Santorum Problems
It's knives out along the center-right spectrum.
David Harsanyi: "It’s not the authority of government that irks him, but rather the content of the material Washington is peddling today."
Conor Friedersdorf: "the Tea Party must confront the fact that [...] Santorum [...] supported most of what they hated about the Bush years, and couldn't possibly beat Obama."
Rick Santorum is a firm, sometimes eloquent champion of moral discipline. But the Bush years proved beyond question how difficult it is to cabin off “good” interventions in the minute details of our moral lives from “bad” interventions in our finances, our health care, our education, and other similarly sweeping areas.
Ramming the point home, the Obama presidency has demonstrated how the advance and application of centralized federal power always takes on a moral character in the hearts and minds of its exponents. “When people hurt, government’s got to move” — who can draw lines around the scope and reach of that infamous Bushism? Not Barack Obama. Rick Santorum?
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Santorum Problems
The various analyses I've read of Santorum's stance seem to be drawing on dated material - his 2005 book, speeches from the Bush administration, etc. They seem to assume that Rick wasn't paying attention to (a) the Obama administration and its profligacy; and (b) the Tea Party and their insistence on reducing government spending. I'd pay more attention to critiques of what he's said recently - but I haven't seen any of those (yet).
Jun '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Santorum's "otherwise victory" speech last night was inspiring and refreshing to hear. He displayed passion, compassion, conviction and a willingness to take the gloves off when confronting Obama even making the not-too subtle comparison with Obama's policies and Mussolini's when speaking of his grandfather's emigration to America. Romney refers to Obama as "a nice guy but a failure". Santorum may be the candidate that Democrats have trouble demonizing...and doubtful that Gloria Allred will appear with a jilted Santorum lover in a press event...unless the woman was kissed by him in elementary school and is now claiming recompense for being the woman left behind, lo these many years.
Apr '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Santorum probably beats Huntsman for the keenest advocate of the Ryan Plan, with Santorum even condemning the Ryan-Wyden Plan as an undue compromise. It's true that he's supported spending more on poverty when times were good, but he's been good at acknowledging that we need to cut now. The arguments over earmarks are unfair to him; he believes in congressional control over spending, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He was far more responsible for Newt's biggest achievement (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act) than Newt was.
I'm not on board with all of his fiscal plan, but he's way sounder than Newt on the subject; about the same as Perry. Not ideal, but pretty good, and way better than Obama.
Apr '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Yeah, I think this is true. They also ignore his sterling, important, and effective work during the 1990s, when he was a key figure in moving fusion Conservatism into the Republican consensus.
May '10
Re: Santorum Problems
True, but this same defense would blunt most all of the criticisms against Romney (and much of those against Gingrich).
The vetting of Santorum must begin in ernest, good and hard. Get it all out there, every utterance, every gaffe, every hyperbolic rant he now regrets. His bubble was late in the making. If it's doomed to burst, let's get it done, and fast. If he survives, then we know he's genuinely got legs.
Dec '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Last night's caucus results prove little more than that if you run around Iowa shaking hands with evangelicals, you can turn in a decent showing. Pat Robertson won the same percentage of the caucus in 1988 as Rick Santorum did this time around. But that brand of politics has short legs when it comes to the rest of the country.
Jun '10
Re: Santorum Problems
According to Rush Limbaugh, Romney is exactly the candidate the White House wants to run against. Obama can disingenuously criticize Romney for being a "Wall Street fat cat" while at the same time "praising" him for inventing the prototype of his health care plan. "He (Romney) is a greedy millionaire crook, like most Republicans, but he's done some good things too." That's how you know you're getting a "fair assessment" from Democrats--criticism for things Democrats hate, and praise for things Republicans hate. Limbaugh would say, you can tell that they want to run against Romney by how eagerly they say they're just ecstatic to run against Gingrich, or Perry, or the "big government conservative," Rick Santorum.
Jun '10
Re: Santorum Problems
You may be right. No doubt the pressure is on Santorum to prove that he can capitalize on the momentum coming out of Iowa. What Iowa does show is that Santorum had a ground game that the other candidates did not. He's also spent a good deal of time in New Hampshire and my guess is that some in the Granite State who weren't...well...solid as granite...behind Newt or Mitt may give Santorum at least the courtesy of another look. I don't think dismissing Santorum's showing in Iowa out of hand is probably sound political calculation at this point. No small feat for a Catholic politician to win the hearts and minds of evangelicals historically suspicious of Catholics...if one grants you the characterization of those who voted for Santorum.
