Santorum raises welfare, but lacks punch

In a convention with few reminders of the 2012 Republican primary just a few months ago, Rick Santorum brought everyone back.

The former Pennsylvania senator delivered a somber speech that was more about his personal story than a ringing endorsement of Mitt Romney. It hit on many of the same themes he pushed while pursuing his longshot presidential bid, including family values, marriage and abortion. 

Addressing the Republican National Convention, Former Senator Rick Santorum broke from the recurring theme of criticising President Barrack Obama's fiscal policies to emphasize social issues.

In fact, even though Santorum was the first speaker to raise the welfare issue, his allusion to abortion was the best-received line of his speech.

“I thank God that America still has one party that reaches out their hands in love to lift up all of God’s children -- born and unborn -- and says that each of us has dignity and all of us have the right to live the American Dream,” Santorum said to a standing ovation.

On welfare, Santorum, who touted his work on welfare reform in the 1990s, accused the president of trying to “weaken our republic” and acting as if he were “above the law.”

President Obama’s policies undermine the traditional family, weaken the education system,” Santorum said. “And this summer he showed us once again he believes in government handouts and dependency by waiving the work requirement for welfare.

“I helped write welfare reform; we made the law crystal clear -- no president can waive the work requirement. But as with his refusal to enforce our immigration laws, President Obama rules like he is above the law. America take heed, when a president can simply give a speech or write a memo and change the law to do what the law says he can’t, we weaken our republic.”

Of course, the welfare attack has been widely discredited, and there is still a work requirement for welfare. There also was limited crowd reaction to the attack, which has become a mainstay of the Romney campaign on the trail and in millions of dollars in television ads.

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Santorum sounds like a guy who was kicked in the gut too many times by Mitt Romney during the primaries. It is hard to love someone, even a member of your own team, when that person slanders you in the press, creates television adds that depict you as a loser, and then asks you to stump for him. Sort of feel like you worked for a company funded, downsized, and eventually sold off by Bain Capital, right Rick?

  • 1 vote
Reply#108 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:35 AM EDT

Neither side is for America. They for their party to score marks against the rival party. This is supposed to be about electing officials THAT WORK FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE to do the WILL OF THE PEOPLE for the BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTRY. Wow, has our government lost site of their entire purpose.

In other news, a pitifully weak campaign and uncompelling candidate will give the Republicans a zero chance at taking the election. While I am not sure either bunch is worth a hawker of spit on a sidewalk, I definitely can't tread water much longer while Obama funds every business in what is supposed to be a capitalistic business society. Ignore education and national defense; rather cut them all to smack (Great idea! NOT!), but please give another 200 million to some bank that needs to give huge bonuses to the jacksticks that put their company under or that need to do millions of dollars in office renovations. Oh and please don't forget to stick more stimulus money out there so more can end up overseas than in the US helping its people. The Obama administration is a bunch of idiots with a clueless twit leading the band.

    Reply#109 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:44 AM EDT

    Did Santorum say anything about BLAH people again?

    • 1 vote
    Reply#110 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:51 AM EDT

    Would they please get that damned fools face off the site? Damn he aggravates me.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#111 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:56 AM EDT

    Someone tell these GOP'ers that the same line of religious crap is NOT going to work..... again! They had a better chance with McCain than they do Romney.

    • 2 votes
    Reply#112 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:58 AM EDT

    Oh the hell it won't. Those religious nutjobs will buy it hook, line, and sinker all over again..because..you know...this time will be 'different'!

    • 1 vote
    #112.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:05 AM EDT
    Reply

    Like Cain and Palin, Newt, Santorum is making money and doing nothing to

    earn it, he makes his money running his mouth!

    • 2 votes
    Reply#113 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:04 AM EDT

    you left out Obama

      #113.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:05 AM EDT
      Reply

      OBAMA LIES:

      A: His own AUTOBIOGRAPHY

      B: "My church is like any other Christian church." LOL...OPRAH left because it was too radical.

