Topic: Santorum

[Allch Chcar]

I'm not picking a "Petroleum candidate" and I'm not picking a "Carbon Credit candidate." I want someone in between.

Does that explain it better?

[Clerkman]

Allch Chcar-

I think you're being unrealistic - rarely is there a politician you can support where your views are exactly matched to the politician.  Typcially you have to support the politician who comes closest to your viewpoints while sometimes accepting other things you may dislike - unless you plan on running yourself.

[Allch Chcar]

No politician that denies global climate change, wants to reverse Obama Care (I hate that term) and isn't friendly to E85 is going to get my vote.

Is there a Republican that does all three? 

I don't dislike Obama for his proposed energy policy, reduce Oil subsidies while increasing renewable energy by tax credits, but his politics stink. For example the carbon credit program was clearly a government based scam from the beginning. When the politicians have their hands in the honey pot before opening day, you know there is a problem.

I hoping for the Flexfuel Mandate style discussion to make an appearance but there are really more important issues. I admit I haven't been watching the race that closely lately.

[Clerkman]

Oil and gas production are at their highest levels in 8 years - BIG OIL is exporting excess supply of gas to keep prices high; and speculators on Wall Street are betting on this. DRILL BABY DRILL is only making the rich richer.   In otherwords, the price of gas is being manipulated - President Obama wants competition - this includes ALL alternative energy - including BioFuels like E85.  He also wants to end all of the subsidies that BIG OIL collects from us taxpayers.   Don't believe me?   Click and watch his comments for yourself:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak5cGOMw8Ag" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">Obama: Drilling Alone Is Not an Energy Plan</a>

[TD]

No politician that denies global climate change, wants to reverse Obama Care (I hate that term) and isn't friendly to E85 is going to get my vote.

[HuskerFlex]

glad to hear there are more Paulites out there!

He is by and large THE candidates that current and former members of the armed services support....

THAT has to be worth something for an endorsement.

[Allch Chcar]

Ron Paul.. other than being an out right racists..

Actually that is just not true. Ron Paul has a long history in the House (a good and bad thing IMHO) and if anything he is a strict constitutionalist and state rights supporter but not an outright racist. A mildly funny story, there is one bill that Ron Paul wrote in 1979, regarding the Department of Education determining discrimination at state schools. That bill is being used to justify him as a Racist and besides being a "an over extension of Fed power", so to speak, it was rejected as it was a duplicate of a bill co-sponsored by Gingrich! If he is racist at all, he doesn't show it in his politics.

Being related to a Ron Paul supporter means I don't get to be misinformed about his political history BTW. 

Considering how unpopular Ethanol has become in the media, I would be shocked if a Candidate was foolish enough to mention it now. I'm almost to the point I would support a candidate that took a positive stand on alternative energy as opposed to ignoring the issue, especially with the Iran war looming on the horizon.

[Clerkman]

Can anyone name one Republican candidate who would even consider supporting alternative fuels?   I think not - they all support BIG OIL - who in turn, support them!

[HuskerFlex]

my take on it is...

Romney (RINO, rebublican in name only)... he's the one the old line deep pocketed, big business, business as usual hard line old school GOP wants.  He will continue the big business fleece them blind policies of GW Bush, Clinton and Obama... Big government, big spending, big debt...  If the GOP feels that he will not win the nomination, they'll see to it that he does.  They don't like that the grass roots of the GOP is not picking "their guy".

Newt- Has been political retred.  I personally believe that this is who the Dems are hoping will win, as he has more political bagage then an international FedEX shipment.  Sure he's a good debater, and sure he knows how to play the game in DC... but I wouldn't trust him any further then my coon hound could thow him with her hind paw.

Santorum-  Strong choice of the social conservatives.  I agree with him on many issues in these catagory, but he would have a hard time getting many votes outside of the midwest or bible belt.  His credentials as a physical conservative are either very thin, or highly ficticious.  Same for him, I'd think more big business big spending and big government.  I think that he's sell out by giving away trillions in favors to accomplish his social agenda.

