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Santorum the Good Son? Not So Much.
American Thinker ^ | February 6, 2012 | C. Edmund Wright

Posted on 02/06/2012 7:59:52 PM PST by County Agent Hank Kimball

Much like the good son in the biblical parable, thin-skinned Rick Santorum has shown a fair amount of open resentment over the embrace conservatives have given prodigal Newt Gingrich upon the latter's return to the conservative scene.....

Consider: the main reason Santorum and his supporters put forth to support Rick is because he is "the true conservative" in the race. Along these same lines, he defines his massive eighteen-point loss in his last Senate race as one where he at least went down swinging and fighting for the right things. He uses this to chide Mitt and Newt for their past transgressions based on political realities they faced at one time or another....

It is time now to examine this premise, since Santorum is now also claiming that "Newt has had his chance" with the implication that it is now Rick's turn. Frankly, I thought Rick had also been running in South Carolina and Florida and finished well behind Gingrich, but maybe I missed something. The point is, Santorum's record on non-social issues is not very good at all -- and his willingness to stand up to liberals is not close to his claimed perfection, either.....

Or maybe its just the way all "goodie two shoes" come across, especially if you find out they are not that good after all.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gop; newt; rs; santorum
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I've said I could easily support Santorum (unlike Myth) if he got the GOP nomination. Having said that, given the sad fact that Santorum has chosen to join in the Newt-bashing rather than go after Romney, I think this article is an excellent analysis of the Newt v. Rick question, and and especially good look at Santorum's positioning of himself as the only true conservative.

I think the most intesting quote is this (not excerpted above): "What's funny is that across the internet, it seems like Santorum's supporters are also largely the unhappy good kids, while many of Newt's supporters come across as the happy bad kids, just like Newt himself."

Hank

1 posted on 02/06/2012 8:00:01 PM PST by County Agent Hank Kimball
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball

Santorum’s record on social/moral issues is impecable. Normaly I would support him first. However, in this cycle there is more at stake than just social/moral issues. And even those hold first importance to me, I realize they don’t with many. IF Rick is really about getting his issues heard, he would do that more effectively as Newt’s VP. If they would just join forces they could cream Romney. IF Rick is the wiser/godlier of the two, he would, IMO, seek out this alliance. It would be good for the country, and it would be good for social/moral conservatism...as well as national defense and fiscal. Santorum could be a very effective voice within a Gingrich administration to push his points about the danger of Islamists. He could fight to defend DOMA and other important social issues. I’m sorry, but his failure to do this is not endearing him to me. I fully agree he is the better “man” than Newt in his life. However, I want to see a servant’s heart. If he got on board (of course Newt would have to offer) it could be the ticket that stops Romney and beats Obama. It is a ticket I could really get behind. Each man would augment the other. If only.....


2 posted on 02/06/2012 8:14:56 PM PST by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball
Excellent article. Not really hard hitting enough. Rick and his sweater vest strikes me as someone with an overinflated opinion of himself. He truly must think he is "rare" and gifted with great Conservative credentials.

I would tell Rick that politicians are a dime a dozen. He is just a run of the mill whiny busy body who would have a strong tendency to use the power of the State to impose view of right and wrong upon the citizens of the land. I don't think the Constitution has that in any of the Articles and Sections.

Hardly any of his speeches come across as someone who wants to have government "leave the citizens the h*ll alone."

There are many more politicians out there with much, much, much stronger Conservative credentials along with the passion and ability to draw people to listen. Rick is frankly a bore to listen to for more than a minute of two. He starts to sound whiny and petulant.

Mr. Rogers had more charisma in his little finger than Rick will ever have.

Rick should give up his fantasy and get a "real" job. Let him run for Governor and build a record of statewide experience.

3 posted on 02/06/2012 8:29:12 PM PST by sand88 (Nothing on this Earth would get me to vote for Mitt.)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball

Among those 50 things is the aforementioned strong support for legislation raising the minimum wage. In addition to being a shameless union measure, this hurts the free market. A sample of the other items include:

Sponsoring FAIR CAIR act to force companies to pay benefits to laid-off workers.
Working with John McCain on campaign finance reform.
Bragging about bringing home federal tax money for clean energy projects.
Working with Bono to spend tax money on poverty in the third world.
Working with Bono to spend tax money on AIDS.
Sponsoring legislation to regulate gas prices.
Authoring the Pet Animal Welfare State Bill. (Huh.)
Voting for record tax funding of Pennsylvania public schools.
Authoring The Care Act: funding for Non Profits.
Working with Joe Lieberman on Working Families Act.
Supported increased tax funding for Chesapeake Bay

Dang, AT kicks RS to the curb!!!


4 posted on 02/06/2012 8:30:31 PM PST by Fred (No Job No Home No Food No Problem - Obama 2012)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball
"OH that darned Newt!"


5 posted on 02/06/2012 8:44:30 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: sand88
Rick and his sweater vest strikes me as someone with an overinflated opinion of himself.

Yeah, because what a guy wears to stay warm in the winter really shows how he is so pompous. What a jerk he is. The only way he would be any more offending is if he wore a turtle neck.

6 posted on 02/06/2012 8:45:40 PM PST by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

“The only way he would be any more offending is if he wore a turtle neck.”

