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The Spectacle Blog
Uh-oh.
Now it’s Rick Santorum’s chance to step in the “I-hate-capitalism” cow pie that Newt Gingrich has just managed to step out of.
Here’s the headline, unfortunate as it is, from National Journal, plus the key quote and the link.
Santorum: Romney’s Tax Rate Isn’t the Problem, His Perception of $300,000 Is
[…]
“To make a statement that I made a couple of extra bucks giving speeches when that couple of extra bucks was over $300,000 — I mean, that to me says a little bit more about Governor Romney and his connection with the American people than his tax rate,” Santorum said.
Amazing, no?
When Mitt Romney answered a question as to his income from speaking fees, he answered that he had made over $362,000. In the course of his answer, Romney said it was “not very much.”
As Rush Limbaugh pointed out today, Bill Clinton has made some $82 million — that’s $82 million!!!! — in speaking fees during the last six years. In other words, as Rick Santorum should well understand, in terms of the free market for celebrity speeches, Mitt Romney has earned almost nothing.
But that isn’t the point, is it? The point is the free market. And whether Romney earned X from Bain Capital or Z from speeches — every last dime is related to a free market. For Santorum — whose losing Senate margin in Pennsylvania came in part because he was hammered for living in a mansion-sized house in Virginia instead of a modest Pittsburgh suburb — to implicitly buy into the anti-free market rhetoric that was just back firing on Gingrich leaves one speechless.
Who cares how much Mitt Romney earned from speeches? Who cares about the size or location of Rick Santorum’s house? Only those who in some fashion buy into the leftist attacks on the free market and capitalism.
In the immortal words of Cher in Moonstruck, Santorum would be well advised to: “Snap out of it!”
Rick Santorum is playing in left field. He should get back within bounds.
View all comments (31) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/01/18/santorum-moves-left-with-romne
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bill| 1.18.12 @ 9:21PM
Santorum is the perfect spoiler of the 2012 GOP race, helping Romney by splitting Gingrich constituents, and becoming another Huckabee. Too bad, he lost IA by 8 votes to Romney, otherwise, it would have been 2008 all over.
Santorum will never get the GOP nod.
I wonder what's his next move!
Jack in Wi.| 1.19.12 @ 7:31AM
I see Bill has finally dumped Perry and now moved to Gingrich. Talk about going from the frying pan to the fire. Gingrich is about as electatable as a pile of cow manure. He stinks worse and is full of it as well.
Dai Alanye | 1.19.12 @ 10:45AM
"Who cares how much Mitt Romney earned from speeches?"
Apparently Mitt Romney cares, or he wouldn't have tossed off his silly remark. Or is it simply another case of Mitt being out of touch with the people?
By the way, Santorum won Iowa. Mitt's "history-making" achievement is now dross.
Joshua | 1.18.12 @ 9:24PM
To say that this attack is from the left is ridiculous. He is not demonizing his wealth at all. His statement that his speaking fees are insignificant IS out of touch. The fees made isn't the problem, his statement that it is not much money to him is. To equate this in any way with gingrich/perry is intellectually dishonest.
Jack in Wi.| 1.19.12 @ 7:35AM
Santorum should talk. He has been in the pocket of every lobby who will throw him a few bucks. At least Romney isn't owned by the Israeli Lobby like Gingrich and Santorum. He is too rich to be owned by anyone, and is only on long term lease.
Clint| 1.18.12 @ 9:33PM
We Are Being Set Up By The RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges.
These Are The RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges Who Gave Us The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain Of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy,McCain-Lieberman,Gang Of 14, Opposing Bush Tax Cuts Of 2001 & 2003,TARP.
Now They Are Trying To Give Us RomneyCare,TARP, Cynical Flip-Flops On Abortion, Gays, Refuses to Sign Pro-Life Pledge, Illegal Immigrants, "Little Chain Saw Al" At Bain, Crony Capitalism Campaign Money Trail.....
Orrrr, Big Government Ricky Santorum & Santorum's Record On Voting For Earmarks, Even The Bridge To Nowhere, His Support For The Lobbyist "K-Street Project" , His Tariff Votes, Medicare Prescription Drugs, No Child Left Behind, Etc.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In South Carolina
Dai Alanye | 1.19.12 @ 10:48AM
It's good to see Clint continuing his work of destroying the RonPaul campaign from within by driving off the support of rational voters.
Joshua | 1.18.12 @ 9:40PM
If the tea party rebellion is in south carolina..who are they voting for? The one person that closely resembles the tea party has called them heartless racist vultures and bigots. Gingrich was eliminated from contention in my mind in the 90's for his "whatever I think is good" approach that often became very progressive w/o any apology for it. If not Santorum, who is imperfect, as you point out, but his imperfections do not effect his governance to the same degree as does romney and gingrich. The president has certain powers, and on those powers I trust Santorum a thousand times more then any of the other candidates.
