TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Conservative Rick Santorum says that under President Barack Obama, the dream of freedom and opportunity has become a “nightmare of dependency” with almost half of America receiving some government benefit.

Pressing one of the Mitt Romney campaign’s attack lines, Santorum accused Obama of gutting welfare work requirements with his plan to issue waivers to states that want to test alternative welfare policies. Many independent fact-checkers say that charge distorts the facts.

Santorum says Obama rules like he’s above the law.

The former Pennsylvania senator was among Romney’s fiercest foes during the GOP primaries, hammering away at the GOP nominee’s conservative credentials. Now Santorum says the priority is to beat Obama in the fall. Santorum’s convention speech was aimed at boosting Romney’s appeal among the party’s conservative base.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)