Rick Santorum, the second place finisher to Mitt Romney in 2012 and current 2016 candidate for president, issued this statement yesterday. It is something that had to be said, and hopefully all of the candidates will listen to what he has to say on this matter which he knows much about.
VERONA, PA – Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) issued the following statement in response to weeks of escalating personal attacks against each other and other public figures like FOX News’ Megyn Kelly.
Rick Santorum said: “Enough is enough. We should and must address serious issues facing our nation, but name-calling and crass personal attacks is beneath the office we are running for. It serves no positive purpose and all it does is write ads for Hillary Clinton. This needs to stop.”
“Four years ago, I witnessed this and it did not result in a successful general election for our Party. We need to win this election and personal attacks against each other and other public figures are not the way to do it. I am urging my fellow Republican presidential candidates to join me in ending the personal attacks and instead focus on the contrast of accomplishment, experience, and vision to lead our country,” Santorum concluded.
In the past few months we have had several candidates for the republican nomination jump into the primary race. Some of which are newly involved in politics, some have never been involved in any sort of politics. And it is the newly elected ones, namely the junior senators join the race who are creating the most ‘hot air’, if you will.
I am talking about Senator’s Rubio, Cruz and Paul. All of whom are great speakers, hold up well in interviews (most of the time). But when it comes to legislative accomplishments and a record of their own, they are lacking a great deal.
They have only been in the senate since the Tea Party wave of 2010, and have never put anything forth, partisan or bipartisan, in way of legislation. They have not even given any solid policy ideas in their campaigns. They just revolve around rhetoric and talking points.
And a thing that I know, is that after a few months, the grassroots that have swelled among each candidate in the excitement for their bid, will not hold. That is because after a time they will want to hear more than their crowd roaring speeches and applause one liners. They will want to hear solutions to their problems. You cannot have a campaign that is based and run on pure rhetoric. You have to put real policies and solutions in place. Something for everyday Americans to see. Like a real lawn, you have to give it what it needs to grow and thrive, because if it gets nothing but hot air, then it withers and dies. And you end up with nothing. After all, the grassroots is what fights for you and get’s you elected, contrary to popular beltway belief.
I already see it happening with Ted Cruz. I’ve heard from friends nationwide that his supporters and grassroots leaders have left after becoming disappointed in his campaign.
Sen. Paul is making mistakes already, ones that probably are not yet noticed. He made a big deal of filibustering and railing against the renewal of the Patriot Act, and succeeded in running out the clock. But once it came to a vote and it was renewed on June 2nd. But there has been no peep from the senator. Though he has moved on to going after the classified 9/11 files. Not the best actions, and they will haunt him going forward.
And this will cause many to flock away to other candidates in the race who are actually putting forth solutions, and look to have a vested interest in the trials and struggles of all Americans.
This is also the problem with newly elected senators, which is a lesson which I thought we would have learned in 2008 when we elected a junior senator from Illinois. They are to green and don’t have a record of accomplishment to show the American people. Instead they give standing ovation worthy speeches.
But the rhetoric and crowd roaring speeches wont mean anything when they are in the oval office faced life and death situations, real situations, on a daily basis. One thing the past seven years has taught us very well is that the oval office is not the place for on the job training.
During the 2012 primary, I did not decide firmly on a candidate until around September of 2011, but later that year the candidate whom I had chosen had dropped out with weeks to spare before the Iowa caucus. In my vetting and soul searching I came upon a name that I had previously looked over. Rick Santorum. I had first considered him as he was my former senator, but people said he didn’t have a shot and I believed them. But all those months later, something told me that I should support him, that he could pull it off. And I fought hard for him, on social media and by making calls to voters. Sadly some close losses made it impossible for Rick to capture the nomination from Romney and he dropped out. I still voted for Rick in the Pennsylvania primary, in which, even after dropping out, gave Romney a run for his money.
Now three years later, with a new crop of candidates jumping into the race with candidates I considered. I still chose to pick Rick. And just last week found myself as a volunteer for his announcement event just 30 minutes from my home. I saw him before the event with the other volunteers and the energy and joy he exuded was amazing, he was ready. He went on to give one his most passionate and best speeches I have ever heard him give.
I choose to endorse and support Rick Santorum again because I know him, and I know his record. He has a clear vision of what we need to do move this country ahead. So far he is the only one who has given a clear and detailed plan for immigration, both illegal and legal, and it is a solid plan. That would cut legal immigration by 25% for a period of time to let the country and economy adjust to the current population. Rick also has proposed scrapping the tax code and replacing it with a flat tax.
Rick provides solutions to an economy and a majority of Americans who are struggling, and has a plan to take out ISIS and the growing radical muslim movement that is spreading from the Middle East, to Europe and eventually across our porous southern border. And he would reclaim our place on the national stage as the preeminent world super power, starting on day one. He is also a strong supporter of our first amendment and religious rights, that all are entitled to, and would work to end the division that has been created over the years. America is the one place where anyone can speak their mind, and any church can thrive without fear of rebuke or persecution.
