My guess is we are about to see a lot of articles stating the obvious. Of course, had Sarah Palin ran for the Republican nomination, things would look quite different right now. There is no doubt that she would have been the leading “Not Romney” candidate, but it goes farther than that.
If you look back to last year, after Palin announced she wouldn’t run, you had nothing but “flavor of the week candidates rise to the top at breakneck speed, only to crash and burn with the same velocity.
About the only thing any of these candidates had going for them was they were not Mitt Romney. Santorum just happened to be the last somewhat viable “ flavor of the week” still standing.
Yes, I know Newt is still out there, but the guy is nearly $5 million in debt and bouncing checks. He’s done.
Sarah Palin, unlike the others, would have brought something to the table other than being a “Not Romney” candidate. Sarah has two decades of successful public service. She was an accomplished mayor, and oil and gas regulator, as well as the highest rated governor in the country. She has the best fiscal record of any governor who ran. Her Conservative bonafides are beyond question, as are her leadership skills.
One thing more, unlike Romney, or any of the other candidates, Sarah Palin has a strong base of dedicated supporters. The kind of supporters who don’t just vote, or donate money. Palin supporters are the type who get out and knock doors, man phone banks, and find other ways to actively support her.
As he approaches the task of uniting the Republican party ahead of his all but official general election campaign, Mitt Romney will benefit from the same reality that’s worked to his favor the entire race — the composition of the Republican field. Specifically, Romney is fortunate that he had to beat out Rick Santorum to claim the nomination rather than Sarah Palin.
When Romney decided to seek the presidency for the second time, his moderate to liberal record in Massachusetts was bound to trigger a challenge from the right and set up a showdown, framed in shorthand, as the establishment of the party versus the conservative base.
Had Palin been in the race as the conservative alternative, it would have been very difficult for Romney to attack her given the passionate following she has among many conservatives, because he wouldn’t want to risk alienating them. Even if he had ultimately triumphed after a brutal primary fight, a lot of her loyal supporters would have found it difficult to bury the hatchet for the general election.
By contrast, Santorum came into the race with a very small following and was polling in the low single digits early on. Only when a number of other hopefuls fizzled did he emerge as the conservative alternative to Romney. Don’t get me wrong, as I wrote earlier, I think Santorum raised his profile over the course of the race and proved to be a tenacious campaigner. But the point is that Santorum’s support was as much about him being a vehicle for those who wanted to stop Romney than it was about a groundswell of support for him personally. His defeat is a disappointment to his supporters, no doubt, but less likely to sting as badly for as many people as a Palin defeat would have. Now that the primary is over, it will be a lot easier for Santorum voters to get behind Romney in the general election than it would have been for Palin given her built in fan base.
There is already a built-in animosity between Palin supporters and Romney’s hard core supporters. Romney has a reputation of using surrogates to do his dirty work, and even during the 2008 campaign, some of those closest to Romney were attacking Sarah Palin. It’s Romney people that still spout the left wing talking points when talking about Sarah.
While most of us, including Sarah herself, will support Romney if he is the nominee, only because beating Obama is that important, you can bet had Sarah ran for president, Mitt Romney would have been beaten and beaten badly.
Sarah would have been the nominee, and the next President.
You can also bet you’ll see a lot more authors, and party leaders, lamenting the fact Sarah didn’t run, before everything is said and done
As you know, Rick Santorum’s beautiful daughter Bella was in the hospital over the weekend causing a lot of concern. She’s out of the hospital now, and reportedly doing better.
Rick gives an eloquent speech speech here as he announces he’s suspending his campaign.
I have to say Rick has his priorities right. Family is far more important than anything else.
Rick Santorum today suggested it would be better to stick with President Obama over a candidate that might be “the Etch A Sketch candidate of the future” — a shot at chief rival Mitt Romney.
“You win by giving people the opportunity to see a different vision for our country, not someone who’s just going to be a little different than the person in there,” said Santorum. “If you’re going to be a little different, we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk with what may be the etch a sketch candidate of the future.”
For his part Mitt Romney responded:
I am in this race to defeat Barack Obama and restore America’s promise.
I was disappointed to hear that Rick Santorum would rather have Barack Obama as president than a Republican. This election is more important than any one person. It is about the future of America.
