Yes, I’ve read of the many “big government” votes of Santorum. However, lost in the sauce is Santorum’s record of Conservative ideas and votes.
The Club for Growth’s white paper on Santorum stated, “Santorum has consistently supported broad-based tax cuts and opposed tax increases either by sponsoring key legislation or by casting votes on relevant bills.” He has been firmly against all sorts of regulatory abuse, against McCain-Feingold and other restrictions on political speech. He’s been for school choice, for tort reform, for a strong military, and for a balanced budget amendment.
Santorum has stated that global warming is a “junk science scheme” used by political Leftists for stealing our money and for more government control over our lives. As legislator, Rick Santorum, opposed the "assault weapons" ban. Santorum also supported the Protection of Lawful Commerce Act which passed and put a stop to the frivolous lawsuits leftist lawyers and politicians like Obama were using to bankrupt firearm manufacturers.
He worked long and hard on the single most conservative policy reform in the past half-century, the 1996 welfare-to-work effort that cut spending and poverty rates simultaneously.
A very important skill in Congress is the ability to work with and persuade others. Santorum has the ability to persuade other congressmen to his viewpoint. Longtime Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was unconvinced about welfare reform until Santorum called on him and spent a lot of time convincing him to his viewpoint. Grassley yielded and voted for reform.
Santorum has been a longtime advocate for entitlement reform, Medicaid block grants, investment accounts for social security. He was the first candidate to fully embrace Paul Ryan’s proposed reforms. Yes, he voted for Plan D, prescription drugs. However, he and John Kasich, in 1992, introduced the first bill proposing Health Savings Accounts. His goal has been an overhaul of a broader Medicare reform. An incremental approach.
Santorum’s “earmarks” for a blue state, Pennsylvania, is more conservative than most Republicans.
Then, there is the Mexican border. This is a very serious issue. If we allow our government to continue its war on Arizona, and its fight for illegals to remain in our country, we are doomed. Santorum wants the border built and voted Yes on building it. He voted No on a Guest worker program. He voted No on allowing illegals to participate in social security. He voted No on giving guest workers a path to citizenship. He voted No on in-state tuition for illegals. He supports making English the official language.
One of the nation’s top pro-life groups, the Susan B Anthony List formally endorsed Santorum. It is the group’s first-ever endorsement of a candidate during the GOP primary season. See Pro-Life Pick.
As senator from Pennsylvania, Santorum authored the 2003 federal partial-birth abortion ban. He was also the main sponsor of the Born Alive Protection Act, which gave rights to infants born alive after failed abortions. Both of these were signed into law by President Bush. He has supported numerous other pro-life legislation, including bills making it a federal offense to kill or injure an unborn child while committing a crime, and prohibiting individuals from bypassing state parental consent laws by taking minors across state lines for abortions.
You may not agree with me about my choice. However, no matter who becomes the Republican nominee, that Republican just became my newest best friend, and I will fight shoulder to shoulder with everyone to help get him elected.