Paul-  Strict constitutionalist.  Strong long term voting record of standing behind the constitution.  Many liberals are deep down libertarians (so far left they're right...) so I find that many liberals support Paul.  Paul seems to be more principled then practical. I understand his Isreal stance (more then just let them fend for themselves...) but don't know how practical it is.... I don't believe he's a racist, though many racists do associate with him, and often use his name.  Then again, you could say the same thing about Obama, or any politician.


My prediction....

The delegates will be greatly split, the GOP will find a way to force Romney down our throats.  They will pick a strong social conservative as a running mate to get Santorum supporters, and adopt many of Pauls small government ideals to get his supporters on board.

GOP with Romney takes back whitehouse in '12.

Long term, Rand Paul will eventually become presidents on the foundation his father laid for 30 years!

[Dan M]

Anyone else notice how the media is taking glee in their destroying any credibility of the GOP candidates, and in their attempting to further divide them...

Bunch of liberal muck-raking lackeys the press is... makes me sick.

The only thing I notice is that the Republicans seem to be in love with a bunch of  goofballs


Ron Paul.. other than being an out right racists.. he's an idiot.  Lets get rid of the EPA , Lets get rid of the Dept of Education,wants to end Social Security and Medicare..he's an idiot


Santorum..  Home Schools his kids(after he was found cheating the Pennsylvania School System out of $100,000  and thinks Satan has his sights on America  [size=78%]..as well as get rid of Medicare and Privatize Social Security..  [/size]


Complete Idiots.. 


The Republicans should have moved  to a common sense center ..some like a Tim Pawlenty .. a NORMAL human being instead of these radicals


GOP wont ever win the Presidency again if they keep pushing forward these  types of goofballs..

[Billyk]

This guy lived in and graduated from Butler High School -that is where I have been living for quite some time.  I know a couple of his peers from his school days.  What he says and what is reported in the press is often different or with a "twist".  That is true for most "folks" who run for political office.   Does this mean anything in regards to alternative fuels?  Who knows at this time and that is true for all the political parties.   I like to remember what Harry Truman stated many years ago,  three things will corrupt you:  Money, power and sex.

[TD]

The guy is not our friend. Apparently his attitude is that we can rape the earth for whatever we want, and god will fix any pollution problems. Whatever your religion might be, you can probably see how that would be a problem. I am no fan of Obama, but holy cow the GOP is putting some real whackjobs out there who have big business in mind, with a huge religious bias, and a 'f@#*& the environment' attitude. They want to disband the EPA and let business have free reign on emissions and  toxic waste, because we know they would do the right thing even without regulations and fines.

He might have mentioned E85 years ago, but he will crap on us the first chance he gets. Fit him in with Gingrich and the drill here and drill now camp, not the ethanol and clean air people.

Wackjobs indeed! "It's my way or I'll stalemate your sorry a$$." 

I voted for Obama b/c I felt he was more green and pro-biofuels than the competition. I thought Santorum might be better than the other "wackjobs", but now I'm not so sure.

Thanks for the info.

[HuskerFlex]

my fault... knew I was doing this, but with the name of a political candidate in the topic line, it is hard to NOT get too political...

Anyone else notice how the media is taking glee in their destroying any credibility of the GOP candidates, and in their attempting to further divide them...

Bunch of liberal muck-raking lackeys the press is... makes me sick.

[HuskerFlex]

oops... sorry, may want to shift this to "politics"...

[HuskerFlex]

I agree, a "Paul presidency" would not do any favors for the ethanol industry... but his "small government" approach would also not do any favors for the oil industry. 

He'd be much  more likely to let market forces and competition play and find the fair market price for products.  He'd also be much more in favor of reducing regulation and bureaucratic red tape that is slowing down many things in our country including the EPA...

I'd think that it would be easier in a Paul presidency to see MASSIVE FFV numbers, and more conversion kits... he'd probably see the EPA and the government getting in the way of free enterprise and energy independence...

So I think by his "hands off handling" he'd be doing us more favors in the long run.

