Romney Campaign Press Release - Rick Spendtorum, Part III: Mortgaging Our Children's Future

Mitt Romney Understands The Moral Importance Of Getting Our Fiscal House In Order For Our Children And Grandchildren:

The Romney Agenda: "Preserve Economic Freedom, Create Growth ... [And] Make Sure We Don't Pass Our Burdens, Our Debt" On To Our Children. ROMNEY: "I've laid out with my economic plan, proposals that preserve economic freedom, create growth, will provide jobs for you as you come out of college and will make sure we don't pass our burdens, our debt, on to you. That really is at the heart of what my party is about. Making sure that we preserve this extraordinary unique nation in the history of the earth. This exceptional place which is imperiled by debt, by lack of a willingness to deal with the challenges we have, by stagnating growth and by an attack on economic freedom among our other freedoms that are being attacked. That's what it's about." (Mitt Romney, Remarks in Chicago, IL, 3/19/12)

Ann Romney: "Women Are ... Angry About The Legacy We're Going To Leave Their Children And Their Grandchildren." ANN ROMNEY: "Let me tell you something else that's happening. Women are coming to me and saying, 'Will you please talk about deficit spending and budgets?' I'm loving that. Loving that. Women are angry. They're angry about the legacy we're going to leave their children and their grandchildren. And I'm going to tell them something. I've got somebody here that can fix it." (Ann Romney, Remarks in Schaumburg, IL, 3/20/12)

During His Time In Washington, Senator Spendtorum Was Part Of The Problem When It Came To Fiscal Issues:

Santorum Brought Over $1 Billion In Pork-Barrel Spending Back To Pennsylvania. "In all, Taxpayers for Common Sense estimated, Mr. Santorum helped secure more than $1 billion in earmarks during his Senate career, which stretched from 1995 through 2006." (Michael Luo and Mike McIntire, "Donors Gave As Santorum Won Earmarks," The New York Times, 1/15/12)

"Santorum Acknowledged Voting To Raise The Federal Debt Ceiling At Least Five Times While In Congress." (Charles Babington, "Gingrich Defends His Attacks," The Associated Press, 1/15/12)

Government Spending Increased By Roughly 80% During Santorum's Tenure In The Senate. In 1995, Santorum's first year in the Senate, federal spending was approximately $1.516 trillion. By 2007, when Santorum left the Senate, spending had increased to approximately $2.729 trillion. ("Fiscal Year 2012 Historical Tables Of The U.S. Government," Office of Management and Budget, 3/27/11)

Santorum: "I Came To The House As A Real Deficit Hawk, But I Am No Longer A Deficit Hawk ... I'll Tell You Why. I Had To Spend The Surpluses." "Confronted with projected deficits until fiscal 2007, senior GOP lawmakers are backing away from long-standing rhetoric about the government's duty to live within its means. 'I came to the House as a real deficit hawk, but I am no longer a deficit hawk,' said Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). 'I'll tell you why. I had to spend the surpluses. Deficits make it easier to say no.'" (Hans Nichols, "Leadership Lines Up With Deficit Doves," The Hill, 2/5/03)

In The Course Of This Campaign, Senator Spendtorum Has Proved That He Is An Economic Lightweight:

"The Issue In This Race Is Not The Economy." "On Monday morning, as Santorum kicked off a full day of campaigning in Illinois, where he trails Mitt Romney in the polls, Santorum gave critics of his messaging more ammunition. 'The issue in this race is not the economy,' he said." (Jon Ward, "Rick Santorum: 'The Issue In This Race Is Not The Economy'," The Huffington Post, 3/19/12)

"I Don't Care What The Unemployment Rate's Going To Be. Doesn't Matter To Me." "Rick Santorum is coming under fire for saying that the unemployment rate and economic growth are secondary issues to that of freedom in his campaign ... [Santorum:] 'I don't care what the unemployment rate's going to be. Doesn't matter to me. My campaign doesn't hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates. It's something more foundational that's going on.'" (Rebecca Kaplan, "Santorum: 'I Don't Care What the Unemployment Rate's Going to Be,'" National Journal, 3/19/12)

"There's Not A Management Problem In Washington D.C., All Right?" SANTORUM: "[T]hat's important for us to understand, that these — that the issues in Washington D.C. are not issues of management. There's not a management problem in Washington D.C., all right?" (Rick Santorum, Remarks in McKinney, TX, 2/8/12)

The Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Santorum Often Gives The Impression That He Views The Economy As A Secondary Issue..." (Editorial, "Where's The Rest Of Them?" The Wall Street Journal, 2/9/12)

The Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin: "Santorum's Strong Suit Is Not The Economy." "As often as Santorum says he is going to migrate back to economic themes, he never seems to make it. That may be because his own economic views aren't very conservative, and his tax plan has more in common with the president's tax philosophy than with libertarians' and Republicans' views." (Jennifer Rubin, "Santorum's Strong Suit Is Not The Economy," The Washington Post, 3/14/12)