Santorum Swipes Cain’s 9-9-9 Plan, Offers 0-0-0
EmailABC News’ Michael Falcone and Amy Bingham report:
Forget Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan. Rival GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum said on Friday that solving the country’s economic woes is all about 0-0-0.
At a gathering of social conservatives in Washington, Santorum took a swipe at fellow Republican contender Cain’s 9-9-9 economic plan, saying “I have a better plan.”
The former Pennsylvania senator’s solution is to have zero income tax on manufacturing companies, zero taxes on repatriated corporate profits that are invested in manufacturing equipment and zero Obama-era regulations.
“One of the great problems in our economy, if you look at it… is the middle of America has started to disappear – the middle income of America,” Santorum said. “Why? Because the manufacturing jobs in America have disappeared.”
Santorum said his 0-0-0 plan would “reignite” America’s economy by stimulating growth in the manufacturing sector. Cain’s 9-9-9 plan would amount to a complete overhaul of the tax code by instituting a 9 percent flat personal income tax, a 9 percent sales tax and a 9 percent corporate income tax.
When it came to national security, Santorum threw an apparent elbow at another GOP candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who gave a rambling answer when he was asked at a recent debate how he would respond to a 3 a.m. national emergency call.
“When that phone call comes at 3 in the morning, ladies and gentlemen, I will be up and waiting for the call because I will know what is going on in the world around us and they won’t have to get me out of bed,” Santorum said.
Santorum, who touts his experience in the House of Representatives and in the U.S. Senate as one of his major selling points on the campaign trail, also saved some of his criticism for President Obama.
“We’ve seen with this president, experience matters,” he said.
Santorum also served up a healthy portion of red meat to the social conservative audience who gave him a standing ovation at the end of this remarks.
He said that the Obama administration’s decision not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act was “an abomination” and he pledged to defend the institution of marriage.
“There’s one candidate in this race whose gone to state after state and helped fight those battles,” Santorum said. “We must fight in every state to make sure that marriage remains between one man and one woman, and as president, I will do that.”
Near the end of his speech, Santorum invited his wife, Karen, and four of his seven children to share the stage with him.
“You cannot have a strong economy without strong families,” he said.
“We are committed to the cause of life and family and American exceptionalism.”
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LOL. I can imagine him hovering over the phone night after night!
Posted by: rippedpockets | October 7, 2011, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
Yes Mr. Santorum. The economy is crumbling because of gay people. they don’t buy anything and ruin the economy. Boy, you’re a genius!
Posted by: Phil | October 7, 2011, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
Google Santorum!!! Mr. Right-Wing wave the flag patriot.
Consistently voted against every bill to increase funding for
veterans issues which came up for vote in the Senate.
A TRUE PATRIOT for these times!
Posted by: Slobby Slabz | October 7, 2011, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
Zero-Zero-Zero Plan… pretty much sums up the candidate himself. Zero personality, zero intelligence, zero chance of making it into the White House. I’m sure the drug companies will be upset about that. Imagine all the lost profits when he won’t be buying up all the No-Doze to stay up for that 3 a.m. phone call. What a moron.
Posted by: Thespus | October 7, 2011, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
I looked up ‘delusional’ in the dictionary. The definition was simply a picture of Santorum……………
Posted by: Searambler | October 7, 2011, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
What a freaking nut.
Posted by: Rick Perry is going down today | October 7, 2011, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
I just watched a video of MSNBC’s Lawence O’Donnell attempt at a “gotcha” interview with Herman Cain. It failed miserably.
Posted by: newcountryman | October 7, 2011, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
We threw him out of office in Pa. because he was so off the wall,and now he want to become the next President.Somewhere along the way he lost what common sense he had.His plan(0,0,0,)is as crazy as Cains(9,9,9,9).Neither one will help with the deficit,or the economy.Santorum ‘s plan is another version of the trickle down theory.
We don’t tax businesses to encourage them to bring back jobs that they have sent to the rd world countries.Does he think that the Americans will work for the piss poor salaries that the pay.NO HARDLEY.As for not taxing the billions of money that they have hidden away in off shore islands and they will gladly return the money-What drugs is he on.I think they are probably the same ones that Caine is on.
As for Caine,does he think that pissing off the African American population as well as the unemployment is really going to get him elected.There is dumb and then there is DUMB,AND HE IS JUST DUMB.
Posted by: William Jackson | October 7, 2011, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
Any one heard “How to become Rich-Rich-Rich plan”?
Posted by: ha-ha-ha plan | October 7, 2011, 10:50 pm 10:50 pm
Why is this idiot still in the race? Earth to Rick, your chances of winning are O- O-O. Please go back to your prehistoric cave.
Posted by: E | October 8, 2011, 10:48 am 10:48 am
E — He’s still in the race for the same reasons Newt, Bachmann, Perry, and the rest of the weenies are: money. They can raise campaign cash, stick it in their PAC, and then use that money any way they want. Gullible Republicans are padding their coffers for them. It’s quite lucrative, running for office. I’m surprised more people don’t do it. Look at Newt, he’s a professional candidate, and has made literally millions of dollars running for office. And this is Mitt’s THIRD run at the presidency. Even though he’s only won ONE election in his entire life……….
Posted by: Searambler | October 8, 2011, 11:08 am 11:08 am
I just watched a video of MSNBC’s Lawence O’Donnell attempt at a “gotcha” interview with Herman Cain. It failed miserably.
Posted by: newcountryman | October 7, 2011, 6:45 pm.
What did he do, ask Cain, “what time is it?”………..
Posted by: Searambler | October 8, 2011, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
I wonder how much will get done when mr. Santourm is hovering over the phone at 3am. I mean with all that waiting, will he even have enough time to sleep? How about hit the gym? Also his 0-0-0 plan should be called a -negative, -negative, -negative plan because if you don’t tax anybody then there isn’t any money for road, military, police, environment safe guards, and of course debt payment.
Posted by: Lets see here | October 9, 2011, 1:58 pm 1:58 pm
Mr.Santorum would make a good Pastor if he tries that
Posted by: J.BRAT | October 9, 2011, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
“When that phone call comes at 3 in the morning, ladies and gentlemen, I will be up and waiting for the call because I will know what is going on in the world around us and they won’t have to get me out of bed,” Santorum said.
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Sanitorum has raised the bar when it comes to stupidity. If the impossible happens and he is elected President, his statement means that he could go 1,460 (4 years times 365 days in a year) days without sleep.
Posted by: Bob Ramos | October 9, 2011, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Totally invalid.
Both plans were developed independently of each other. If you are going to be a reporter, get your facts straight.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | October 9, 2011, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
Where are the jobs? My personal opinion is that there will be no jobs until after the election because there is a concerted effort to keep this economy in the toilet…millions of jobs lost to put one man out of work. Just in the past few days, there have been news stories about small business owners who want to hire, but guess what, the bank will not extend credit so that they can hire!! After all, if small businesses are not allowed to create jobs, what else is going on to “shape” the election to favor the republicans?
Posted by: Dr. A | October 9, 2011, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm