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Rick Santorum warns fellow Republicans: ‘We live in a bubble’
statesman.com (Austin, TX) ^ | 09 Jan 14 | Jonathan Tilove

Posted on 01/11/2014 10:13:11 AM PST by Drew68

Republicans “live in a bubble,” former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum told the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Orientation for the Texas Legislature Thursday, and are detached from the pop culture and concerns of the average Americans whose allegiance they need to prevail nationally.

“We live in a bubble. We don’t realize what’s going on,” said the once and perhaps future presidential candidate who is now head of a movie studio based in Flower Mound that produces Christian entertainment. “How many of you watch prime time network television? I suspect none of you.”

He told his audience, which will also be hearing Thursday from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, that they also tend assume everyone shares their drive. “Republicans by and large are Type A personalities who want to climb to the top of the ladder, ” said Santorum. But, “a lot of people want to be good simple folks, go to work, 9 to 5.”

The consequence: “No one’s talking to the job holder — not the job creator. We don’t want to talk to people who want to be with us.”

He said it is a failure of empathy that has led Republicans to spend too much time talking negatively — “cut this, cut that” — focused on facts and figures, pie charts and bar graphs, while Democrats talk more compellingly in stories and images that are the way most people receive information.

“Our programs are right, our message stinks,” said Santorum.

He said President Barack Obama is right to focus on growing income inequality, though he said the president’s policies have only accelerated the divide.

The nostrum, “a rising tide lifts all boats,” means little when “there are a lot more Americans with holes in their boats … when the tide rises they just sink deeper.”

Santorum said Obama prevailed even in a bad economy and FDR won a third term after presiding over 25 percent unemployment, not because their programs worked but because they communicated to people that they cared about.

Meanwhile, he said, Republicans “have to get 50 percent of the vote from people who don’t think you care about them.”

Santorum said the American revolutionaries prevailed against the odds, because they wanted it more, reciting the final words of the Declaration of Independence – “we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”

In America today, he said, it is the left that wants it more.

“They have the fight, they have the passion. Why? Because they want the power.”

When people ask him, “what can I do?” Santorum says he replies, “Something.”

“Start fighting everywhere,” he said.

Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, said he especially appreciated Santorum’s call for Republicans to broaden their audience beyond the usual crowd of business owners.

“I hope we take that to heart,” he said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: conservatives; pantywaist; santorum
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To: C. Edmund Wright

A whole bunch of pablum.


21 posted on 01/11/2014 10:41:08 AM PST by Luke21
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To: Drew68

He wants US to abandon our principles Normative rule or code of conduct. Not me I will not bring myself to watch any prime time TV. Tea Time!!


22 posted on 01/11/2014 10:41:26 AM PST by tallyhoe
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To: Drew68

He does. We tend to forget that blacks used to be overwhelmingly Republican...today, a black Republican is an anomaly.

Our programs are better, we are LOUSY at expressing them. Limbaugh does a good job as he describes how conservatism really helps people.


23 posted on 01/11/2014 10:42:08 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: Mr. Jeeves

Always reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld when one of the Italian barbers make Jerry look “like you’re eight years old.”


24 posted on 01/11/2014 10:42:48 AM PST by Arthur McGowan
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To: FReepers

Click The Pic To Donate

Support FR, Donate Monthly If You Can

25 posted on 01/11/2014 10:43:45 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: raybbr

People who still watch ANYTHING on broadcast TV are irrelevant. If they vote, they will vote as they always have. They cannot be reached.


26 posted on 01/11/2014 10:45:33 AM PST by Arthur McGowan
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To: Drew68

““Our programs are right, our message stinks,” said Santorum.”

That’s the whole conservative movement in a nutshell.

Crappy news sites. Over-reliance on AM radio shows. Poor use of social media, or some brainless distrust of them. No commercial ads on shows that matter. Lots of people that make money off of the movement but pretty much are invisible. In-fighting between egos...

And much more.


27 posted on 01/11/2014 10:45:54 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: Drew68
A conservative populist platform like Newt Gingrich's Contract with America would probably appeal to the hard-working, law-abiding people Rick Santorum is talking about.

- Repeal Obamacare
- Balance the federal budget
- Appoint conservative judges
- Reduce the power of federal agencies like EPA
- Close the border
- Mandate e-verify
- Cancel Obama's "DREAM" act enacted by executive order
- Cancel all Obama executive orders
- No more "nation building"
- Eliminate foreign aid to dictators
- Repeal Obamacare
- Balance the federal budget
- Appoint conservative judges
- Reduce the power of federal agencies like EPA

28 posted on 01/11/2014 10:46:44 AM PST by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC))
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To: SatinDoll
Read it through carefully. Rick is a social conservative BUT has always been fiscally a liberal.

