Rick Santorum's Phony Fiscal Frugality

Rick Santorum attempts to defend his legacy as an avid earmarker by attacking John McCain, claiming he manufactured the earmark issue to hide his own big government tendencies:

“The reason John McCain created the earmark controversy is because he needed to say he was tough on spending. The problem is that when it came to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps — he never wanted to cut anything. Those are the big issues. That’s where the money was. It’s not in appropriated accounts. … Sixty percent of the spending in Washington is entitlement spending. … That’s the spending that’s going up.”

The problem with attacking McCain over not wanting to reduce Social Security or Medicare spending is this: In 2003, there was a vote to expand Medicare liabilities by several trillion dollars, i.e., Medicare Part D. Rick Santorum voted for this massive increase in entitlements (McCain, by contrast, did not).

Oh, and by the way, while earmarks may only be a small part of the federal budget, they are used to grease the skids for other big government programs. Medicare Part D is a key example - earmarks were used to help buy Republican votes for that.

A lot of Republican voters are looking for a "conservative alternative to Romney" - and one is needed. Problem is, Santorum is not that guy; neither is Newt Gingrich.

I've noted for a while I think Obama is more likely than not to win another term. Even if that proves wrong, we are not going to have a president who embodies fiscally conservative principles. Bottom line is this: Conservative activists need to focus on electing a conservative Congress, and then holding them accountable.