Santorum takes on 'environmental terror'
Oklahoma City (CNN) - Speaking in one of the top energy-producing states in the country, Rick Santorum tailored his stump speech here on Thursday to appeal to a raucous crowd of domestic energy-loving Okies.
Reaffirming his support for domestic natural gas production using hydraulic fracturing (or fracking), Santorum called those who oppose the process purveyors of a "reign of environmental terror."
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"We have to have all sorts of government regulations because of the threats of hydrofracking," Santorum said. "It's the new boogey man. It's the new way to try to scare you."
This tactic is used primarily in areas less familiar with the process than Oklahoma and Texas, Santorum said.
"They're preying on the northeast, saying look what's going to happen," he said. "Ooh, all this bad stuff's going to happen, we don't know all these chemicals and all this stuff. What's going to happen? Let me tell you what's going to happen, nothing's going to happen."
Santorum's disdain for environmentalists was palpable and largely shared by the crowd of nearly 1,500 people here at the Meridian Convention Center. Perhaps sensing he was preaching to the choir, Santorum expounded upon his position that manmade global warming is a myth and a plot by the left to take freedoms away from the American people.
"This was a politicization of science," Santorum said, of the science behind global warming. "You hear all the time, the left – 'Oh, the conservatives are the anti-science party.' No we're not. We're the truth party. The absurdity and the politicization and the manipulation of data, why? Because the left is always looking for a way to control you. They're always trying to make you feel guilty so you'll give them power so they can lord it over you."
Connecting this position to foreign policy, Santorum said that by catering to these "radical environmental groups" President Obama has forced the country to increase its reliance on foreign oil, and he's signaled to Middle Eastern foes that we'd need their help in the future.
"We're throwing Israel under the bus because we know we're going to be dependent upon OPEC," Santorum said. "We're gonna say, Oh Iran, we don't want you to get a nuclear weapon, wink, wink, nod, nod, go ahead just give us your oil. Folks, the President of the United States is selling the economic security of this country down the river right now."
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Rick should stay out of things he knows nothing about, and stick to the main republican issue, eliminating women's reproductive rights.
He's trying to talk science? He's an evangelical! He doesn't even believe in science.
I agree. Fracking should be mandatory for two reasons in oklahoma. First, if drinking water supplies are ruined, and the cancer rate skyrockets, who cares? Second, any genetic mutations due to hydrofracking would never be noticed.
Many people in Pennsylvanis where the fracking occurs suddenly have contaminated drinking water in their wells. There are all kinds of chemicals that are known to be used by some fracking techniques. Since the companies do not have to disclose the exact nature of the industrial secrets behind their proprietary processes, they have perfect deniability. Some people will die, while some people will profit most handsomely.
"We have to have all sorts of government regulations because of the threats of hydrofracking," Santorum said. "It's the new boogey man. It's the new way to try to scare you."
Yea, Rick, I will remind of you of that when you get cancer from contaiminated ground water.
Pandering to the base, that is all there is to it. And the base just bobbles its head and enthusiastically goes along.
What Republicans simply fail to realize is that their brand of "capitalist terrorism" is not sustainable. It is great that they choose to ingore global warming and the devestation their policies would cause, but their disbelief in no way mitigates the damage that is occuring in REALITY.
You've got it wrong the main American issue is that we should all do what we feel right about. Take responsiblity, and not expect the rest of the country to pay for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These aren't global warming myths, they're established and scientifically accepted facts. Santorum needs to quietly leave the race ASAP.
I'm glad he is such an expert on everything!!!
Oklahoma is a good place for a(the) Sanitorium!
OPPOSING fracking is environmental terror? OH the irony. That's fine. Oklahoma can frack all they want. won't poison my water.
"Santorum's disdain for environmentalists was palpable"......yeah, hate the people who want to preserve the Earth.....makes a lot of sense!
That's right! Those environmentalist nuts are just a bunch of whiners who want pie-in-the-sky nonsense like clean air and drinkable water! What a bunch of deluded freaks! Next you'll be telling me that they want their energy to be renewable, so we cant spend all our time and money looking for new sources... Pure insanity.
I think that Mr Santorum should walk the walk and let the ground under all of his considerable real estate be fracked.
I mean if HE'S not afraid .....
Hey, Frothy's jumped into high gear following his meaningless primary wins!
Thank God Santorum will never get near the White House.
what we need to know is why Pennsylvanis did want him back... anyone care to provide a dirty laundry list?
We're the truth party, we don't believe in evolution. we don't believe birth control should be used to prevent STDs or unwanted pregnancy, we think rape that leads to pregnancy should be considered God's gift. We don't think the health care system is that bad or expensive. We think the environment should be trashed at all costs in the name of profit. And we believe corporations are people. Obama was born in Kenya and wants to destroy this country and George Bush can no longer be blamed for anything. Oh yeah, faith beats reason every time. See, we are all about truth.
Ricky, since you can't understand the science behind the problems with fracking, nor the science behind the warming of the planet and the human impact on the atmosphere, then it would behoove you to keep your mouth shut. If fear-mongering is all you have, then it would behoove you to keep your mouth shut. if you cannot accept fact that the country and its people have moved into the 21st century while you have your head stuck in the 13th, then it would behoove you to keep your mouth shut. We do not what your Taliban-clone Christian theocracy. We are a free people and choose a democracy free of your religious bigotry. Can't handle it any of the above, leave the planet.
Wow, this kind of imbecilic, angry rhetoric should shoot him to the top of the charts among the village idiots and other republicans. Grog smash logic!!
Ayatollah Santorum expands the jihad.
This guy sounds like a third grader arguing.
@Debbie - sorry to disagree, but you're giving Ricky too much credit. He's arguing more like spoiled 5-year-old.
Rick just killed any chance at all of getting any votes in NY. Ask anyone in the southern tier who uses well water in a fracking zone how easy it is to set their water on fire.