Supporting the Senator
Over the next few days, you'll be seeing a series of posts called "Supporting the Senator" from each of the SantorumBloggers. As the title would suggest, it'll be a list of reasons why we're for Rick Santorum and his re-election to the Senate.
This idea started because of thread over at PhillyFuture.org about supporting Bob Casey, and why people support their man. It's typically a liberal Democrat kind of commentariat over there, so as the (probable) lone Santorum / conservative there, I felt I had to step up. That and the host Karl Martino and Howard Hall pretty much asked me to.
Since I assigned the homework, it only stands that I should have to go first.
I support the Senator for a number of reasons. I'm a bit of an odd duck politically, a self-styled and self-labelled libertarian conservative. Maybe I'm not that odd at all.
I agree with his pro-life, ANWR, social security reform positions. I like tax cuts, and a return to the constitutional role of judges. The Senator is pro-active on foreign policy, particularly the situation in Israel w/ Hamas, the looming crisis in Iran, the continuing war in Iraq and the war on terror.
That's not to say I don't disagree with the Senator. The only perfect Senator would be me, but I'm biased. I disagree with his position on the federal minimum wage (states should feel free to change it up or down if need be) and disagree with him and the Senate, the House and the President on continued expansion of the federal budget, porkbarrel spending in general. Domestically, I think a less involved, lower spending federal government would do us all a favor.
Oh, and how about a flat tax on consumption, Mr. Senator? (Since you're reading)
Make it simple. One exemption based on income. Period. We could do our taxes on a postcard... and scrap the whole byzantine IRS system. Tax reform is great. But tax revolution is best.
You're probably thinking "what about Bob Casey? He's pro-life, pro-Alito, etc"... and that's a fair statement. But he's not pro-my other stuff (ANWR, SS reform, etc). ANWR (click the link, already!) and Social Security reform are high on my list of "it has to happen."
Opening up ANWR to production will help wean us off of foreign sources of oil. No, it's not going to happen overnight.... and neither will a hybrid car revolution. I know we can produce that oil before the hybrid revolution though.
Social Security reform has to happen. The current system is simply untenable. Since I'm prohibited from opting out (short of having no income), I've got to pay in. I'd like to assure myself I (and others) get something in return in forty or fifty or sixty years. Otherwise, it's a ponzi scheme. A giant ripoff. If it wasn't the government running it, there would be a awful lot of people in jail.
Rick Santorum, our Senator, is for those things. In the case of Social Security reform he's leading the charge.
Santorum is also a Republican (natch) which means he votes for Republican leadership in the Senate. At this time, my interests are not served by a Senate Majority Leader Reid, or committee chairs Kennedy, Leahy, Byrd or Feinstein.
I actually quite like Dr. Chuck Pennacchio's idea of a balanced budget amendment, but I don't get a vote for him on May 16th. Even if he wins the primary, (which would be a collossal shock), I wouldn't vote for him.
On the 7th of November, I'll be voting for Rick Santorum, and I encourage you as well.
This idea started because of thread over at PhillyFuture.org about supporting Bob Casey, and why people support their man. It's typically a liberal Democrat kind of commentariat over there, so as the (probable) lone Santorum / conservative there, I felt I had to step up. That and the host Karl Martino and Howard Hall pretty much asked me to.
Since I assigned the homework, it only stands that I should have to go first.
I support the Senator for a number of reasons. I'm a bit of an odd duck politically, a self-styled and self-labelled libertarian conservative. Maybe I'm not that odd at all.
I agree with his pro-life, ANWR, social security reform positions. I like tax cuts, and a return to the constitutional role of judges. The Senator is pro-active on foreign policy, particularly the situation in Israel w/ Hamas, the looming crisis in Iran, the continuing war in Iraq and the war on terror.
That's not to say I don't disagree with the Senator. The only perfect Senator would be me, but I'm biased. I disagree with his position on the federal minimum wage (states should feel free to change it up or down if need be) and disagree with him and the Senate, the House and the President on continued expansion of the federal budget, porkbarrel spending in general. Domestically, I think a less involved, lower spending federal government would do us all a favor.
Oh, and how about a flat tax on consumption, Mr. Senator? (Since you're reading)
Make it simple. One exemption based on income. Period. We could do our taxes on a postcard... and scrap the whole byzantine IRS system. Tax reform is great. But tax revolution is best.
You're probably thinking "what about Bob Casey? He's pro-life, pro-Alito, etc"... and that's a fair statement. But he's not pro-my other stuff (ANWR, SS reform, etc). ANWR (click the link, already!) and Social Security reform are high on my list of "it has to happen."
Opening up ANWR to production will help wean us off of foreign sources of oil. No, it's not going to happen overnight.... and neither will a hybrid car revolution. I know we can produce that oil before the hybrid revolution though.
Social Security reform has to happen. The current system is simply untenable. Since I'm prohibited from opting out (short of having no income), I've got to pay in. I'd like to assure myself I (and others) get something in return in forty or fifty or sixty years. Otherwise, it's a ponzi scheme. A giant ripoff. If it wasn't the government running it, there would be a awful lot of people in jail.
Rick Santorum, our Senator, is for those things. In the case of Social Security reform he's leading the charge.
Santorum is also a Republican (natch) which means he votes for Republican leadership in the Senate. At this time, my interests are not served by a Senate Majority Leader Reid, or committee chairs Kennedy, Leahy, Byrd or Feinstein.
I actually quite like Dr. Chuck Pennacchio's idea of a balanced budget amendment, but I don't get a vote for him on May 16th. Even if he wins the primary, (which would be a collossal shock), I wouldn't vote for him.
On the 7th of November, I'll be voting for Rick Santorum, and I encourage you as well.
Comments on "Supporting the Senator"
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howard said ... (4/11/2006 03:35:58 PM) :
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Dismis said ... (4/11/2006 03:38:35 PM) :
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FP said ... (4/11/2006 11:17:38 PM) :
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NEPA TOM said ... (4/12/2006 07:08:10 AM) :
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NEPA TOM said ... (4/12/2006 07:11:07 AM) :
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Chris 'FP' said ... (4/12/2006 09:10:43 AM) :
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NEPA TOM said ... (4/12/2006 08:15:14 PM) :
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Anonymous said ... (6/02/2006 11:19:34 PM) :
post a commentThanks for that, Alex. There is one issue I tend toward Santorum on, and that's the Social Security reform. Unfortunately, I haven't heard any one plan that I could wholeheartedly endorse. I think it absolutely needs reform, but the options seem to be all or nothing, which is so sadly typical of a two-party state (which I guess is at least better than a single-party state, but not much).
Anyway, I appreciate you expanding on your ideas about Santorum. This works a lot better for me than the flaming that most bloggers seem to be doing.
By the way, Howard's my real name -- you can remove the quotes if you want to ;)
-Howard Hall
Rick is anti-abortion not pro-life there is a difference and you know it. Please stop confussing the issue.
I wouldn't say it's a Democratic bastion over there, it's a Pennachio bastion over there. I was the guy that wrote about Casey and man did people come out of hte woodwork to paint him as some big conservative. It's interesting that much of Santorum's supporters are painting Bob as a secret liberal, while Pennachio and crew are saying he's a secret conservative.
I suppose part of the problem is that whoever is helping him out simply isn't shaping his vision very well, because I can see it, I'm not sure why they can't deliniate it to the people and Democrats. He's extremely pro environment, concerned about the lives and job conditions of workers, and pro-life. He also respects the political process, as evidenced by his respect for the president picking judges, and for respect of the branches of government. This is where he diverts from the other Democrats in that he saw the validity in the Iraq War and has also seen the problems afterwards, but instead of his fellow Democratic opponents he doesn't seek an immediate withdrawal, but instead wants to own up and try to fix the mess.
Anyway, interesting take on Santorum, obviously we differ on similar things but that is the nature of politics.
Now, we didn't paint him -- Junior's own words painted him.
BTW we are still waiting for you to show us ONE issue on which Junior has taken a stand consistent with the majority of his PA Dems on which Chuck Pennacchio (at least spell his name right) is in the minority.
AND another thing . . . a guy who thinks it was a great idea to go into Iraq and kill Iraqis, who wants to bomb Iran, and who is so taken with the death penalty that he doesn't see the need for a moratorium, as Junio is, is not pro-life. He's anti-abortion, why are you so afraid to say that?
why are pro-abortionists so afraid to say pro-abortion? It's all about packaging.
I've done it, through researching voting patterns. You put up polls and skew gradatiating answers to show that people 'support' certain policies.
Not even ONE issue?
Oh well, thanks for playing.
Gene, tell Frank what he's won! (Hope you like Rice-a-Roni.)
Rick Santorum isn't a pro-life Catholic, he is merely anti-abortion. A true pro-life Catholic is against the death penalty as well, along with anything else which threatens the sanctity of life.