      C: "I barely know Rezko."

      D: "My father served in WWII." OH, that's right, he meant to say his "grandfather." UH...problem there is, GRANDPA did NOT serve either. LOL...

      E: "My campaign had nothing to do with the 1984 ad." against Hilary. oops, been proven he DID.

      F: "I don't have lobbyist."

      G: "I won Nevada."

      H: "I won Michigan."

      I: "Present votes are common in Illinois."

      J: "When a bill lands on my desk, the American people will have 5 days to review it before I sign it." MORE behind the scenes wheeling and dealing that any President.

      K: "I'll get rid of earmarks."

      L: "I've been in 57 States, with one left to go." He actually suggested that US has SIXTY states, as he THEN noted he hadn't been to Alaska and Hawaii...LOL...LOL...

      M: "Islam has always been a part of America's story." REALLY? Damn, I guess I missed that part of history.

      N: "My Muslim faith." Of course MEDIA gave Obama a "free" pass there, even though GS had to correct Obama's LIE.

      O: "I am not somebody that supports same-sex marriage."

      I could go on, and on, and on and on, and on, and on...

      You LIBIOTS wil say I took some out of context...WHICH ones? And compare any of that to how you take Romney out of context.

      November, 2012..TIME FOR A CHANGE.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#114 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:05 AM EDT

      November 2012...it doesn't make any sense to change horses for an ass.

      • 1 vote
      #114.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:09 AM EDT

      Romney Lies:

      "We'll step on peoples toes and we're sorry ... we'll say we're sorry ...
      But I'll never apologize" ~ Mitt Romney March 2012

      "The Arizona immigration policy is a good model" – Mitt Romney.
      "I didn't really support the Arizona immigration policy" – Mitt Romney.
      ...
      “The Massachusetts healthcare plan should be a model for the nation” – Mitt Romney.
      “Healthcare reform should be left to the states” – Mitt Romney.

      "Let Detroit go bankrupt" -Mitt Romney.
      "I'll take a lot of credit for saving the auto industry" -Mitt Romney.

      “I believe Roe v Wade has gone too far.” – Mitt Romney.
      “Roe v Wade has been the law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.”
      – Mitt Romney.

      “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to choose.” – Mitt Romney.
      “I never really called myself pro-choice.” – Mitt Romney.

      “It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam.” – Mitt Romney.
      “I longed in many respects to actually be in Vietnam and represent our country
      there.” – Mitt Romney.

      “I’m not trying to return to Reagan-Bush.” – Mitt Romney.
      “Ronald Reagan is… my hero.” – Mitt Romney.

      “I think the minimum wage ought to keep pace with inflation.” – Mitt Romney.
      "There’s no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs.”
      – Mitt Romney.

      “I saw my father march with Martin Luther King.” – Mitt Romney.
      “I did not see it with my own eyes.” – Mitt Romney.

      “I would like to have campaign spending limits.” – Mitt Romney.
      “The American people should be free to advocate for their candidates without
      burdensome limitations.” – Mitt Romney.

      “I supported the assault weapon ban.” – Mitt Romney.
      "I don’t support any gun control legislation.” – Mitt Romney.

      “The stimulus that was passed in early 2009 will accelerate the recovery…” – Mitt Romney.
      “The stimulus passed in early 2009 has been a failure.” – Mitt Romney.