I would argue that the two concepts are irrevocably joined together. Any fiscal Conservative should know that social Conservatism is the path that allows smaller government. And vice versa.

29 posted on 01/11/2014 10:48:01 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (Anti-Complacency League! Baby!)
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To: Menehune56
A conservative populist platform like Newt Gingrich's Contract with America would probably appeal to the hard-working, law-abiding people Rick Santorum is talking about.

I agree. Newt Gingrich had a great message and platform. The problem was that is was being delivered by Newt Gingrich.

30 posted on 01/11/2014 10:49:47 AM PST by Drew68
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To: raybbr
Does Santorum think the night time television represents society or is even relevant?

Talk about being in a bubble.


Right. Many young people don't own a TV, content is delivered by handheld device.


31 posted on 01/11/2014 10:51:08 AM PST by 867V309 (Obama- he's just crazy enough to do it.)
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To: GeronL

Well, he is talking to folks who watch prime-time, so that’s the rank and file. I think he’s missing the boat though.

Look, leaders lead. The rank and file follows. Who is leading? Who is touching on the meat and potatoes ideas?

Why are the rank and file not touching on them? They aren’t because their leaders haven’t touched on them in decades.

Our leaders are too busy trying to convince people living in the U. S. that they care more about the illegals than the other party does. And that’s the problem. Whites don’t give a rip about the need for legalization. When asked Latinos don’t rank it high up on the chart of things that need to be done right away.

Meat and potatoes... that’s what people want to hear about.

What are you going to do to get me productive again?

How are you going to help business so they can hire more people?

How are you going to unburden businesses, so they have more money to spend on production?

What are you going to to do to ease the glut of idle workers compared to open slots?

Our leaders are supposed to herald Capitalism, but they can’t grasp what everyone else does. An over abundance of a commodity, reduces it’s value.

Workers..., 25% of our workforce is idle..., and our leaders are trying to figure out the best way to officially/formally welcome 30 million more workers to the U. S. table.

Talk about your dumb ass leaders...

Santorum means well. I don’t think he gets high marks for presentation, unless we’re not hearing the best parts of his delivery.


32 posted on 01/11/2014 10:51:43 AM PST by DoughtyOne (ZERO is still zero, and John Kerry is a mock-puppet!)
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To: DoughtyOne

The rank and file Republicans, roughly 48% of the voters judging from the last election, are out of touch??

How can 48% of the population be out of touch?


33 posted on 01/11/2014 10:54:05 AM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: GeronL
How can 48% of the population be out of touch?

It's actually 52%, not 48%; that's the percentage who voted for Bambi. I'd call that out of touch, actually, I'd say it a lot stronger........they're freeking nuts.......

34 posted on 01/11/2014 10:58:11 AM PST by Lakeshark (Mr Reid, tear down this law!)
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To: Drew68

Sanitorium is a lost soul whining in the wilderness of what was.

He lost and then lost and will continue to lose because he is a flyweight trying to be a player


35 posted on 01/11/2014 10:59:08 AM PST by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... History is a process, not an event)
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To: Drew68
He said it is a failure of empathy that has led Republicans to spend too much time talking negatively — “cut this, cut that” — focused on facts and figures, pie charts and bar graphs, while Democrats talk more compellingly in stories and images that are the way most people receive information.

Dems lie with those stories...It's why last year they were all looking for the young family with the blond innocent child that was denied healthcare... Course they didn't find it...

It's the same tactic dems used years ago to push through horrible legislation on 'the homeless'... all based on lies. Lies the lined the pockets of the Homeless Industry' but didn't do crap for people on the streets. We don't need to follow the ways of liars...

36 posted on 01/11/2014 10:59:47 AM PST by GOPJ ("Remember who the real enemy is... ")
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To: Lakeshark

I agree, but Santorum was talking about Republicans


37 posted on 01/11/2014 11:01:22 AM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: Menehune56

BTTT!

Santorum is a liar, Romney’s buttboy who was used to prevent Newt and his ideas/conservative. Rick hasn’t changed, still a liar talking out both sides of his mouth and @ss, who wants the sheep to forget so he can stay relevant.


38 posted on 01/11/2014 11:03:15 AM PST by presently no screen name
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To: GeronL
You mean there's context to being delusional?

:-)

Just messing........

39 posted on 01/11/2014 11:04:02 AM PST by Lakeshark (Mr Reid, tear down this law!)
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To: presently no screen name

Newt prevented Newt from winning, no one else.


40 posted on 01/11/2014 11:04:41 AM PST by Lakeshark (Mr Reid, tear down this law!)
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