You're right. I'm not a troll. I've got a 40 year track record of conservative activism. I've played nice. I've gone along to get along and look where we are. Giving in and compromising is not the path to victory.
Ricky's votes indicate to me that he doesn't even have a basic understanding or appreciation of conservative values or economic theory. He's been 'handled' for so long, I'm not even sure that he knows what he believes.
Yeah, I'm pissed. And make no mistake, a lot of conservatives in PA are. Think about it, if he is that hated anyway, will pandering make a difference in his effort to get reelected? NO! He'll lose more from the right than he will gain from the middle or left.
The left is grounded in "gimmee politics." OTOH, the right is firmly grounded in principle -- and you seem to fall into that category. You recognize the BS of that other poster. If a candidate fails to meet our standards and expectations, he loses the vote. We won't sully ourselves with voting for someone who will work against our values and who cannot be trusted. Ricky has demonstrated that it isn't principle that guides him but political expediency.
He won when he voted conservative. He's losing now that he's wandered off track. PA is not liberal. It is Democrat, but conservative. You gave money to Toomey. You saw how people flocked to him when they heard his message. His grass roots team was awesome -- 10,000 volunteers. Being out spent was not his problem so much as running out of time. Two more weeks on the campaign trail and he would have overcome Specter decisively.
Yes, the people voted for Specter. But you cannot discount the effect that Bush and Santorum had on the race. Those two were trusted. When they said that Bush needed Specter, some took them at their word. There was only a 6500 vote swing out of 12 million votes.
For a man whose reputation was as a rock solid conservative, would it have been out of the realm of possibility for him to stand with a fellow conservative? What was more important? Obviously the Senate Club and not his values.
The issues that I 'nitpick' are just those that I've come across in a brief search. The list is sure to be quite a bit longer if I had the time to look into it. He recently sent out a 'pledge' letter promising to do or not to do certain things if reelected. Problem is that within the last 6 months, he had violated at least 4 of them. His word means nothing. He cannot be relied upon.
I get bashed every day for sticking to principle. If Ricky can't take the heat, he should get out of the kitchen.
Based on your discussions with everyone but me, as I read what you write, I find myself in almost complete agreement and that is what is so frustrating for me that you stick to Santorum. You are viewing him from afar and I'm right here. I listen to his speeches. I read his letters. I see his votes.
Speaking of which, one thing that won't show on his record is his support for the sports stadiums that will cost the taxpayers ONE BILLION DOLLARS! The people in this area where there was a referendum on it defeated it 78 to 22%, yet it was pushed through with Rick cheering it on. A local think tank, as well as others around the country denounced sports stadiums for years for not being good economic generators. Yet there was Ricky, pushing to take money from private citizens at the point of a government gun to give to multi-millionaire team owners so that they could afford to pay other multi-millionaires to play a game. Tell me where the conservative principle is in that.
If you want to see Santorum get reelected, donate to moveon.org. The more they bitch, the better chance he'll have. I, and my fellow unappeasables will not be voting for him.
BTW, don't expect a lot of support for Lynn Swann either. His celebrity status doesn't quite fill out the empty suit that he is. He's not ready for prime time AND he is being backed by one of the most corrupt RINOs in the state - the current State Senate President pro temp. The puppets on the State Committee pushed him through the process at the behest of this man. This is the same committee that refused to condemn an unconstitutional pay increase orchestrated by this same man. Swann blamed Gov Rendell for signing it, but it wouldn't have passed without the full support of the Republican controlled General Assembly.
Bottom line -- Trust, integrity, consistency and conservative values will win the day. It's not that PA is too liberal for either of these men. They just don't pass the smell test in any of these areas.
Sorry but saying PA is conservative doesnt square with PA voters picking Kerry over Bush. It doesnt square with Ed Rendell getting elected. PA is a blue state.
"He'll lose more from the right than he will gain from the middle or left."
Yet the pandering RINO Specter sailed to re-election and the rock-hard conservative Santorum is in trouble. As I said, the message if Santorum loses will be a disaster for PA conservatives - the RINOs will tout as "proof" that conservatives are unelectable. Please open your eyes, its happened in other northeast states several times.
"You gave money to Toomey. You saw how people flocked to him when they heard his message. "
Well they didnt flock enough, did they? Like I said, it was a noble effort, but it didnt make it. Let's get over it. We now have a Hillary/Schumer supported liberal Democrat who is riding on the coattails of his Dad's reputation, against the most conservative blue-state Senator in the US Senate.
"I get bashed every day for sticking to principle."
A 'principle' that is the opposite of what Reagan once viewed as the right principle: He said if someone agrees with you 80% of the time, they are your ally not a traitor to a 100% cause.
Every criticism you make of Santorum could be made in spades of just about any other Senator or politician, of any party.
"If Ricky can't take the heat, he should get out of the kitchen."
Strange comment, given Rick Santorum's willingness to speak out in ways the media loves to crtique and distort.
He *has* taken the heat.
"Bottom line -- Trust, integrity, consistency and conservative values will win the day."
Casey Jr represents none of these and yet you are acting in a way to help him win election.
You have yet to answer some key questions:
- Name a better sitting blue-state US Senator than Santorum
- Tell me if you honestly think Casey JR and Specter are better than Santorum. You know in your heart that whatever flaws Santorum has, he is far better than either a RINO or a liberal Democrat
- Name another PA US Senator who was better than Santorum in the past 20 years
95% ACU Conservative rick Santorum is the best you had in the past, the best you have now, the best you hope to have
in the future. As Lincoln said "There I stand, warts and all."
You call yourself 'unappeasable' and that's the difference between us two. I'm a Reagan Republican, admire his presidency, and I know enough to know he cut many a compromise deal - many of them hated by conservatives - to get his agenda moving forward. Reagan punted on budget cuts to fund defense programs that helped win the cold war.
If conservative Santorum loses, your future choices in PA candidates will be reduced to RINOs vs liberal Democrats.
Like Reagan, I prefer half a loaf or three-quarters of a loaf to none at all.