The media is about to begin the vetting of Rick Santorum and I suspect we’re going to hear a lot about Universal Health Services (“UHS”). Santorum’s involvement in UHS is one of the significant bits of his private sector experience.
After his 18 point loss in 2006, UHS appointed Rick Santorum to its Board of Directors.
On May 16, 2007, Santorum acquired 10,000 options to purchase Class B common stock. On November 21, 2009, he received another option for 5,000. In 2010, it was options for 15,000 shares and another 15,000 as recently as January 21, 2011, as Santorum begin to entertain thoughts of running for President.
On June 15, 2011, Santorum resigned from the board of UHS.
Here’s why the media will be interested.
On March 2, 2010, nearly three years after Santorum was appointed to the UHS board of directors, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint against UHS for billing Medicaid for “inpatient psychiatric care that was not provided.” The company received Medicaid funds to provide psychiatric counseling and treatment to boys ages 11 to 17.
According to the Department of Justice, UHS “[took] advantage of troubled children in order to feed their own desire for wealth.”
On July 29, 2010, an employee of the same Virginia adolescent psychiatric facility that was sued by DOJ filed suit against UHS for reprisal against her due to her “investigation of, reporting of, opposition to and refusal to participate in, her employer?s blatant and systemic criminal fraud against Medicaid engaged in by defendants[.]” See Barbara Jones v. Universal Health Services, Inc.,
According to Barbara Jones, the whistleblower who brought suit against UHS, local company management encouraged employees to conduct “drive by therapy sessions” as they passed patients in the hallway and then record the brief interactions as a thirty minute individual therapy sessions to be billed to Medicaid. Jones also testified in her court filings that she was ordered by the local CEO to fabricate a Medicaid billing form and was told, after she refused to do so, that she would not be
paid until the form was fabricated.
UHS tried to have the complaint dismissed not because of the veracity of the changes, but because it claimed Barbara Jones wasn’t an employee of UHS and therefore was not protected under a whistle blower statute.
Santorum possibly did not know about any of this, but in 2007 the federal government filed a lawsuit against UHS for Medicaid fraud going back all the way to 2004 — or well before Santorum was on the board. It’s kind of hard to claim complete ignorance of federal charges against a company on whose board he sat for over four years.
This is going to be an interesting vetting process, done even more rapidly than the vetting of Mike Huckabee back in 2008, if only because the media probably correctly thinks Santorum doesn’t have the staying power Huck had, so they want to get it all done quickly.
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Dan Spencer
Jeff Emanuel
Neil Stevens
By God, if noone else will do it,
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 3:44PM EDT (link)Mr. Erick will lol!
no kidding, this is exactly the kind of lame driveby crap that should not be a part of conservative vetting
federalfarmer1 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:08PM EDT (link)This is executive responsibility. The board doesn’t supervise mid level management. You need a lot more info to know whether the board did anything sketchy, like what the CEO was doing to prevent fraud. Further, as an attorney, Erickson should be embarrassed by the comment about the basis for the dismissal motion. You can’t get dismissal under rule 12 or SJ on any lawsuit on the veracity of the charges. That’s what trial is for. Does Erickson tell his clients never to move to dismiss and only fight the veracity of the claims? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with such a motion and no reason to mention it.
I wouldn’t vote for santorum in the primary in a million years and think his campaign is a joke, but this is just ridiculous. Just because he’s somehow gotten some traction doesn’t mean he deserves to me smeared by this crap.
I’m curious, who is pushing this story, bachmann or Perry? This campaign has gotten disgusting. Newt and huntsman have run above board campaigns and they should be rewarded for avoiding mud.
You know what, federalfarmer, you're right! We should let the media do the vetting for us!
acat (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:34PM EDT (link)How silly I feel, having tried to do my own research and make up my own mind.
Mew
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/sarc
——
Caveat Suffragator
Say, we should just all hang out together and sing campfire songs
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:27PM EDT (link)and hope that all of our candidates dirt gets swept under the rug and Hope.Obama.Doesn’t.Find.Out
It's gonna come out, federalfarmer1
Vegas_Rick (Diary) Saturday, December 31st at 4:18PM EDT (link)It’s a damned sight better that all of theis BS comes out during the primaries than after we are stuck with our nominee in the general. Everyone of these candidates has issues, both real and imaginary. Let’s drag them out and kick them around now, so there are NO surprises in the general.