      • 1 vote
      #114.2 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:08 AM EDT
      Reply

      no positive vision for america--just insults, racism and meanness! this is what the party of abraham lincoln has become. no meaningful policy discussion.

      santorum--"catholic"?
      gingrich--"catholic"?
      dolan--"catholic"?
      all racists and mean-spirited! all just interested in power.
      what has changed--they are not my types of catholic--they didn't learn anything. they just use the church to advance themselves. they don't even know about catholic teachings on social justice.

      independents would not stand with these haters who destroyed ameriac before and want to do that again. they are also in alliance with the filthy, selfish rich who want something in return and who want to buy our politicians--congress and all--and even the court, with their dirty money. this is the prelude to the fall of a great power, if we allow it.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#115 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:10 AM EDT

      Barack Obama:

      Alias Barry Soetoro pawns himself as Barack Obama, the humanitarian, the POTUS, the campaign for hope and change. But we know better. Barry is a radical Marxist who was raised by Communist parents and Communist grandparents. His mentors were known Communists, his contacts in college were strictly Marxists supporters, Marxist professors and a group of Pakistani activists as stated in his book, "Dreams From My Father".

      Barack Obama, tell us about Frank Marshall Davis or Bill Ayers. Surely you remember Mr. Davis. After all, your mother knew him all too well. Mr. Ayers, a known terrorist, responsible for at least a dozen bombings, helped your early Illinois campaign by raising money, thru his organization Underground Weather. Tell us about your trip to Pakistan ('81) with Pakistani Wahid Hamid.

      Share with us your ideals of socialism, after all you're a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), referred as the "New Party". Please tell us why you have been influenced by the writings of Karl Marx, the prelude to Communism. Share with us your association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Do you justify this man's message by condemning our country by saying, "God bless America? No, God Damn America"? Was this a forethought supporting your belief in Marxism?

      Are these the individuals who have inspired you to public office? Are these the individuals who have inspired you to plot against the United States? Are they the people for whom you've entrusted your Muslim faith?

      Please tell us why you mocked the Holy Bible and Jesus' sermon on the mount, calling the sermon a radical message. You have mocked Christianity and this country. Barack Obama, you have betrayed this nation and all its' people. Your skin is dark because of your race, but your soul is darker because of your deception.

      United States of America………………you didn't build it Barack Obama.

        Reply#116 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:14 AM EDT

        Hey good morning Rush! I hope to catch your show in an hour or so. Wow, MSN gets all of the famous people to post here ...

        • 2 votes
        #116.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:18 AM EDT
        Reply

        The trick about telling lies in a political campaign ... like the work for welfare lie Mitt keeps pushing, is that they should be close enough to the election itself that the facts will come too late to make a difference.

        Trying to push a lie this far out just brings back the message that the GOP will do anything, inducing sabotaging the economy, just to win an election. Mitt's puppet masters didn't think this one through.

        I have to wonder what will happen when Obama wins this election. What will all of these corporate contributors to Mitt's campaign do to recover their investments? Will republican party go back to what they once were or stay on the extreme right making the hippies look like centrists? If the GOP remains in control of the house, will they continue to block economic progress?

        Oh ... I want to go on record believing that Mitt DID pay his taxes. I'm guessing that the real reason he doesn't release his tax info is because they will show him involved in some questionable deals with countries like Iran as well as making profits in outsourcing jobs. There can be no other explanation, esp when you are running on how successful you are in business.

        You don't need to see flames to escape a house filled with smoke. The smoke alone is enough to kill you.

        • 2 votes
        Reply#117 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:16 AM EDT

        Sanctimonious Santorum endures the slings and arrows of the less righteous socialist horde of welfare slackers spending all the good GOP Brethren's hard won tax payer dollars on frivolous luxuries like food and shelter.

        Bellicose Butterball out of Jersey has the answer to unemployment woes and will save America from itself and the evil overlord Obama! If you don't agree and grovel you will be assimilated in the form of a tasty bread pudding.

        Poor , Poor Ann. Her Husband is the bestest ever !

        Next.

