Rick Santorum presidential campaign, 2016/Federalism
From Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia's scope changes periodically, and this article type is no longer actively created or maintained. It may also contain neutrality issues.
 Rick Santorum |
Former U.S. Senator (1995-2007) Former U.S. Representative (1991-1995) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Judiciary
- In July 2015, Rick Santorum debated MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on whether Congress could pass a law banning same-sex marriage after the Supreme Court had ruled such a ban was unconstitutional. Santorum maintained Congress and the president have a “right to say what’s constitutional.” Maddow countered that “if there is a question as to the constitutionality of a law, it gets adjudicated.”[2][3]
- During his 2012 presidential campaign, Santorum said, "I would sign a bill tomorrow to eliminate the 9th Circuit [Court of Appeals]. That court is rogue. It's a pox on the western part of our country."[4]
- In a June 2009 op-ed, Santorum wrote, "I voted for Judge Sotomayor in 1998 for the circuit court. Given what is in the public record so far, I would not vote to put her on the Supreme Court." Santorum argued that her "high reversal rate by the Supreme Court" and controversial statements about race, gender and "out-of-court statements about her judicial philosophy" were the reasons he would not vote for her.[5]
First Amendment to the Constitution
- Santorum, who is CEO of the Christian production company Echolight Studios, released the film "One Generation Away." "In the film, scholars, activists and political leaders like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee review America’s right to religious freedom and what it has meant to the nation’s founding and culture," according to The Washington Times.[6]
- Santorum co-sponsored S.2572 - the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2002, which proposed amending "the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide criteria to determine whether an employer has committed an unlawful employment practice by failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to the religious observance or practice of an employee."[7]
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
| "Rick Santorum defends 'religious freedom' laws," April 5, 2015. |
- On April 5, 2015, Rick Santorum discussed Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act on CBS's "Face the Nation." He said, "The current language that the federal law is and now Indiana is has been held pretty much to have a pretty limited view of what religious liberty really is in the workplace. And I think we need to look at it as religious liberty is being pushed harder to provide more religious protections and that bill doesn't do that. ...We aren't for discrimination against any person. ...No business should discriminate against because of who you are, but it should have the ability to say we're not going to participate in certain activities that we disagree with from a religious point of view. ...Tolerance is a two-way street. 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?"[8]
Second Amendment to the Constitution
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Rick Santorum said he does not support preventing those on the terrorist watch list from getting guns: “I don't think we should be able to deny someone's constitutional rights based on a list kept by the government that nobody knows how they get on it, or how they get off of it. If you're going to make that list public, if you're going to put criteria out there as to how you're going to get on it, if you're going to deny someone's constitutional right, than I think there has to be more transparency. Let's just be honest, when someone applies for a gun, you do a background check. And, if you're on the terrorist watch list, guess what very well may happen? You may get denied that. That's a discretion of the people -- of the ATF in making that kind of decision. I want to leave that discretion -- as long as this list is not well known, as long as it's not transparent, we have to leave that discretion.”[9]
- During an interview on MSNBC on December 1, 2015, Santorum said that the man who murdered and injured individuals at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado on November 27, 2015. could have been stopped by the organization’s workers if they had guns. He said, "The problem is, the bad guys — the bad guys have guns. That's the problem. The more people that we have responsibly carrying, the less — the less violence we are going to have in this country.”[10]
- In October 2015, Santorum said that gun violence could be attributed to the “breakdown of morals and culture in America.” He continued, “The president’s not going to talk about that. He’s going to blame some inanimate object…and I think most Americans know that’s a bunch of baloney.”[11]
- Santorum co-sponsored S 397 - the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which, among other things, "Prohibits a qualified civil liability action from being brought in any state or federal court against a manufacturer or seller of a firearm, ammunition, or a component of a firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or against a trade association of such manufacturers or sellers, for damages, punitive damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, abatement, restitution, fines, penalties, or other relief resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm." It became law on October 26, 2005.[12]
