Rick Santorum

The Death Of Former Senator Mark Hatfield Of Oregon: A Great Public Servant And Mainstream Republican!

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The death over last weekend of former Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon reminds us of just how far the Republican Party has shifted from the 1960s through the 1990s mainstream historical tradition.

Mark Hatfield was a Senator’s Senator, one of the giants of the Republican Party, much admired and respected by Democrats, as well as mainstream Republicans.

The fact that South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond in the early years of Hatfield’s Senate tenure, and newly elected Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in 1995 moved to harm Hatfield’s seniority over different issues such as civil rights and the so called “balanced budget” amendment, only adds to his historical stature. And today, we have people of the ilk of Thurmond (Rick Perry, for instance), and Santorum himself attempting to be the nominee of his party for President on a platform promoting hate and lunatic ideas, demonstrating the moral crisis in the GOP these days.

Hatfield believed in government, supported social programs with vigor, and opposed defense spending and intervention in foreign lands, having the distinction of NEVER supporting a Pentagon spending bill in his thirty years in the US Senate.

Hafield was a religious man, a Baptist, but believed in separation of church and state. He was the true image of a really religious man, who believed that we are here to help our fellow human beings, not be mean spirited and uncaring about those less fortunate. He was the true follower of the beliefs of Jesus Christ, not phonies such as Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Herman Cain, among others in the GOP Presidential race.

Mark Hatfield was a principled progressive in the Republican tradition, and was willing to cross the aisle to work with Democrats for the good of the nation.

How can we mark his death at age 89, without a sense of mourning that the party he was a proud member of, has become a disgrace, an embarrassment, a dinosaur, as the party has allowed itself to be taken over by greedy, selfish interests, and Tea Party radicals that are anarchists, with willingness to destroy the American economy in their hatred of those less fortunate, and particularly their despising of the first African American President, who if he were white, would not have as much poison and venom directed at him, as Barack Obama has to bear daily from despicable talk show hosts and bigoted, right wing corporate spokesmen, and most Congressional Republicans.

Mark Hatfield will be remembered as in the best tradition of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert La Follette, Sr., George Norris, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and numerous other moderate progressives, including Jacob Javits, Nelson Rockefeller, Charles Percy, Charles Mathias, Lowell Weicker, Edward Brooke, Clifford Case, William Scranton, Bob Packwood, George Romney, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. and others not mentioned here.

So may Mark Hatfield rest in peace, and we should continue to honor him, and teach about his principles and contributions to our political history!

The State Of The Republican Presidential Race

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Here we are at the end of June 2011, and Michele Bachmann is gaining all of the attention in the GOP race for the Presidential nomination, due to her excellent performance in the New Hampshire Presidential debate two weeks ago!

It seems clear now that the race is down to a choice of Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman vs. Michele Bachmann!

Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty have self destructed, and Herman Cain, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum are not going anywhere!

Rick Perry and Sarah Palin are NOT going to enter the Republican race, and Chris Christie has made it very clear that he will not, while the former two continue to play games but take no moves toward running!

So we are in a situation similar to 1964 when the “Rockefeller” wing of the GOP could not take away the nomination from Senator Barry Goldwater, and the GOP had a landslide defeat!

Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman represent the equivalent of that old wing, although far less liberal than Nelson Rockefeller, while Michele Bachmann actually makes Barry Goldwater seem more moderate by comparison!

So IF the Republicans allow themselves to be hijacked by social conservatives and Tea Party activists, Michele Bachmann will be the Republican nominee and Barack Obama will win a landslide victory!

If they come to their senses and run either Romney or Huntsman, either has a real chance to defeat Obama, but upon taking office, either would be dogged by extremists that neither one would feel comfortable with, so they might wish they had lost, rather than won, as a President Romney or a President Huntsman would have a “shotgun marriage” with extremists in their own party!

Abortion Pledge Causes Split Among Republican Presidential Candidates

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The issue of abortion rights is dividing the Republican Presidential candidates, with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman deciding not to address the National Right To Life convention in Jacksonville, Florida, and refusing also to sign a pledge against federal funding for abortion services created by an anti abortion, pro life group, the Susan B. Anthony List.

It makes it more clear than ever that there are two groups within the GOP: the mainstream, represented by Romney and Huntsman; and the right wing extremists, led by Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty.

Newt Gingrich did not participate at the gathering in Jacksonville, as his campaign has imploded, and his mind is on other things such as his loss of staff and financial supporters, and trying to defend outrageous statements, and his reckless spending for his wife at Tiffany’s. No one, except Newt himself, takes him seriously anymore!

But it all comes down to the reality that the Republicans will have a choice to pick a mainstream, somewhat centrist candidate, or face a massive repudiation by the voters in November, 2012.

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute And Civic Literacy Testing

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The Intercollegiate Studies Institute is an organization which promotes civic literacy among the American people.

