Rick Santorum's Endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Rick Santorum's Endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

On Friday, Governor Romney came to Pittsburgh for an over-hour long one-on-one meeting. The conversation was candid, collegial and focused on the issues that you helped me give voice to during our campaign; because I believe they are essential ingredients to not only winning this fall, but turning our country around.

While the issue of my endorsement did not come up, I certainly have heard from many of you who have weighed in on whether or not I should issue a formal endorsement. Thank you for your counsel, it has been most helpful. However, I felt that it was completely impossible for me to even consider an endorsement until after a meeting to discuss issues critical to those of us who often feel our voices are not heard by the establishment: social conservatives, tea-party supporters, lower and middle income working families.

Clearly without the overwhelming support from you all, I never would have won 11 states and over 3 million votes, and we would not have won more counties than all the other candidates combined. I can assure you that even though I am no longer a candidate for president, I will still continue to fight every day for our shared values - the values that made America the greatest country in the history of the world.

Rick Santorum speaks to bloggers at CPAC Bloggers Lounge This photo was taken on February 10, 2011 using a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi. License: Copyright All rights reserved by Senator Rick Santorum

During our meeting I felt a deep responsibility to assess Governor Romney's commitment to addressing the issues most important to conservatives, as well his commitment to ensuring our appropriate representation in a Romney administration.

The family and its foundational role in America's economic success, a central point of our campaign, was discussed at length. I was impressed with the Governor's deep understanding of this connection and his commitment to economic policies that preserve and strengthen families. He clearly understands that having pro-family initiatives are not only the morally and economically right thing to do, but that the family is the basic building block of our society and must be preserved.

I also shared with Governor Romney my belief that we cannot restore America as the greatest economic engine the world has ever seen until we return America to being a manufacturing superpower. He listened very carefully to my advice on this matter, and while our policy prescriptions differed, he clearly expressed his desire to create more opportunities for those that are feeling left behind in this economy.

As it is often said, "personnel is policy." I strongly encouraged Governor Romney as he builds out his campaign staff and advisors that he add more conservative leaders as an integral part of his team. And you can be sure that I will work with the Governor to help him in this task to ensure he has a strong team that will support him in his conservative policy initiatives.

Of course we talked about what it would take to win this election. As you know I started almost every speech with the phrase that this was the most important election since the election of 1860 and four more years of President Obama is simply not an option. As I contemplated what further steps I will take, that reality weighed heavy on me. The America we know is being fundamentally changed to look more like a European socialist state than the land of opportunity our founding fathers established.

Freedom and personal responsibility are being replaced with big government dependency. The greatest and most productive workers in the world are being hamstrung by excessive regulations making it impossible to compete. Our healthcare system had been socialized, and the worth of each life dictated by some government bureaucrat. Our allies are insulted while our enemies are appeased. And our religious beliefs and freedom have come under attack.

What is even more troubling is what a second term of an Obama administration could bring. President Obama's admission to the Russians that he will have more flexibility in a second term can only be translated to "if you thought I was liberal in the first four years you haven't seen anything yet!"

The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Governor Romney and I have some differences. But there are many significant areas in which we agree: the need for lower taxes, smaller government, and a reduction in out-of-control spending. We certainly agree that abortion is wrong and marriage should be between one man and one woman. I am also comfortable with Governor Romney on foreign policy matters, and we share the belief that we can never allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons. And while I had concerns about Governor Romney making a case as a candidate about fighting against Obamacare, I have no doubt if elected he will work with a Republican Congress to repeal it and replace it with a bottom up, patient, not government, driven system.

Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Governor Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime.

My conversation with Governor Romney was very productive, but I intend to keep lines of communication open with him and his campaign. I hope to ensure that the values that made America that shining city on the hill are illuminated brightly by our party and our candidates thus ensuring not just a victory, but a mandate for conservative governance.

Karen and I know firsthand how difficult the campaign trail can be particularly as governor Romney faces relentless attacks from the democrats. We have been praying for him and his family and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead.

I look forward to working together to defeat President Obama this fall and to protect faith, family, freedom and opportunity in America.