Any of the Republicans running would be better than President Obama and his record of failure.
A lot of people would rather have someone other than Mitt Romney as our nominee, including myself, but only a fool would think Romney is worse than Obama. We are all concerned with Mitt’s history of changing positions like most of us change socks, and the “Etch-a-Sketch” comment by his top adviser hasn’t done much to dispel those fears, but still ….
Santorum is desperate because he’s not connecting with enough voters. He’s spent all of his time chasing after issues that matter little in this economy, and crying about being out-spent and out organized. Santorum is failing and only has to look in the mirror to find the one responsible for his failure.
Speaking of Etch-a-Sketches and resets, just four years ago, Rick Santorum was singing Mitt Romney’s praises for all to hear:
In case you are interested the Republican National Committee’s latest official delegate count is as follows: Mitt Romney has 478 delegates, Rick Santorum has 182, Newt Gingrich has 133, and Ron Paul has 26. Meanwhile, 322 delegates are unbound.
That said, chances are Romney will have this thing wrapped up before then and will walk onto the convention floor as the nominee. If that happens, at least he’s better than Obama.
No surprise here. Sarah Palin has always had the highest favorablility among Republicans and Republican leaning independents. What’s interesting is Public Policy Polling actually reporting it!
Any time there is talk of a brokered convention, Sarah’s name is conspicuously absent, while Establishment™ types like Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, and Mitch Daniels are consistently bandied about. It’s funny to see the GOP Elite try and ignore the obvious …. that Sarah Palin is the only one who could unite the Republican Party and lead it to a resounding victory in November.
It’s interesting that, according to this poll, only 53% of the voters are committed to their particular candidate. Just another sign that a brokered convention might not net the results any of the current candidates hope for.
PPP’s newest national poll finds that Mitt Romney leads with 34% to 31% for Rick Santorum, 20% for Newt Gingrich, and 9% for Ron Paul. But if Gingrich dropped out Santorum would have a small lead with 41% to 40% for Romney and 11% for Paul.
46% of Republican primary voters actually do think it’s time for Gingrich to drop out, while 42% think he should continue on. 48% of his supporters would go to Santorum, while 33% would pick Romney. Gingrich dropping out being worth 4 points to Santorum is also what we found on our Illinois poll over the weekend- it would be a boost to Santorum, but not necessarily a game changing one.
A deeper look at the favorability numbers for the two front runners shows two campaigns headed in opposite direction. Romney’s net favorability of +19 (54/35) is up 18 points from our national poll in February, a sign of increasing acceptance with the GOP base. Santorum is actually more well liked than Romney with a net favorability of +29 (59/30). But his numbers are headed in the wrong direction, a 13 point drop from his lofty +42 (64/22) standing a month ago.
Romney has much more solid support than either Santorum or Gingrich. 61% of his supporters say they’ll definitely vote for him, compared to 48% of Santorum’s and 45% of Gingrich’s who express that sentiment. Among just voters whose minds are totally made up Romney’s lead expands to 12 points at 42-30. It’s a little remarkable that as long as this race has gone on, only 53% of voters say they’re firmly committed to a candidate right now.
The talk of a brokered convention never seems to die down and one interesting finding on this poll was that Sarah Palin is far more popular than any of the actual Republican candidates in the race. Her net favorability is +48, with 68% of voters rating her favorably to only 20% with a negative opinion. That compares favorably to +29 for Santorum, +19 for Romney, and -26 for Paul.
Palin is someone GOP delegates might be able to unify around in the case of a hopelessly deadlocked convention. She is seen positively by Gingrich voters (85/7), Santorum supporters (80/10), and Romney ones (57/27) alike. That’s a contrast to Romney who is disliked by both Santorum (38/48) and Gingrich (32/54) voters and Santorum who is disliked by Romney (38/48) voters and only seen narrowly favorably by Gingrich (46/42) backers.
One other side note after the Puerto Rico primary was in the spotlight over the weekend- only 22% of Republican primary voters support Puerto Rican statehood, while 49% are opposed to it and 29% have no opinion.
No surprise that both Gingrich and Santorum voters think highly of Sarah Palin, it’s also no surprise that Romney supporters are less enthused, as she is a direct threat to their guy, IF a brokered convention came to be. And that’s a big if.
