Pittsburgh Students for Santorum

With the 2006 elections behind us, its start to look ahead to 2008.

I highly recommend that students who shared the same values as Senator Santorum consider joining Students for Brownback.

Senator Brownback is a principled conservative with a record to prove it.

Thanks, Rick
by Francisco Gonzalez

For the past 12 years, Rick Santorum has been an outspoken conservative voice in the U.S. Senate. Described as “more conservative than his state of Pennsylvania,” Santorum has been a champion of conservative principles and perhaps the leading spokesman in the Senate for the pro-life issue and for preserving the sanctity of marriage. While only a few politicians today dare to speak openly on the abortion issue, Santorum has not hesitated. He raises his voice for the right to life no matter what audience he is talking to. Some call that confrontational. I call it honest.

After 12 years of being the leading conservative voice in the Senate, especially on the hot-button cultural issues of the day, Santorum’s successful run in the Senate has finally come to an end. But, he went down fighting and will maintain his role as a leading advocate of conservative principles.

Last year, ISI Books published Santorum’s first book, It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good, which outlined his vision that family and community lie at the heart of conservatism. Publishing a book gave Santorum the opportunity to put his staunchly conservative ideas into print. Some of his own political pundits thought that putting such a conservative-minded book out before his election was not a wise political move for the Senator. Santorum told the Philadelphia Inquirer, “One of my fellow congressmen from Pennsylvania asked me, ‘Why are you doing this now? Why not wait until after the election?’” Santorum responded to his colleague, “Because people will read it now and they won’t read it after the election. I really do want people to read this. I believe it."

He put his book out before his election because he wanted to get his conservatives ideas out there - he wanted people to read what he thought because he believed more people would digest these foundational conservative ideas before the election rather than after. He’s a true statesman, who not only wants to represent the people of his state, but convince those that disagree with him why they should reconsider their own views. Santorum is not afraid to fight for the losing cause in order to try to sway others on the ideas he believes in. He came into the political arena in order that the principles he stands for will some day win. Unlike some Republicans, he leaves office with those principles.

Besides being known as the leading spokesman on socially conservative issues, Senator Santorum has not strayed away from the issue of the war. This summer, he gave some stirring speeches around his state of Pennsylvania, trying to rally support for what is becoming perhaps another losing issue for President Bush and the Republican Party. With the economy doing well, the Democrats have seemed to win the House and the Senate by running an anti-war campaign.
Santorum reminded his constituents and all Americans that no matter how they choose to fight (or not fight) this war, that this war cannot be avoided. “The war is at our doorsteps, and it is fueled, figuratively and literally, by Islamic fascism, nurtured and bred in Iran.”

“This is an unpopular war,” said Santorum. “I have been ridiculed by the media and my opponents for defining the enemy Islamic fascism - they say words don’t matter. But words do matter because words are what define the enemy we confront. Words are needed for Americans to comprehend what motivates the deeds that the enemy is planning, so we can effectively defeat them. And defeat them we must.”

No matter where one stands on the divisive issues of abortion, gay marriage, and the war, all can agree that Senator Santorum, unlike his Democrat opponent Bob Casey, has not stayed away from confronting these issues - issues that define the true evils of our time. He is a conviction politician at a time when the political arena is desperately in need of conviction. Despite Santorum’s loss on Election Day, he has fought to keep these ideas fresh on the minds of all voters, not just in Pennsylvania, but across America. The laws he helped fight for may be overturned, but the ideas he has nurtured among millions of Americans with his stirring speeches and published book title, will last far longer than the twelve years he lasted in the U.S. Senate.

As T.S. Eliot reminded us, "We fight for lost causes because we know that our defeat and dismay may be the preface to our successors' victory, though that victory itself will be temporary; we fight rather to keep something alive than in the expectation that it will triumph."
I thank Senator Santorum for his outspoken convictions to fight for those causes that at times haven’t seemed to be winning with voters. He can rest assured that he has inspired this young voter and millions more across America to follow his example and fight for the values we believe in, for the country we love, and to stand up against evil when no one else will.

Francisco Gonzalez is Director of Membership and Campus Leadership at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Santroum could be found spending his Saturday night with College Republicans for a pizza dinner in Green Tree.

Pictured below is a group of CRs from Franciscan University of Steubenville College Republicans. They were just a small part of over 100 energetic CRs that had spent the day campaigning for Santorum in Pittsburgh.

