GOP presidential contender Santorum visits Fairfield

GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania, husband and father of seven was in Fairfield Wednesday to present his message to a group of voters.

Though the group was not large, interest was evident in the many questions posed to Santorum as he made his Jefferson County appearance the ?96th county we?ve visited in Iowa. By Friday we will have been in all 99.?

Prior to the time for questions, Santorum said, ?The more folks look at all the candidates, the better we feel we will do. I am the only candidate from a swing state. I believe we can win the swing states. We have to be concerned with national security, moral and cultural issues and fiscal responsibility.

?We don?t talk about, at our peril, those who are hurting. We?ve lost a sector of our economy that employed those not necessarily college educated, that paid well, that has disproportionately affected rural America. That is the manufacturing sector.?

Santorum went on to say, ?The bottom line is to do something to jump-start the economy and put it in a package that will pass [Congress]. One part that we need to address is why they [manufacturing sector] left. They left because they were uncompetitive. Why were they uncompetitive? Four reasons.?

He listed the four reasons as: 1) Taxes ? second highest in the world, which he would eliminate on manufacturing. 2) The regulatory environment. He would eliminate all regulations put in place by the current administration as well as President Obama?s executive orders. 3) Access to capital. For manufacturers who have money overseas, $1.5 trillion, he would support no taxes on that money if brought back and invested in America to build new plants and purchase equipment. 4) Energy. Santorum said ?no subsidies? for any form of energy. That would level the playing field and would let the marketplace work. He would open ANWAR for drilling and encourage offshore drilling. ?We need cheap energy and we can have it,? he said.

Questions from the audience were on eliminating the department of energy, department of education and changing how the Federal Reserve manages the dollar.

?Eliminating those isn?t really an answer. The policies need to change. I am not against things as much as I am pro-policy. We need a different way of looking at education for example. Get the federal government out of primary and secondary education. It is parents? responsibility to educate their children, not the government?s. Parents should be involved.?

In relating having spoken to a teacher who believes the current method of evaluating teachers is unfair, Santorum said, ?Parents should be involved in evaluating the teachers. They know better than anyone who is a good teacher and who isn?t.?

Further, ?We need a dramatic shift. We have a 19th century system of education that needs to move into the 21st century. We need to have a national discussion about education.?

As to eliminating the department of education, Santorum said, ?My vision for education would make the department insignificant. I am not wedded to the methodology; I am wedded to the concept. We need to change the model of how education works.?

The Rev. Jamie Strickler, pastor of the Word of Life Lutheran Church, asked Santorum to address his position on the role faith should play in governing.

Santorum?s response was, ?I?ve been clear about my faith. I approach every issue on faith and reason. In this country, our laws are based on Judeo-Christian laws, given to us by God. Our civil laws have to be consistent with God?s laws. We are the only country based on the idea that our rights come from God.?

When questioned about the current status of the dollar and the Federal Reserve, Santorum said, ?The job of the Federal Reserve is to maintain a sound monetary policy. You can?t manage zero. You need a little inflation because we don?t want deflation.We need to remove their second mission, which is unemployment. That shouldn?t be their job. I am for the Federal Reserve having one purpose-sound monetary policy. Low inflation, no deflation.?

Jenny Turner drove to Fairfield from Mount Pleasant to hear Santorum and asked him if he would present a simplified economic plan, similar to that of other presidential hopefuls.

?I am still working on that,? Santorum replied. ?There is something to be said for quick and snappy, but there is also something to be said for substance.?

Regarding a comment about politicians versus someone with no experience, the former senator said, ? Experience is not a bad thing. This is a pretty serious job. You better know what you are saying, know what you believe and why you believe it.?

Winding down his visit to Fairfield, Santorum told those gathered that on Friday he ?will roll out a plan with some things I?ve learned on the trail about national security, families, the moral and cultural climate and the economy.?

In closing, Santorum said, ?When other candidates say they need your help, they are lying. They don?t. I do.?