Santorum for President [plus ping list]

December 27, 2011 | Antoninus

[Antoninus]

Sarah Palin is not running.

Rick Perry has shown himself not up to the challenge (unfortunately).

Herman Cain got borked by the establishment media and could not take the heat (unfortunately).

Ron Paul, for every sensible position, has one that marks him as a kook.

Newt Gingrich is being attacked relentlessly, fairly or unfairly, and because of his very mixed record on many issues, the attacks are weakening him.

Michelle Bachmann's apparent role as Mitt Romney's attack dog has left her mired in single digits in the polls.

So the political class in this country (and I include the elites of both parties and the media in this group) have succeeded in systematically neutralizing any candidate whose name is not Mitt Romney.

Except one.



Rick Santorum

Here are the top 10 reasons conservatives should support Rick Santorum in 2012:

10. Santorum is a good family man, husband, and father. There are no skeletons in his closet and he has shown himself to be very admirable when it comes to caring for his own family. As a homeschooling father, Santorum does more than just talk about family values. He lives them.

9. He is a solid fiscal conservative. Santorum worked tirelessly to pass the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. He has been a steadfast proponent of entitlement reform, particularly advocating for the privatization of Social Security and Medicare. He has opposed the Wall Street bailouts. While in Congress, he sponsored the balanced budget amendment. He has adamantly called for ObamaCare to be repealed and replaced. Santorum has called for the Federal Reserve to be audited and its role pared back to managing inflation.

8. Santorum is a solid social conservative. His campaign has been one of uplifting social conservative values and pointing out that the breakdown of the American family is at the root of nearly all of our most intractable domestic problems.

7. Santorum is unflinchingly 100% pro-life. Santorum's stellar record as a champion for the unborn is well-known. His courage on the issue was demonstrated clearly when he fought for the partial-birth abortion ban and made Barbara Boxer look like a ghoul on the senate floor.

6. Santorum believes in a strong national defense. While not calling for war as some have insinuated, Santorum has been among the most vocal leaders when it comes to understanding and dealing with the threat posed radical Islam. As president, we can expect Santorum to help rebuild and re-arm America in the face of this threat. He is also the only Republican candidate who has said he will reinstate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

5. Santorum is pro-family and against homosexual marriage. While other Republicans cower in fear of the homosexual lobby, Santorum has stood strong. With great foresight, he fought for the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004, bringing the measure to the senate floor even though members of his own party opposed him. Santorum's efforts have earned him the undying enmity of homosexual advocacy groups, yet Santorum does not hate homosexuals. Indeed, he retained a known homosexual on his staff. He has shown himself to be fair-minded but utterly steadfast on this issue.

4. Santorum is very strong on Second Amendment issues. He's a life member of the NRA and has always been an ally of Second Amendment rights groups. While in Congress, he opposed gun bans and lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

3. Santorum understands that government interventions in the economy do more harm than good. He believes in sound economic policies including reduced taxation, reduced spending, reduced regulation. At the same time, he knows that the federal government does play an important role as defined by the Constitution to make sure that the border is secure and has called for federal tort reform to help prevent the legal profession from strangling trade.

2. Santorum has been consistent. He his not a flip-flopper on the issues. He has shown the spine to fight for conservative ideals and the ability to go against the grain when members of his own party want to cave in to the left.

1. Santorum is hated by the hard left. Those who support abortion, homosexuality, fiscal profligacy and a surrender-first foreign policy all despise Rick Santorum. He is so hated by these people that they have slandered his name across the internet, trashing him in the most vile language imaginable. If you can define a man by the depravity of his enemies, Rick Santorum must be a noble soul indeed.

For a more detailed breakdown on Rick Santorum's positions on the issues, I encourage you to visit:

http://www.ricksantorum.com/issues

How is this not better than any of the other candidates running? Is this not precisely the kind of platform conservatives want to get behind and support?

Santorum's conservative critics have hung their hat on a single fault that in retrospect (and compared to those of his opponents) looks quite minute indeed:

In 2004, Santorum supported Arlen Specter. I criticized Santorum for doing this at the time as well. He clearly had chosen to play the role of good soldier when G. W. Bush asked him for a favor. He shouldn't have done it, especially considering how exposed and vulnerable the Bush administration's botched policies would leave Santorum in 2006 when he ran for re-election himself. But in retrospect, Pat Toomey has not shown himself to be a stellar conservative. One of his first actions after getting elected was to support Obama's decision to homosexualize the military. It's really hard for a conservative to claim that Santorum's support of Specter makes him in any way unacceptable as a presidential candidate, particularly when compared to the flaws of the other Republicans in the race.

As the primaries rapidly approach, it is time for serious conservatives to coalesce around one candidate. If we can do so, we'll have our best chance at ensuring a political doppleganger like Mitt Romney (who, even if elected president, will be a disaster for conservatives) is not nominated to lead the Republican party in 2012.

