Tea Party Support

Recent comments have been taken out of context and made it sound as if Santorum is against the tea party.  In reality, he is against the free-for-all liberalism that some have tried to pin on the tea party as one of their goals.

Rick explained, “I don’t agree that people should be empowered to do what pleases them the most. We have a responsibility beyond [ourselves].” Santorum characterized the “liberal view” as “anti-responsibility,” saying it holds, “I should be able to do whatever I want to do as long as no one gets hurt.” He continued:
Particularly in the area of sexual freedom and personal issues, this is the mantra of the left. Which is, “I have a right to do what I want to do.” And that is not the kind of freedom that our Founders envisioned, and it is not the kind of freedom that makes up a society that is devoted…to the common good. …The definition of liberty as our Founders understood it, was freedom with responsibility. Responsibility to who? To themselves? No. It was a responsibility to others. It was responsibility to your family, but not just your family. It was a responsibility to your neighbors and to your country.
Santorum complained that we have “an entire culture that focuses on immediate gratification and the pursuit of happiness and personal pleasure, and it is harming America.”

Several videos and opinions have come out calling Santorum a big-government candidate.  Here is an excellent article proving otherwise.
http://www.redstate.com/wosg/2012/01/06/rick-santorum-yes-he-is-a-true-conservative/

Rick Santorum has a long history of cutting taxes, reducing spending and fighting for a balanced budget amendment.  He even took on leaders of his own party in that fight.  He has never voted for a tax increase, and one year introduced more original bills cutting spending than anyone else.  


Sarah Palin said Rick Santorum's "been consistent in saying we need to slash the federal income tax."


Santorum is a member of the "Gang of Seven" that exposed taxpayer scandals at Congressional bank and Congressional post office.  This is one of the reasons the Washington Post praised Santorum as "a tea-party kinda guy before the tea party even existed."


Rick Santorum has called for significant tax rate cuts for middle class Americans and will cut wasteful spending to take the growing deficit off the backs of our children.

On a conference call to tea party folks, Rick said he supports the tea party and their principles, saying he's repeatedly praised them around the country and noted the huge gains they've helped accomplished.  He was especially appreciative of the educational forums the tea party provides.  Rick made a point to say he's a Reagan Conservative, not a Libertarian, which makes us isolationists and ignores faith and family.