Rather than duplicating the research well carried out by concerned Americans, I found a kind of “best of the dirt on Rick Santorum” from Nolan Chart. They deserve kudos for their thorough vetting of this big government, Washington-insider, influence-peddling, legislate-your-bedroom”, Tea Party-bashing candidate. I will highlight Nolan Chart’s main points here, but encourage you to read the entire article and then go verify for yourself.

The Real Dirt on Slick Rick Santorum

• lawyer-turned-politician-turned-lobbyist

• involved in a scandal later known as the “K Street Project”.  Lobbying firms were pressured to hire high ranking Republican lawmakers and to grant GOP lobbyists with access to influential decision makers.  Led by Congressman Tom Delay, now a convicted felon, the Project had associations with lobbyists including Jack Abramoff.  Santorum played the role of Senate liaison to the K Street Project.

• voted to spend taxpayer money to help underprivileged children in third world countries, to pay off debts owed to the US by other nations and to combat political instability in Sudan.  He voted to increase welfare programs such as Healthy Start.

•  a Santorum-created charitable foundation, Operation Good Neighbor Foundation, had actually raised over a million dollars while half million dollars was paid out to as salaries and consulting fees to lobbyists and fundraisers connected to Santorum’s campaign.  Only 36% of the money raised by the foundation actually made it to those it was designed to help.

• political action committee formed by Santorum.  It was supposed to be raising money to help fellow Republican candidates.  However, only 18% of the funds went to those candidates.  Much of the remaining money was used to enhance Santorum’s lifestyle.

• voted five times to raise the debt ceiling

• strongly supported the large hike in welfare entitlement spending with Medicaid Part D.

• retail giant Wal-Mart lined Santorum’s pockets with campaign cash, in return, Wal-Mart received votes in-kind from Santorum on issues relating to overtime, minimum wages, tort reform, charitable giving credits, etc.

• strongly supported legislation that doubled the size of the Dept. of Education including the introduction of Ted Kennedy’s infamous “No Child Left Behind”.

• in 2002, Santorum wrote in a Washington Times article, “intelligent design is a legitimate scientific theory that should be taught in science classes.”  However, in 2005 Santorum said on National Public Radio, “I’m not comfortable with intelligent design being taught in the science classroom.”

• Santorum is on record many times explaining that what happens in an individual’s bedroom is the business of the entire community and that private, consensual sex should be a matter of government regulation. His position is that no such right exists under the Constitution.   He said, “…this right to privacy doesn’t exist in my opinion in the United States Constitution.”

• supports the prohibition of contraception

• strong supporter of the neoconservative “War on Terror.”  He proposed sanctions for Syria.  In 2005, Santorum sponsored a bill aimed at overthrowing the government of Iran, called the Iran Freedom and Support Act

• announced that weapons of mass destruction had been found in Iraq

• a quarter of a million dollars in money was  raised for him by the executives of Outback Steakhouse.  Oddly enough, Santorum strongly agreed with Outback execs that the federal minimum wage should not be increased.  The Senator returned home on a Wal-Mart corporate jet.

• endorse his liberal Republican colleague, Arlen Specter, over social and fiscal conservative Congressman Pat Toomey in a senate race

• joined a Washington DC “think tank”, earning a quarter of a million dollars

One has to question whether Santorum was ever a serious candidate? I contend he’s playing guard for Team RNC to block for Romney until we get to the winner-take-all primary states. I don’t think this guy can make it past SC. It all depends how many fall for his misleading rhetoric.

He was flip-flopping Democrat all the way.

One of the most disturbing developments that has arisen out of the health care debate is how everyone appears to be on-board with the idea that insurance companies must now cover anyone with a pre-existing condition. What is being downplayed, or forgotten, is the fact that all citizens must be forced into purchasing health insurance if we require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. These two choices are not mutually exclusive. You simply can’t have one without the other and maintain a viable insurance system.

So, what’s the problem you ask? Well, aside from the obvious financial issues, requiring every U.S. citizen to purchase health insurance, or anything else for that matter, is unconstitutional on it’s face. The argument that everyone must carry liability insurance on their vehicles doesn’t hold water. I have a choice as to whether or not I choose to purchase a vehicle.  Many choose not to own a vehicle and those people are not required to carry insurance. This is the key difference. No one will have any choice in the matter of health insurance. All citizens would be required to purchase health insurance or have the I.R.S. come after their property, or worse yet, toss them in prison.