That is what is important to me, someone who is running, not for his sake, but for the sake of others living here now. And especially for future generations We need a leader serving us the people, not special interests, government politicians and lobbyists and big business tycoons. We need a leader who believes in what our founders envisioned and wants hold it together and make us stronger.
That leader is Rick Santorum, and that is why I have chosen to support him again, giving all of my time and money to the campaign. I plan on fighting hard for the America that I love.
Earlier today, with two tweets, two of Rick Santorums advisors hinted at a possible announcement for Rick Santorum’s expected 2016 Presidential Campaign in the city of Pittsburgh.
The initial tweet was from John Brabender, a Republican strategist and confidant of Santorum.
Yes, I will be in Pittsburgh for a big event on May 27th.
These two tweets lead one to the obvious conclusion that the ‘Big Event’ is Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign announcement. There is nothing else that I can see that would draw to of his advisors to the same location on the same date.
So while we wait to here more in eager anticipation. Here is Rick Santorum’s recent, and one of his best, speeches that he gave at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference.
Marco Rubio has put out a contest on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, offering individuals the chance to win the opportunity to be flown down to Florida for his big announcement on Monday (April 13th). And has been urging his twitter followers and supporters to sign up to the ‘first to know’.
This can only be expected as Rubio’s announcement for his expected run for president. This has been expected for sometime as rumor’s have surfaced that he wasn’t looking to run for re-election next year. So with the news of his not running for re-election, it would make sense that the junior senator from Florida was preparing to run for President.
He has been considered a contender for the parties nomination, having run under the Tea Party banner in 2010. Though he lost some of that support with his stance on amnesty, he still has stood as a strong leader in the senate. While not as loud as his colleagues, Senator’s Cruz and Paul (both of which have already announced their candidacy), Rubio has worked hard for American’s while still in the minority party, and now in the majority.
I look forward to his big announcement on Monday, and see what his vision is for the future.
Please comment and tweet me letting me know your thoughts. Your voices are important.
Today Sen. Rand Paul made his official announcement that he is running for president in the Republican primary. Though it has been widely known to all that he been running for about two weeks. And for the scrutinizers like myself, saw his launch back in 2013 when he filibustered for 13 hours on the senate floor.
He held an event speaker’s and videos, all focused on him and what he wants to do. Clips showing his past travels and speeches, highlighting his ideas. When he got up to the podium, his key word was ‘liberty’ he took to taking swipes at both parties. He looks to be attempting to take away Sen. Cruz’s lone hold as the constitution loving candidates (though to be clear, any good candidate should love the Constitution and defend it). Rand pushed his legislation “Read The Bill” legislation, among others.
He now joins Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) as the only two officially announced candidates for president on the Republican. Let me know in the comments what you think of Rand as a candidate, and what you thought of his speech.
I know, this comes as quite contrary to how every other conservative is taking the news of Sen. Ted Cruz’s entrance into the 2016 presidential primary. And I feel that it is necessary to explain why that is.
I do like Sen. Cruz, he seems to be a good father and family man and his heart does look to be in the right place. But that is not all that is required to make a good president. I realize that he has experience as in Washington serving at the justice department and has served as solicitor general and now senator in Texas. But when it comes to his experience in policy and getting things done, he is still very much ‘green’ you could say.
Though passionate he lacks any real accomplishments, I heard a staunch Cruz supporter on the radio last night. And when he was asked what Cruz has said he would do while running for senate and has accomplished that make him right for the position. All the individual could say is that he tried hard to fight against Obamacare, that he tried to defund and has tried to fight both parties on the issue. The key word that comes is tried, which an admirable thing to do, does not give you any record other than a bomb thrower.
Senator Ted Cruz has only been in the senate for two years, and he has yet to put forth any legislation of note, or even cosponsor any legislation. All he worked to do is use his new platform to project his frustrations with Washington, which though I do share, do not create anything more than the cloud of hot air that hangs heavy over D.C.
I understand that Cruz may see some opening for him in this coming election, and that with the American people beginning their soul searching for a new leader; which may be a conservative leader this time around. It seems Cruz does not want to wait four or even eight years for a shot at the oval office. And while that is a bold move, it is likely a mistake. I would have preferred that he would have chosen to stay and gain knowledge, and develop his gravitas and leadership image. Individuals such as Jim Demint and Rick Santorum where in the senate for many years and learned a great deal and both men can see things they did right and acknowledge failings. Rick Santorum namely admitted on the campaign trail last time that he made a mistake in voting for “No Child Left Behind”. That is what we need in a leader, someone who admits they are human.
Another area that Cruz lacks knowledge in, and one that is important to me, is foreign policy. Cruz’s knowledge on policy does not go far beyond the U.S. – Mexican border. And what we need in the next president is someone who knows how to deal world leaders and put America back on the right path. They need to have the ability to repair our broken image that is in desperate need of repair. We need someone with that experience, and Ted Cruz has little enough that I don’t feel that comfortable with him taking the helm in such a volatile time in our world.
If Cruz where to have stayed in the senate those eight years, and worked on passing legislation to make America better and change the nation. Then I would certainly be more inclined to give him a serious look, and I might even endorse him. But now is not the time for him.