Both Santorum and Gingrich are admitting they have little or no chance of beating Mitt Romney in the primary process. Their focus has shifted to making sure Romney doesn’t get the 1144 delegates needed to cinch the nomination. That in itself is going to be a tough battle, as Mitt is already halfway there, with some big states and winner-take-all contests still to come.
That said, I’m one of those hoping for a brokered convention, as I’m not wild about any of these candidates, and getting less excited about them as time goes by.
I wish both Gingrich and Santorum luck in the efforts, but those two better be careful what they wish for. You can bet if Romney doesn’t win on the first ballot Sarah Palin’s name will be placed in nomination. If this happens, I think we all know what the result will be.
Sarah has also said she thought Congressman Allen West would make an awesome Vice President.
Palin/West 2012 has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think.
While campaigning in Puerto Rico Rick Santorum showed once again that he is simply too dumb to be president. Not only does Santorum [falsely] think that in order to become a state, English must be the primary language, he doesn’t know that English IS the official language of Puerto Rico, and has been since 1902.
[emphasis mine]
(CBS News) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Campaigning on this island U.S. territory Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke out in favor of statehood for Puerto Rico but said he also favored requiring it to adopt English as its official language. Puerto Ricans generally speak both Spanish and English.
Throughout the day, the former Pennsylvania senator was asked repeatedly about his position on the territory becoming the 51st state.
“I would support the people of Puerto Rico if they make the decisive decision to move forward with that, I would support it,” he told a group of about 50 people at a town hall meeting. “But that’s a decision the people of Puerto Rico have to make and so far they’ve chosen not to make it. And so talk to your friends, and see if you can work that out.”
Later, discussing the issue with reporters, Santorum declined to say specifically how high the percentage rate of approval would have to be in his view, but indicated that the bar would be high. “It can’t be 50 percent plus one,” he said. “It has to be a strong voice.”
The issue has long divided the people of Puerto Rico, which has been a U.S. territory since 1898. In the most recent plebiscite, held in 1998, 47 percent of people supported statehood, but a slight majority, 50.3 percent, rejected all options, including statehood, independence or continuation of commonwealth status.
While Santorum said it was not the role of the president to advocate for Puerto Rico’s statehood, he said, “To me, it doesn’t make any sense to be in America and not want to be a state and have full rights as a United States citizen.”
Speaking with the local newspaper El Vocero, Santorum said English would have to be the official language of the state, but seemed to suggest, incorrectly, that English was a federal requirement of statehood. “Like any other state, there has to be compliance with this and any other federal law,” Santorum told the newspaper, according to the Reuters news agency. “There are other states with more than one language, such as Hawaii, but to be a state of the United States, English has to be the principal language,” he said.
Puerto Ricans, who recognize both English and Spanish as their official languages, are scheduled to vote in November on a referendum to decide whether they want to pursue statehood or remain a self-governing U.S. commonwealth, Reuters reports. However, the U.S. Constitution does not designate an official language, nor is there a requirement that a territory adopt English as its primary language in order to become a state, the news agency said.
Emphasizing his interest in Puerto Rican issues, Santorum joked that he was called “Senador Puertorriqueno” when he served in Congress because he looked after some of the territory’s issues, including efforts to equalize Medicare reimbursement rates and secure relief funds after Hurricane George.
“They used to make fun of me, ‘Why are you representing Puerto Rico?‘” he told reporters of his former Senate colleagues. “Well, someone has to because they don’t have a voice. … I felt a responsibility to the island.”
He developed a working relationship with Puerto Rican Gov. Luis Fortuno, who was then serving as the resident commissioner for the Island in Washington, D.C. However, Fortuno has endorsed front-runner Mitt Romney.
Asked about how that endorsement would affect his chances, Santorum lumped Fortuno in with the Republican establishment figures who are backing Romney.
“The establishment across America has lined up behind Governor Romney very early on and I certainly respect that,” Santorum said, adding, “He looked like the odds on favorite at the beginning of the campaign. We tend to do that as Republicans, sort of take the person next in line. But what I think we’ve found is that Governor Romney is uniquely disqualified in making some of the most important arguments that we need to make in this country with respect to the rule of government in our lives.”