- In 1993, Santorum voted for H Amdt 390 to HR 1025, which proposed amending H.R. 1025 - the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to provide "that a national system of instant background checks on handgun purchasers shall automatically replace the bill's five-day waiting period on handgun purchases five years after enactment of the bill."[13]
Fourth Amendment to the Constitution
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Rick Santorum discussed collecting phone data: “Just because it couldn't have prevented San Bernardino, Calif. doesn't mean that we shouldn't have all tools available to us that doesn't impinge upon people's privacy. This sort of data collection is not collecting people's phones calls, their voices; they're not collecting information that's personal. There's no names attached to these numbers. They're simply numbers and times and relationships that throughout algorithms that computer technology can be able to sort through relationship about what numbers are calling what numbers and be able to track those down to see if there's any leakage's between someone who's potentially a terrorist. That is to me just fundamental that we have to have this type of data to be able to not impinge upon people's privacy. In fact, I would make the argument that the more data we can collect that's anonymous that we can through, through using algorithms, the less we need to involve people in and imposing themselves in people's privacy.”[14]
Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- In October 2015, Rick Santorum attended the Practical Federalism Forum in New Hampshire where he was asked to define “practical federalism.” Santorum said, “The idea that you can handle a problem at the individual, family, community level that is where we should put the burden. If it is too big of a problem for that area then move it up to a local government, then state government, and it is only when the problem becomes overwhelming that the federal government needs to weigh in.”[15]
- In July 2011, Santorum criticized Rick Perry for his belief that the states have the power to make decisions about gay marriage. Santorum said, "States do not have the right to destroy the American family. It is our business. It is not fine with me that New York has destroyed marriage. It is not fine with me that New York is setting a template that will cause great division in this country."[16]
Crime and justice
- During an interview in January 2012, Rick Santorum said, "When there is certainty, that's the case that capital punishment can be used. If there is not certainty, under the law, it shouldn't be used."[17]
- In 1998, Santorum voted against S.Amdt.1682 to S.Amdt.1676, which proposed creating "a national standard to prohibit the operation of motor vehicles by intoxicated individuals."[18]
- In 1995, Santorum voted against S.Amdt.1446 to S.440, which proposed requiring "the witholding of Federal highway funds if a State fails to provide that any minor in the State who operates a motor vehicle and has a blood alcohol concentration above a specified level shall be considered to be driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol."[19]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Rick + Santorum + Government
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Rick Santorum to Launch Second White House Bid," May 27, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Maddow, Santorum go head to head on SCOTUS, gay marriage," July 22, 2015
- ↑ Real Clear Politics, "Santorum vs. Maddow: Can Congress Override The Supreme Court," July 23, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Rick Santorum: I Would Eliminate The 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals," May 25, 2011
- ↑ Politico, "Why I would oppose Sonia Sotomayor," June 2, 2009
- ↑ Washington Times, "Rick Santorum echoes Reagan’s call for religious freedom with new film," accessed March 23, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2572 - Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2002," accessed March 23, 2015
- ↑ YouTube.com, "Rick Santorum defends 'religious freedom' laws," accessed April 16, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Transcript: CNN undercard GOP debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "Rick Santorum touts 'good guys' with guns in wake of Colorado shootings: Rick Santorum in the news," December 2, 2015
- ↑ Radio Iowa, "Santorum says it’s ‘baloney’ to blame ‘inanimate object’ for Oregon shooting," October 8, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.397," accessed March 23, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Amdt.390 to H.R.1025," accessed March 23, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Transcript: CNN undercard GOP debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ Caffeinated Thoughts, "Cruz, Fiorina and Santorum Answer: What is Practical Federalism," October 3, 2015
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Rick vs. Rick: Santorum rips Perry on 10th Amendment, social issues," accessed December 24, 2014
- ↑ CNN, "Clips From Friday: Rick Santorum on the death penalty; Karen Santorum opens up about the death of their infant son," January 23, 2012
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.1682 to S.Amdt.1676," accessed March 19, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.1446 to S.440," accessed March 19, 2015