Everyone gets their turn in the blender.
“God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.”- Billy Currington
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Calvin Coolidge.
Santorum and UHS is a Non-Issue
independentmike Sunday, January 1st at 8:00AM EDT (link)This is really much ado about nothing. This is quite a reach. Santorum had nothing to do with UHS’s billing practices and the allegedly fraudulent billing would have occurred many levels below him. This is a rather silly issue.
This "dirt" seems unimportant
Loren Heal (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 3:50PM EDT (link)…compared to the real knock against Santorum, that he’s a top-down central planner mercantilist Republican.
–
Join the Concord Project, and follow @lheal, if you dare.
but this "dirt" will resonate
YnotNOW (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 4:06PM EDT (link)with the sound-bite independents.
YnotNOW
If not me, who? If not now, when?
This dirt is ahead of schedule - the media want to blow up Santorum...
acat (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 4:20PM EDT (link)first as in “puff up or hype” – going into Iowa – to take the wind away from Newt and Perry and later..
as in “detonate or destroy” – after Perry and Newt have sunk – to remove any competition between Romney and the nomination…
Red State remains 2-4 steps ahead of the playbook…
Mew
——
Caveat Suffragator
Sadly yes
rharrison Friday, December 30th at 4:28PM EDT (link)this is how I see it as well. Cynical minds must think alike. Time (not much of it) is on Santorum’s side. These ‘love affairs’ by confused voters usually run their course in about 3-6 weeks, not enough time for this current affair to unravel.
Is there anything more out there? The ‘sound – bite’ independents mentioned above will require greater scandal than this to jump ship so soon!
On Twitter.. this video of Santorum endorsing Specter..
onemovoter (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:33PM EDT (link)Santorum says Specter is a conservative
They are saying Romney would play this and destroy Santorum. Why would Romney even do that since Santorum is still splitting the vote among the real conservatives? Duh.
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most fools do.”- Benjamin Franklin
“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”- Will Rogers
Looks like Santorum is his own bridge to nowhere...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:25PM EDT (link)good analyses on the media push. However, I think Santorum has already reached a ceiling in Iowa… see comments by me below. http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/12/30/get-ready-to-hear-all-about-rick-santorum-and-universal-health-services/#comment-154841
Santorum Goes Down, Perry Goes Up
bzip Friday, December 30th at 3:58PM EDT (link)Santorum isn’t going to staying very long in the higher poll numbers. Between the low marks of congress, insiders, Washington and Santourm being part of it he isn’t going to be look upon too well and more so as the vetting starts. This UHS is just another big mess Santorum is going to find himself in
.
He won’t be able to handle and hold up to the vetting. I sincerely think Santorum will go no further than Iowa.
Between Perry hitting him hard right now and the vetting Santorum will get from the media – Santorum will be history soon.
I have a great feeling, a feel of relief that the tide is in favor of Perry regaining his ground.
Perry gets ‘a little more specific’ with earmark attacks on Santorum
http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/12/30/perry-gets-a-little-more-specific-with-more-earmark-attacks-on-santorum/
Perry Demands Santorum Explain Earmarks for Teapot Museum, Indoor Rainforest
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/perry-demands-santorum-explain-earmarks-for-teapot-museum-indoor-rainforest/
https://twitter.com/#!/ArletteSaenz/
Rep Steve King to attend same Cerro Gordo County GOP Fundraiser in Mason City tonight as Rick Perry
exactly right zip, as I put on Twitter last nite
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 4:21PM EDT (link)be mindful everyone, EVERYONE, Perry has proven that he is a fundraising powerhouse, support coming from all 50 states. $17 million in his first 49 days. SuperPac pledging $55 million. He can go beyond Iowa regardless the outcome, and his outsider message will squash any attempt from the GOP Romney machine to encourage otherwise.
Just wait until he throws his retail politics onto South Carolina, lol.
i doubt south carolinians will be more forgiving of perrys political ignorance
federalfarmer1 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:38PM EDT (link)Than iowans. How disconnected from politics do you have to be not to recognise the Lawrence v Texas case? Especially when his own government paid to litigate it? To me, that’s shocking and disqualifies h him from the job of choosing scotus appointments.
