Santorum is absolutely correct on at least one point
By Frank Salvato
web posted February 27, 2012
Last week GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum hit the nail directly on the head when he addressed the disingenuousness of the mainstream media when it comes to the Republican field of candidates vying for the party's nomination and the entirety of the so-called "debate" process. This may not be earth-shattering news to those who eat, sleep and breathe Conservative politics (or politics in general) but it is newsworthy when a politico actually stands up and presents a challenge to rank-and-file voters to do something about it.
During a campaign stop in Maricopa County, Arizona, in preparation for the upcoming Arizona Primary Election, Sen. Santorum said:
"Will you be the generation that sat on the sidelines and watched as candidate after candidate comes up and the national media takes their axe out to try to destroy them in every way possible as they've done with every single Republican candidate, and as they will between now and the election?...Will you sit on the sidelines and say, 'Boy that's not fair,' or will you stand up and fight back for freedom?"
Bravo, Mr. Santorum. Bravo.
Everyone I have interacted with who has watched the plethora of so-called "debates" – and I will get to the reason I call them "so-called" in a moment – has indicated the same thing. Not only have the questions presented been, for the most part, inane and superficial, they appear to have been manufactured to cause tension between the Republican candidates. And, contrary to what many of the big name media pundits suggest, the resulting manufactured tension between the candidates does not help them to hone their debating skills in preparation for a showdown with Progressive darling, President Barack Obama. Politicians at the national level have already honed those skills in prior elections. Instead, the back-biting, tit-for-tat infighting that results makes the entire field – the entire field – look petty, foolish and – most importantly – beatable.
Perhaps the one thing we all should be angry with the mainstream media about – and when I say everyone I mean everyone: Republican, Conservative, Democrat and Liberal – is the lost opportunity for meaningful discussion among the candidates abdicated to facilitate this style of "debating"; the lost opportunity for a teachable moment on the issues facing our country.
Imagine how the electorate would be affected if:
▪ Instead of hearing Mitt Romney attack – yet again – his brethren Republicans on personal and inconsequential points, he used his time to communicate why having someone who is experienced in business as president is better for our country than the stewardship of an ideological zealot community organizer.
▪ Instead of hearing Newt Gingrich's barbed retorts to his on-stage detractors, he used his allotted time to explain the overwhelming benefits to the world offered by not only Capitalism, but Americanism. Imagine how beneficial an honest, fact-based discussion about the evils of Progressivism and globalism, conducted by one of the most learned political historians ever elected to office, would be for our nation and her future.
▪ Instead of railing on about "Romneycare," when he knows full well there were more "chefs in that Massachusetts kitchen" than just Mr. Romney, Mr. Santorum was to use his national face-time with the American people to explain why cohesive family units are essential to achieving the well-being of an ethical nation. Imagine if Mr. Santorum, instead of having to answer the negatively-charged questions of the mainstream media task masters, could chronicle the evolution of eugenics for the American people, explaining how this barbaric, elitist, ideologically genocidal movement is directly – directly – related to not only the Progressive Movement but, specifically, to Planned Parenthood.
▪ Instead of calling his fellow Conservatives "fakes," Congressman Paul could further educate the American people on the need to not only audit the Federal Reserve, but either restructure it or abolish it all together. Imagine how beneficial it would be to the nation if Mr. Paul took his air-time to explain why we left the Gold Standard and why many of the federal entitlement programs and monetary policies are, indeed, unconstitutional.
Imagine how much more informed and educated the American voting public would be on the issues if the Republican candidates refused to fall for the mainstream media's goading, rejected the tired and disgraceful tactic of negative campaigning and, instead, honestly and genuinely ran on the merits of who they are and what they propose; diving deeply into the issues so that We the People might be able to make up our own minds as to who is best suited to lead out nation.
Imagine...
Instead, we have four good men falling to the vanity of political egos; four good men falling to narcissistic political opportunism; four good men playing the Progressive Alinskyite game of "tear down your opponent," rather than earning the support of the voters. That really is the bottom-line with attack politics, with negative campaigning: it does not inform the voter about how qualified a candidate is, it simply tarnishes all the others so that the least dirty looks the best; so that even the mediocre look politically attractive.
As to the so-called debates and the mainstream media facilitators of garbage politics, it is puzzling to me how they can actually call these spectacles "debates." A debate, by definition, is "...a discussion, as of a public question in an assembly, involving opposing viewpoints."
Is anyone hearing any substantive discussion of opposing views – or even similar views – on any of the critical issues facing our nation during these broadcasts? Or are we simply hearing a litany of National Inquirer-esque "gottcha" questions that may make for great television news ratings but serves no informational purpose whatsoever?
What the mainstream media is producing in their "debates" is nothing but a political freak show meant to – as Mr. Santorum said so eloquently – "take an axe" to the entirety of the Republican presidential field. To me the motives of the mainstream media malefactors are clear: to manufacture an advantage for Mr. Obama, their leader in the Progressive Movement's agenda to "fundamentally transform the United States of America" from a Constitutional Republic to a Socialist Democracy, complete with full-blown social engineering that touches every aspect of our lives.
We the People – our nation – would be better off if the four Republican candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination for President of the United States refused to participate in any more mainstream media "debates" unless they networks agree to have no "moderator," instead, allowing for a series of frank and honest discussions on single issues – devoid of the stupidity of talking points – amongst the candidates themselves for the full ninety minutes allotted. Is there anyone out there who believes that a presentation such as this wouldn't be more informative and more productive for the selection process than the sad and pathetic "reality television show" being foisted on the American people as "debates?" Why not just call these debates "Real Candidates of the Republican Party" and be done with it?
Of course, we could all wait for the GOP candidates to abandon the pathetic practices of negative campaigning and attacking one another, hoping that they finally hear us; realizing – at last – that it all just makes them look like a bunch of childish "jackasses." But then, sadly...frustratingly...infuriatingly, we would be waiting quite a long, long time.
But, never fear, there will be another "debate" soon... 
Frank Salvato is the Executive Director for BasicsProject.org a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research and education initiative focusing on Constitutional Literacy and the threats of Islamic jihadism and Progressive neo-Marxism. His writing has been recognized by the US House International Relations Committee and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. His organization, BasicsProject.org, partnered in producing the original national symposium series addressing the root causes of radical Islamist terrorism. He is a member of the International Analyst Network and has been a featured guest on al Jazeera's Listening Post and on Russia Today. He also serves as the managing editor for The New Media Journal. Mr. Salvato has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor on FOX News Channel, and was featured in the documentary, "Ezekiel and the MidEast 'Piece' Process: Israel's Neighbor States." He is a regular guest on talk radio including on The Captain's America Radio Show, nationally syndicated by the Genesis and Phoenix Broadcasting Networks, catering to the US Armed Forces around the world. Mr. Salvato is also heard weekly on The Roth Show with Dr. Laurie Roth syndicated nationally on the IRN-USA Radio Network. Mr. Salvato has been interviewed on Radio Belgrade One. His opinion-editorials have been published by The American Enterprise Institute, The Washington Times, Accuracy in Media, Human Events, and are syndicated nationally. He is a featured political writer for EducationNews.org, BigGovernment.comand Examiner.com and is occasionally quoted in The Federalist. Mr. Salvato is available for public speaking engagements. He can be contacted at contact@newmediajournal.us.