Free Republic

Let me go out on another limb here and make another crazy prediction. Within 10 years, clergy will be sued or indicted for preaching on certain Bible passages dealing with homosexuality and churches, and church-related organizations will lose government contracts and even their tax-exempt status. The California judges also ruled, for the first time in American legal history, that sexual orientation is just like race. The California court just declared that those of us who see marriage as the union of husband and wife are the legal equivalent of racists. And openly racist groups and individuals can be denied government...

  We all know John McCain is terrible on immigration. For years he held America’s sovereignty and security hostage to amnesty and increased immigration, and his newfound support for “enforcement first” is so insubstantial and transparently insincere that it insults our intelligence. He’s so bad that Americans for Better Immigration ranks his performance in office as the worst of all the presidential candidates — including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. (See the GOP grid here and the Democratic one here.) And as Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation has pointed out, passage of McCain’s bill “would represent the largest expansion...

Posted on Mon, Apr. 21, 2008 The Elephant in the Room: Why conservatives should support McCain By Rick Santorum Anyone who knows me knows that I don't shy away from offering my two-cents on the issues of the day, particularly in presidential races. And anyone who has heard me talk about the presidential race over the last few months knows that I've had, shall we say, some serious reservations about John McCain's candidacy. I've disagreed with him on immigration, global warming and federal protection of marriage. I've taken strong exception to his view that the federal government should fund embryonic...

A principled conservative donor contemplating support for Republican All in One,™ the new GOP interactive grassroots software, was volitive for the imprimatur of former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA). Santorum’s bottom-line response: good grief, what are you waiting for? In an interview, joined by the Philadelphia Bulletin, Santorum responded to our analysis that had interactive software such as Republican All in One™ been available in 2006, Santorum would not have lost by 708,000 votes. Instead he would be reelected by 344,000 votes had, all things being equal, the four traditionally Republican suburban Philadelphia counties maintained a GOP turnout equal to the...

I attended the Council for National Policy meeting last week in New Orleans and listened to John McCain address the who's who of Hillary Rodham Clinton's vast right-wing conspiracy. It was another chance for McCain to, in his words, "not just unite, but reignite the base." How did the crowd think he did? Let's just say it's hard to ignite anything with cold water and no fire. He talked about two legs of the Republican stool - spending/taxes and national security. But the third leg - social issues - went unmentioned. When questioned, he failed to connect with the people...

---snip--- The other candidate, by contrast, is one of the Senate's fiercest partisans. This senator reflexively sides with the party's extreme wing. There's no record of working with the other side of the aisle. None ---snip--- Who would oppose a bill that said you couldn't kill a baby who was born? Not Kennedy, Boxer or Hillary Rodham Clinton. Not even the hard-core National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Obama, however, is another story. ---snip-- according to Obama, "they," babies who survive abortions or any other preterm newborns, should be permitted to be killed because giving legal protection to preterm newborns...

You'd think a man who might be on the verge of taking a giant step toward wrapping up the Republican nomination would go out of his way to be gracious. But John McCain couldn't keep his spiteful streak under wraps on this morning's Today. In the course of his interview by Matt Lauer, the Today co-anchor cited critical comments about McCain by former and current Senate colleagues Rick Santorum and Thad Cochran. McCain retaliated with a personal swipe at their reputations and later declined to describe Mitt Romney as a fine man. View video here.

With Tuesday's presidential primary on the horizon, Missouri once again finds itself basking in the political sun. Sunday's St. Louis visits by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Mitt Romney. . . . < snip> ROMNEY VISIT Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, declared here Sunday that he's "battling coast to coast" for his party's nomination and "the soul of the Republican Party." Romney addressed dozens of supporters packing two rooms at the Dave & Buster's restaurant in Maryland Heights. He was joined by Gov. Matt Blunt, Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton and former Sens. Jim Talent of Missouri and...

If the general public associates a face with the word “conservative,” it could very well be that of former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum. He’s been a vocal opponent of his former colleague John McCain during this primary season, but he had hesitated to go one step further. That changed Friday, when he endorsed Mitt Romney during an appearance on Laura Ingraham’s radio show. In a subsequent interview with National Review Online, he explained his decision. “Campaigns can change who you are, particularly politically. Just thinking and living and breathing why I want to be president and what I stand for...

