After the Santorum Surprise in Iowa many individuals are seeking information about Santorum’s past and record only to discover that most articles are focusing on his handful of drawbacks without mentioning his positives since the writers are supporters of other candidates.
I have come across the following on the Youths4Palin website a while ago, and am of the opinion that many of you would enjoy seeing a clear and concise article focusing on his many accomplishments.
This article has been republished with permission, and here’s a link to the original article.
RICK SANTORUM
Former Senator of the United States of America
Applying for President of These United States of America
As a husband and father, Rick Santorum knows the importance of protecting and providing for your family. He believes that at the core of the American experience is the family, and that without strong families, we cannot have a strong and vibrant nation.
During his time in elected office, Rick Santorum fought for the preservation of the traditional American family and for the protection of the most vulnerable in our society. Rick was the author of legislation outlawing the heinous act known as partial-birth abortion and he championed the fight to pass the “Born Alive Infant Protection Act” and the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act.” He also authored legislation to advance adult stem cell research, so that ethical research could take place to fight debilitating diseases without the moral implications associated with embryonic stem cell research that destroys human life.
Rick Santorum not only believes but cherishes the ideal of a culture of life. As a member of the United States Senate, Rick fought for the passage of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA), and the “Combating Autism Act” to fight this devastating disease that is affecting more and more of our nation’s children.
When activist judges took it upon themselves to redefine marriage, and with it the underpinnings of the traditional American family and our First Amendment right to Freedom of Religion, Rick spearheaded the debate in favor of Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004. Rick successfully fought even members of his own Party and had the amendment brought to the Senate floor for public debate in two successive Congresses. Even though he knew he would be labeled a bigot or worse by members of the liberal elite, Rick Santorum understood this issue was far too important to the future of our society not to be debated before the American public.
Rick understands that our freedom to practice our faith is not just under attack through the redefinition of marriage, but in nearly every facet of the popular culture. As a member of the United States Senate, Rick authored the “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” to ensure individuals of all faith could not be discriminated against while on the job. Rick also founded the Congressional Working Group on Religious Freedom to ensure that the principle of Freedom of Religion would not be infringed upon.
From the moment he was elected to public office, Rick Santorum worked tirelessly to ensure the hard-earned tax dollars of all Americans were being spent wisely.
Along with John Boehner and Jim Nussle, Rick was a member of the “Gang of Seven” who targeted the waste and fraud of the House Post Office and Bank. This did not make Rick Santorum a popular man in an old boy’s club like the House of Representatives, but Rick knew that the only way to make a positive difference in the lives of his constituents was to challenge the corrupt norms that had seeped into the People’s Body.
Being elected to the upper-chamber of the United States Senate did not slow down Rick’s passion for government reform. Two of the first bills Rick sponsored were the “Balanced Budget Amendment” and the “Line Item Veto,” because Rick knew the importance of reigning in a government drunk on spending.
Rick Santorum knew that reforming Congress was a great start, but our nation’s entitlement programs were the cancer to the long-term fiscal health of our nation. This is why he was one of the lead sponsors of the landmark 1996 Welfare Reform law that has helped more Americans transition from the government welfare rolls to work than any legislation before or since.
In 2005, seeing our Social Security system on the brink of bankruptcy, Rick led the charge to reform the broken entitlement system. Along with South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, Rick was one of only a handful of legislators who stuck their head out of the foxhole and fought to save the Social Security system for future generations by offering creative reforms focused on empowering the individual.
Rick also fought to ensure that all Americans kept more of their hard-earned tax dollars. He spearheaded the passage of President Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, because he believes that reducing the tax burden on businesses and individuals is the key to spurring economic growth.
Since leaving Congress, Rick has been a vocal opponent of the Wall Street bailouts and stimulus programs instituted by both President Bush and Obama. Rick believes that by having our government choose winners and losers, both Administrations are setting America on a course to crony western European capitalism that will lead to a weaker future for our children.
Rick was rewarded for his hard work on behalf of the American taxpayer, consistently being named as a “Friend of the Taxpayer” by the National Taxpayers Union and endorsed by pro-business organizations like the National Federation of Independent Business and the United States Chamber of Commerce during his political campaigns.
Rick Santorum understands that the events of September 11, 2001 brought to our front door the uncomfortable truth that attacks on our soil are not merely a distant possibility, but a harsh reality.
To combat this threat, Rick refused to back down from those who wish to destroy America. Rick Santorum understands that those who wish to destroy America do so because they hate everything we are – a land of freedom, a land of prosperity, a land of equality. Rick knows that backing down to the Jihadists means that we are only putting our foundational principles at greater risk. As an elected representative, Rick knew that his greatest responsibility was to protect the freedoms we enjoy – and we should not apologize for holding true to these principles.