Between the blatant pandering, and whining, it’s clear that Santorum doesn’t have the maturity to be president.
Puerto Ricans have routinely voted down the idea of statehood for various reasons. There was a push in 2010 by democrats in Congress and socialists in Puerto Rico, but it went nowhere. There’s good reason for that. As a territory, the citizens of Puerto Rico enjoy the protection of the United States but pay no taxes. Why would they want to become the 51st state?
Back to the idea of English as the “official language” as a requirement for statehood. Nowhere in the Constitution is that some sort of requirement. The Constitution is a rather simple and straightforward document. You’d think someone wanting to be president would be somewhat familiar with it. Especially someone who has already served in Congress.
After reading the above article, which states Puerto Ricans already regard both English and Spanish as their official languages, I decided to do a bit of investigating of my own.
The Official Languages Act (under the Foraker Act) was instituted which declared that in all insular governmental departments, courts, and public offices, English was to be regarded as co-official with Spanish, and when necessary, translations and interpretations from one language to the other would be made so that all parties could understand the proceedings.
1917
President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones Act. With this law:
1.Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States (“organized but unincorporated,”)
2.A bill of rights was created.
3.Separated the three governmental powers into: the legislative, executive and judicial branches.
4.United States granted Puerto Ricans U.S. statutory citizenship, which means that Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship by act of Congress, not by the Constitution and citizenship is therefore not guaranteed by it. (The Puerto Rican citizenship ceased, it was not until 1927 that it was reestablished for residency purposes only.)
As citizens, they were now allowed to join the army, only 300 rejected the citizenship and many others refused to join the army. During World War I, over 18,000 Puerto Ricans served.
5.Established that elections were to be celebrated every four years.
6.English is decreed the official language of Puerto Rico.
As we see, for at least 110 years, by the virtue of not one, but two different Acts of Congress, English has been the co-official language, along with Spanish, of Puerto Rico.
Now look, we don’t expect our presidents or our congresscritters to be history experts, but one would think if someone is going to wade into an issue like this, they would know some basic facts. Santorum brags how he “took care” of the Puerto Ricans when he was in Congress, but doesn’t know much about the territory or it’s history.
In this time of peril, we need serious leaders. Rick Santorum is not a serious leader. He is the typical Washington politician who only knows how to pander and use tax dollars to buy votes. We got enough of those cats in Washington now. We don’t need to send one more dumb, inexperienced, Big Government failure to the party.
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said today he is “the only candidate in this race that has any experience as commander-in-chief.”
By Gary P Jackson
I don’t even know where to start.
Rick Santorum has never run a city and never run a state. He was a lawyer then a corrupt congresscritter. Santorum never served in the military and the closest he has come to “combat” was when he served as the attorney for the World Wrestling Federation, where he successfully argued the WWF should be exempt from federal anabolic steroid regulations, because wrestling is entertainment and not an actual sport.
I’ve researched Santorum’s record well, and nowhere on his resume is there a notation that he has ever been Governor of a state, or of course, President. And yet, as Byron York reports, Santorum claims to be the only candidate with experience as commander-in-chief.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said today he is “the only candidate in this race that has any experience as commander-in-chief.”
Santorum made the remark in a brief session with the press after a meet-and-greet at Dreamland, a storied barbecue restaurant not far from the University of Alabama. With the state’s primary coming up tomorrow, a local reporter asked Santorum simply, “What’s your specific message for Alabama?”
“Alabama has a chance to elect someone [who agrees with] their values,” Santorum answered. “Limited government. Somebody who believes in a strong national defense. The only person in this race who’s said I wouldn’t cut the Defense Department. The only person in this race that has any experience as commander-in-chief. The only person in this race who’s ever reformed an entitlement, that wants to get smaller government. And of course, I’m someone who’s been a leader on family issues.”
Santorum has of course never been president, and he has also never been a governor, in charge of a state’s national guard forces. Asked about the commander-in-chief reference, campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart said later, “What he meant to say is that he is the only one who has the experience to be commander-in-chief.” Stewart said Santorum was referring specifically to his service on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Geena Davis has more experience as Commander-in-Chief than Rick Santorum
Words simply fail me. I know Santorum is reality challenged, but this is simply beyond the pale. Santorum’s campaign spokeswoman tried to cover for him, but being a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee is nowhere near the same as being commander-in-chief. Nor does it necessarily give you the experience needed.