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Mitt Romney's campaign is blasting out automated phone calls that feature a recording of former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania raising questions about John McCain's "temperament" -- a hot-button issue that Romney himself has assiduously avoided. Santorum said in an interview today that he wrote the script himself, and the campaign deferred to him and approved it.

addiction [to oil] has taken a toll on our economy while funding major sponsors of the jihadis and other terrorists that seek to harm us... we [should] dig our way out of this problem. The United States is the "Saudi Arabia of coal," and Pennsylvania is sitting on hundreds of years of this affordable and accessible resource, which, with innovative technologies - spearheaded by Pennsylvanians - we can use cleanly and right away. Pennsylvania coal already generates most of the electricity in this state. The industry is in the process of doing it more cleanly through clean-coal technologies, such as...

Santorum throws his support behind Romney Salena Zito ST. LOUIS -- Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., threw his support this morning to Mitt Romney for president. Santorum’s endorsement was sought by all of the Republican candidates in the past year. "In a few short days, Republicans from across this country will decide more than their party's nominee,” Santorum says in a statement released by the Romney campaign. “They will decide the very future of our party and the conservative coalition that Ronald Reagan built. Conservatives can no longer afford to stand on the sidelines in this election, and Gov....

Rick Santorum just endorsed Mitt Romney on the Laura Ingraham Show. I will post the transcript as soon as possible.

FRIDAY'S GUESTS: Byron York of National Review (Fridays With Byron). Sen. Rick Santorum of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Rick Santorum Senior Fellow Rick Santorum, a Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, established and directs EPPC's Program to Protect America's Freedom. He is writing a book on the "gathering storm" of the 21st century -- the challenges posed by radical Islamic fascism and its growing alliances around the world. Mr. Santorum served as United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007 and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1995....

The former senator has been on a tear against McCain for weeks. Many conservatives admire Santorum and will take his views on the presidential race into account. But McCain's positions on immigration, global warming, and the re-importation of prescription drugs are already widely known. What isn't widely known is how McCain operates in the cloakroom. Santorum gave us a hint on the Hugh Hewitt show a while ago: I mean, this is a guy who says he believes in these things, but I can tell you, inside the room, when we were in these meetings, there was nobody who fought...

HH: I am joined now, though, by America’s favorite conservative in exile. It’s Rick Santorum. Senator, always a pleasure to talk to you. RS: Thank you, Hugh. It’s great to be with you again. HH: Now you know, I think pretty much everyone on our side of the aisle believes you know the media just about better than anyone, and you know how they can manipulate a race. They’re trying to force Mitt Romney out. Should the Governor go? RS: No, absolutely not. I think this race is wide open. I think Mitt Romney still has a very good chance...

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, R-Pa., spoke last night at the University about confronting what he described as the threat of radical Islam and fighting "the war against Islamic fascism." The program, aimed at raising awareness, also sparked controversy among University student groups who criticized Santorum's stance. Santorum began his speech by addressing what he considers the two greatest obstacles the United States now faces in foreign policy: first, the dwindling support of the American people in sustaining the war on Islamic fundamentalism and second, the failure of the Muslim world to confront fundamentalism. According to Santorum, the lack of...

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007 'Islamo-Fascism' brings in Santorum Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, a Penn State alumnus, is scheduled to make a controversial appearance tonight on the University Park campus. Santorum Invited by prominent conservative writer and organizer David Horowitz, Santorum will speak in Osmond Laboratory as part of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week. The Los Angeles-based Horowitz Freedom Center has assembled the theme week, which Horowitz said will reach 109 campuses nationwide. He said all are holding events to focus attention on fascism in the Muslim world, including the repression of women. He wants people to start discussing the debated term...

Regime Change, Peacefully We must continue to support the Iranian people. October 24, 2007 National Review Online Rick Santorum An effort is underway in Washington to cut the funding for the pro-democracy movement inside Iran authorized last Congress by the Iran Freedom Support Act (IFSA). IFSA authorizes the president to provide financial and political assistance to foreign and domestic individuals, organizations, and entities working for the purpose of supporting and promoting democracy for Iran. In order to receive financial backing, these individuals and groups must support four basic pillars of democracy — freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom...

Horowitz plans week-long war against rise of radical Islam By David M. Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, October 21, 2007 David Horowitz minces no words to evoke a stark image. Asked what threat radical Islamic terrorism poses to the United States, the conservative writer and activist sums up his view: "One dirty nuclear bomb can ruin your day."

