cancer patients won’t be treated.

Santorum’s words for Casey were tough but he had even tougher words for Catholic bishops. “I am appalled at the Catholic bishops,” said Santorum. “I commend them for drawing a line in the sand on abortion. But what they’ve suggested would do more damage than the abortion coverage.”

The USCCB has made strong statements against the healthcare bills because of the inclusion of abortion funding but have stated often that they would be in favor of the bill if that were excluded.

Santorum said socialized medicine would lead to “defacto euthanasia.”

“This would be a foundational change in America’s history that puts the government in control of people’s lives,” he warned.

Santorum warned that socialized medicine would inevitably lead to a devaluing of human life as it has in the other countries where it has been implemented. “The European healthcare system doesn’t make treatment readily available to people at end of life,” he said.

He pointed out that governments in charge of healthcare tend to look at treatments as “expenditures of public funds and they look for a return on their investment.”

He said preferential treatment will be spent on “useful lives,” he said, putting the disabled and the elderly at risk.

Santorum said that socialized medicine would assuredly lead to “the onrush of the culture of death” and should be opposed by anyone who wishes America to foster a culture of life.