TEXT CREDIT: Rick Santorum for President PO Box 37 Verona, PA 15147 888.321.6675

IMAGE CREDIT: Senator Rick Santorum's photostream

Bob Corker Weekly Republican GOP Address Democrats' Failed Fiscal Leadership 05/05/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO

Bob Corker Weekly Republican GOP Address Democrats' Failed Fiscal Leadership 05/05/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO - DOWNLOAD MP3 for PODCAST

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., delivered the Weekly Republican Address today, calling for pro-growth tax reform and a long-term plan to reduce our debt and strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long haul.

The audio of the address is available here, the video is available here and you may download the address here.

“Preserving the principles that have made this country great is the struggle of this generation—free enterprise, personal liberty and a society where everyone has the tools and the opportunity to earn success,” said Corker. “Nothing makes people happier than earning success. Our Founding Fathers understood this and considered the ‘pursuit of happiness’ to be a God-given right. Let’s put in place policies that will enable future generations to earn success. It’s the American Dream.”

A full transcript of the address follows:

“I’m Bob Corker, and I’m proud to represent Tennessee in the United States Senate.

“When I was 25 years old, I saved $8,000 and started my own construction company. I worked hard, and my business expanded. Our country’s free enterprise system gave me the opportunity to earn success and to live the American Dream.

“I became involved in public service to help provide my neighbors with the opportunity to experience the American Dream themselves, and I came to Washington with the same goal.

“But I fear our country is moving to a place where politicians have lost sight of the value of earned success.

“Politicians are bankrupting our country by passing legislation without paying for it and abandoning the free market principles that give people the opportunity to succeed.

“It’s disappointing and, I can assure you, highly frustrating to see what happens here in Washington: More spending and debt and kicking tough decisions down the road, robbing – literally robbing – the next generation of the opportunity to pursue success and live their own American Dream.

“Last Sunday marked three years since the Senate has passed a budget. Three years. Think about that. The federal government, which spends more than $3.5 trillion a year, much of it borrowed from outside the United States, has no guideline for how that money is spent.

“The Democratic Leader of the Senate said it would be ‘foolish for us to do a budget at this stage,’ and he’s even refused to hold a vote.

“When the Democratic chairman of the Senate Budget Committee attempted to hold a markup on a budget, he was stopped at the last minute and pulled a vote from consideration.

“And what about our presidential leadership? President Obama’s budget failed to receive a single ‘yes’ vote in either House of Congress last year. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, this year’s presidential budget would actually decrease economic growth over the next decade.

“This kind of Washington mismanagement has put us in a place where over the last three years our debt has increased by more than $4 trillion.

“Failing to accomplish even the most basic responsibility of government is a total failure of leadership and represents everything the American people hate about Washington.

“Just last month, the trustees for Medicare and Social Security reiterated that the programs are on a path towards insolvency and in urgent need of reform.

“Despite every warning sign imaginable, we have no solutions from this Administration or Democratic leadership in the Senate.

“The President punts on almost every tough decision. In fact, as he appeals to college students, his Administration is robbing those same young people of their American inheritance, spending their money on my generation and engaging in nothing short of generational theft.

“Families and state governments are making tough decisions every day in order to make ends meet. And businesses are crying out for clarity on tax rates and regulation. This uncertainty is what’s weighing down the recovery and preventing the investment needed to create jobs in Tennessee and throughout the country. Washington’s lack of courage to deal with out-of-control spending is only adding to the sense of uncertainty among investors and potential small businesses owners.

“At present, our inability to deal with these issues is our greatest enemy. In other words, we are our greatest enemy. But I also believe it can be our greatest opportunity.

“We need pro-growth tax reform. This means simplifying the tax code and doing away with most, if not all, of the $1.2 trillion in loopholes and tax expenditures that Congress has created to try to drive your behavior. This would allow us to broaden the tax base and lower rates for everyone.

“This kind of tax reform combined with a long-term plan to reduce our debt and strengthen Social Security and Medicare so that they are solvent for the long haul would really cause our economy to just take off.

“Growing the private sector, not government, will ensure that we remain the strongest country in the world. Preserving the principles that have made this country great is the struggle of this generation—free enterprise, personal liberty and a society where everyone has the tools and the opportunity to earn success.

“Nothing makes people happier than earning success. Our Founding Fathers understood this and considered the ‘pursuit of happiness’ to be a God-given right. Let’s put in place policies that will enable future generations to earn success. It’s the American Dream.”
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TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Senator Bob Corker 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C., 20510

VIDEO CREDIT: gopweeklyaddress

AUDIO CREDIT: src.senate.gov/