Santorum: "I don't care" about unemployment rate
Mopeder
2012/03/20 00:35:46
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Republican White House hopeful Rick Santorum said on Monday he did not care about the U.S. unemployment rate, perhaps the nation's most closely watched economic indicator, despite being embroiled in a campaign largely focused on the still-sputtering economy.
"I don't care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn't matter to me. My campaign doesn't hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates," Santorum said during a campaign appearance in Illinois, which on Tuesday holds the next contest in the state-by-state battle for the Republican presidential nomination.
Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election.
Santorum used his economic comments to attack Romney as not being a true conservative.
"We have one nominee who says he wants to run the economy. What kind of conservative says the president runs the economy? What kind of conservative says, 'I'm the guy because of my economic experience that can create jobs?' I don't know. We conservatives generally think government doesn't create jobs," Santorum said.
Romney, who is also a former private equity executive, has made his business experience the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, contending that it makes him the best candidate to steer the economy. His campaign leaped on Santorum's remarks, by saying it added to Romney's contention that Santorum is an 'economic lightweight."
Santorum walked back from his comments later in remarks to reporters. "As far as my political campaign ... of course I care about the unemployment rate. I want the unemployment rate to go down, but I'm saying my candidacy doesn't hinge on whether the unemployment rate goes up and down. My candidacy is about something that transcends that; it's about freedom. It's not about Governor Romney's idea that he is going to fix the economy," he said.
The unemployment rate is currently 8.3 percent.
"I don't care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn't matter to me. My campaign doesn't hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates," Santorum said during a campaign appearance in Illinois, which on Tuesday holds the next contest in the state-by-state battle for the Republican presidential nomination.
Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election.
Santorum used his economic comments to attack Romney as not being a true conservative.
"We have one nominee who says he wants to run the economy. What kind of conservative says the president runs the economy? What kind of conservative says, 'I'm the guy because of my economic experience that can create jobs?' I don't know. We conservatives generally think government doesn't create jobs," Santorum said.
Romney, who is also a former private equity executive, has made his business experience the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, contending that it makes him the best candidate to steer the economy. His campaign leaped on Santorum's remarks, by saying it added to Romney's contention that Santorum is an 'economic lightweight."
Santorum walked back from his comments later in remarks to reporters. "As far as my political campaign ... of course I care about the unemployment rate. I want the unemployment rate to go down, but I'm saying my candidacy doesn't hinge on whether the unemployment rate goes up and down. My candidacy is about something that transcends that; it's about freedom. It's not about Governor Romney's idea that he is going to fix the economy," he said.
The unemployment rate is currently 8.3 percent.
Top Opinion
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He shouldn't be elected president
+14Wow this jerk is running for president and he says something this insensitive. It just shows he don't care about the people.
http://www.sodahead.com/unite...
It's important to deal with theses problems, as it seems, most politicians seem to only wanna handle workable problems. If certain money from certain places were to be transferred elsewhere, maybe we might have some extra.
As it is, we seem to act like the ONDCP is still needed to too far of an amount.
We need to transfer some of the funds elsewhere. Now the Rehabs which the ONDCP pay for, that should stay... but paying out into 70 Billion on the drug war (HAS TO STOP)
That would help Unemployment.
Dennis E Strausser Jr (R)
The Democrats still control the Senate. He should be thankful the Republicans have since gained control the House. Otherwise, his unpopular policies, if allowed to pass without significant opposition, would have led to his political suicide by now.
Had the Republicans also gained control of the Senate in 2010, we would now have the Keystone Pipeline in operation, ready to add tens of thousands of new jobs and ACTUALLY help the struggling economy.
About the only way the GOP will take over the country is through voter suppression which they are engaged in now.
By accident, you've hit the nail on the head. The Democrat party is in fact, largely an amalgam of disparate special interest groups, each gathering at the public troughand demanding its own special government programs and handouts. No longer is it the party of the common people. In fact, more and more, the GOP has taken over that role.
so whats the big deal....
keystone pipeline...20,000 jobs
drilling deep water rigs...20,000 jobs
Nasa 15,000 jobs..
and the list goes on