Romney Campaign Press Release - Santorum: Washington's Being Managed Just Fine

"Rick Santorum says that there is not a problem with the way the federal government is being led. That is ridiculous and again proves why conservatives can't trust a Washington insider to fix the problems that Washington insiders created." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Today, Senator Santorum Expressed His View That There's No Management Problem In Washington:

Santorum: "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)

Santorum Has No Management Or Executive Experience, Having Spent His Entire Career In Government And The World Of Public Influence:

Santorum Started His Career As A Legislative Staffer In Pennsylvania. "After earning bachelor's and master's degrees, [Santorum] became a staffer for Republican state Sen. Doyle Corman while he earned a law degree." (William Petroski, "Rick Santorum Refuses To Compromise On Principles," Des Moines Register, 8/7/11)

Santorum Also Lobbied At The Pennsylvania Capitol For A Pittsburgh Law Firm. "[Santorum] was a young man on a fast track. He started work for a prominent Pittsburgh law firm and did some lobbying at the Pennsylvania Capitol." (William Petroski, "Rick Santorum Refuses To Compromise On Principles," Des Moines Register, 8/7/11)

Santorum Then Spent Sixteen Years In Congress. "From 1990 to 2007, Santorum, of Pennsylvania, served in Congress as both a U.S. representative and senator." ("Comparing The Republican Presidential Contenders," Texas Tribune, 1/25/12)

After Losing His Re-Election Bid, Santorum Fashioned "A Lucrative Post-Government Career Based Largely On Income From Businesses That Had Benefited From His Work In Congress." "When [Santorum] left office he was not especially wealthy, but records show he wasted little time fashioning a lucrative post-government career based largely on income from businesses that had benefited from his work in Congress." (Mike McIntire And Michael Luo, "After Santorum Left Senate, Familiar Hands Reached Out," The New York Times, 1/6/12)

Not Surprising That Santorum Is Okay With How Washington Is Managed — He Is Part Of The Same Old Washington Crowd:

Senator 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, In 2009: "I Have Had A Lot Of Earmarks. In Fact, I'm Very Proud Of All The Earmarks I've Put In Bills. I'll Defend Earmarks." (Fox News' "Hannity," 2/26/09)

Toward The End Of His Tenure, Santorum's Spending Record Got Even Worse. "In the 2003-2004 session of Congress, Santorum sponsored or cosponsored 51 bills to increase spending, and failed to sponsor or co-sponsor even one spending cut proposal. In his last Congress (2005-2006), he had one of the biggest spending agendas of any Republican..." ("2012 Presidential White Paper #4: Former Senator Rick Santorum," Club For Growth, 6/6/11)

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)

"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)

By The Time Santorum Was Crushed By Nearly Twenty Points In His 2006 Re-Election Bid, Pennsylvanians Saw Him As "Part Of The Big-Spending Establishment":

The Associated Press: "Even Some Conservatives Were Frustrated ... [And] Saw Him As Too Much A Part Of The Big-Spending Establishment." "By the time of his defeat as part of an anti-war, anti-incumbent tide, even some conservatives were frustrated with Santorum. Some saw him as too much a part of the big-spending establishment and others didn't like that he chose to endorse Arlen Specter, then a moderate Republican senator who years later would switch to the Democratic Party, over conservative Pat Toomey in the state's close 2004 Republican primary." (Andrew Miga, "Santorum Cites Appeal As Reliable Conservative," The Associated Press, 12/31/11)