        • 2 votes
        Reply#118 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:18 AM EDT

        Well Dominico Montanero, if you watched the RNC via CNN, MSNBC etc... then why yes, of coarse it seemed to have a "limited" following because the camera crew of those liberal "in Barracks pocket" media fools would always seem to focus in the camera into the very outside or rather, the least busy area at the RNC...........LMAO you liberal journalist are truly pathetic. Let me guess, Cris Matthews was "spot on" according to his "anal-ist" :)

        Matthews mind as well be Obamas undergarments because that man is so far up Obamas rear end that the only thing leaving his mouth is crap. "accused the president of trying to “weaken our republic” and acting as if he were “above the law.” As usual Dominico and the rest of the liberal fools out there love to make accusations but as we read over and over again, they never can quite back up their liberal bias with facts so I think I will take a few minutes and show some "facts" concerning Obama not only "acting" as if he were above the law but "being" above the law and weakening our Country. Anytime a potential individual is elected for President they take what is known as a oath Dominico, that's standard US knowledge, maybe you and your liberal friends might want to educate yourself on that. These people take an oath to uhold the US Constitution and all Federal laws. Lets look at Arizona for a moment. Now, it does not matter "how you feel" concerning immigration, the fact is if you come into America without a work permit or a green card and you jump the fence, sail the Rio Grande, etc, etc... You are breaking Federal Law! I'm sorry about the sad stories you often hear from these illegals but hey, ask this one question, why have the liberal media not once stated what the policy of Mexico, Canada etc,, is concerning illegals coming to their country? Might it be due to the rather harsh reality of what you would face via those countries laws? Might it be the fact that liberals are in fear to say that those countries would actually enforce those laws if someone came illegally and was caught doing so? Lets view Canada shall we? 2011 Canada passed a law where they are now detaining asylum seekers! LOL, yet not a single word of this via liberal media but lets see what the new laws are doing in Canada concerning illegals :Some of the new measures include compulsory detention of human smugglers extending up to 10 years, prison sentences, a waiting period of five years for illegal immigrants wanting to make application for permanent residency in Canada, terminated refugee applications for those returning to their native nation for holidays and holding ship operators and ship owners to make them accountable for using ships in illegal Canada immigration. Now obviously these are just a "few" of the new laws Canada has enforced and while I can post the entire immigration and illegal alien statutes concerning Canada, I will leave that issue in the hands of all you liberals who claim you can think for yourselves even though not one of you seem to even know what research is. Another fact the liberal media seems to leave out of the news is how upset Canada has gotten at the US due to obamas recent antics of blowing off the very federal laws he swore to uphold , enforce and protect. You see, Canada has recently seen a huge influx of illegals come into their country within the past 2 1/2 years. Canada never had this problem before but all the sudden, the citizens of Canada are very concerned of these illegals destroying their economy, committing crimes and driving the crime rate up, filling in the prisons and causing the tax burden to fall upon the citizens of that country......Hmmm, any of this sound familiar? IN other words, when Obama went ahead and refused to uphold and enforce federal law when Arizona came to the federal government for help to enforce such laws, that in itself shows the world that obama feels that he and his position are in fact "above the law". So , concerning Dominico and his well written liberal gibberish and claim that Obams acting above the law is simply a "claim", the fact is this is reality and truth, not just an accusation. Obamas recent immigration laws he passed violated everything the US Law stood on concerning the rules of how to become a legal citizen to the US. These laws were put in place for a reason people and we now see the results of what happens when you play into the sad story of little Carlos and mother Maria who fled Meheco to get away from they tyrant government. The other fact is these people jumping the fence know once they get into the US that they have more rights and benefits that the actual born citizens of this country.......And how did that happen? Well, let's start off by looking into Bill Clintons policies concerning illegals. You can go to a place called Thomasbill dot gov and rad the actual legislation signed into law via Bill even though he was more concerned with selling US Nuclear secrets to China and running black ops during his 8 years of reign in America. As for all the bias media reports concerning the RNC, anyone can watch live streaming of the RNC that has no back pocket journalists reporting personal opinion or liberal agenda. In other words, you see it for exactly what it is, a convention not only about picking a man who is more than competent of being the president, but I feel this is more about trying to save America from having that final nail put into the coffin that will sink us to a place that we will most likely not come back from for years to come if at all. To may people spend their life watching MSNBC or CNN thinking that what they are hearing is factual and what is going on today............So sad that so many are so ignorant of reality. CSPAN used to be boring to me until I served this country wan was willing to die for it at one time and then the reality of the inner workings of our government came to light and you could see exactly what was going on. Almost every last piece of legislation Obama has pushed through has been in some form, a violation against eh very oath the man took. He ordered Eric Holder to send federal investigators to Florida to "find" a reason to make it have federal jurisdiction and once the feds came back with their findings that the Martin case had nothing to do with being a "hate crime" or being racially motivated, the liberal media seemed to allow Obama to fade away with his own can of racial bias that helped fuel the flames of racist pig in this country. Fast and Furious is yet another area of where Obama figured he was above the law. My hope is that some of you who read this will allow the ignorance to fall away from your eyes and once and for all realize the truth.