Haven’t seen that mentioned around here for some reason.
here's a copy of a tweet from last nite
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:45PM EDT (link)@CarrieNBCNews @scottlincicome: As a Texan, lawyer, policy junkie & fmr const’l studies intern at Cato, I admit: I didn’t recognize Lawrence v TX
sorry, those that know Governor Perry
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:47PM EDT (link)and put THAT kind of money on him are not buying into the media narrative. He still has the best executive experience & jobs record of anyone on that stage. Bar none hon’
what disqualifies a candidate for me is
rharrison Friday, December 30th at 6:15PM EDT (link)when said candidate believes in pseudo science (global warming) and even has a chapter on global warming in their upcoming book. Or should I say, just took that chapter out…or not:
DES MOINES, Iowa — Newt Gingrich says he has killed a chapter on climate change in a post-election book of essays about the environment. But the intended author of the chapter, who supports the scientific consensus that humans contribute to climate change, says that’s news to her.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/gingrich-kills-chapter-on-climate-change-in-upcoming-book-20111230
Interesting
papabear (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 7:13PM EDT (link)There are only 2 candidates in the nomination that I can be “for”. Here are advantages and disadvantages as I see them:
Newt +1.) Tear Obama apart in the debates.
Newt +2.) Some spectacular successes in office.
Perry +1.) Better appeal to the “common man/woman”
Perry +2.) Steady/consistent campaign – nearly zero chance of blowout
Perry +2.) Steady “ruling hand”
Perry +3.) Significant reduction in federal government
Newt -1.) Small chance of spectacular misstep in campaign.
Newt -2.) Some significant failures in office because of his diarrhea of the brain/mouth*
Newt -3.) Slight reduction in federal government (at best)
Perry -1.) Difficulty debating Obama
Perry -2.) Higher chance of Obama re-election
I hope that both choices will still be available in the Michigan primary. As things stand, Perry would now get my vote.
*This is just one too many instances of Newt feeling like he has to demonstrate his intellect on every subject. He may be older and wiser, but the instinct for this kind of nonsense is still there.
Newt's achilles heel = AGS
carolina Friday, December 30th at 7:35PM EDT (link)“climate change” supporters are disqualified by me also. I consider that to be a fatal flaw.
I pray that Perry comes out on top as the ‘not Romney’ candidate on Tuesday. A strong 10th Amendment president is the only way we will ever shrink the DC monster.
get out of here (said in that funny voice I make)
center77 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:32PM EDT (link)you have no idea what you say, Look Perry has won ten straight election, and he went up against the powerful Rove Bush machine and still walked away the victor, the reason is he is real and he will sit and shake every hand if he has too. If Perry does well in Iowa, then he will move on to S.C. with a strong momentum. You should see the people coming out to see what this Perry guy is all about, and they understand that he is one of two in this race who has never been a Washington insider, and the other is Romney who is a liberal dressed up as a conservative.
Perry is a states rights guy, and you have not seen that mentioned because you have no idea what it is. But I suspect you do not care either, only that you think it makes Perry look bad. Im sorry.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
Mitt Romney 2012, but not without the truth of who he is.
www.timothy-bladel.com
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (January 11, 1989)
Hello ppl don't care about Lawrence vs TX
votemout2012 Saturday, December 31st at 10:53AM EDT (link)I think Perry handle the question in the right way. He got back to the topic at hand defeat Obama and get our economy back working.
Hello ppl don't care about Lawrence vs TX
votemout2012 Saturday, December 31st at 10:53AM EDT (link)I think Perry handle the question in the right way. He got back to the topic at hand defeat Obama and get our economy back working.
Santorum's mini surge appears to have...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:06PM EDT (link)a ceiling. In the new NBC-Marist 2 day poll its…
with tossups (leaning)
Santorum 15
Perry 14
Gingrich 13
without tossups
Santorum 12
Perry 14
Gingrich 14
When asked who is your second choice Perry and Mitt scored highest with 21/22 before tossup and after tossup it’s 20/21 percent of the vote. Santorum got 12% before tossup 15% after.
