Rick Santorum Offers Economic Alternative to Obama

With President Barack Obama demanding on Wednesday that Republicans provide their economic plans, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., took him up on his offer. Santorum, who offered a surprisingly strong challenge to Mitt Romney in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries, is looking at running again for the GOP nod in 2016.

"President Obama, you asked for concrete plans to reduce inequality and increase opportunities for hard-working American families, Santorum said on Thursday. Well, my plan is at the ready, and it will rejuvenate the American economy by empowering American families and building economic freedom.

"Strong families lead to a strong economy and this plan celebrates the family by reviving our economy and creating jobs in America again with a smarter and simpler tax code, Santorum added. This plan also rolls back job-killing regulations, forces the federal government to shrink, and it reinvigorates our domestic manufacturing and energy potential.

Santorum called for eliminating the corporate tax rate for domestic manufacturers; increasing and making permanent the R&D Tax Credit; encourage energy exploration; and repeal Obamas health-care law, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Dodd-Frank.

Santorum also worked in social issues to his economic plan. "If we are serious about lifting people out of poverty we have to be serious about restoring marriage and responsible fatherhood, Santorum said. I call on the president to launch a national conversation on how schools, government, churches, community organizations and businesses can work together to re-establish marriage in communities where it is no longer the norm.