The following is a summary of a recent national survey conducted by Public Opinion Strategies for the Program to Protect America's Freedom at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (August 19-20, 800 registered voters).  ObservationsVoters are much more aware of the threats posed by radical Islam than anticipated.  Indeed, a plurality of Americans believes the threat from Islamic fundamentalism is greater than either Soviet Communism in the 1960s or Nazism in the 1930s.  However, the public is less aware of the strategic partnerships being developed between radical Islamic regimes and other countries, especially Venezuela. Two-thirds of Americans agree that this...

GLENN: I want to bring in Rick Santorum and talk to him briefly about a speech that was given by Ahmadimejad yesterday. Did you see this speech or see clips of it yesterday, clip? [SNIP] SENATOR SANTORUM: Yeah. He's listening to the Democratic politicians who are saying we're going to get out of Iraq, hearing Republicans who are running for the hills saying it's time to get out of Iraq and Ahmadimejad says, great, we're ready. We're now, we're in position, we've accomplished our mission by providing the EFPs and providing the money and providing all the support that we...

Warning: This article contains objectionable material that is being taught to school children. A recent government study found that leading “comprehensive” sex education curricula intended to reduce teen sex, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases contain sexually explicit material and factual errors. The study was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the request of Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) and former Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania). The request came after the “Waxman Report,” written in 2004 by the staff of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California), claimed abstinence curricula are deficient. That report was criticized...

"Why? Because we'll need more government and more spending to address the many and diverse problems that fragmented or absent-father families disproportionately create."

In September 1996, I stood on the floor of the United States Senate to respond to Sen. Barbara Boxer's comment that I was ignoring the "cries" of the women who came to Washington to lobby for the sustaining of President Clinton's veto of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. My response? We would be deafened by the cries of the babies that are not here today, because of this procedure. I then addressed the comments by another senator likening the partial-birth procedure to an appendectomy. I pointed to the diagram depicting this gruesome procedure, in which a 5-month-old fetus is...

In September 1996, I stood on the floor of the United States Senate to respond to Sen. Barbara Boxer's comment that I was ignoring the "cries" of the women who came to Washington to lobby for the sustaining of President Clinton's veto of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. My response? We would be deafened by the cries of the babies that are not here today, because of this procedure. I then addressed the comments by another senator likening the partial-birth procedure to an appendectomy. I pointed to the diagram depicting this gruesome procedure, in which a 5-month-old fetus is...

There is a political lesson behind today's Supreme Ct decision on partial birth abortion that some of you who now oppose Rudy Giuliani need to think about. Back in 2004, Pat Toomey challenged Arlen Specter in PA for the nomination to the U.S. Senate. Both Rick Santorum and George Bush backed Santorum. They did so for three reasons. First, they believed Toomey had little chance to win in the general election whereas it was virtually certain Specter would win if nominated. Second, the Senate was too evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans to risk losing even one seat--which would mean...

Universal Health names ex-Sen. Rick Santorum to board By Gabriel Madway Last Update: 5:06 PM ET Apr 16, 2007 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Universal Health Services Inc. said late Monday former Senator Rick Santorum has been appointed as a director. Santorum, who served in the Senate from 1995 until 2007, becomes the King of Prussia, Pa.-based hospital operator's ninth board member.

Santorum, known nationally for his social conservatism, says Giuliani does a good job of reminding people how he governed as a conservative on crime, welfare and taxes in New York City. Santorum also believes Giuliani has scored points on social issues with his comments about judges and Supreme Court justices. "Rudy understands that, on those issues, the courts are where conservatives have been losing the battle," he says. "If he is going to be appointing judges in the Scalia-Thomas (mold), then he is sending a very positive message to conservatives that he understands the importance of having the Constitution interpreted...

For the moment, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani sits on double-digit leads over the rest of the Republican presidential-hopeful pack in several national polls. Why? "It appears to me that Rudy is going aggressively after the conservative vote," says Pennsylvania Republican and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. "He has not ceded that ground to anybody." Santorum, known nationally for his social conservatism, says Giuliani does a good job of reminding people how he governed as a conservative on crime, welfare and taxes in New York City. Santorum also believes Giuliani has scored points on social issues with his comments...