Where are the so called “conservatives” on this issue? Well, most of the GOP are on-board with these mandates, although they don’t use those words. They simply parrot the “cover pre-existing conditions” mantra while ignoring the other side of the equation, individual mandates.

If you want to understand why independents, libertarians and conservatives are running away from the GOP, look no further than this single pivot point in the health care debate. Those who still believe in liberty, freedom and personal responsibility are outraged by the idea of individual mandates. We see these mandates for what they really are, an attempt to control every aspect of our lives. It can be argued that every action we take can affect one’s heath and armed with these arguments, those who seek control will have a huge stick with which to force the citizenry into conformity, so as to benefit the collective.

I would suggest that before anyone jumps on the “pre-existing conditions”  bandwagon, they consider the other side of the equation, which is individual mandates. Consider carefully what this actually means to your liberty and your freedom. Take a close look at all politicians who are supporting these mandates, especially those holding themselves up as conservatives.

The neocons are still on the march.

Further reading on individual mandates can be found here.

Ron Paul gives a great observation as to the increased rhetoric from the U.S. government regarding Iran’s disclosure of its nuclear facility this past week. Apparently, our government has know about this facility for some time.

Progressives and necons combined to shoot down Amendment 1618 to Senate bill 1390.

To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to allow citizens who have concealed carry permits from the State in which they reside to carry concealed firearms in another State that grants concealed carry permits, if the individual complies with the laws of the State.  Amdt. 1618

The legislation was narrowly defeated, falling 2 votes short of the 60 votes needed to pass the amendment. Of note were the 2 Republicans who were directly responsible for the failure to pass this amendment.

Dick Lugar (R-Ill)
George Voinovich (R-OH)

The Neocons march on.

Evidence of the struggle between true conservatives and neocons in the GOP has never been more apparent than it is right now.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently announced he would seek the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Mel Martinez. Christ, who advocates big government, supported Obama’s “stimulus”, the TARP bailouts and routinely gets behind McCain and crew’s progressive legislation, was immediately endorsed by the National Republican party.

Does this give true conservatives any confidence the GOP is really moving back to principled positions on which the party was founded, or does it appear to be business as usual for the Republicans?

It’s refreshing to see that Jim DeMint isn’t on the same page as the GOP elite. He’s backing a much better candidate in the eyes of true conservatives, Marco Rubio.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) isn’t just backing Florida Republican Marco Rubio to rally the conservative base. He’s convinced the upstart can actually win.

“He can win, should win, and will help lead our party out of the void into the waiting arms of America,” DeMint said at an outdoor Tuesday afternoon news conference near the Senate.

But DeMint’s support of Rubio over establishment pick Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, was a direct jab at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which has chosen to back a moderate,  yet potentially more electable, Republican in Crist.

The Florida primary is already being cast as test case of whether GOP voters in a critical swing state will go with someone with statewide name recognition and a moderate record, or tack to the party’s conservative roots with a newcomer like Rubio. link

Another example of “progressive creep” that has infected the GOP is the Eight Republicans who voted for Waxman-Markey climate bill. They are…

• Mary Bono Mack (Calif.)
• Mike Castle (Delaware)
• Mark Steven Kirk (Ill.)
• Leonard Lance (NJ)
• Frank LoBiondo (NJ)
• John McHugh (NY)
• Dave Reichert (Washington)
• Chris Smith (NJ)

Notice the neocons who actually voted for this flawed and misguided legislation are from “progressive” states. The same states which are currently teetering on bankruptcy.  I urge all of the constituents of these representatives to hold them accountable for their actions in the voting booth.

True conservatives must keep in mind is that neocons are actually moderate progressives who are masquerading as conservatives.

If there is any hope left for the GOP, or indeed for America, we need to move away from the progressive and destructive policies being promoted by our representatives and move back to the principles of liberty, freedom and self-reliance as set forth in the constitution.

If the Democrats or the GOP aren’t willing to do this, it may be time to look toward a 3rd political party. We can only hope it’s not too late for America.