Posted on 03/05/2012 7:58:47 PM PST by Fred
Rick Santorum's pitch to Republican voters is simple: He is the "true" and "consistent" conservative in the GOP's presidential nomination fight. He describes himself as "a candidate who, throughout [his] career, has not only checked the box on conservative issues but has fought for conservative issues." And he slams front-runner Mitt Romney for flip-flopping on abortion and the Wall Street bailouts and, most of all, for passing government-mandated health care reform in Massachusetts. If elected president, Santorum vows, he will end the "tyranny" of President Obama's Affordable Care Act.
Yet as an up-and-coming congressman in the early 1990s, Santorum took a much different line. Then—like now—health care was one of the nation's most divisive issues. In 1993
(Excerpt) Read more at motherjones.com ...
As for the timeline, Santorum sure seems to care what Newt had to say in the early 90s. Or Romney had to say in the early 90s. Or Perry had to say in the early 90s. Or some other opponent had to say across their whole careers.
Santorum has an estranged relationship with the truth on the campaign trail, even falsely claiming endorsements that didn't take place.
He's just a dishonest lawyer/career politician who uses social conservatives as cover for his Big Government, Big Labor, Big Spender agenda. Through his confirmation vote for Clinton 2nd Circuit nominee Sonya Sotomayor, he plainly agrees with Obama on what kind of high ranking federal judges we need! After all, she was Obama's Number One Supreme Court pick.
Santorum's supporters are being had by an establishment player.
>> The more I learn about RS, the angrier I get.
Clearly you’re not a supporter. They don’t care.
Santorum said it would be a mistake to allow the delivery of health care services to be determined only by the market. He asserted that Republicans were “wrong” to let the marketplace decide how health care works. He instead argued that government should play a “proactive” role in shaping the health care marketplace “to make it work better.”
....when asked about the role of government in Americans’ lives, Santorum responded, “I believe that the federal government should set up a system where we create the right incentives for you to make efficient choices.”
“We can’t continue to ignore it and say, ‘Oh well, you know, it will work itself out in the marketplace.’ That’s wrong.”
Government intervention, he continued, was key to creating a functioning health care marketplace. “The government helps set the marketplace up, so we have some responsibility to alter that marketplace to make it work better.”
“I take a much more proactive position in government in solving problems than most Republicans, because I believe government has a role. A lot of folks believe, ‘Well, just keep government out of it.’ I don’t believe that.”
YIKES! The second section is very disturbing. He isn’t just talking about health care. He’s talking about the role of government!
I don’t care what anyone said in the 90’s. Santorum has a better record than Romney on ObamaCare. Rick and Newt are roughly equal on policy positions. Newt is a better debater. Rick is a better man.
I don’t buy that Santorum is a big government guy. He’s never had that reputation before this campaign.
I don’t mind his appeals to blue collar workers. Where do you think the “Reagan Democrats” came from in the 80s? Might be good to nominate a conservative that can appeal to a demographic we don’t normally win. Especially since they can be appealed to in a conservative way — highlighting Obama environmental policies that kill blue collar jobs, and Obama regulations that send them overseas. Its a win-win.
SnakeDoc
Santorum is the one getting endorsements from the likes of Michael Moore and mobbed up union crooks. Who do you think is supporting his run in Ohio? The same crew from Michigan.
So now Santorum supporters are identifying Michael Moore as a Reagan democrat. Santorum has an excuse for everything.
Santorum picking winners and losers just like Obama.
I don’t know who you are trying to appeal to when you keep attacking social conservatives on a social conservative, God fearing web site.
If you ever convince me that Catholic convert Newt Gingrich is not a social conservative, then I quit supporting him.
He might have an excuse for everything. I wouldn’t know. I don’t think he needs one.
I doubt Michael Moore was a Reagan Democrat. I doubt he’d be able to pry his lips from Obama’s ass long enough to be a Gingrich Democrat, Santorum Democrat, or Romney Democrat either. Who cares about Michael Moore?
SnakeDoc
Who do you think was turning out the vote for Santorum in Michigan?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32vFz7BAuOY
Are you really this unaware of what Santorum is doing?
Look at the transcript and video in post 11.
“Governor Whitman and I agree on 90 to 95 percent of the issues,” Santorum said at a Republican rally in Hopewell. “And when I find someone I agree with on 90 to 95 percent of the issues, I enthusiastically campaign for them because they’re heading this country in the right direction.” Whitman, who was appointed director of the Environmental Protection agency by President George W. Bush, has lately been leading an effort to create a new party and began urging former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman to run as a third-party candidate even before Huntsman dropped out of the hunt for the Republican nomination. “
I’m not unaware. I’ve heard it all. I honestly don’t care who else was voting for him in Michigan. If there was a group of Obama voters trying to get Santorum nominated over Romney ... they picked the right guy, whether they meant to or not.
Those aren’t the Reagan Democrats I was talking about. They’re just Democrats — and, they’ll line up for Obama’s Kool-Aid in November, as ordered. I was talking about actual Reagan Democrats ... blue collar workers who don’t like Obama, but have the Union jabbering in their ear about the GOP. I think Santorum speaks well to that demographic.
SnakeDoc
Ok so you are naive. Answer accepted. Santorum = Obama win
Rick Santorum has a 0% rating from NARAL, and a 100% rating from National Right to Life Committee. Seems to piss off all the right people ... the feminists and gay rights activists hate him.
His family situation seems to indicate he is consistently pro-life and anti-birth control, publicly and privately. Honestly, he takes a step past me on the anti-birth control thing. I don’t find the pill morally objectionable — but I respect him for standing by it.
That’s good enough for me. I don’t care about Whitman.
SnakeDoc
>> Santorum = Obama win
Ridiculous. Obama is a weak candidate ... low approval, high unemployment, bad economy, high gas prices. He’s Jimmy Carter. Very beatable. I think any of the big three could beat Obama — Gingrich, Santorum or Romney.
I think Gingrich or Santorum would be a better President than Romney. I think Santorum is a better man than Gingrich, and Gingrich is a better debater than Santorum. Given the choice, I’d take Rick, but I’d be fine with Newt. I’d tolerate Romney if I must, but I won’t vote for him in the primary.
SnakeDoc
Really, really, try to explain why Santorum threw his support behind a Presidential candidate who wanted to drive the pro-life movement from the Republican party, and cut it off, and destroy it. Look at that transcript in post 11, also the video is there. That was Santorum's goal in 1995.
This was candidate Santorum switching from pro-abortion, to anti-choice, for his campaign.
Weak candidate? You support a man who was a Senator and suffered a record breaking 18 point loss when he was dumped by his own constituents, just wait until Obama gets hold of this weak and shallow man with little accomplishment to show in his self absorbed life.
Santorum is not a leader, is not a world shaker, Gingrich has already made it into the history books as just that.
I know you don't like Santorum and will take every opportunity to bash him, but at least get your facts straight before you do!
$10 to FR says you won't watch it because you're just as dishonest as Mother Jones.
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