“The poll was conducted Dec. 27 and 28 and included 425 likely GOP caucus-goers, with a margin-of-error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. Unlike CNN’s survey, this poll included independents and a few Democrats who are likely to caucus as Republicans.” http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_Politics/_Today_Stories_Teases/Iowapoll111230nbcmarist.pdf
Perry has been moving up steadily which means his numbers are more solid than Santorum’s. Perry is drawing large standing room only crowds everywhere he goes. I don’t think Santorum’s mini surge lasts into Jan 3rd or beyond giving the ceiling he appears to have and with vetting coming on fast.
Thank you, and by the time voting starts people will know who santorum really is
center77 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:21PM EDT (link)and I believe they will not like him as much, the media elite wants him to do well to splinter the vote to help Romney, but after Iowa that conservative vote will have less places to go.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
Mitt Romney 2012, but not without the truth of who he is.
www.timothy-bladel.com
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (January 11, 1989)
I agree...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:33PM EDT (link)Santorum is his own bridge to nowhere.
love the pun
center77 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:39PM EDT (link)he really seem to like those bridges.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
Mitt Romney 2012, but not without the truth of who he is.
www.timothy-bladel.com
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (January 11, 1989)
thanks...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:48PM EDT (link)I used to work for Universal Health care when I first got my master's.
avagreen Friday, December 30th at 4:29PM EDT (link)And, quite frankly, I was glad to see them get crushed.
They deserved it for all the corruption that I saw going on, which was above the norm back then.
Now……..I think it’s pretty wide-spread in the psych world, just like in the medical world. Gov’t funding will do that to people eventually. It’s an easy gravy train, more than private insurance, but both suck as times. It’s just that private insurance catches on quicker to the scams.
Rick Perry STILL! doesn’t have or need blood. He is filled with magma.
Rick Perry uses his bare hands to hunt.
Countdown Until Obama Leaves Office.
I saw the same thing, avagreen, here in Cali.
westcoastpatriette (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:05PM EDT (link)I worked in in-patient psych hospitals for twelve years and saw it get more and more corrupt in the mid eighties until I finally left for good in 1990.
The greed was so consuming that one corporation I worked for would change the diagnosis to match what insurance would cover–kinda like the tail wagging the dog.
Making psychiatric diagnoses can be so subjective anyway and if you then factor in pressure to “keep the beds full” all kinds of patients were misdiagnosed and taken advantage of unbeknownst to most of them.
In any event, if they really want to smear Santorum, it can get really ugly when you are treating adolescents who are many times forced into treatment against their will to start with–and way too vulnerable to fight back in any way. This one could get nasty quick.
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. Psalm 149:1-3
I am a Sr Teradata Consultant that specializes in...
Wubbies World (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:14PM EDT (link)… medical databases. I am currently working on provider data mart that deals with reimbursement rates and fee schedules. Due to client confidentiality I can’t describe it beyond that.
The ordinary person would be amazed and stunned.
The employer based insurance system where the ordinary person never sees the real bill has blinded the ordinary person to how distorted the system has become due to regulations. This builds in a lot of what you are seeing. It is crazy and a total overhaul to restore some semblance of balance is desperately needed.
A complete decoupling of government control beyond safety requirements is needed badly.
Join The Red State Strike Force
><> If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Right The First Time.
health savings accounts force people to pay attention to costs
federalfarmer1 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:20PM EDT (link)Fraud is rampant at all levels of medicine and insurers and governments find it cheaper to pay then monitor. Individuals need to have skin in the game and monitor prices or it doesn’t work.
Exactly!
Wubbies World (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:25PM EDT (link)If everyone actually saw their real bill and had to be the one writing the check, and if doctors had to post fees in advance then people would be a lot wiser and a lot of the corruption going on would not be happening.
Join The Red State Strike Force
><> If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Right The First Time.
its just shows our health care system is already socialist
federalfarmer1 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:32PM EDT (link)With insurers essentially acting as government contracted claims handlers.
Well, not completely, but....
Wubbies World (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:39PM EDT (link)…ObamaCare is designed to move the transition to that position much further along.