Though, I will say it now, that if he does somehow capture the nomination. He will certainly have my vote and support.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz announced his bid for president in a tweet shortly after midnight, asking for the support of the american people. Linked with it, a short video of the senator speaking about courageous conservatives and the uphill battle.
Shortly after his announcement he launched his official campaign website, tedcruz.org. Though it appears they made a slight miscalculation in not acquiring the dot com domain name, which has been taken by a liberal group that is unknown.
One important note to make is that Sen. Cruz did not pick this date at random. He picked March 23rd because on this day in 2010, Obamacare was signed into law, and has been a focus of the senators ire. So it would make sense for him to choose this day to announce as this is his soul issue.
With Sen. Cruz being the first and only candidate in the race, we will see how well he can articulate his vision. Here below is the first full length video for his campaign posted on his youtube channel.
Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, one of the largest tech companies in the world, and also a former senate candidate, is pushing heavily towards a potential run for president in 2016. While she is great, and a far better option than what the Democrats will be putting up, I have to seriously question why she should be president. Yes she has gained much experience as the CEO of a worldwide company and worked for numerous boards and charities. But she has no experience when it comes to matters of foreign and national policy.
I do not believe she should run for president. Mainly because there is a good opportunity opening up for her in California. I am not speaking of Sen. Barbara Boxer retiring in 2016, which is a seat that Fiorina has run for once in the past and lost. I’m talking about the governor seat California governor seat which is opening up in 2018 as current governor, Jerry Brown, is term limited.
Running for governor might be a far better option for her than jumping right into a presidential race. The positives about running for governor is that she already has experience running a statewide campaign in California and has roots their. And after the reign of Gov. Brown there appear to be some people who are thirsting for change in the governors mansion. Also, it would give her experience at governing and working with a legislature, and getting a good hold on policy making.
Though a possible run for the empty senate seat in 2016 would not be a bad option. Being able to hold the title of governor, especially governor of the state of California, would give her great credentials for a future presidential run if she were still open to it, which I imagine she would be.
We will see what will happen in the coming months. I predict that she will run, but will drop out mid February, before Super Tuesday. And will make it on to several candidates short lists for who they want to choose as their Vice President.
As we gear up for the 2016 presidential race, conservatives both grassroots and activists and national figures, have begun campaigning in a sense, for who they think is the best candidate for the job. And some of the choices have made me stop and ponder whether some people are being a little hypocritical when it comes to their chosen candidate and how they have acted in the past.
The issue that I’m getting at is one of experience, namely experience in politics and with certain important policies and issues. I recall back in 2008 when it was Obama VS. McCain, conservatives went after Obama for his severe lack of experience, and that he was not at all prepared to become the leader of the free world. Even touting the experience of McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin.
Now fast forward six years, and people are choosing candidates. Some of the candidates, have been praised for their lack of experience. Individuals such as Dr. Ben Carson, who rose to national stardom after his public condemnation of Obamacare during his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, Carly Fiorina who was the CEO of Hewlett-Packard and ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010, and Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Kentucky).
I pose the question, don’t these people embody what they fought against in 2008, a severe lack of experience and knowledge in key issues and policy making? The only real difference between Sen. Obama and these individuals is that Obama is liberal his views, and these individuals are all conservative, even libertarian, in their views.
All of the potential candidates I listed above are good people I am sure. But they are not what we need. Remember, it was a president with a lack of experience that has gotten us into this mess. Do you truly think that putting someone like Cruz or Carson into the presidency would be a wise decision with what they would be facing? It seems that the last six years have made people upset with the workings of Washington, and have only seen the dark side of politicians. But what they have forgotten is that people with experience have gotten great things done, people who have lived a life a public service and still follow the will of the people. That seems to have been forgotten, and now we find ourselves pitted against one another in a battle over how politicians gotten us into this mess and how only a non-politician can get us out and no other. That is a very dangerous view, and one that I oppose.
In such serious times as we are in, it is not good for conservatives to divide and bounce about, going for candidates who present a limited skill set in a world on the brink of chaos, and would need guidance in the matters of policy making and what is needed to be done.
As for Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz is a first term senator, who to his credit is a good conservative, a good speaker, but has done nothing in the way of legislation. I know people like to play the card that they were under a Democrat majority with a Democrat president, but that is no excuse. It has been proven before that you can pass good legislation if you work hard for it. Rick Santorum proved that to be true as a Congressman, serving in DC while Bill Clinton occupied the White House, pushing through welfare reform that eventually passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by Clinton. So pulling that trick won’t work for Cruz and others.
I would much rather keep Sen. Cruz, Sen. Lee and Sen. Rubio in the senate. Some of these freshman senators still need to prove themselves in matters of policy and passing good reforms and legislation. We need someone with a record of accomplishments and success’ in working to pass laws, and not just rhetoric.
In closing I would like to bring up the topic with which I began. I beg my fellow conservatives to not fall into hypocrisy. Stay the course, politicians are good people too, we knew this at one point. Let us clear our vision and move toward the shining city on the hill.
The American Tea Man 