Let's let the "mainstream media" take it from here....

Philadelphia Daily News:

"So far, Casey has barely communicated to voters that he is anything more than the anti-Santorum...For the most part, Casey has played it safe throughout the campaign, limiting his appearances and the number of debates....But the danger, experts say, is that if Casey doesn't define himself to voters, Santorum will do it for him..."

-- Catherine Lucey, "Casey's Plan: Play It Safe," Philadelphia Daily News, October 9, 2006

The Philadelphia Inquirer:

"....Consider a snapshot of their schedules. Casey has campaigned on the weekends, but made no public appearances between Monday and Friday this week. He raised money Thursday with Bill Clinton, but unlike other Democrats who paraded the former president before TV cameras that day, Casey closed his event to the media. His staff refused to disclose details.

By contrast, Santorum held eight public events, hosting a town hall meeting on immigration, announcing a $20 million public housing grant and raising $275,000 with former President George H.W. Bush. Two weeks ago, Casey skipped two candidate forums. Santorum went to both - and hauled along an empty chair to make a point."

-- Carrie Budoff, "Santorum stalls as Casey idles in lead," The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 8, 2006

Allentown Morning Call:

"There they were, just miles apart, using the popularity of former presidents to pad their campaign coffers last week. But while Sen. Rick Santorum invited hordes of reporters in a push for publicity during his appearance in suburban Philadelphia with President George H.W. Bush, Bob Casey Jr. kept the media at bay in another event nearby. Casey's closed-door fundraiser Thursday with former President Bill Clinton was part of a five-day stretch for Casey that didn't include a single public event...'You can't hide forever,' Santorum campaign manager Vince Galko said Friday, echoing what has been a mantra by the Santorum staff throughout the race."

-- Josh Drobnyk, "Politics as Usual," Allentown Morning Call, October 8, 2006

Allentown Morning Call:

Casey, meanwhile, has come under fire for dodging Santorum at a pair of public forums last month. Nor has Casey been aided by a campaign strategy that seems designed to make him purposefully inaccessible.

-- John Micek, "Poll: Rendell leads governor's race; negative ads affecting Senate contest," Allentown Morning Call, October 9, 2006

Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

"Casey has refused to debate [Santorum] more frequently, appears to take vague positions on some issues and generally keeps a low-profile, analysts say."

-- Brad Bumsted and David M. Brown, "Santorum alive, but Casey in control," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 8, 2006

Capitolwire:

Casey's strategy has been essentially to say as little specifically as possible, and on the big issues where voters are tired of Santorum, be the fresh face....Frankly, I have always believed voters deserve to know what candidates plan to do, and generally applaud candidates like Santorum and Gov. Rendell who make bunches of specific promises.

-- Peter L. DeCoursey, "Santorum paying candor tax that should shame PA voters," Capitolwire, October 9, 2006

.... Well it ain't quite working.

I almost do not want to post this because it might tip the Casey camp off to a deep, dark, well-kept secret:

Rick Santorum has once again proved why nobody should have written him off, even after months of Casey double-digit leads.

Becuase when it comes down to it, Santorum is a fighter. And he doesn't lose.

Latest proof:

1) Only down by 6 in the latest poll
2) Has double the cash Casey does, most out of any Republican senate candidate

But the BIGGEST news this weekend are quotes from Governor Ed Rendell:

"Rick Santorum has proven that he gets the job done. Time and time again he has come through," Mr. Rendell said in an interview conducted by the Trib's Salena Zito for a July 31 Weekly Standard magazine commentary on the Santorum-Casey race. "I will eventually campaign with Casey. But, no, you won't see me attack Santorum. I work well with him ... . When it comes to Pennsylvania, Santorum delivers."…

Protesting this morning at the Ritz in Pentagon City, outside of DC, while Bobby Casey was doing a fundraiser with Cong. John Murtha, our favorite anti-war "cut and run" Congressman. You would think DC would be a little out of the way for Casey from his home to his office in Harrisburg where he is supposed to be working as State Treasurer of PA. But when liberal anti-war money calls... Casey can't help but leave his taxpaying constituents in the dust!

http://www.prolifeblogs.com/articles/archives/2006/07/bob_caseys_twis.php

Pro-lifers -- don't buy this crap from Bobby Casey. Supporting "family planning services" and "emergency contraception" at the federal level only means more money for Planned Parenthood, the biggest abortion provider in the world.