In a survey done in 2008, it was discovered that the average American taking a 33 question test scored 49 percent, and more shockingly, college educators only scored 55 percent! But those in public office scored lower than the average citizen, only 44 percent!

The test deals with American history, government, and economics, and it demonstrates how poorly our citizenry is knowledgeable about its own institutions and traditions.

79 percent of those in public office did not know that an official establishment of religion is banned in the Bill of Rights! 43 percent do not know the purpose of the Electoral College! 54 percent do not know that the power to declare war resides in the Congress! 27 percent cannot name one right or freedom guaranteed in the First Amendment! And 49 percent cannot name the three branches of government!

The author of this blog is proud to announce that he got a 90.91 percent result, 30 out of 33, matching his son David, on the exam, with both of us somewhat stumped by economics questions, but fortunately, only three of them!

By the way, IF such an exam was given to Rick Santorum, who this week condemned liberals for the poor knowledge of American history in America, it seems certain he might not even score the average of 49 percent of the typical American citizen who participated in the exam in 2008 or the average of 44 percent of officeholders. And it is clear that Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin would also fail miserably. Instead of them all blaming liberals, who have promoted an expansion of the American history curriculum to cover the history of minorities, women, and labor, from just the usual white male leaders of government and great business capitalists constantly idealized by conservatives, they might finally learn the truth and complete story of American history!

The CNN New Hampshire Republican Presidential Debate: Michele Bachmann And Mitt Romney The Winners!

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This evening, CNN sponsored a New Hampshire Republican Presidential debate.

The seven candidates present all went out of their way to attack President Obama, and avoided attacking each other.

But some really gained from this debate, and others lost by their performance.

The major winners were Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney, with Bachmann coming across impressively, more than she has ever been seen before, and Romney doing a good job at keeping his stature as the frontrunner in the race.

The losers seemed to be Tim Pawlenty, who seemed weak and defensive in his answers; Newt Gingrich, who still seemed a bit gun shy after his earlier problems with his campaign; and Rick Santorum, who just came across as not a serious, legitimate candidate.

Ron Paul was simply Ron Paul, and Herman Cain was defensive over his statements about Muslims, and neither can be seen as a serious candidate.

So, in conclusion, Michele Bachmann, seemingly, came across as more legitimate than ever before, and as a real leader among social conservatives, which might help her win in the Iowa caucuses, which come before the New Hampshire primary.

What stood out is that she did better than Sarah Palin has ever done in a public forum, and one starts to realize that, even if one does not agree with Bachmann, she comes across as intelligent, well spoken, an accomplished person even before she came to Congress, as a tax attorney and small businesswoman, far more outstanding as compared to Palin.

So Romney kept his stature as the front runner in the race, but Bachmann gained the most from tonight’s debate. The others all were weakened by their performance, or at least, did not gain by their performance in relation to the other candidates.

Of course, Jon Huntsman was not in the debate, nor Rick Perry!

Is Rick Perry The Savior Of The Republican Party?

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Texas Governor Rick Perry, a strong social conservative, has not been willing to enter the Republican Presidential race before now, but with the decision of Mike Pence, John Thune, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels, and Donald Trump to avoid the race, and with Newt Gingrich disintegrating and Sarah Palin flirting with, but unlikely to enter the race, he is being courted to run.

Perry has been the longest serving Governor of Texas in history, having served more than ten years, after succeeding George W. Bush in December 2000.

Perry is Governor of the second largest state in population, but his position is also the weakest Governor constitutionally in the nation, although that did not hurt George W. Bush.

Perry has spoken up for the concept of secession; has flirted with religious leaders of the far right, and condemned abortion and gay rights; has a tremendous state debt which he is solving by ruthless cutting of spending, and refusing to raise taxes; and has seen his aides who went to Gingrich a few month ago decide to abandon the former Speaker and make themselves available to Perry for a Presidential run.

Perry is seen by many as a lightweight intellectually, but that is not necessarily a bad thing for the Republican Party.

Many think that if he enters the race later this month, that he will automatically become the major challenger to Mitt Romney, and surpass Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman.

He would be likely to win support away from Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum, and could become the surprise candidate who becomes a major threat, not only to Romney, but also to Barack Obama.

No one should underestimate his appeal to the caucus voters in Iowa and the primary voters in New Hampshire@

The Decline Of The Senate As The Home Of Presidential Candidates

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It is hard to believe, but 2012 is the first year since 1900 where not one sitting Senator is running for the Presidential nomination of either major political party, not including incumbent Presidents and Vice Presidents.

Only one former Senator, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, is attempting the run for the White House, but with 47 Republican Senators in office, one would think that at least two or three would be seeking the GOP nomination, but that is not the case.

In the lifetime of the author, there have always been numerous Senators competing for the nomination of either party, as the comment often made is that the Senate consists of 100 individuals who envision themselves as future Presidents, and think they belong in the White House!

