Santorum Quotes & Sayings

My position on how to address the Confederate flag is clear. In Florida, we acted, moving the flag from the state grounds to a museum, where it belonged. — Rick Santorum

The state has a right to do that [outlaw contraceptives], I have never questioned that the state has a right to do that. It is not a constitutional right, the state has the right to pass whatever statutes they have. That is the thing I have said about the activism of the Supreme Court, they are creating right, and they should be left up to the people to decide. — Rick Santorum

I cleaned toilets and shined shoes. — Rick Santorum

But look what happens when the government gives you rights. When the government gives you rights, unlike when God gives you rights, the government can take them away. When government gives you rights, the government can tell you how to exercise those rights. — Rick Santorum

If everyone is exceptional, nobody is exceptional. — Rick Santorum

There are people who were gay and lived the gay lifestyle and aren't anymore. I don't know if that's the similar situation or that's the case for anyone that's black. It's a behavioral issue as opposed to a color of the skin issue, and that's the diff for serving in the military. — Rick Santorum

Who are benefits promised to, overwhelmingly? Well, they're promised to older people. And if you have a society like Europe that is upside down where there are a lot more older people than younger people, you have economic calamity. — Rick Santorum

My work with Patriot Voices actually dovetails very well into the work I'm going to be doing with EchoLight. I'll be traveling around the country, doing a lot of radio interviews, a lot of media interviews, so I don't see that as all inconsistent. — Rick Santorum

If the most liberal man that's ever been in office can get elected when 20 percent of the population identifies as liberal then I think we can elect a conservative when 40 percent of the population identifies themselves as conservative. — Rick Santorum

Obviously the first thing we need to do is repeal "Obamacare." That's one entitlement that we can get rid of. And that's a couple trillion dollars in spending over the next 10 years. — Rick Santorum

Do you honestly think that if Senator Santorum becomes president, we're going to get rid of contraceptives? — Foster Friess

I grew up in a steel town of Western Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh, and when I announced for president, I announced from the factory floor. When I talk about making America the number one manufacturer again in the world, it's not just talk. When I talk about having the opportunity for people to rise again, it's not just because it polls well. — Rick Santorum

Against the advice of my wife, I endorsed Arlen Specter. I should have listened to my wife. — Rick Santorum

The question is - and this is what Barack Obama didn't want to answer - is that human life a person under the Constitution? And Barack Obama says no. Well if that person - human life is not a person, then - I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say, 'We're going to decide who are people and who are not people.' — Rick Santorum

You can't ignore the reality that faith and family, those two things are integral parts of having limited government, lower taxes, and free societies. — Rick Santorum

I raise money the old fashioned way, I go out and tell people what I think. And I say to them, "If you hire me, I'm a CEO, and I'll listen to you. But at the end of the day, I'm going to make the decision, something I've done throughout my whole career with, frankly, great success." — Rick Santorum

We can do nothing of any measure for Him, save loving Him. Bella teaches us that is enough. In fact, it is all that matters. — Karen Santorum

The left, unfortunately, participates in bullying more than the right does. They say they're tolerant, and they're anything but tolerant of people who disagree with them and support traditional values. — Rick Santorum

You can't have a limited government if the family breaks down. — Rick Santorum

And a noble life is one ordered by, and oriented to, a transcendent moral code, not just one's own concept of existence and meaning and truth ... if we want a society that reveres life, that defends the family, and that discourages delinquency and promotes decency, we cannot force a privatization of religion; we must allow the truth-claims of religious faith to be uttered aloud in the public square. — Rick Santorum

There are conservatives in Hollywood who make good movies. They just don't make conservative movies because that's not what gets funded. — Rick Santorum

Now is the time to act or get stuck with a bland, boring career politician who will lose to Barack Obama. — Rick Santorum

Its amazing that so many kids turn out to be fairly normal, considering the weird socialization they get in public schools. — Rick Santorum

We can't nominate such a weak candidate. I'd love to be able to get one-on-one with Gov. Romney and expose the record that would be the weakest record we could possibly put up against Barack Obama. — Rick Santorum