You know what position does make one commander-in-chief [without being president] ? Governor. Rick Santorum has never been governor, of anything. Despite Santorum’s ridiculous claims to the contrary, there is an actual, former commander-in-chief running for President: Mitt Romney.
As for reform, looking at Satorum’s actual voting record tells a different tale than the one Santorum is telling.
Besides being a corrupt, Big Government Statist, it appears Santorum is delusional as well.
Here’s a little something that showed up in my inbox that is just deviating. Not only did Santorum stand with Arlen Specter as the democrat turned Republican turned democrat forcefully defended the baby killing crowd, he dutifully nodded as Specter took on Christian values in the Republican Party.
Big Government Rick Santorum’s only “selling point” is his supposed devotion to the things social Conservatives hold near and dear. Lord knows it isn’t his record as a Senator.
Santorum, who at times sounds like he’s running for Pope instead of President, lays it on thick and his supporters lap it up. And yet ….
As someone who believes that all life is sacred, I’d have a really hard time even voting for a pro-death candidate, let alone stand with him as he announces his bid for the presidency.
At Senator Arlen Specter’s official presidential campaign announcement in March 1996, then-Senator Rick Santorum showed his public support and encouragement of Specter by sitting directly next to him as Specter denounced the GOP’s war on abortion. It was at this event that Specter proclaimed his total opposition to social conservatism and declared he is in fact running to make the GOP pro-choice.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Some key points from the video. [emphasis Hunter’s]
3’46 mark: “In 1996, I intend to win the other house — the White House — with ten commitments to America… including a woman’s right to choose…”
13’22 mark: “Even though we have this historic opportunity for these achievements, there are those in our party who would lead us down a different path — and squander this unique moment in our nation’s history — by using our political capital — to pursue a radical social agenda — that would end a woman’s right to choose…”
13’48 mark: “When Pat Robertson says there is no constitutional doctrine of separation between Church and State, I say he is wrong…”
14’31 mark: “When Ralph Reed says a pro-choice Republican isn’t qualified to be our President, I say the Republican Party will not be intimidated or blackmailed by those kinds of threats.I, and millions of other pro-choice Republicans, will not be disenfranchised and made second class citizens.”
15’33 mark: “… it is not Christian, or religious, or Judeo-Christian to bring God into politics; or to advocate intolerance and promote exclusion.”
15’54 mark: “I want to take abortion out of politics. I want to keep the Republican Party focused on the vital economic and foreign policy issues — and leave moral issues such as abortion to the conscience of the individual. I believe abortion is an issue to be decided by women…”
16’40 mark: “I pledge to lead the fight to strip the strident anti-choice language from the Republican National platform…”
I’m sure supporters of Santrum’s will find some way to “explain” all of this away, but how can you? How can you defend the indefensible?
Good old “Magic Bullet” Specter was and is wrong. Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values and the recognition that all of our rights come from Nature’s God. To think religion has no place in politics is naïve and wrongheaded. Our values are what guide us in everything we do.
Now do we want the federal government establishing an “official” religion? Of Course not! Doesn’t mean we don’t want people of good character working for us as our elected representatives.
What makes this especially damning is Rick Santorum’s holier-than-thou attitude, and his complete lack of respect for individual rights. It’s not for nothing that less than a week ago, the same Rick Santorum who sat through Arlen Specter’s nauseating speech decrying religion in the public square claims to have thrown up at Jack Kennedy’s famous speech in Houston. A speech, BTW, that was designed to ease Protestants’ fears that he [Kennedy] would be taking orders from the Vatican, rather than the American people.
Kennedy talked about a “separation of church and state” but in the way Thomas Jefferson intended, not the way it’s been perverted in our life time. You see, Jefferson, following the Constitution, talked of the need of a separation, but this was one way. In other words, it was quite all right to have religion in the public square. It was quite alright for politicians to be men of God. After all, at one point religious services were once regularly held in congressional chambers. It’s the establishment of an official state religion that concerned Jefferson. After all, religious freedom is why America’s earliest settlers made that long journey from England.