Margie| 1.18.12 @ 9:47PM
" For Santorum -- whose losing Senate margin in Pennsylvania came in part because he was hammered for living in a mansion-sized house in Virginia instead of a modest Pittsburgh suburb -- to implicitly buy into the anti-free market rhetoric that was just back firing on Gingrich leaves one speechless."
Typical haughty Catholic.
He's learned well from the Papists who live like Kings bedecked in jewelry and fine linen at the ungodly Vatican.
I couldn't stand him for his lying about Herman Cain~ he jumped on tat bandwagon too, claiming Herman was for abortion, and I was willing to overlook it. But what a maroon.
Blechhh.
Bob Grant| 1.18.12 @ 9:55PM
Perhaps a little Clint baiting?
Clint| 1.18.12 @ 10:08PM
" CBS Poll: Independents Prefer Ron Paul Vs Obama
In a head to head match up with incumbent President Barack Obama, the indie voter chooses Ron Paul, a CBS News poll suggested on Monday.
A total of 47% of independent voters said they would choose Ron Paul compared to 45% of independent voters choosing Mitt Romney against Obama, and 41% of independents saying they would choose Rick Santorum. If a Paul-Obama showdown were ever to take place, 47% of independent voters would vote for Paul, 81% republicans and 10% Democrats for a total of 45% of the vote. Obama would get just 40% of the independent vote in that contest, with 85% of the Democrats choosing Obama and 9% of Republicans choosing the President on election day in November. Obama would win the general election by a narrow one point margin if the election was held today between the two."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In South Carolina.
Margie| 1.18.12 @ 11:49PM
No, Bob Grant. A little TRUTH speaking.
PAPA| 1.19.12 @ 12:15AM
And very little truth at that!
Margie| 1.19.12 @ 1:12AM
Liar.
Joshua | 1.18.12 @ 10:14PM
didn't claim he was for abortion either, claimed that his statement on piers morgan proported support for abortion by using pro-choice lingo and before he said a word, I already said the same thing he did about the perception that was built by the answer to the question.
W| 1.18.12 @ 11:32PM
The crazy Mullah is on the loose spouting her anti catholic bigotry. Speaking of haughty living, you and your H have been collecting Obama checks of 549 per week since august 2009, which gives you plenty of free time to post your bigotry.
Buzz off , Mulllah, go play with your snakes and count those Obama checks.
Margie| 1.18.12 @ 11:43PM
The "W" Troll is a fine example of what the Catholic Religion has wrought.
They lie and slander and speak filth towards Bible believing Christians, because they are taught that we are heretics.
To them, only the Catholic church is the "true" church, like all good cultists think.
And like their Murderous forefathers who burned Christians at the stake, they feel that the ends justify the means and so they allow themselves to lie about and slander Christians who stand on Scripture.
W Troll is a pervert and an example of EXACTLY why there is such a thing as the Lake of Fire.
"The one overcoming will inherit all
things, and I will be God to him, and he
will be the son to Me.
But for the cowardly and faithless ones,
and disgusting ones, and murderers, and
fornicators, and users of magic, and idolaters,
and all liars, their part will be in the
Lake burning with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death." Rev. 21:8.
NOTICE THE WORDS: LIARS, DISGUSTING ONES.
You Pope worshippers have no conscience.
You continue to spread the lie that I collect unemployment. I DO NOT.
W| 1.18.12 @ 11:51PM
Explain why you posted under your name the confirmation from the state of New Jersey for an internet application to extend unemployment compensation at the rate of 549 per week since august 2009?
Why did you post it?
If it is not you then how did you post someone else's info?
Parasite. Liar.
Margie| 1.19.12 @ 1:12AM
Asshole.
Burn in Hell you filthy scumbag.
Vlady| 1.19.12 @ 9:28AM
Whoops! Mullah Margie Omar just woke up and realized Santorum is Catholic....
Oh, hey, by the way... Gingrich is Catholic, too.
I love you Mullah Margie Omar.
Bob Grant| 1.18.12 @ 9:48PM
Making money on the speaking circuit is the most honest way a politician can earn a living. I have no problem how much he makes this way or what his perception of a 'few bucks' are.
Politicians making money as lobbyists, by unethically working the stock market using insider trading tactics, or using earmarks to fund projects that increases the worth of their personal property is what disgusts me.
THIS is what should be discussed. Not speaking fees!
Bob K.| 1.19.12 @ 12:22AM
I believe our elected leaders have exempted themselves from those burdensome laws concerning "ethics" when they invest in the stock market.
RJ| 1.18.12 @ 10:42PM
Jeff,
Do you think organizations paid Clinton $82 million just to talk or did they get something else, especially considering that Mrs. Bill is the Secretary of State?
