Former Pennsylvania Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate, Rick Santorum, spoke Saturday evening at The FAMiLY Leader’s Leadership Summit held at Point of Grace Church in Waukee, IA. After commending Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) as Mitt Romney’s VP pick, he said in an election that values voters “can’t take a pass on” that Iowa has four congressional races that are contentious which could help to provide a conservative House. He said, “the problem is that we have a Republican House, not necessarily a conservative House.”
He said that Iowans picked up three “turkeys” (in reference to bowling) in 2010 when Iowans voted three Iowa Supreme Court justices off the bench, and that Iowa’s voters have an opportunity to “add to that streak” by voting no on Justice David Wiggins’ retention. He said he’d be happy to come back to Iowa to help with that effort. He said that the retention vote is important as it serves as a reminder that the people, not judges, have the final say on issues such as the definition of marriage.
The voice of the people on the issues that are at the heart of who we are as a society. What are values are and laws that reflect the values of the people. We need to make it very, very clear what our values are, and that we’re not to have elitist judges rule from on high and tell us that we have to fundamentally change who we are as Americans.
This is what this is about – a fundamental change as to who we are as Americans because they decided it was time to change it. They decided that is best for us. Judges are not there to impose their will on the rest of us. They are there to be referees in a republic.
Below is the video of his full comments on Iowa’s upcoming judicial retention vote:
He later turned to President Obama, pointing out the abuse of power that Americans have seen in just the past few months. “The President of the United States should not be able to stand up and give a speech and change the law of the country,” Santorum said to applause. “It’s the people’s constitution and the President has contempt for the people’s constitution. He has shown it repeatedly.”
Referencing the work requirement that was part of the welfare reform law that Santorum authored, he said that President Obama “gave a waiver to something that can’t be waived.” He said the law clearly stated the work requirement for welfare was not to be waived. “This is a President who broke the law,” Santorum claimed.