Santorum, realizing he dug himself yet another hole, found himself having to walk his statement on JFK’s speech back just days later.
Further complicating the situation, here is what Rick Santorum told NPR in 2006:
This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don’t think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone … [that] government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues. … Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can’t go it alone
Seriously? Every single [and actual] Conservative I know wants to be left alone. The entire idea behind the Conservative movement is that government that governs best governs least. Now governments do get involved in social issues, for sure, but anyone who has listened to Santorum knows he would like to see it get a lot more involved.
Read more here for a list of all of the Big Government programs Santrum thought all of us Conservatives needed from our benevolent nanny state government.
One could go on and on about Santorum and what some would call a flip-flop on one of the most essential issues: The right to life. But frankly I am confused. Did Santorum actually agree with Specter’s rhetoric, or did he simply set aside all of his principles to “take one for the team” as he would often do as a Senator? We all know the value Santorum places on being a “team player” don’t we.
Either way, do we want a human windsock, or someone of such low character they will readily set aside all of their principles and values for political expediency, sitting in the White House?
This fits nicely with the knowledge of the massive corruption Santorum participation in, as part of the K-Street Project, and how he fought legislation that would have saved young girls in Saipan from a life of prostitution and forced abortions.
Seems as we’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well for the American people. Santorum is a not what he claims to be and doesn’t have the character and values necessary to be president. Never had ’em, never will.
Oh …. before we go. Remember the supposed deal Santorum had with Specter to exchange his endorsement for votes on judicial nominees? Specter says it never happened.
Since both of these gentlemen have a strained relationship with the truth, and the ability to tell it, you’ll have to decide which one of these two you believe. From Breitbart News:
Every Tuesday morning, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., meets with a couple dozen Republican lobbyists. Here is how Nicholas Confessore describes the ritual in the July/August Washington Monthly:
“[T]he lobbyists present pass around a list of the [lobbying] jobs available and discuss whom to support. Santorum’s responsibility is to make sure each one is filled by a loyal Republican — a Senator’s chief of staff, for instance, or a top White House aide, or another lobbyist whose reliability has been demonstrated. After Santorum settles on a candidate, the lobbyists present make sure it is known whom the Republican leadership favors.”
From a July 13, 2003, Slate Magazine column by Timothy Noah
By Gary P Jackson
With far too many people focused on the horse race and who will “save us” from “The Great Satan” Mitt Romney, one thing is continually overlooked: Just how corrupt Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are. As much hand-wringing that is going on over the possibility of Mitt Romney being the Republican nominee, few are paying attention to the alternatives.
That both Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are Big Government Statists is well documented. So is Newt’s record of selling his soul to anyone with some ready cash, be it Freddy Mac who paid him $1.6 million for “history lessons” or Big Pharma and Big Insurance who paid him $37 million to shill for government mandated health care insurance.
Thing is, Rick Santorum isn’t much better.
Back in 1995 Newt, Santorum, Tom Delay, Dick Armey, and others teamed up with Grover Norquist to create the “K-Street Project,” an effort to get Republicans hired on to top positions in major lobbying firms. In turn these lobbyists would co-ordinate with lawmakers for fun and profit.
Santorum was the liaison between Congress and the lobbyists. Rick met weekly with corrupt lobbyists and gave them their marching orders. It was understood that if they didn’t fall in line, precious access to influential members of Congress would be denied.
In addition to this, Santorum took money from a group in Saipan that was involved in the sweatshop business.The Tan Family engaged in many human rights violations, was involved in the illegal sex trade, and forced female workers to have abortions if they wanted to keep their jobs.
That’s pure evil, and Santorum was paid, not just to look the other way, but to help defeat legislation that would have stopped much of this.
Here’s a devastating video that spells it out:
The Gang of Four is a about crime, greed, money, corruption. The power of money. Washington insiders. Influence Peddlers. How the influence of Money influences Washington, Politicians and Congress. Starring Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay and Jack Abramoff. The K Street Project turns corruption into scandal, bribery, money-laundering, fraud. Lobbyist influence politicians and Politicians stacking the lobbying firms with Republican staffers. See how the sweatshops of Saipan are protected when lobbyist use their financial clout to influence Washington politicians, decision-makers in Congress, the House and/or Senate
Sickening. And yet, many voters think one of these two are the answer to our problems. That continually blows my mind.