Like I said, don't see him wining it, but I do see the GOP being forced due to the strong showing and many delegates tallied up, and closeness of the race, to let him speak and to shift the platform slightly to his direction to attempt to woo his very many and very passionate supporters, hoping to unify the party.  The party MUST unify to present a strong and united front.  The "Obama Debt Star" will not go down if faced by a splintered GOP with alienated groups feeling ignored.

[Thumpin455]

So, you want to know about this Santorum guy? Well first thing to do is a google search on his name, check out the first or second listing. Next here is some light reading about him and the environment.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/santorum-and-green-dragon-faith-based-attacks-environmentalism-nothing-new-religious-right

http://grist.org/list/rick-santorum-rewrites-the-history-of-clean-air-in-america/

http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/02/21/429072/santorum-i-refer-to-global-warming-not-as-climate-science-but-political-science/?mobile=nc

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/19/santorum-talks-economy-with-phony-theology-comment-but-social-debate-ensues/

Another one about the XL pipeline that mentions Santorum.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/166399/keystone-xl-would-raise-gas-prices-not-lower-them  and here is the link to what he said as reported by CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/20/politics/campaign-wrap/

The guy is not our friend. Apparently his attitude is that we can rape the earth for whatever we want, and god will fix any pollution problems. Whatever your religion might be, you can probably see how that would be a problem. I am no fan of Obama, but holy cow the GOP is putting some real whackjobs out there who have big business in mind, with a huge religious bias, and a 'f@#*& the environment' attitude. They want to disband the EPA and let business have free reign on emissions and  toxic waste, because we know they would do the right thing even without regulations and fines.

He might have mentioned E85 years ago, but he will crap on us the first chance he gets. Fit him in with Gingrich and the drill here and drill now camp, not the ethanol and clean air people.

[rusty70f100]

though I'm deep down rooting for Paul to rock the hell out of the GOP and cause some long term changes towards more libertarian small government minded principles...

Yes, and these small government principles, if applied broadly enough, would be very beneficial for ethanol.

His foreign policy would also be very beneficial to ethanol.  But he won't be elected.  The PTB in the media, finance, government, and even in vote counting won't allow it.

[cessna]

though I'm deep down rooting for Paul

I with you. He wouldn't do ethanol any favors but on the other hand, he'd let Israel go it alone in the coming concocted war. Watch Wag the Dog movie.

[HuskerFlex]

I'd bet that he (as well as any politician these days) would disavow, and "not remember" that quote....

2006 was, in politics a lifetime ago...

Back then, ETHANOL, alternative fuels, energy independence and FFVs were cool, new, and popular.  Politicians were quick to jump on the "I'm all in favor of THIS" bandwagon.

When the rubber hit the road, and people, powers and corporations that would be effected by this started looking at the long term political and economic ramifications of these products, ideas and technologies... they started backing away from these...

Big shock here... but there is a lot of money to be made (by some influential people and companies) in energy dependence and having the general public held hostage to a singer fuel source.  Giving the general public a choice, and flexibility in their fuel... well, it hard to the profits from a monopoly when people have choices...

Another big shock here... all politicians are beholdent to campaign "donations/funding" for their campaigns, PACs and now Super-PACs...  It doesn't matter the party or the individual... if they are faced with the "withdrawal of financial support" for their campaign... they will switch their stances.

***********************************************************

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bagging on Santorum.  I actually like him, one hell of a lot more then Romney or Newt, though I'm deep down rooting for Paul to rock the hell out of the GOP and cause some long term changes towards more libertarian small government minded principles...

I am just making a blanket statement about ALL politicians, money and influence.  The oil and auto industry are prime offenders in this.  If they want or don't want something from the government... their wishes are usually granted.

[Greengenes]

---Has he said anything on this campaign trail? ---

 I don't know about the campaign trail, but his official website mentions

nothing about alternative fuels , until the last sentence on his "energy"

issues page ---

Restructure the priorities of the Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE spends an exorbitant amount of money on technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and alternative-energy vehicles. All of these energy sources and technologies are currently available, but they are not yet commercially viable because of burdensome regulations or because they are still prohibitively expensive. It is not the government’s role to force these technologies into the market place.