I think it's very sad that CNN leads Jeb Bush, down a road by starting off virtually all the questions, "Mr. Trump this, Mister" - I think it's very sad. I watched the first debate, and the first long number of questions were, "Mr. Trump said this, Mr. Trump said that. Mr. Trump" - these poor guys - although, I must tell you, [Rick] Santorum, good guy. Governor [Mike] Huckabee, good guy. They were very nice, and I respect them greatly. But I thought it was very unfair that virtually the entire early portion of the debate was Trump this, Trump that, in order to get ratings, I guess. — Jeb Bush

After listening to Rick Santorum, I'm now for late-term abortions (say up to age 53). — Quentin R. Bufogle

The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical. And that is what the perception is by the American Left who hates Christendom ... What I'm talking about is onward American soldiers. What we're talking about are core American values. — Rick Santorum

I fight very strongly against libertarian influence within the Republican Party and the conservative movement. I don't think the libertarians have it right when it comes to what the Constitution's all about. I don't think they have it right as to what our history is. — Rick Santorum

If you're a print shop and you are a gay man, should you be forced to print 'God Hates Fags' for the Westboro Baptist Church because they hold those signs up? Should the government - and this is really the case here - should the government force you to do that? — Rick Santorum

While the Obama Department of Justice seems to favor pornographers over children and families, that will change under a Satorum Administration. I will ban all pornography. Especially gay pornography. Gay pornography is the reason people choose the gay lifestyle or what I call the deathstyle. If we got rid of that, homosexuality would be gone within a matter of months. This is one of only a few things I see eye to eye on with the Taliban. — Rick Santorum

I don't want to go to a trade war, I want to beat China. I want to go to war with China and make America the most attractive place in the world to do business. — Rick Santorum

I have nothing, absolutely nothing against anyone who's homosexual. If that's their orientation, then I accept that. And I have no problem with someone who has other orientations. — Rick Santorum

I do care about not 99 percent or 95 percent. I care about the very rich and the very poor. I care about 100 percent of America. — Rick Santorum

When I was writing about the Republican primaries, it was as though the Bible was a black box that people reached into to pull out edicts and prejudices and rules and opinions, and I wish they had fact-checked it! Especially Rick Santorum. — Walter Kirn

The idea is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' wants and passions. I disagree with that. I think we absolutely have rights because there are consequences to letting people live out whatever wants or passions they desire. — Rick Santorum

The family is the first economy. If the family breaks down, well, government gets bigger because of the consequences of family breakdown. We see in the neighborhoods where there are no marriages and there are no two-parent families. — Rick Santorum

The decision he made with Usama bin Laden was a tactical decision. It wasn't a strategic decision. The strategic decision was made by President Bush to go after him. What President Obama has done on his watch, the issues that have come up while he's been president, he's gotten it wrong strategically every single time. — Rick Santorum

We are seeing it. We are seeing the fabric of this country fall apart, and it's falling apart because of single moms. — Rick Santorum

I want to make sure that the American worker has an opportunity to see their wages rise and their incomes increase. — Rick Santorum

Priests, like all of us, are affected by culture, ... When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes infected. While it is no excuse for this scandal, it is no surprise that Boston, a seat of academic, political and cultural liberalism in America, lies at the center of the storm. — Rick Santorum

Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady? — Robert De Niro

But the reason America is a great country, the reason is because our compassion is in our laws. And when we live by those laws and we treat everybody equally under the law, that's when people feel good about being Americans. — Rick Santorum

One of my opponents [Romney] recently said that it would take an act of God for me to win this primary. I agree with him. — Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum has so much potential and so much eagerness to serve our country. — Foster Friess

Don't tell me to leave-you leave. If Obama, if Clinton, if Mittens Romney, if Rick Santorum, if Neutered Gingrich, if Herman '999 666' Cain, if Michelle Bachmann, if Sarah Palin, if Harry Reid-if any of these people want to tell me to leave because I don't believe their BS, come over and we can talk. You want to go man-to-man with me? We could go at it. Don't send one of your flunkies. — Gerald Celente

Saddam Hussein was not an Islamist. He's not a radical jihadist. He's not a radical Muslim. I mean, he was a - he was a Baathist. He was a secular - even though he professed to be a good and devout Muslim. — Rick Santorum

This is the beauty of Donald Trump, that he goes against the Republican orthodoxy, much of which has been rejected a lot of Republican voters, who, well, would be Republican voters, at least in my state, who I think would otherwise like to vote Republican. — Rick Santorum