Edited on January 4, 2012 at 9:08pmDec '11
Re: Santorum Problems
One wonders what portion of Santorum's caucus voters were inspired by his decision to move his family to Iowa while he campaigned? Shrewd bit of pandering, that.
What next? The Santorum brood moves to South Carolina?
Jul '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Oh my. You want Managerial Progressive?
Take a look at this: The PAWS 2005 Pet Animal Welfare Statute. Federal Government micromanaging at its finest. Santorum's signature piece of legislation.
(Cross posted from here.)
I'm no Rick "Compassionate Conservative" Santorum supporter either. There is nothing in his record to suggest he will do anything about the economy if he is elected President. He voted for the two biggest entitlements before ObamaCare.
To lift from Jonah Goldberg about "Compassionate Conservatism":
Apr '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Scott Reusser
True, but this same defense would blunt most all of the criticisms against Romney (and much of those against Gingrich).
The vetting of Santorum must begin in ernest, good and hard. Get it all out there, every utterance, every gaffe, every hyperbolic rant he now regrets. His bubble was late in the making. If it's doomed to burst, let's get it done, and fast. If he survives, then we know he's genuinely got legs. · Jan 4 at 11:53am
The fact that this is what 'vetting' means in the modern Republican party is of course why none of the good candidates are in the race.
Jun '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Nobody's Perfect: One wonders what portion of Santorum's caucus voters were inspired by his decision to move his family to Iowa while he campaigned? Shrewd bit of pandering, that.
What next? The Santorum brood moves to South Carolina? · Jan 4 at 12:22pm
Somehow I don't think your comment was emphatic enough. I think "festering brood" would have been more impressive. But how do you really feel about his family? Would it be better if they were a Catholic singing troupe like the Von Trapp Family Singers? At least they'd be a brood apart.
Dec '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Scott Reusser
The vetting of Santorum must begin in ernest, good and hard. Get it all out there, every utterance, every gaffe, every hyperbolic rant he now regrets. His bubble was late in the making. If it's doomed to burst, let's get it done, and fast. If he survives, then we know he's genuinely got legs. · Jan 4 at 11:53am
Yep, exactly.
Sep '10
Re: Santorum Problems
George Will seems to like Rick Santorum.
Dec '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Somehow I don't think your comment was emphatic enough. I think "festering brood" would have been more impressive. But how do you really feel about his family? Would it be better if they were a Catholic singing troupe like the Von Trapp Family Singers? At least they'd be a brood apart.
There's nothing pejorative about the word "brood". I simply used it in order to avoid repeating the word "family". Care to provide a more acceptable alternative?
Jun '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Nobody's Perfect: Somehow I don't think your comment was emphatic enough. I think "festering brood" would have been more impressive. But how do you really feel about his family? Would it be better if they were a Catholic singing troupe like the Von Trapp Family Singers? At least they'd be a brood apart.
There's nothing pejorative about the word "brood". I simply used it in order to avoid repeating the word "family". Care to provide a more acceptable alternative? · Jan 4 at 1:02pm
Oh, my mistake. I think the word "pandering" in the preceding sentence must have thrown me off. I don't hear the word "brood" too often in a complimentary or plainly descriptive way. But then I'm not a terribly erudite fellow and don't get out much.
May '10
Re: Santorum Problems
Jonathan Cast
Scott Reusser
The vetting of Santorum must begin in ernest, good and hard. Get it all out there, every utterance, every gaffe, every hyperbolic rant he now regrets. His bubble was late in the making. If it's doomed to burst, let's get it done, and fast. If he survives, then we know he's genuinely got legs. · Jan 4 at 11:53am
The fact that this is what 'vetting' means in the modern Republican party is of course why none of the good candidates are in the race. · Jan 4 at 12:29pm
True, but the alternative would be worse -- that is, pretending the Dems won't conduct an even deeper anal exam in the general election.
Such vetting is an example of the party, in its wisdom, thinking ahead.
Jan '11
Re: Santorum Problems
Some quick notes:
The main argument against Santorum is that he lost a Senate seat, so how could he beat Obama? I don't think that calculus applies to what really happened, but reality doesn't much matter anyway - - perception is more important than ever this year.
Apr '11
Re: Santorum Problems
KC Mulville: Some quick notes:
The main argument against Santorum is that he lost a Senate seat, so how could he beat Obama? I don't think that calculus applies to what really happened, but reality doesn't much matter anyway - - perception is more important than ever this year.
If he can pull off a decent performance in... I'm guessing, three of SC, FL, CO, ME, or MO, he'll be in the race. If he can manage that, he has some skills, given how late his funding is coming in, and the media distaste for him.