          Reply#119 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:18 AM EDT

          It looked the same on CSPAN!

          Did you hear that the GOP brought a producer out of retirement in order to paint themsevles in a better light?

          Did you catch Andrea Mitchell's comments about the importance of viewing taped footage as opposed to being at an event live?

          Taped footage, she said, is how the American public is seeing things unfold.

          Yes, the Corporate Media Machine has been social engineering for decades, and the sheeple continue to be misled by their masters.

          The best thing the American public could do is turn off their T.V.'s

          Your not as informed however, as you think you are if you believe there is any difference between the 2 parties!

          They are the same beast with 2 heads, and the beast is owned by Corporate America.

            #119.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:00 AM EDT
            Reply

            So, does this means the GOP is finally going to agree to stop taxpayers subsidies(welfare) to the oil companies now? Or, is this kind of welfare different?

            • 2 votes
            Reply#120 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:26 AM EDT

            “I thank God that America still has one party that reaches out their hands in love to lift up all of God’s children -- born and unborn -- and says that each of us has dignity and all of us have the right to live the American Dream,” Santorum said to a standing ovation

            If this is the case then how come so many children are abused and killed throughout the United States and these abusers/killers get away with light sentences. Where's the outcry for that Rick by the Republicans, and Democrats as well. If our children are our most precious asset why aren't we treating them as such. Day after day children are mistreated and abused and the system just let's them "slip through the cracks" each and every time. How about investing in our children Rick, put your money where your mouth is.

              Reply#121 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:29 AM EDT

              Leave it to the reichwing to dream up a welfare crisis and then offer up a faux solution to a faux issue...btw isn't welfare a code for blacks and immigration reform code for mexicans? Thought so...

                Reply#122 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:34 AM EDT

                How is the world did this man ever become a presidential candidate, I'll never know! I guess he has been auditioning for a job if Romney/Ryan wins. Heaven forbid!

                • 2 votes
                Reply#123 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:37 AM EDT

                Ah-The Repubs only have lies to tell. It seem Willard now does have a problem with the taxes he has already shown us. Taking deductions as a Bain employee not as a former one. Not realy a lie to the IRS and perfectly allowable but a lie to them if he is now stating that he had no involvement??? He will not be punished for not telling the truth to the public, they might elect him president but if what he tells us is true, the IRS might have a problem. Now lets turn everything on Obama-The Sequester we wanted that's coming up, hard after all these years of telling us the government doesn't create jobs that cutting this government would cost jobs in the private sector, of course the debt ceiling was found out to be a nice "hostage to take" according to Mitch, just like the American people were also. Does Rick Santorum know Paul Ryan believes his wife should have been allowed to die rather than have an abortion?????