With all of Santorum’s talk about “family values” and the like on the campaign trail, his disgraceful actions regarding Saipan are unforgivable, and just show what an absolute hypocrite he is.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
We keep electing and re-electing the same feckless, corrupt bastards, and we wonder why the United States is on the brink of destruction!
More on Santorum:
Rick Santorum’s integral involvement in the corrupt K-Street Project is nothing less than full-on Crony Capitalism. Santorum enthusiastically kept the revolving door spinning between Lobbyist and Party Loyalists. Again, because this was in the interests of the Republican Party, perhaps the Tea Party will now gladly look the other way. However, it would smack of sell-out hypocrisy for the Tea Party, known for condemning government corruption, to now support one of its most active participants. They might want to question Sen. Santorum on his well-documented participation with, and close ties to, disgraced ex-con lobbyist Jack Abramoff – whose new book, profiled recently on 60 Minutes and The Colbert Report, condemns precisely the process Santorum coordinated for the GOP: facilitating post-Capitol Hill lobbying positions to those holding Congressional office and their staffers.
Crony Capitalism – The K-Street Project
The K Street Project is an effort by the Republican Party to pressure Washington lobbying firms to hire Republicans in top positions, and to reward loyal GOP lobbyists with access to influential officials. It was launched in 1995 by Republican strategist Grover Norquist and then-House majority whip Tom DeLay. It has been criticized as being part of a “coziness” between the GOP and large corporations which has allegedly allowed business to rewrite government regulations affecting their own industries.
Shortly after the 1994 elections which gave a majority of seats to Republican candidates, DeLay called prominent Washington lobbyists into his office. He had pulled the public records of political contributions that they made to Democrats and Republicans. According to Texans for Public Justice, he reminded them that Republicans were in charge and their political giving had better reflect that—or else. The “or else” was a threat to cut off access to the Republican House leadership.
The project is named for K Street in Washington, D.C., where the largest lobbying firms have their headquarters. Lobbyists are, in some circles, referred to as the “fourth branch of government,” as some have great influence in U.S. national politics due to their monetary resources and the “revolving-door” practice of hiring former government officials. It is widely believed to be common practice for politicians to solicit money from lobbying firms in exchange for better access to officials, especially members of the United States Congress, and to buy favoritism in policies.
Candidates seeking to succeed DeLay as majority leader sought to distance themselves from the project, and as of January 15, 2006, all three announced candidates had vowed to dismantle it and overhaul the lobbying process. The fundamental quid pro quo at the center of the K Street Project — the withholding of policy favors from interest groups and lobbying firms that hire Democrats — is now illegal: the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, Sec 102, bans members of Congress and staffers from using their political power to influence the employment decision of any private entity “on the basis of partisan political affiliation”.
Some of our readers get upset that we don’t trash Mitt Romney enough for their tastes and have the audacity to point out the sort of lying, corrupt, weasels the other candidates are. I constantly hear from readers who equate fully vetting these bottom feeders to a form of “hate speech.” All I can say is get over it!
The fact is, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are corrupt Washington insiders. Both have a long history of being “team players” when there is cash involved. Both have sold their influence, with Santorum hooking up with some down-right evil sons-a-bitches.
Ron Paul is no prize either, as he is one of the biggest porkers in Congress, collecting earmarks by the millions and feeding them to his cronies. He’s been caught double billing the taxpayers for trips, and other assorted shenanigans.
The bottom line is all three of these candidates, but most especially Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, represent everything that is wrong with American politics. They are the sort that need to be run out of politics forever if our beloved Republic is to survive.
Sadly, far too many people are willing to give these corrupt bastards a pass. Far too many are willing to look the other way, just as Santorum did when it came to the women of Saipan. What I want to know is why?
How could anyone who wants a better America support any of them?
America not only deserves better, it must have better, or it’s all over.
RT @RepDonaldsPress: Reporter: Asks President Biden if his deals with China are compromised by his family’s business dealings in China.
Bi… 1 month ago
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A Time For Choosing 
