Santorum Has No Credible Path to the Nomination. But... (A grand "compromise")

The American Thinker ^ | March 6, 2012 | Adam Yoshida

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Why are Newt supporters part of the base but Santorum supporters are not?

Anything else you need to get off your chest?

[LeopoldvonRanke]

I’d like an answer to my question.

Or do you believe that a Santorum surge would also make the base happy?

[samtheman]

Newt’s last chance for the nomination was Florida. Had he won there, it was conceivable that he could have won it all. Instead he got blown out by Romney.

How can people not see this?

I loved Newt... I still love Newt.

But seriously, he had to win Florida and he didn't come close. Without Florida, the Newt Gingrich candidacy is a fantasy.

[Happy Rain]

All of our candidates have liberal skeletons in their closets. Newt has some pretty gruesome ones but he says he ain't like that no more—Hell, ALL of them except for the Nut say they ain't like that no more so it depends on who you believe.

Mitt is an infamously skilled liar so he is only acceptable to the ignorant and corrupt.

That leaves Newt and Rick.

Personal veracity is in the realm of social conservatism in that basic Christian honesty is a prime directive.

I'll leave it at that;)

[jersey117]

if mitt pulls it out in Ohio tonight, I think Mitt/Newt will have the best chance of beating obama. Bachman was on with pierce Morgan last night and wouldn’t admit that she was more in line with Santorum’s values. She claimed credit for getting Romney to say he would repeal obamacare and didn’t have a problem supporting him and said she would hold his feet to the fire. With each passing day I fear obama more and more. We cannot allow him a second term.

[steve8714]

They are moving to the same position as Ron Paul. Their polling must tell them they’re not going to win states.

[Patton@Bastogne]

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====== RICK SANTORUM'S Incredible CONSERVATIVE Voting Record ======

(Source: Free Republic's Psycho-Freep, 2012-03-05)



NEA

Voted for taxpayer funding of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Voted against a 10% cut in the budget for National Endowment for the Arts.




Bankruptcy

Voted for a Schumer amendment to make the debts of pro-life demonstrators not dischargeable in bankruptcy.




Defense and Foreign Policy

Voted for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

Voted against requiring the President to certify that the CWC is effectively verifiable.

Voted against requiring the President to certify that that Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, North Korea, China, and all other countries determined to be state sponsors of terror have joined CWC prior to submitting the instrument of ratification.

Voted for the START II Treaty

Voted to allow the sale of supercomputers to China.

Voted to ban antipersonnel landmines

Voted against increasing defense spending offset by equivalent cuts in non-defense spending.

Voted to require that Federal bureaucrats get the same payraises as uniformed military.

Voted to allow food and medicine sales to state sponsors of terror and tyranical regimes such as Libya and Cuba.

Voted to limit the President’s authority to impose sanctions on nations for reasons of national security unless the sanctions were approved by a multilateral regime.

Voted against requiring Congressional authorization for military action in Bosnia.

Voted to give $25 million in foreign aid to North Korea

Voted to weaken alien terrorist deportation provisions. If the Court determines that the evidence must be withheld for national security reasons, the Justice Department must still provide a summary of the evidence sufficient for the alien terrorist to mount a defense against deportation.

Voted against delaying the India Nuclear until the President certified that India had agreed to suspend military-to-military exchanges with Iran.

Voted against the Conventional Trident Missile Program




Nominations

Voted for Richard Paez to the 9th Curcuit (cloture)

Voted for Sonia Sotomayor, Circuit Judge

Voted for Richard Holbrooke to be Ambassador to the UN

Voted for Margaret Morrow to be District Judge

Voted twice for Marsha Berzon to the 9thg Circuit

Voted for Mary McLaughlin to be District Judge

Voted for Tim Dyk to be District Judge

Voted for James Brady to be District Judge




Union Labor

Voted against National Right to Work Act

Voted against Real of Davis-Bacon Prevailing union wages

Voted for Alexis Herman to be Secretary of Labor

Voted for mandatory Federal child care funding

Voted for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Voted for Job Corps funding

Voted twice in support of Fedex Unionization

Voted against allowing a waiver of Davis-Bacon in emergency situations.

Voted for minimum wage increases six times here here here here here and here
Voted to require a union representative on an IRS oversight board.

Voted to exempt IRS union representative from criminal ethics laws.

Voted against creating independent Board of Governors to investigate IRS abuses.




Guns

Voted to require pawn shops to do background checks on people who pawn a gun.

Voted twice to make it illegal to sell a gun without a secure storage or safety device

Voted for a Federal ban on possession of “assault weapons” by those under 18.

Voted for Federal funding for anti-gun education programs in schools.

Voted for anti-gun juvenile justice bill.




Reform

Voted for funding for the legal services corporation.

Voted twice for a Congressional payraise.