In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing. And when you destroy that you have a dramatic impact on the quality ... — Rick Santorum

There is a limitation on debate, which is unlike other bills, for 20 hours, but there is no limitation on amendments. In other words, Republicans if they wanted to, and I suspect they do, could offer literally thousands of amendments and keep Senate in session for weeks and months. — Rick Santorum

What makes America great was a government that was founded to be limited to doing one thing. I really believe the whole purpose of America, the aspirational value - why everybody who wants to come to this country wants to come here - was because we respected the dignity of every living person. — Rick Santorum

Every society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because society is based on one thing: that society is based on the future of the society. And that's what? Children. Monogamous relationships. — Rick Santorum

My colleague Senator John Ensign of Nevada told me a story that epitomizes the selfishness of our culture: When I was a teenager, I had a sticker in my car with a picture of a bear scratching himself on the tree, and under it was the saying, 'If it feels good, do it!' That was the motto of the '60s and the '70s, and certainly it is the motto today. The image of the bear scratching himself highlights a view of human beings as animals, and that people should do what pleases them at the moment without a thought to the broader long-term consequences of their actions. — Rick Santorum

The radical feminists succeeded in undermining the traditional family and convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness. — Rick Santorum

The basic unit of society is the family. No one comes into this world as a self-sufficient individual. We start out as the helpless child of a mother and a father, who put aside their own desires and interests to care for us. The family, in fact, is the first society - the first government, the first classroom, the first church. And the strength of the family is the strength of "we. — Rick Santorum

On the national security front, Rick Santorum is superior to any candidate I know. — Foster Friess

Rick Santorum is the grandson of a coal miner. His dad was the manager of a V.A. hospital. — Foster Friess

I have a problem with homosexual acts. — Rick Santorum

Ron Paul may be the wackiest candidate in the GOP field. But for pure, blind stupidity, nobody beats Santorum. In my 20 years in the Senate, I never met a dumber member, which he reminded me of today. — Rick Santorum

Many of the Christian faith have said, well, that's okay, contraception is okay. It's not okay. It's a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be. — Rick Santorum

Stand up for your principles, but be a decent human being while you're doing it. — Rick Santorum

My colleague Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, erroneously suggested that I support the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to biological evolution. That simply is not true. ... Unlike biological evolution, intelligent design is not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has no place in the curriculum of our nation's public school science classes. — Edward Kennedy

Why? Because free prenatal testing ends up in more abortions and, therefore, less care that has to be done, because we cull the ranks of the disabled in our society. — Rick Santorum

[Pope Francis] is a humble man. He lives the faith out in his own personal life ... He's here to be a shepherd; he isn't here to be a scold. I think that's a good thing for the church and for the world, frankly. — Rick Santorum

Isn't that the ultimate homeland security, standing up and defending marriage? — Rick Santorum

They're saying now that Rick Santorum is gaining momentum because he's not Romney. And Mitt Romney was furious. He replied, 'Well, I can do that. — David Letterman

As the hobbits are going up Mount Doom, the eye of Mordor is being drawn somewhere else. It's being drawn to Iraq. You know what? I want to keep it on Iraq. I don't want the eye to come back to the United States. — Rick Santorum

I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute. The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country. — Rick Santorum

Prayer and hard work are a pretty good one-two punch to get things done. — Rick Santorum

My feeling is, well, if it's my money, I have a right to judge. — Rick Santorum

We went into a recession in 2008 because of gasoline prices. The bubble burst in housing because people couldn't pay their mortgages because of $4 a gallon gasoline. — Rick Santorum

The more money you take away from families is the less power that family has. And that's a basic power. — Rick Santorum

A telling example of what it has all come to can be found in the person of Rick Santorum, the junior Republican senator from Pennsylvania. Elected to the House in 1990 and then the Senate in 1994, Santorum, forty, is the apotheosis of the brash newer member who imposes himself on the working order of the Senate, demonstrates little respect for the institution, becomes a one-man ideological enforcer, and brings down the level of civility. Toothy, with a shock of dark hair, Santorum looks the perfect pol for the television age. Unburdened by brilliance, he makes his impact through pestiferousness. — Elizabeth Drew

What people love about Santorum is he is who is he. He speaks his words. He loves God. He loves his country, and he loves gays. — Foster Friess