Former Sen. Rick Santorum has drawn at least one conclusion about the Republican presidential primary field: Anybody but John McCain. The Pennsylvania Republican, who signed a contract Thursday as a Fox News contributor, said he has spoken with every GOP candidate – except the senator from Arizona – but it’s still too early for him to endorse. “The only one I wouldn’t support is McCain,” Santorum said during an interview in his office at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, where he is a senior fellow. “I don’t agree with him on hardly any issues,’’ Santorum said. “I...

(Hershey, Pa. 02/16/07)Recently elected Democrat US Sen. Bob Casey Jr. has already caused the loss of 1500 quality high-paying jobs at chocolate giant Hershey Co., analysts confirmed today. Hershey made the announcement along with a statement saying they would instead launch plans to build a new factory in Mexico. (per AP writer Peter Jackson)

Former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, a conservative, when pressed to pick between two possible liberal candidates for president in 2008, selected Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama. Santorum, appearing on MSNBC’s "Imus in the Morning” program, said he is reluctant to have either one of them in office, but suggested Clinton’s experience eclipses any luster Obama may bring to the White House. "I just don’t think Barack Obama is ready for prime time,” Santorum said. "You can’t put a man like that in a situation where the country is in the state that it’s in right now. Believe me, Hillary and...

This morning on Imus, Rick Santorum said that the intelligence community had suppressed evidence of Iran's involvement in Iraq, because they were afraid Bush would use it to go to war against Iran, and they didn't want to start another war. First, did anybody else here this? Second, if I heard correctly, does anybody know of a source for this claim? I don't remember reading about it here anywhere, I would think that even if the MSM didn't make a big deal of it, we would have noticed.

Rick Santorum says he will remain a vocal advocate of America's war on terror -- what he calls "the greatest problem ... a very grave threat to the future and security of our country" -- despite losing his U.S. Senate seat. The always-outspoken Republican is "working on a lot of different things ... to play a part in that struggle," although he remains noncommittal about his next job and his political future. He discussed those and other issues in an interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, his first extensive remarks since losing re-election to Democrat Bob Casey Jr. on Nov. 7....

He's weighing all kinds of offers for his post-Senate life. Another campaign? He says he tries "not to close doors." Rick Santorum has fallen out of favor with Pennsylvania voters, but the job market seems to adore him. Despite his 18-point loss to Bob Casey Jr., the Senate's most outspoken conservative quickly fielded offers: spar on TV as an analyst, write a book, join a think tank, make speeches around the country. Law firms called, too. Speaking last week for the first time about his post-Senate plans, Santorum said he would try all five. "I can go out there and...

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about why I voted against Dr. Gates and lay out in detail the concerns I have about the security posture of the United States today and how I do not believe that Dr. Gates is the appropriate choice to confront them. While I think he certainly has a lot of positive qualities, and in normal times I would certainly defer to the President's judgment on this, we are not in normal times. I believe we need a Secretary--and I think we need leaders in this country, particularly the Secretary--who has insight...

Thursday December 07, 2006 By KIMBERLY HEFLING Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Rick Santorum delivered a reflective farewell speech on Thursday in which he thanked Pennsylvania voters for the opportunity to serve them in Congress for 16 years. Santorum said he always understood that voters were his employers, but he acknowledged there were a lot of times he didn't agree with them. ``Maybe I spoke up too often, too loudly, too boldly on some of the things my employer didn't agree with me on,'' Santorum said. ``I hope they respect the fact I felt ... it was a...

WASHINGTON - In a departing speech Wednesday on the Senate floor, Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum warned of the growing threat of what he calls "Islamic fascism." It was a familiar theme for Santorum, the No. 3 Senate Republican, who lost in the Nov. 7 general election to Democrat Bob Casey. Throughout his campaign, he warned of the escalating threats from countries such as Iran, Venezuela and North Korea. Santorum, a two-term incumbent, said Wednesday his one regret about not returning for the next Congress is that he won't be able to focus on the issue of energy security. "It is...

[snip] Overall, 52 Republicans, 42 Democrats and one independent voted for Gates. Three lawmakers _ Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. _ did not vote. Two Bush allies, Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Jim Bunning, R-Ky., voted against Gates, citing his criticism of the war and his view that the U.S. should engage Iran as part of a solution. "Mr. Gates has repeatedly criticized our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan without providing any viable solutions to the problems our troops currently face," Bunning said. "We need a secretary of defense to think forward with solutions...