Voted to impose a uniform Federal mandate on states to force them to allow convicted rapits, arsonists, drug kingpins, and all other ex-convicts to vote in Federal elections.

Voted for the Specter “backup plan” to allow campaign finance reform to survive if portions of the bill were found unconstitutional.

Voted to mandate discounted broadcast times for politicians.

Voted for a McCain amendment to require State and local campaign committees to report all campaign contributions to the FEC and to require all campaign contributions to be reported to the FEC within 24 hours within 90 days of an election.




Immigration

Voted against increasing the number of immigration investigators

Voted to allow illegal immigrants to receive the earned income credit before becoming citizens

Voted to give SSI benefits to legal aliens.

Voted to give welfare benefits to naturalized citizens without regard to to the earnings of their sponsors.

Voted against hiring an additional 1,000 border partrol agents, paid for by reductions in state grants.




Taxes

Voted against a flat tax.

Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for Medicare prescription drugs

Voted to increase tobacco taxes to fund health insurance subsidies for small businesses.

Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for an $8 billion increase in child healh insurance.

Voted to increase tobacco taxes to pay for an increase in NIH funding.

Voted twice for internet taxes.

Voted to allow gas tax revenues to be used to subsidize Amtrak.

Voted to strike marriage penalty tax relief and instead provide fines on tobacco companies.

Voted against repealing the Clinton 4.3 cent gas tax increase.

Voted to increase taxes by $2.3 billion to pay for an Amtrak trust fund.

Voted to allow welfare to a minor who had a child out of wedlock and who resided with an adult who was on welfare within the previous two years.

Voted to increase taxes by $9.4 billion to pay for a $9.4 billion increase in student loans.

Voted to say that AMT patch is more important than capital gains and dividend relief.




Welfare

Voted against food stamp reform

Voted against Medicaid reform

Voted against TANF reform

Voted to increase the Social Services Block Grant from $1 billion to $2 billion

Voted to increase the FHA loan from $170,000 to $197,000. Also opposed increasing GNMA guaranty from 6 basis points to 12.

Voted for $2 billion for low income heating assistance.




Government Waste

Sponsored An amendment to increase Amtrak funds by $550 million

Voted to use HUD funds for the Joslyn Art Museum (NE), the Stand Up for Animals project (RI) and the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Project (WA)

Voted to increase spending on social programs by $7 billion

Voted to increase NIH funding by $1.6 billion.

Voted to increase NIHnding by $700 million

Voted to for a $2 million earmark to renovate the Vulcan Monument (AL)

Voted for a $1 billion bailout for the steel industry

Voted against requiring that highway earmarks would come out of a state’s highway allocation

Voted to allow Market Access Program funds to go to foreign companies.

Voted to allow OPIC to increase its administrative costs by 50%

Voted against transferring $20 million from Americorps to veterans.

Voted for the $140 billion asbestos compensation bill.

Voted against requiring a uniform medical criteria to ensure asbestos claims were legitimate.

Voted to increase community development programs by $2 billion.




Spending and Entitlements

Voted to make Medicare part B premium subsidies an new entitlement.

Voted against paying off the debt ($5.6 trillion at the time) within 30 years.

Voted to give $18 billion to the IMF.

Voted to raid Social Security instead of using surpluses to pay down the debt.




Health Care

Voted to allow states to impose health care mandates that are stricter than proposed new Federal mandates, but not weaker.

Voted twice for Federal mental health parity mandates in health insurance.

Voted against a allow consumers the option to purchase a plan outside the parity mandate.




Education

Voted to increase Federal funding for teacher testing

Voted to increase spending for the Department of Education by $3.1 billion.

Voted against requiring courts to consider the impact of IDEA awards on a local school district.




Energy

Voted to allow the President to designate certain sites as interim nuclear waste storage sites in the event that he determines that Yucca Mountain is not a suitable site for a permanent waste repository. Those sites are as follows: the nuclear waste site in Hanford, Washington; the Savannah River Site in South Carolina; Barnwell County, South Carolina; and the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee.

Voted to make fuel price gouging a Federal crime.





.

[LeopoldvonRanke]

I trust Mitt to repeal Obamacare like I trust Obama to repeal Mittcare.

He’s a slick car insurance salesman.

[RetSignman]

During this long, bitter and hard fought Republican contest, each candidate has blasted each other which , at times, could be viewed as character assassination to promote themselves.

They have virtually been writing the talking points that will be used as ammunition against whomever is selected, on our behalf, to represent ‘our’ party.

We faithful Conservatives are seeing our dream of getting a foothold in political history, turn into a nightmare before our eyes.

So now, we are being ‘advised’ that the path to victory for us is for Santorum and Romney to put aside their intense vitriol they have for each other and, in the service of the greater good, meld together to achieve victory?

