Santorum: Cutting corporate taxes, regulations will create jobs

By Joe Buttweiler –

SHEFFIELD – Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said his plan for reviving manufacturing in the United States will provide jobs, lift the standard of living and help preserve rural values.

Speaking at Sukup Manufacturing Co., he said he would cut the corporate income tax in half and eliminate it entirely for manufacturers.

The severe erosion of manufacturing jobs has hurt the middle class and country as a whole, Santorum said, noting that the average pay and benefits package for manufacturing jobs is $77,000, well over the $56,000 average for non-manufacturing jobs.

The country needs robust growth in blue-collar jobs, he said. They will strengthen the middle class, particularly in rural America, by helping to strengthen communities and the traditional values of their residents, he said.

The elimination of corporate income taxes on manufacturers would incent many companies to bring back jobs from overseas, he said.

Santorum said he would also seek repeal of heavy-handed regulations. The number has grown dramatically under President Barack Obama, he said. “It’s a bad economy because we have a president who’s just crushing businesses. You don’t want the EPA running your business. You don’t want the Labor Department running your business.”

Another key to reviving manufacturing is ensuring affordable energy, Santorum said, knocking Obama for pushing green energy by reducing reliance on other sources. It will force the closure of 60 coal-fired power plants, Santorum said.

He said he doesn’t believe in subsidies for the petroleum industry, but would keep renewable fuel standards in place.

Steve Sukup, vice president and chief financial officer for the family-owned Sukup Manufacturing Co., said in introducing Santorum that he is a strong supporter of manufacturing. Sukup, a former Republican state representative, said he’s going to be supporting Santorum in the Jan. 3 caucus and thinks he’ll do well going head-to-head against Obama.

Santorum said it would be fabulous to win in Iowa next week. “It would probably be the biggest upset in the history of the Iowa caucuses,” he said. “We feel like cracking the top three would be awesome.”

With so many undecided voters – almost 50 percent – anything’s possible, Santorum said. Having trailed most of the other Republicans seeking their party’s nomination, he said his poll numbers are rising and feels he would do very well in debates against Obama and beat him in the presidential election next November.

Santorum said he thinks his plan will appeal to a lot of “Reagan Democrats” – Democrats who voted for Reagan – and that it will be politically popular.

Santorum was making his second visit to Sukup Manufacturing Co, which makes grain storage and handling equipment. He toured the plant and spoke with employees in June. The company has also hosted U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.