Back Channels: A chat with Rick Santorum
No surprises really, but this article reminds me of why I can’t stand Santorum.
Naturally, he claims that President Obama is a weak leader who dithers and embraces our enemies. Along with slashing Medicare and Social Security, he wants to repeal Obamacare, and cripple or repeal the Dodd-Frank & Sarbanes–Oxley Acts. Oh, and of course lower taxes, beyond even the Bush tax cuts.
The bolded text below indicates the reporter’s questions:
Rick Santorum, presidential candidate and former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, was in town last week for a talk on health care. Afterward, I asked him about his run for president, the perception that he’s too dogmatic on issues, and his differences with President Obama on the economy, the budget, and foreign policy.
[…]
Federal budget and spending? I support the [U.S. Rep. Paul] Ryan budget, and the idea that we need to look at all the entitlement programs, including Medicare and Social Security. […]
President Obama surged troops into Afghanistan, increased drone attacks, kept Gitmo open, backed down on civilian trials for terrorist suspects, and got Osama bin Laden. What’s not to like? All Bush policies. So he’s done a great job in carrying forward on the strategic vision of George Bush. Where he has had to develop policy, he’s gotten it wrong every single time. Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Honduras … keep going down the list. Every one of these areas he’s made the wrong strategic decision for America. He’s either refused to lead or he sided with the wrong side… .
Iran, he sided with the mullahs, not the revolutionaries.
Egypt, looks like he sided with the Muslim Brotherhood - which looks to be taking over Egypt - not with our allies. Threw them under the bus like that.
Syria, seems to be siding with [Syrian President Bashar] Assad, as he is shooting his people in the streets.
Libya, dithers, doesn’t engage, says [Libyan leader Moammar] Gadhafi has to go, and then the United Nations moves him and pushes him to get involved. […]
Honduras, we sided with … [Jose] Zelaya, the [Honduran] president who wanted to extend his term, which was against the constitution. […]
It’s just one [situation] after another where we embrace our enemies and we turn our back on our allies. […]
The economy?
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I would repeal Obamacare. I would dramatically change if not repeal most of Dodd-Frank. I would also throw Sarbanes-Oxley in there, too. […]
So, lower taxes, not just a continuation of the Bush tax cuts, but absolutely have to look at the corporate income taxes, the fact that they are so high in this country. I haven’t put together a tax plan yet. […]