And yet, in actual fact, only three Presidents elected since 1900 have come directly from the US Senate–Warren G. Harding in 1920, John F. Kennedy in 1960, and Barack Obama in 2008.

Presidents Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon reached the Presidency after having been Vice President, following time in the Senate.

But otherwise, in reality, it is the office of Governor which has been the favored route, as with Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Also, Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge reached the Presidency, after having served as Vice President, but first being Governors of their states.

At the same time, Senators who have lost the Presidency include Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Al Gore and John Kerry.

Governors who have lost the Presidency include Charles Evans Hughes, James Cox, Al Smith, Alf Landon, Thomas E. Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, and Michael Dukakis.

But notice all of the Senatorial losers are since 1964, while all but Dukakis among losing Governors are before 1960!

So if you add up Senators and Governors who have run for President, we come up with the following statistical totals:

Senators elected–6
Senators defeated–6
Governors elected–8
Governors defeated–7

So since 1976, we have seen four Governors elected President, and only Obama coming from the Senate.

Is this an institutional factor, that the Senate is less outstanding and prestigious in its membership than it has been in the past? Or is it just a blip on the political spectrum, which will be reversed starting in 2016? We shall see!

Rick Santorum, Social Security Privatization, And Denial Of Climate Change

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, in announcing his Presidential candidacy this past week, demonstrated how far right he really is, and how he is basically a lunatic fringe candidate!

In the midst of the outrage over Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan to privatize Medicare over ten years, Santorum reminded all of us that he had supported and promoted George W. Bush’s privatization plan for Social Security in 2005, and still believed in it now, despite the total collapse of the stock market in 2008, and at a time when the stock market again is presently in a slide.

He also declared that there is no climate change or global warming, and that it is just a plot of liberals and progressives to make national government bigger, and allow the government to intrude more in our lives.

But at the same time, Rick Santorum has shown great willingness to work against abortion rights of women, and to become the Republican candidate most opposed by gay Americans because of his total condemnation of everything gay, as he promotes “family values” which would deny any human rights to those of homosexual orientation.

Santorum was soundly defeated for re-election in 2006, and is seen as a fringe candidate, but he will add entertainment and comedy to the race, much like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. Comic relief is needed in a tough economic time such as this!

Tim Pawlenty: Another George W. Bush On Tax Policy?

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Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been considered a serious, if dark horse, Presidential nominee. Many people have seen him as having fewer faults, and as avoiding ridiculous or outrageous statements or actions, and therefore as having a good shot at the nomination, even though he tends to be quite boring and uninspiring!

But even if he is seen as better than Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, and put into the short list with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, Pawlenty this week destroyed any illusion that he could be President, by demonstrating total irresponsibility on the tax and spending issue!

Pawlenty sounds like a second George W. Bush, who cut taxes, put us into two wars not paid for in Iraq and Afghanistan, and started a Medicare Prescription plan unpaid for by tax increases. Bush doubled our national debt, and there had been a $3 trillion surplus when Bill Clinton left the Presidency!

On the tenth anniversary of the first Bush tax cuts, which made the rich richer and the poor poorer and the middle class disintegrate, Pawlenty came up with an economic plan strangely reminiscent of Bush.

He argues for further tax cuts and further spending cuts, and claimed there would be a five percent economic growth rate annually under his plan, because cuts in taxes on corporations and the wealthy would create new economic activity!

The problem is that this policy of Bush did exactly the opposite, and with lack of regulation, led to the Great Recession, which is still existing in many ways, if not officially.

So Pawlenty has learned nothing, and shown himself to be totally reckless and delusional, all to gain support of the right wing of the GOP, but not the way to win the nation, which is suffering still today from the failed Bush policies.

So, just like that, Pawlenty’s likelihood of success is lessened, and leaves rational thinkers to feel that only Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman makes any sense, assuming the Republican Party regains its senses!

The Newt Gingrich Implosion: Unprecedented Event!

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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has just witnessed the total implosion of his Presidential campaign!

Having already caused an uproar when he criticized Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, including privatization of Medicare, and then backing off and apologizing, he then proceeded to take a two week vacation with his wife, an odd thing for a Presidential candidate to do.

And his staff became totally disillusioned, and en masse, they resigned this week, an unheard of action so early in a Presidential campaign!

So Gingrich, who was rated, anyway, as having very little opportunity to be the nominee, can now be considered someone to forget, even though he seemed unperturbed by what has happened, and claimed he will fight on to victory.

This collapse and mutiny is unprecedented, and Gingrich is delusional, much like Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, and Michele Bachmann, as none of them can seen as serious candidates for the Presidency.

We are witnessing lots of entertainment, but no substance, from many of the GOP candidates, or potential ones. So even in the midst of bad economic times, can anyone in their sane mind, believe that the Republicans can win the Presidency?