Jeffrey Lord| 1.18.12 @ 11:16PM
RJ....
No idea.
I know that they paid him, that he asked for X per speech and got it. Absent any provable hanky panky, that's the free market. The business of speechifying for bucks has been around for quite a while now, one's worth magnified (for better or worse!) by our celebrified society. Somewhere someone is paying Kim Kardashian to lend her name for who knows what. I may never buy her products...but if she has managed to make herself a considerable living by getting people to watch her and read about her....well...freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose (to borrow from Janis Joplin.) Not from here will you get any criticism of her free market rights.....or how much she earns. Ditto with everyone else....Romney included.
Occam's Tool| 1.19.12 @ 12:06AM
Just to remind everyone who the real "opponent" is, and what a complete doofus he is, here's something from the "insert joke here file, courtesy of Weasel Zippers (where I go, occasionally, to watch films of Ron Paul supporeers (oops, I mean Taliban terrorists) face the rightful wrath of American ironmongery appropriately applied:
"For those of us not typically in the public eye, it is easy to forget the importance of good optics and public relations for someone who is. For those who routinely forget, however, there arises, once in a while, a perfect reminder of why they exist in the form of a delightfully bad PR move by someone who really cannot afford it at the moment. Today’s PR miss comes from the Obama campaign, whose candidate is shutting down “Main Street USA” to give a speech–the “neighborhood” Main Street USA in Disney World, that is.
RELATED: President Obama’s Reelection Campaign Announces $68 Million 4th Quarter
The substance of this story is not particularly exciting: President Obama will visit Orlando, Florida tomorrow– where many theme parks call home– to talk about the economy and boosting tourism to the region and generally across the country. The President has begun a series of executive actions to help the economy under the title “We Can’t Wait.” It is the process by which the President will undertake this mission on his itinerary that appears tailor-made for punchlines.
Gawker’s Jim Newell points out how it reads once on paper, via the News 13 report on the matter:
Disney says the president will be at the Magic Kingdom, which means guests can plan for heavy security. Main Street USA will be closed for the duration of the president’s time there. Guests will be re-routed to other parts of the park. Disney is also cancelling extra magic hours for the Magic Kingdom, and pushing back the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” parade.
They really couldn’t find any other land in Disney World to do this in, like Fantasyland, or maybe Adventureland? On the other hand, at least they avoided shutting down Liberty Square."
Occam's Tool| 1.19.12 @ 12:07AM
Sorry: that's the "insert joke file here"---forgot the close quotation marks. Oops. As for the paulbot insult---I never apologize for those.
Occam's Tool| 1.19.12 @ 12:08AM
Dang, I misspelled supporters, too...oh well, still doing better than "Jack the CEO"...
Clint| 1.19.12 @ 5:37AM
The Israel Firster RINO-CINO's Margie & Tool Job Said They'll Vote For The RINO-CINO Frontman, Mittens Romney.
These Are The Israel Firster RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges Who Gave Us The Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain Of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy,McCain-Lieberman,Gang Of 14, Opposing Bush Tax Cuts Of 2001 & 2003,TARP.
Now They Are Trying To Give Us RomneyCare,TARP, Cynical Flip-Flops On Abortion, Gays, Refuses to Sign Pro-Life Pledge, Illegal Immigrants, "Little Chain Saw Al" At Bain, Crony Capitalism Campaign Money Trail.....
The Tea Party Rebellion Is In South Carolina.
WL| 1.19.12 @ 12:32AM
Mr. Lord,
Anyone see the Newt wife story breaking on ABC ..?
All of you Romney, Paul, Santorum supporters should take note....
See, after the debate you have to admit that Newt has some positive movement...and now this...
Your candidate will face the same blitzkrieg...if they threaten the conventional narative too...
So, if you are happy about it, I guess that's normal...but just know...if they beat Newt...with this...
Your candidate is next. NO ONE will be allowed to challenge Obama without their lives being firebombed...
so before you jump up and down...think about that....
2012 is going to be a very hard year for all of us...
We will either want our liberty more than they want to take it...and we will be willing to pay a higher price to keep it than they are to take it...
or we will lose.
EVERYTHING.
WL| 1.19.12 @ 12:33AM
MR. Lord...my apologies...that post was not addressed to you...I accidentally left your name there because I initially was going to comment on your article....
Simple mistake only. Please disregard.
Vlady| 1.19.12 @ 9:36AM
Right here and now I want to advocate Rick Santorum for President. Why you ask? Partly because it would be pretty good for the country. But the real reason is that he's Catholic, and it will provide endless entertainment here at The American Spectator comments pages because it quite likely will cause Mullah Margie Omar Dear to go completley Nuckin Futs, as they say in Australia....
I can't wait.....