I humbly submit to you that Rick Santorum is the best candidate for conservatives to support in 2012. He is a true-blue conservative who can be counted upon to articulate and advance conservative positions and ideals. He will really take the fight to Obama in the general election and to the Democrat party as president.

[ez]

1998 ACU Ratings: Gingrich 100%, Paul 88%, Santorum 84% [last year all 3 were in Congress] American Conservative Union ^ | 12/2/2011

[Theodore R.]

Santoroum 2012. Less Baggage.

[ez]

Please add me to the Santorum list. Thanks!!

[Sun]

FYI, Santorum is No. 3 in Iowa, and higher than McCain was 4 years ago today.

Please see my post No. 80 re: Santorum on the life issue, including his visit to Terri Schiavo.

FloriduhVoter, and other folks from FL: Please consider getting people you know to vote for Rick Santorum in the primaries. As you know the FL primaries is coming up SOON!

btw, lots of new threads on Santorum the last couple of days.

[oneamericanvoice]

Put me on your list. I heard Santorum speak at the San Fernando Valley Republican Club. BTW, the videos are at Three Beers Later blog. Hearing him speak on everything from American exceptionalism to his economic plans is inspirational. He is real and down-to-earth, never dodging the toughest questions or issues. His record is one of achievement. This is the man who stopped partial birth abortion! If for no other reason than that, he is the real deal. A real Conservative.

People should find out why things were done, and they will come to the same conclusion that Rick Santorum is the best man for the job.

[oneamericanvoice]

Let’s get some donations and volunteer support for Rick. Donations don’t have to be alot, one, five, ten, whatever.

[oneamericanvoice]

See his senatorial record as a leader. There are many fine videos out there where he addresses his experience. Three Beers Later blog has his stop at the San Fernando Valley Republicans. There up at YouTube as well.

My favorite is his stopping partial birth abortion.

(Why so many question marks? Did the button stick?)

[oneamericanvoice]

David, you should find out why first. First of all the district shifted left Democrat and the unions pumped in money. Go look at the videos where he explains that.

He is far from being weak, but tell me where you think he is weak?

Who is your candidate?

[oneamericanvoice]

That’s no albatross, it’s a sparrow. Find out why and you’ll probably change your mind.

He is a real Conservative.

[oneamericanvoice]

As I’ve told others, find out how and why that election turned out that way, then you may change your mind.

I’m not waiting for him to go home as some advise. There is a good man with good ideas that are doable and a track record that far outshines that 2006 election.

[oneamericanvoice]

No one thought that he’d make it this far, yet he stands in third place. You may not be able to vote for him, but you can support him with help getting out the word and a donation (1,5, 10, whatever).

This is doable.

[Hoodat]

A Santorum ping list? Put me down.

[Salvation]

The only REAL pro-life candidate!

[Sun]

“As I’ve told others, find out how and why that election turned out that way, then you may change your mind.”

Sounds interesting. Maybe it deserves a thread of it’s own!

[Crichton]

Santorum and Cain endorsed Romney in 2008, but the real shocker for many here, who are either new members or have tried hard and succeeded in forgetting the past, is that Freepers, unofficially as a group, favored Romney in 2008... once it was down to the final three of Romney, Huckabee and McCain.

As I believed at the time, the ridiculous swell of conservative support for Romney in 2008 to "Stop McCain" only had one consequence:

It gave legs to the Romney 2012 campaign.

Rush Limbaugh, a lot of FReepers, and a whole host of useful idiots share in the blame for Romney's candidacy this time around, which has a negative effect on the developing field. A competent center-right presidential nominee is not the worst thing in the world, and we've lived through it before, but absent Romney we would have been much more likely to get a Daniels or similar establishment type who at least has some conviction, a record of success, a plan for reform, without the anchors of RomneyCare and flipfloppery.

[mlizzy]

With 50+ million troops behind him, how can he go wrong? ... Go! Rick! Go!

Silent Souls for Santorum | Silent Souls for Santorum is for anyone who wants to join the uphill, but righteous journey of the former senator and father of seven to the White House, but is especially dedicated to the post-abortive women and men who see Santorum's pro-life fight as our country's salvation.
The Santorum Forum pts I & II

[CharlesWayneCT]

But it is Iowa, and it’s the only place he is doing anything. I see him as a possible Huckabee — catching a bit of fire, but just enough to ensure that no conservative can win the nomination.

[david1313]

My canidate is Newt. Rick lost by 16 % man. Can’t explain that one away, period. He just has so little chrisma. I understand what he is saying, but he does not speak well. He can’t win.

[floriduh voter]

I can’t recall if I mentioned that I met Rick Santorum when he was in Florida years ago. He’s really smart and steady as she goes.

[floriduh voter]

Newt doesn’t have charisma either.