While the rational average American instantly gets a bad taste in their mouth every time Rick Santorum opens his... There are those Conservatives out there who suffer from the "Anybody but Obama! Syndrome" and Santorum is their latest choice because he hasn't faced the scrutiny yet. Sadly for us its great timing for his surge, because we don't have much time to expose him for who he is. Additionally I don't see Santorum being much of a threat past Iowa. If he finishes strong AND Perry/Bachmann drop out we could be dealing with a bigger problem, but right now those three are splitting a lot of the same votes. I am sure a lot of Cain supporters have also gravitated towards him because his record hasn't been exposed yet.
All these being said, here are a few points you can use to hammer Santorum with when speaking to the Jim Robinson types. Often it is valuable to not scream "RON PAUL" in their face because they have such a strong emotional (not rational) bias towards the good doctor. Point out the flaws of Santorum first and if you get somewhere with them, then maybe slide in a couple Ron Paul lines. Some people just can't be reasoned with, so don't waste your time if they simply won't budge. There are many other people out there who can be persuaded.
Hope some find this useful
1. Red-State's own Erick Erickson says:
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/12/29/rick-santorum-earmarxists-and-the-pro-life-statist/
"That’s Rick Santorum. He sees government as the means to conservative ends. But in using government to get conservative ends he has expanded government and set precedents for liberals to use government in the same ways for more liberal government. Rick Santorum was complicit in making Americans more dependent on government and justified it under the rubric of compassion."
2. Voted YES on Sarbanes-Oxley (Economy is most important issue to the average voter)
Here Rick Santorum voted for it initially, but now cries for it to be repealed. Growing trend amongst these other candidates, "Well I was for it BUT NOW IM NOT"
http://reason.com/quiz/GOP2011/profile/rick-santorum
"Sen. Santorum voted for the Sarbanes-Oxley law that he now wants to repeal. He also backed steel tariffs and was a player in the GOP's corporatist K Street Project. After initial opposition to the program, he became a big AmeriCorps booster." (More on K-Street later)
3. Supported the K-Street Project
http://www.aei.org/article/politics...s-denials-on-k-street-project-dont-ring-true/
Isn't this what the Tea Party movement was all about? Fighting Crony Capitalism! The K-Street Project just reeks of it and anyone who is serious about smaller government and less corruption, can't serious support a candidate who was involved in this.
4. Supported Medicare Part D and "No Child Left Behind"
You should be able to clearly articulate why both of these programs are clearly not Conservative, if not look deeply into both. Could have a whole thread on just these two topics.
5. Support of Arlen Specter
Pro-Choice Senator who ended up switching to (D)... Isn't that what people are tired of in politicians. Being bought?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3HOb0NEJ1E&feature=related
6. The last time he ran for Senate he was defeated by the largest margin of defeat ever for an incumbent Republican Senator in PA.