Essentially, it make it untenable for private ensurers to stay in business, then to fix it, the Feds have to complete the takeover. The sad part is that I am not kidding or exaggerating. The private ensurers will just transition to federal contractors to administer the programs. They already are to a certain degree now.
Join The Red State Strike Force
><> If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Right The First Time.
The average doctor's office personnel would look at you
westcoastpatriette (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:46PM EDT (link)like you were crazy if you asked to see a price list itemizing the cost of every step of treatment including every test the doctor orders.
But that is the only way out of this mess. All of it is distorted just as you said Wubbies’ — from diagnosis to ordering prescriptions — the actual needs of the patient are way down the list of priorities when determining the treatment plan.
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. Psalm 149:1-3
westcoastpat, I know......
Wubbies World (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:53PM EDT (link)The old ICD-9 codes and now the new ICD-10 / claims codes are crazy. The ordinary person’s eyes would just glaze over if you tried to explain it to them.
Just getting the ordinary person to see what the services are and what they are paying to make them aware would be huge. I don’t know how that would happen though. Its that big of a mess.
Join The Red State Strike Force
><> If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Right The First Time.
Boring.
WY_Cowboy (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 4:57PM EDT (link)I guess the oppo dump from the fourth runner-up onto the third runner-up is just not that interesting.
Anyone see Ron Paul on the Morton Downey, Jr. show? That’s classic! Paul definitely let his freak flag fly off the handle on that show.
George Bush's CIA dealing drugs
Tavern Keeper (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 7:12PM EDT (link)8:20 in. Was that mentioned in the newsletter, too?
It always amazes how some who is blessed with intelligence and can articulate well a controversial stance can also go so far off the deep end.
The Tavern Keeper
@LTtavernkeeper.com
I am giving Santorum extra points (or not) for exposing Ron Paul in Iowa
lizzie Friday, December 30th at 7:44PM EDT (link)while Huntsman is doing same in New Hampshire.
because somehow, after watching Rick Perry’s newest Youtube, this 2009 Ron Paul interview with Iran’s official news PressTV was on the right panel, and I CAN NOT BELIEVE ANY CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT WOULD GIVE ANY INTERVIEW TO PRESS TV.
sorry for the all caps, but Iran declared war on the USA in 1979. I know about Eisenhower’s CIA coup to depose Mossadegh in 1953 (not in the mood to check the year, close enough), but Ron Paul is more clueless about Hamas in Gaza in this interview than Jimmy Carter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1t4O9CcZQ0&feature=related
So, although I do think this unsavory discovery about Santorum does deserve to be noticed by Iowans, and everyone else – because the way children are abused by Medicaid scams is heart-breaking and criminal, especially when you factor in the meds these psych-frauds force feed adolescents –
wait – did Santorum already say he would vote for Ron Paul if the GOP nominee?
I am going to again watch KCCI video of Rick Perry having lunch with two undecideds: the former persoanl aide to FLOTUS Barbara Bush and a small business owner who wanted to support Gov. Christie. It was the best moment of the Iowa week for me. So much for those endorsements, et tu Romney!
The antidote for everything about Iowa that makes you crazy:
http://www.kcci.com/the-iowa-caucus-extended-coverage/30094811/video.html
Thanks, Lizzie.
racetraitor Friday, December 30th at 11:39PM EDT (link)I LOVE this guy! Go Perry!
The real crime is that Santorum's last name is not Perry
chrysostom15 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:33PM EDT (link)Other than that, I’m sure you would see him as a conservative.
If this is the worse dirt you can find, either the guy is nearly a saint or the opposition research the Perry team is feeding you suggests they did not view him as a threat enough to actually do real opposition research? Frankly, this story as as important to me as the “niggerhead” story. Namely, not at all. It is a poorly done hack job.
I assume it comes from Perry, since at this point in her campaign implosion, it does not appear that Bachmann is even capable of conducting opposition research. Last I hear, she was doing 4 minute stump speeches, which is a stupid plan. In effect, she is showing up around Iowa and indicating to voters she doesn’t have time for them.. I expect her voters will see this and move to Santorum,.
Perry’s camps constant attacks are a bad campaign strategy at this point. At the last few days of a campaign, candidates are supposed to turn positive.