Seems like just yesterday Republicans were warning Democrats not to count their hicks before they were catched. Democrats said they had a plan to get the guys with the Confederate flags, but Republicans said you can’t con those folks into loving federal overreach. Democrats said they could draw pro-life votes, but Republicans scoffed: “We’re the pros. Get a life!” Democrats said they could attract budget-balancers and Republicans countered: “That is our constituency and you can’t budge it.” Well, bite your tongues, all you RNC guys and gals with the starched collars. Them there rubes done drug you out the door....

Don't expect to see Sen. Rick Santorum's name on the 2008 presidential ballot. "Absolutely, positively not. Absolutely not," Santorum said yesterday on The Michael Smerconish Show on WPHT-AM (1210). "My wife would throw me out of the house if I do anything in '08." Even though he lost his Senate seat last week by 18 points to Democrat Bob Casey Jr., some supporters hoped he would still fill the social conservative niche on the Republican ticket. William J. Bennett, the former U.S. secretary of education and national drug czar, had predicted a "draft Rick Santorum" movement, citing a lack of...

Santorum Nails the True Nature of Islamic Fascism - One day after we publicly burned the lies contained in the Koran, the homosexual flag, and seven abominable Supreme Court decisions in Jackson, Mississippi, Senator Rick Santorum gave this speech. It is remarkable, and perhaps the most powerful speech given by anyone in the United States Senate in the past fifty years. Below, some excerpts from Senator Santorum's speech, at the “Conservative Union League” in Center City Philadelphia, July 27, 2006. Click here for the full text of the speech ~Flip “The Great Test of This Generation – Naming and defeating...

Reason Magazine Blogger Finds Pleasure in Tears of Rick Santorum's 8-year-old Daughter Because the libertarian universe has no place for the vulnerable, weak, or the dependent--since none are autonomous adult-choosers in search of virtual kiddie porn--it has no qualms in providing a forum in which children and their families can be verbally abused and have profanities hurled at them. Read and weep Julian Sanchez's "Your Tears Are So Yummy and Sweet" in which the writer says he finds joy in the tears of Rick Santorum's eight-year-old daughter, who is pictured crying next to her father as he gives his concession...

First, let me thank you for your support and your faith throughout this campaign and beyond. I am so blessed to be surrounded by not only my loving family but so many wonderful supporters committed to the future of our state and our nation. Although the results were not what we wanted, we couldn't be prouder of our campaign and the job we've done for you and your families. You should be proud too for the hours you spent making calls, knocking on doors, talking to family, friends and neighbors and all the other time you spent thinking about and...

Santorum concedes... less than 12% of precints reporting and he's conceded already... I dunno.. .weird.

Bob Casey Democrat 8,711 (60%) Rick Santorum (i) Republican 5,902 (40%)

The AP has already said Rick Santorum's 12-year Senate run is over, but his campaign is denying that -- and raising lots of complaints about voting irregularities. According to the AP, state Republicans asked Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes to investigate what they said were instances in at least 12 counties where voters allegedly tried to vote for Republican candidates but that the machines reflected Democratic votes. Santorum's campaign said voters complained that votes cast for the Republican were registered on computers for his Democratic opponent Bob Casey.

From a connected Keystoner: We all prepared for this year?s elections to be heated, particularly in PA with so many contested races. But even with teams of lawyers on the ground, I don?t think anyone anticipated what is going on right now. I expect this will be THE national story by 5pm today if not sooner. 37 counties in Pennsylvania use the ESS & Ivotronic. These machines are experiencing massive failures. If you vote for one candidate, the opposing candidate lights up. Rendell votes are counting for Swann. Santorum votes are counting for Casey and so on County Boards of...

Rick Santorum won his seat with the help of anti-Democratic sentiment and rose to become the No. 3 Republican in the Senate on the strength of his conservative credentials, but 12 years later he is fighting an anti-GOP wave. After an intense 18-month campaign in which both candidates raised about $40 million, Santorum and the Democratic candidate and front-runner in polls, Bob Casey, spent the final days emphasizing familiar themes. Appearing upbeat, Casey walked from his Scranton home with his family around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to a polling place set up at a church basement in Scranton. There were no...