                  Reply#124 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:38 AM EDT

                  This is about the most hateful forum I have ever read. Name calling, swearing, etc. are never going to help our country bounce back. Even if I were not a Christian and conservative, it would still be true that until we reclaim a value system, we will continue this downward slide. Spending money we do not have, using government resources instead of living leaner, trashing and breaking down the traditional family, pushing for laws that make killing each other and our babies legal, every man for for himself attitudes, etc. are what is hurting our country. We can blame politicians and religion (or lack thereof) all day long, but it will take nothing less than personal responsibility, integrity, a return to family values to restore our communities. It is time that we all grow up and quit blaming others and start taking responsibility for our OWN part in changing things. While there is much mud slinging during this race, it does not mean that we have to stoop to that level or let parties divide us. Let's just do what is right. There are more average working people than there are politicians anyway...

                    Reply#125 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:39 AM EDT

                    I am stunned that the network pull away at every minority speaker. How do I know I taped two other networks to see ..."what the reporting differencve is". Folks it appears to be bait & switch is what we got with MSNBC. Now I have to ask...Who is the bigot Chris?

                    • 1 vote
                    Reply#126 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:44 AM EDT

                    Baiting...... by televising the main Republican speakers ? Promoting the product.

                    Switching... by not televising minority speakers ? Are they changing the product to something else ?

                    I think you are confused about what Bait and Switch means.

                    The bigot would be the GOP attempts to portray our President as not American ( birthers ) to portray his agenda as foreign as opposed to to something new to replace what is obviously broken and being exploited.

                    Do you think it is possible that some people don't accept what he is doing because he is BLACK ?

                      #126.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:29 AM EDT
                      Reply

                      Desperation !!! That is all I see now!

                        Reply#127 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:48 AM EDT

                        So what do you Butt Hurt Cry Baby's want? More Golf Games? More Hollywood? More SNL Hosting Spots? More of the same Ol nothingness? what? WE ARE DYING HERE!! I Voted for a Change i could belive in back in 08 and look what we got....Tinsle Town Barry. He's an Epic Fail but hey he Talks a good Game and looks Damn good too, while... Failing us ALL!!

                          Reply#128 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:55 AM EDT

                          From the looks of your post, it would appear they got what they wanted!

                          I won't suppose you will understand that one though?

                            #128.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:04 AM EDT
                            Reply

                            As an independent I'm trying to find reasons to vote for Obama but NBC makes it harder to swing that direction. GOPers like Santorum are nauseating, yes. However, the (MS)NBC by Mathews, Maddcow & FringeLibs coverage last night of the convention was simply not watchable. It was awful. 100% negative except for patronizing crap. It's media pimps like these that make the whole process a nightmare for the average citizen. At the end I just watched the speeces, such as they were, and muted the running diatribe.

                              Reply#129 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:57 AM EDT

                              Do you understand anything about target audiences?

                              Morning Joe is the polar opposite of Matthews, Maddow, and gang.

                              The 24 hour news cycle is not news, but entertainment!

                              If you want news and coverage, watch CSPAN, BBC, and other less partisan venues.

                                #129.1 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:08 AM EDT

                                I'm a liberal Democrat...you should have watched it on CSPAN.

                                  #129.2 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:11 AM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Everyone thought that "Sanitarium Santorum" was still staying at the same Mental Hospital as "Nutty Newt?" Now the "Intolerant" followers of Sanitarium Santorum just love to spread "Cultural Ignorance" around the Nation. Who are the "Freaky Followers" of "Sanitarium Santorum" America? "Romulian Romney" now the true "Zombie" leader of the "Gross Odd People" (GOP), and the "Really Not Competent" (RNC). Then the "Romulian" picks "Richie Rich" Ryan as his VP. WOW! America was then intoduced to the Behavioral Disabilities of "Annis Akins." These GOP/RNC "Zombies" have the economic, political, social, and cultural views of "Confederate Politicians" speaking in 1860. The Reproductive Rights of all Women is so "Alien" to these "Confederate States Of America Politicians." Now this is just scary America!

                                  • 3 votes
                                  Reply#130 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:57 AM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  At least he offered no surprises.

                                  • 3 votes
                                  Reply#131 - Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:03 AM EDT
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