Perry's Win Iowa Positive Ad
bzip Friday, December 30th at 5:43PM EDT (link)I am sure you will see a lot more dirt showing up on Santorum but in the meantime…
I take it you haven’t see Perry’s Win Iowa Ad and it would not surprise me if Perry turns out a couple more positive ads before the weekend is over:
Win Iowa
http://youtu.be/37tGkW1OIWU
thanks, bzip, hadn't seen this ad yet. His ads are barn burners--love 'em!
circlegranch Friday, December 30th at 6:37PM EDT (link).
Krauthammer finally admits Perry's poll numbers "creeping up."
westcoastpatriette (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:48PM EDT (link)Most of the time he is treated like the unwanted step child.
Can’t wait to see ‘em all eat crow when he blows people out of the water before this is over.
Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp. Psalm 149:1-3
oh dear,
sunshinek67 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:53PM EDT (link)that must have been hard on him ~
You're kidding me...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:56PM EDT (link)the great Krauthammer oracle has a breakthrough… lol… good for him!
Krauthammer regarding Perry
buster93 Friday, December 30th at 7:47PM EDT (link)Krauthammer is very smart. I have watched him on Fox and he is a great writer. I feel Romney and his pack really don’t want Perry around and want the playing field clear.
I am hoping for my children that Rick Perry is the one to go against Obama. If not its the same old Washington and nothing like our Founding Fathers wanted. I think I will watch the Patriot tonight
and go Skeet shooting soon.!!!
God Bless America It is Time for Real Change not $$ in Washington and Real Change in Americas pockets from JOB CREATION
RICK PERRY 2012
55555555 I want a president who's first name is Rick
David123 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 5:53PM EDT (link)I’d prefer Rick Santorum, but I’d very happily settle for Rick Perry. I see both of them as head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
Both Ricks share a lot of the same positive qualities, and their negatives are really pretty minor. The negatives that they do have are pretty minor, and not easily exploitable by Democrats.
I really do want Rick Santorum available as insurance in case Rick Perry fails, and vice-versa.
David123
Rick Santorum was a congressman, we need a governor.
center77 (Diary) Saturday, December 31st at 6:02AM EDT (link)and their records are nothing alike, what economic selling point does santorum have, he was w legislator.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
Mitt Romney 2012, but not without the truth of who he is.
www.timothy-bladel.com
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewell address (January 11, 1989)
The most interesting aspect of this to me is...
bk (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 6:12PM EDT (link)Santorum was nearly equal to Bachmann in slamming Perry over “forced” HPV immunizations of 12yo girls.
Now it seems Santorum’s company engaged in “forced” psychiatric exams of 12yo boys.
The former helped save lives; the latter helped pad wallets.
Interesting.
It's Karma...
pj2012 Friday, December 30th at 6:43PM EDT (link)and it’s always interesting
I Suppose
mjs65 Friday, December 30th at 6:19PM EDT (link)Erick would be more “comfortable” with Santorum if he had received millions of dollars lobbying one of the most corrupt financial institutions in the world…who in turn cost tax payers potentially trillions of dollars.
Or better yet: if Santorum had been Al Gore’s Pennsylvania State Chairman.
Hi! I’m a birther named mjs_pa! I’m gone again!
Perry was not
stumpy Saturday, December 31st at 1:37AM EDT (link)Gore’s state chair. You sheeple that keep saying this are ignorant or liars. I’m guessing both.
I'll match your Gore smear
rharrison Friday, December 30th at 7:01PM EDT (link)with a Specter smear. And, the Gore support was in the 80′s whereas the Specter support was in 2004. But we can call it a draw
You know once all the candidates get vetted, Newt may recover in the polls.
clowngirl (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 8:48PM EDT (link)When does the press get serious about vetting Romney, I wonder.
Kowalski by "the press" I don't mean sites like RedState n/t
clowngirl (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 8:50PM EDT (link)No text
Well just maybe
mjs65 Friday, December 30th at 9:23PM EDT (link)we’d all feel more “comfortable” endorsing Santorum if, instead of joining the Board of Universal Health Services, he had become a paid political pundit on the Communist News Network. (CNN)
Hi! I’m a birther named mjs_pa! I’m gone again!