He is not his father and never will be.

And for him to say he's been criticized by "even the Catholic Church" -- what is he thinking? Does he know where the Catholic church stands on the morning after pill, or any contraception for that matter? Its like he is "surprised" or "offended" that they would be critical of his views.

Senator Santorum continues to be a true pro-life advocate for the unborn and does not try to stray away from the issue or hide behind his views.

Bobby Casey = spineless.

Senator Rick Santorum outlines his views on immigration in his podcast.

Senator Santorum continues to prove why he's one of the few true conservatives left in the Senate. Santorum's views on immigration are in line with your every day conservative -- secure the borders, no amnesty to those who break the laws. Santorum knows that if we allow any program, such as the guest-worker program, that eventually leads to amnesty, that such a program would only encourage more immigrants to enter our country -- illegally.

Sen. Santorum also recognizes that the House is not going to approve of the way the Senate bill is currenty written, mostly due to the fact that the House contains principled conservatives like Sen. Santorum who actually have spines.

Here is my proposal: Secure the borders. Stop illegal immigration. Slowly increase legal immigration quotas as illegal immigration decreases.

Read: Rick Santorum on Immigration in the National Review: How not to fix our immigration laws.

Just finished Sen. Rick Santorum's Townhall article on religious freedom. Thank you Rick for your continued principled leadership in the United States Senate, especially moral issues!

Read his article here.

Well at least he said something...

“If you want to hide something from a Catholic, put it in the Bible.”

Thanks, Bob. I'll be sure to remember that quote in my Principles of Biblical Studies class tonight at 6pm here at Franciscan University of Steubenville, the most Catholic place here on Earth besides Rome. Feel free to stop by.

FINALLY,

the Casey campaign has agreed to debate. Santorum? Ha. Casey doesn't want his poll numbers reversed this early on in the campaign.

Instead, he will be debating his Democratic primary opponents, where more pro-abort Pennsylvanias will learn about his pro-life views, and where more pro-lifers, who more then often tend to be pro-family, will learn of his pro-gay views.

Should be fun.

Saturday, April 8th - 7:00 to 9:00 PM
McKay Education Building Auditorium
Slippery Rock University
School Drive and E. Maltby Avenue
Slippery Rock, PA

Will be aired on PCN.

Latest Zogby Poll:

Santorum: 39.4%
Casey: 47.4%

Casey's lead shrinks to 8 points.

Just wait until Casey actually tries to debate Santorum.

Want to see Santorum and Casey debate? Rick Santorum is ready. Sign this petition requesting Bob Casey to accept Santorum's debate challenge.

WELL what do you know, Santorum gives a stance on an issue today, and Casey has no response. Because of course, it is a complicated issue, and Casey must watch countless debats before deciding on the issue, while ignoring public-opinion polls, of course.

People actually think this guy is qualified to represent PA in the Senate?

Anyway, back to the point. The issue? Immigration reform.

Sen. Santorum's stance (as provided to AP, 3/29):

Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday he generally opposes allowing illegal immigrants
to become U.S. citizens without them first going back to their home
country.

Without that requirement, "I don't know why anyone would bother trying to wait in line to get a green card ... You create all sorts (of), I think, very bad incentives for really controlling the ingress into this country," Santorum said in an interview shortly after addressing Pennsylvania farmers at a forum. ...

Santorum said he has heard from some in the construction industry and some farmers -- particularly fruit and mushroom growers -- concerned that tightening border security could make it more difficult for them to find workers.

He said he supports studying ways to increase the number of legal immigrants in the country.

Santorum told the farmers that, as the son of an immigrant, he is mindful of immigrants' contributions and the need to be compassionate. But, he said, "the bottom line is that we have to treat people who came to this country illegally differently than those who came legally, and if we don't, then we will never control our borders, period."

Bob Casey's "Stance" (as reported by the AP, 3/29):

When asked Tuesday whether Casey supported the bill, campaign spokesman Larry
Smar said, "I think it's still pretty early in the process and we're watching the Senate debate. It seems like there isn't that much consensus in Washington, or in the Senate for that matter, on how to proceed, so we'll watch the debates and see how it progresses."

WOW. I'm speechless. Now I feel how Casey does. All the time.