So, in the end, we would have two men who have to cave on some of their core values and march forward as our nominees and make glowing speeches of each other on the campaign trail.

Saint Santorum would have to cave on his ‘crusade’ because that kind of stuff is way too right wing, Romney would have to take the ‘cranky old man’ out of vest pocket and throw him in the nearest dumpster.

“Sorry Paul and Son, it’s for the greater good.”

Oh, I almost forgot, there’s one more man in the race. The republican party has parting words for him, as they throw him in the dumpster with the Pauls.

“Sorry Newt, you’d make the status quo just to uncomfortable for our party.”

[Pravious]

I have come to the conclusion that

I don’t like Mitt Romney. Not at all.
I don’t like Rick Santorum. Yuck.
I don’t like Ron Paul, needless to say.
I don’t even really like Newt Gingrich, for all his wonderful words.

And I didn’t like any of the people who dropped out EITHER.

... Oh, and, in case I forget, I REALLY don’t like the guy one of these clowns is running against.

If our own party is trying to demoralize the conservatives... well, congratulations to them. They’ve done a wonderful job convincing a bunch of us there’s nothing to go out there next November and vote FOR.

[Kakaze]

The base doesn’t want a brokered convention, they want an out and out nominee.,

The media, the dems and the republican establishment want a nominee. They want a 7 to 8 month race which bores the life out of the electorate.

In reality a long primary or a brokered convention favor conservatives. Right now obama has to hold a press conference to keep himself in the media today. obama can not play the victim if ther is no one to victimize him.

the "base" you speak of has truly not began to pay attention a brokered convention and or a long primary followed by a short fight are the best way to win this.

[LeopoldvonRanke]

I disagree.

A brokered convention is the best deal ever for the establishment.

Why on earth would giving the party officials even more say into the process is going to result in an advantage for conservatives?

The best way to win this is the same way as anything. If it ain’t close they can’t cheat.

[Blogger]

Dede Scozzafava told me all I need to know about Gingrich. As for Santorum, he’s the best we’ve got which is sad. Where he is conservative (and he is on my make or break issues), I believe he is out of conviction. I can’t say that for Newt or Romney, though Newt probably is on the two I care most about.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Newt’s going to win big in GA tonight so he will be back in the limelight and getting mega face time on all major shows. If he manages to squeak out TN nobody will even be talking about Santorum.

[Tao Yin]

I feel like tuning out as well. Sadly, when I first heard Rush's comments, I thought he was going too far. Then I heard him double down the next day and I cringed. My wife, very conservative too, scoffed at Rush's comments. She didn't have respect for him before and this just reinforced her opinion.

The apology over the weekend told me that Rush doesn't have a master plan and is just making it up as he goes along. I've come to the conclusion that my side doesn't have a clue.

I'm not sure why Rush was the straw, but I just don't care any more. All of their words and ideas seem empty and pointless. No matter what happens, I'm sure they'll find a way to mess it up.

Yesterday, I found myself thinking that Romney would be just fine with me. I just don't care. It seems my side can't get their act together and they never will. We keep doing it to ourselves. This sucks!

Maybe Rand Paul in 4 years from now...

[cuban leaf]

I’ve never seen Santorum as a viable candidate, even though I agree with him on some things. He seems conservative enough, but that’s not enough. My mailman is really conservative. He won’t make it to the presidency, though.

The only one running that I think can beat Obama, frankly, is Newt. I think Romney will lose, partly because of people like me that will not vote for him, even if it means four more years of Obama. He’s literally that poor a choice. Obama is staining the democrats. Romney would stain the republicans.

I cracked up when listening to NPR this morning. A woman asked Romney if he would repeal Obama care. Romney’s response? “Why wouldn’t I?”

He answered a direct, and simple question with another question. And it was a huge deflection. If elected, he could answer that question by NOT repealing Obama care and giving some lame reason why he “wouldn’t”.

The simple fact that he did not answer the question with a solid “yes” speaks volumes. He can NOT be trusted. Not even a little bit. The man says whatever he needs to say to get elected. Even when you hear something you like, it needs to be ignored.
http://kickthemallout.com/images/Cartoons/Romney-StopMeWhenYouHearSomethingYouLike.jpg

[Cincinatus' Wife]

[C. Edmund Wright]

You are unfortunately debating perhaps the thickest “reporting from mom’s basement” election analyst on the internet in Leo. He’s been calling it “late” since Santorum won his first two thousand vote caucus.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Dede Scozzafava told me all I need to know about Gingrich.

Oh really? Yes, Newt is imperfect and folks want to know his opinion on almost everything. I guess you, on the other hand, are perfect yet no one wants to know your opinion on anything. That's what your comment tells me about you.

[philman_36]

I tell ya, it's patently obvious what the desired script should be.
Newt wants a rewrite and I like his editing skills better than that of the others.