If Perry would promise to appoint Santorum for HHS chief,
Uma Richie (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 10:01PM EDT (link)he would kill three birds with one stone:
1. Santorum would eventually drop out and back Perry.
2. Perry would reinforce his admission of hastiness in the Gardasil executive order and possibly put the issue to rest for many people.
3. All of us would have an excellent fail-safe against the most insidious parts of Obamacare in case it is not repealed (if he can make it through confirmation).
Not just "NO",
mbecker908 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 10:06PM EDT (link)but “Hell NO!!!!!!!!”
HHS needs to be radically downsized. Santorum would go about finding more people to “help”. Santorum needs to be permanently retired.
I think of him as a with-the-current
Uma Richie (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 10:24PM EDT (link)swimmer rather than a hardcore statist. Neither is admirable, I’ll admit, but I still think he has something to contribute.
I don’t think I’ll ever be as black and white as you, but the Perry team isn’t reading my comments or calling me for advice anyway.
He may have "something" to contribute, but it's time
mbecker908 (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 10:40PM EDT (link)that his contribution was in the private sector.
I’m not all in for Perry, but his experience makes him head and shoulders better than the non-executive group of candidates.
The PA primary is late, and the nomination
Uma Richie (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 11:04PM EDT (link)has always been wrapped up by the time my absentee ballot is counted; therefore, I have no dog in this fight. FWIW, like you, I am leaning Perry at this time because of his executive experience.
In the unlikely event that Rick Santorum’s rise turns out to be more than a flash in the pan, I’ll write a diary from the perspective of someone whom he talked into a one-vote stand with Arlen Specter. If he goes away, I’ll write a nice little requiem.
If Santorum has something to contribute
aesthete (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 11:01PM EDT (link)he should first prove what that contribution would be out in either the private sector, or a lower level of government. Sorry, but I don’t believe that a Cabinet-level position should be a testing grounds for someone whose record does not inspire confidence.
“It is a popular delusion that the government wastes vast amounts of money through inefficiency and sloth. Enormous effort and elaborate planning are required to waste this much money.”
-P.J. O’Rourke
There are laws and then there are regulations.
Uma Richie (Diary) Friday, December 30th at 11:34PM EDT (link)First of all, I have not *repeat not* made a list of possible HHS heads under a hypothetical GOP POTUS, with their pros and cons. If I thought about it without the filter of political expediency, Santorum would unlikely be my first choice for the job; however, I would welcome his appointment to the position anyway.
I am willing to trade the uncertainty of his fiscal performance (which I believe would reflect the goals of his boss, cynically or otherwise) for the certainty of the medical ethics that would direct his actions there. I also think that so much of what HHS does goes against his beliefs, he’d save us money whether he wanted to or not. For example, Title X is just an outline, and the regulations implementing it can be changed in a way that reduces funding to groups like Planned Parenthood. Embryonic stem cell research funding would be safely off the table again too.
On the other hand, if Santorum fades off the public stage, I’ll be sorry, but I won’t lose any sleep over it.
If I drank, I would raise a glass of expensive champagne
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, December 31st at 12:15AM EDT (link)to celebrate the political death of any – and I mean that with absolutely no reservations – politician. And just so there’s no mistake, I am referring to the banishment of said politician – pick one, any one – from the public and into the private sector. All deserve time in the hell they helped to regulate.
I think I'd prefer Coburn, but I see your point, Uma.
acat (Diary) Saturday, December 31st at 12:37AM EDT (link)Nothing further.
Mew
——
Caveat Suffragator
Most are missing Eric's point
stumpy Saturday, December 31st at 1:54AM EDT (link)It seems to me that Eric is simply giving us a heads up on the media’s attack story on Santorum, not saying it is a huge story or more significant that Santorum’s other problems such as NCLB, Medicare part D, Spector over Toomey, big government, big slender, bridge to nowhere, big loss in last election, no money, no organization, etc. The media won’t care about the big government and Spector issue because those things aren’t bad to them.
Santorum is a great social conservative but he is part of the big government Republicans. Rick Perry has the social issues down plus he is small federal government. Santorum is better than Paul, Romney, or Bachmann, but not Perry, Newt or Huntsman.