By Heather Stone, Contributor for US Daily Review.
As we all know, the votes are in, and Mitt Romney won all of the delegates from the Arizona primary election. However, I think it’s important to talk about it anyway. I DVR’ed the debate and got around to watching it when I found time. Before I watched it, I expected to continue disliking Newt Gingrich; I thought I’d gain a better understanding and respect for Santorum and Romney. I already liked Ron Paul, though I thought he was too old and I wasn’t sure where he stood on national defense and foreign policy.
If you watch the commercials, the endorsing ads make the nominees all look courageous and trustworthy; the opposition is painted to be the opposite. I don’t watch many commercials, but after seeing a few for Rick Santorum, I began to see him as a conservative, Christian leader, someone I’d like to in the White House, someone who might actually stand for some of the same values and beliefs as me. However, after watching the two hour long debate, I can see that’s not so.
When you’re sitting in a debate, answering questions about where you stand on issues and even having opportunities to defend yourself against attacks from the opposition, no one’s telling you what to say. How you choose to respond represents all that you are and all that you stand for. This being said, Romney and Santorum have proven themselves to be arrogant. One example of this is the candidate’s response to the final question, “what is the biggest misconception about you in the public debate right now?” Ron Paul answered first with, “the myth by the media that I can’t win.” Next, Gingrich sort of skirted the question by saying he’s actually worked hard as opposed to just talking about it while campaigning. Rather than answer the question, Mitt Romney used the time to boast further about himself and once again repeat his platform statement and purpose, to remind the American people why he’s the best choice. John King reminded him, “Is there a misconception about you? The question is a misconception.” To this Romney responded, “You know, you get to ask the questions want, I get to give the answers I want. Fair enough?” To me, this shows his character, or lack thereof. This is a very rude and unfair way to answer and respond. It’s unfair to the candidates who answered in the spirit of the intention of the question. To put it bluntly, he cheated, and so did Santorum who followed suit after Romney, completely ignoring the question and instead using the time to talk about why he thinks he’s right for the job. In a presidential election, a race for the position of leader of the United States of America and all of her people, what’s more important than honesty and character?
Ron Paul on the other hand, has proven himself to be honest and a man of a virtuous character. He did point out for us several times with examples that Santorum has done quite a bit of flip flopping, when one compares his voting record to his recent verbal declaration on issues. Santorum’s response was that sometimes bills are loaded with different issues to be voted on as a whole, so you take the good with the bad; you may have to vote yes on a bill if you think one thing is more important than something else that you disagree with. But Ron Paul said, “if you voted for Planned Parenthood like the senator has, you voted for birth control pills. And you literally, because funds are fungible, you literally vote for abortions because Planned Parenthood gets the money — “Oh, I’ll buy birth control pills,” but then they have the money left over to do the abortion. So that’s why you have to have a pretty strong resistance of voting for these bunches of bills put together. Planned Parenthood should get nothing, let alone designate how they spend.” That’s fantastic! He says it just like it is. Rather than roll over and take it like many republicans have, in order to make progress and be bipartisan, he stands up for what he thinks is right and says no to anything that he knows is wrong – that’s what we need. Not someone who will pick and choose when to do the right thing – that’s the liberal way of doing things, Santorum.
In regards to our position on Iran and nuclear weapons, everyone agrees that we don’t want Iran to have nuclear weapons. The once difference is that Congressman Paul isn’t in a race to go war when the fact is that there’s not even any proof that they have a nuclear weapon. He’s right, we don’t know, and we shouldn’t be jumping the gun on talk of war just yet. He doesn’t say that we shouldn’t go to war if the need to defend ourselves against a mad man with nuclear weapons arrises, but he says that we need to “do it properly. Ask the people and ask the Congress for a declaration of war. This is war and people are going to die.” Some people argue that his views this issue are outdated, but I disagree, I think he’s being sensible. He made an excellent point about how we have some 45 bases around Iran. They will not be able to get away with much.
Romney will probably be the Republican contender chosen to run against President Obama in November. But I think it’s important to see things for what they really are rather than how things seem to be. The only real deal, the only straight shooter out of the four candidates is Ron Paul. He says what he means and sticks by it (though the other debaters try not to laugh at him and treat him as an old senile man), as he’s proven himself not only with his clear debating, but also with his straight, conservative voting record. That’s why I voted for him. But I will vote for whomever is chosen as our Republican nominee as we must get Obama out, though I strongly hope it’s not Santorum. I prefer arrogant over slightly liberal flip-flopper.
Heather Stone is a mom, wife, Christian, veteran, Republican, runner, and writer.
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