Well, to be fair, that is pretty annoying. ;-)


7 posted on 02/06/2012 9:54:02 PM PST by Pining_4_TX ( The state is the great fiction by which everybody seeks to live at the expense of everybody else. ~)
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To: Lazlo in PA

No, even more offensive would be one of those velour things from the 80s. Guantanamo would be too good for him.


8 posted on 02/06/2012 10:20:24 PM PST by Lauren BaRecall (I declare for Santorum)
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To: Lauren BaRecall
You mean a Dickie?

Santorum for President Dickies would not be good.

9 posted on 02/06/2012 10:26:03 PM PST by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

No, the velour shirts. Hey, isn’t being the good son a bad thing? So if he’s not the good son, that’s a good thing. The good son was so whiny and pouty.

I’d get one of those Presidential Dickies if they came in blue.


10 posted on 02/06/2012 10:38:14 PM PST by Lauren BaRecall (I declare for Santorum)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball

So?.. They move teachers around and replace them with teachers who have attended the same Marxist colleges of education. The expression about the deck chairs on the Titanic applies here.

Reforming a government K-12 school is like trying to “reform” an abortion center.


11 posted on 02/06/2012 10:43:32 PM PST by wintertime (Reforming a government K-12 school is like reforming an abortion centers.)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball

Oops! I posted on the wrong thread. Sorry!


12 posted on 02/06/2012 10:44:51 PM PST by wintertime (Reforming a government K-12 school is like reforming an abortion centers.)
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball
Rick does not have a good enough resume to be President. He needs to become a governor, and establish a successful executive record of governing, as a start on building that resume.

Newt on the other hand, has a great deal of experience, and has written books on many of the most important issues of the day. I like his proposals and most of his record of accomplishments, including his teaching at the military colleges.

I especially like his proposal to use the constitutional power of the congress and executive branch to reign in an out of control court.

I also think that giving up on space and letting the Chinese and/or Russians stake a claim on the moon will have a negative impact on National security and other areas.

Romney and Santorum have ridiculed the idea, this is just one more area where their lack of knowledge makes me believe that they just are not up for the job.

13 posted on 02/06/2012 11:56:03 PM PST by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: C. Edmund Wright; County Agent Hank Kimball; P-Marlowe

It is entirely unbalanced to make a case out of Santorum’s loss in blue Pennsylvania without also making a case of Romney’s 17 point senate loss in blue Massachusetts. Moreover, Santorum was up against favorite heir Casey, and that blunts any argument about it being a Kennedy that Romney competed with.

Even more telling is that Santorum WON two Senate races in very blue Pennsylvania before he lost, while Romney lost the senate AND was so far down in the polls before one term as governor was even half over that he fled to avoid another loss.

Santorum also has 2 House victories in blue Pennsylvania. What does Romney have? One victory as a governor and a governorship that was a disaster.

Newt? Of course Newt was a successful member of the House, but he has election baggage, too. He lost his first 2 races for the House in conservative Georgia and then won 9 straight 2 year terms. However, if the issue is “has the man lost”, then Newt has lost, too. Newt’s 18 years compares to Santorum’s 16 years favorably.


14 posted on 02/07/2012 5:22:02 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
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To: xzins

Must have been poorly written article because you totally missed the point.


15 posted on 02/07/2012 5:28:05 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright
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To: C. Edmund Wright; Alamo-Girl

No, I don’t think your article is poorly written. I think you touched on one of my peeves about unfair attacks on any of our conservative candidates: the Senate election is the one that rankles me with Santorum. It is so unfair given the election history of the other candidates. Krauthammer did the same on Fox one night, and I know that Krauthammer is well-read enough to know he had intentionally just told only half a story, and that so he could get a dig in at one of the non-Romneys.

In your case, you are attempting to elevate Santorum over Gingrich...I get that. It’s OK. You’re a Gingrich guy. Santorum HAS BEEN a “Bush Conservative” at many points, and he has reached out too much at times to blue-collar democrats.

In fact, his message about bringing jobs home to America and helping middle class, blue collar workers IS DEFINITELY an appeal to Reagan democrats. There’s no mistaking it.

Personally, I’m for whoever can keep Romney down, and if that means Newt & Rick get to trade states to throw this to the convention, then I’m OK with that, too.

However, Santorum’s real strength is that he comes without baggage from his past that will be a distraction in the general campaign. He isn’t a corporatist vulture and he isn’t a philanderer. We can pretend those things won’t be brought up in the general, but we all know better.


16 posted on 02/07/2012 6:05:51 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
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To: xzins

you still missed the gist.


17 posted on 02/07/2012 6:09:37 AM PST by C. Edmund Wright
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To: County Agent Hank Kimball

Rick seems like the Joel Osteen of politics.


18 posted on 02/07/2012 6:10:37 AM PST by Manic_Episode (Politics is fake. I think it's owned by Vince Mcmahon)
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To: C. Edmund Wright

Are you arguing against my saying that your article was NOT poorly written???


19 posted on 02/07/2012 6:14:41 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
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To: C. Edmund Wright
You've got some good information about Rick's moderate (non conservative) side. He's on the conservative side of things, but those who say he is the "true conservative" by record are just plain ill informed. Thank you for pointing those things out.

I am surprised that the central thesis is Santorum is bad because he's good, along with the subliminally correcrt secondary thesis that sweater vests should be banned....../s

20 posted on 02/07/2012 6:49:04 AM PST by Lakeshark (NbIttoalbl,cRwIdtaa)
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