We will never have the elite smart people on our side. — Rick Santorum

Everybody knows full well my passion about defeating Barack Obama. Over my dead body would I vote for Barack Obama. — Rick Santorum

The problem is neutrality ends in poverty, neutrality ends in choices that hurt people's lives. This administration is deliberately telling organizations that are there to help young girls make good choices, not to tell them what the good choice is. That is absolutely unconscionable. — Rick Santorum

I think the Democrats are actually worried he (Obama) may go to Indonesia and bow to more Muslims. — Rick Santorum

Santorum is the greatest person on the face of the planet as far as I'm concerned. — Foster Friess

Certainly from the ????standpoint of a Republican, it's a winner. Republicans will come out ahead in Pennsylvania in every election. The way Democrats win, they have two big cities with huge concentrations of voters - and then overwhelm the rest of the state. All of a sudden, a Republican can win - and would probably routinely win - all but three or four congressional districts in Pennsylvania. It would turn it from a state Democrats rely on, as part of the base, to a state that they're gonna lose under almost any scenario. — Rick Santorum

Satan has his sights on the United States of America! — Rick Santorum

I believe in capitalism for everybody, not necessarily high finance but capitalism that works for the working men and women of this country who are out there paddling alone in America right now. — Rick Santorum

The more moral the people are in their business dealings, the less paperwork you need, the more handshakes you can have, the more the wheels of capitalism work better because there's trust in the marketplace. Business ethics is not a joke. And, in fact, I think most businesses that I've dealt with encourage exactly that type of behavior. — Rick Santorum

One of the criticisms I make is to what I refer to as more of a libertarianish right ... This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don't think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do ... Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world ... — Rick Santorum

Unlike Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, I never voted to provide taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood. — Ron Paul

I would say ... that moving jobs overseas is a reality of global competition, ... If you come from Pennsylvania, we've lost a lot of jobs from global competition. I think that's just a truth, if you will. — Rick Santorum

Romney, Gingrich, Santorum spent their week lecturing America about the morality of birth control. You know, you guys don't need birth control, you are birth control. — Bill Maher

Look at the political base of the Democratic Party: It is single mothers who run a household. Why? Because it's so tough economically that they look to the government for help and therefore they're going to vote. — Rick Santorum

The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we do - what we're really good at, which is - which is theology and morality. — Rick Santorum

CO2 is a pollutant? Tell that to the plants. — Rick Santorum

Donald Trump is a good businessman. He knows how to put the deal together. And I think he'd be a - he'll be a very constructive figure in the White House. — Rick Santorum

I am not a libertarian, and I fight very strongly against libertarian influence within the Republican Party and the conservative movement. — Rick Santorum

We were put on this Earth as creatures of God to have dominion over the Earth, to use it wisely and steward it wisely, but for our benefit not for the Earth's benefit, — Rick Santorum

It's the most ambitious power grab I've ever witnessed. — Rick Santorum

What we should be teaching are the problems and holes and I think there are legitimate problems and holes in the theory of evolution. And what we need to do is to present those fairly from a scientific point of view. And we should lay out areas in which the evidence supports evolution and the areas in the evidence that does not. — Rick Santorum

If you look at the big entertainment industry and their pursuit of the bottom line profits in exchange for producing content and distributing that content and marketing that content to inappropriate audiences, that's a problem for me. — Rick Santorum

I support the death penalty and will continue to do that. — Rick Santorum

Is anyone saying same-sex couples can't love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too? — Rick Santorum

In some mysterious way, in all his brokenness, he reveals to us our own brokenness, our difficulties in loving, our barriers and hardness of heart. If he is so broken and so hurt and yet is still such a source of life, then I, too, am allowed to look at my own brokenness and to trust that I, too, can give life to others. I do not have to pretend that I am better than others and that I have to win in all the competitions. It's okay to be myself, just as I am, in my uniqueness. That, of course, is a very healing and liberating experience. I am allowed to be myself, with all my psychological and physical wounds, with all my limitations but with all my gifts too. And I can trust that I am loved just as I am, and that I, too, can love and grow. — Rick Santorum

If Bruce Jenner says he's woman then I'm not gonna argue with him. I know what obviously and biologically he is. — Rick Santorum

Changing the legal standard creates a slippery slope ... plural marriage. The court opened up a pandora's box by doing that. — Rick Santorum