That is why Rick refuses to call this a War on Terror, because, like Blitzkrieg, terror is a tactic. Rick believes our nation’s leaders must be honest with the American people and call this war what it is, a War with Radical Islam. Rick saw firsthand during the Bush Administration that without clearly defining who we are fighting and why we are fighting, the American people will never understand the great threat posed by our enemies.
Rick did not simply use his position in the United States Senate to fight rhetorical battles, he used every legislative tool at his disposal to combat rogue regimes that wish our nation harm. Rick spent 8 years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he fought to strengthen America’s military in the face of the Clinton Administration’s attempt to downsize our fighting capabilities.
In 2003, Rick authored and successfully fought for the passage of the “Syria Accountability Act” to combat the terrorist threat posed by Syria. By 2005, Rick was one of our nation’s first leaders to understand the threat posed by Iran, so he authored and passed the “Iran Freedom and Support Act” in the face of Democratic and Bush State Department opposition, which authorized Federal monies to support pro-democracy movements in Iran and keep the tyrannical dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Though the war in Iraq was unpopular in 2006, Rick refused to shy away from his belief that we need to confront our enemies. Though ridiculed by many in the mainstream media as a chicken little for talking about the threat posed by Ahmadinejad and Iran, Rick spent much of his campaign focused on the gathering storm that our enemies pose. In an election that was a referendum on the war, Rick was defeated.
Though he lost at the ballot box, Rick has not stopped fighting for the defense of our nation. Since leaving the Senate in 2007, Rick created the “Program to Protect America’s Freedom” at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he worked to identify, study, and heighten awareness of the threats posed to America. Through his work, Rick spoke at dozens of university campuses and to thousands of college students about the threats to our nation and how it is critical that the next generation of leaders not back down, but defend our nation.
***
RICK SANTORUM
Penn Hills, Pennsylvania
Senator Santorum became one of the most successful government reformers in our history, taking on Washington’s powerful special interests from the moment he arrived in our nation’s Capitol. He was a member of the famous “Gang of Seven” that exposed the Congressional Banking and Congressional Post Office scandals. It was this record of reform that prompted a Washington Post reporter to write in a recent article that “Santorum was a tea party kind of guy before there was a tea party.”
Mr. Santorum has many accomplishments but is most proud of his role as a husband and father. Rick and his wife of 21 years, Karen, are the parents of seven wonderful children.
WORK EXPERIENCE
United States Senator, 1995-2007
United States of America, Penn Hills, PA
• Served as Chairman of the Republican Party Task Force on Welfare Reform, and contributed to legislation that became the Welfare Reform Act of 1996.
• From 2001-2007 he was the 3rd Ranking Republican in the Senate.
• Sponsored “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” with Sen. John Kerry.
• Supported partial privatization of Social Security.
• Strong ally of Israel and American Jews.
• Believes marriage is the union between one man and one woman.
• Tried unsuccessfully to insert into the “No Child Left Behind” bill language which came to be known as the “Santorum Amendment” that sought to promote the teaching of intelligent design will questioning the academic standing of evolution in public schools. Though not included in the final version of the Act made law, the language from the amendment was included in a report attached to the Act and known as the Conference Report.
• Opposed the Senates immigration reform proposal. Instead, he stated that the U.S. should act to enforce currently existing laws. He strongly opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants. He supports the construction of a barrier along the U.S.–Mexican border, an increase in the number of border patrol agents on the border, and the stationing of National Guard troops along the border. He also believes that illegal immigrants should be deported immediately when they commit crimes, and that undocumented immigrants should not receive benefits from the government. He also believes that English should be established as the national language in the United States.
U.S. House of Representatives, 1991-1995
United States of America, Penn Hills, PA
• A key member of the “Gang of Seven” that was responsible for exposing congressional corruption by naming the guilty parties in the House Banking Scandal.
EDUCATION
• High School: Carmel High School
• The Pennsylvania State University
• Maters of Business Administration
• University of Pittsburgh
• Dickinson School of Law
PERSONAL
• Married, Karen.
• Father of 7 children.
• Attorney.
• Roman Catholic.
• Author.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Is an advocate of “compassionate conservativism” which he says, “relies on healthy families, freedom of faith, a vibrant civil society, a proper understanding of the individual and a focused government to achieve noble purposes through definable objectives which offers hope to all.” He is known for his “confrontational, partisan, ‘in your face’ style of politics and government.” “I just don’t take the pledge. I take the bullets,” Santorum said. “I stand out in front and I lead to make sure the voices of those who do not have a voice are out in front and being included in the national debate.”
• Endorsed by Iowa Secretary of State Matt SchultzNote by Abie: He has received multiple of additional endorsements since this article was written. Additionally, this article is obviously not a 100% complete list of all he’s done, though it provides a great overview.
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