Yesterday former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum appeared in Wichita to endorse the candidacy of Todd Tiahrt for the Republican party nomination for the Senate.
Santorum said he’s not often taken time to travel to help candidates, especially in primary elections. Referring to the “critical juncture” that he believes our country faces, with a president and Congress that are grabbing power through health care and cap-and-trade legislation, he said we need a solid conservative in the Senate to oppose Obama and the Democrats in Washington.
Todd Tiahrt, he said, has a great conservative record of not only opposing bad things, but “coming forward with good, solid, principled conservative ideas to solve problems not just here in Kansas, but across this country.”
Answering a question about the differences on the issues between Tiahrt and Jerry Moran, his primary election opponent, Santorum said “Todd speaks out.” He’s been a strong economic conservative who believes in limited government, understanding that markets solve problems better than government. He also said Tiahrt recognizes a strong military is needed to protect America’s security.
On the future of the health care bill in the U.S. Senate, Santorum said it’s going to take some time to work through the Senate, and the current bill that contains the public option will be tough to pass, given Senator Joe Lieberman’s stated opposition to such a bill. The Senate is unlike the House, he said, as in the Senate, one member can block passage of legislation.
Referring to the unpopularity of Obama’s programs, particularly the health care bill, Santorum said that in many respects, Obama has already sacrificed his majorities in Congress. The election of 2008 was not a realignment, he said, but a rejection of incompetence of the last administration.
On Obama’s absence from the ceremonies marking the anniversary of the end of the Berlin Wall, Santorum said “He is insensitive to the importance of our traditional allies.” The tyrannies that we fought in the past — the Soviet Union — are now appearing in different parts of the globe. Their motivations are different, but we must confront the same evil. “Going to Berlin and standing where Reagan stood would identify him [Obama] with policies he doesn’t agree with.”