Posted on 01/24/2007 5:53:08 PM PST by Sunsong
Not since Teddy Roosevelt took on Tammany Hall a century ago has a New York politician closely linked to urban reform looked like presidential timber. But today ex–New York mayor Rudy Giuliani sits at or near the top of virtually every poll of potential 2008 presidential candidates. Already, Giuliani’s popularity has set off a “stop Rudy” movement among cultural conservatives, who object to his three marriages and his support for abortion rights, gay unions, and curbs on gun ownership. Some social conservatives even dismiss his achievement in reviving New York before 9/11. An August story on the website Right Wing News, for instance, claims that Giuliani governed Gotham from “left of center.” Similarly, conservatives have been feeding the press a misleading collection of quotations by and about Giuliani, on tax policy and school choice issues, assembled to make him look like a liberal.
But in a GOP presidential field in which cultural and religious conservatives may find something to object to in every candidate who could really get nominated (and, more important, elected), Giuliani may be the most conservative candidate on a wide range of issues. Far from being a liberal, he ran New York with a conservative’s priorities: government exists above all to keep people safe in their homes and in the streets, he said, not to redistribute income, run a welfare state, or perform social engineering. The private economy, not government, creates opportunity, he argued; government should just deliver basic services well and then get out of the private sector’s way. He denied that cities and their citizens were victims of vast forces outside their control, and he urged New Yorkers to take personal responsibility for their lives....
(Excerpt) Read more at city-journal.org ...
You will have to admit that the Rats are pushing for Rudy because they are going to destroy him as the GOP pick.
That gets right to the heart of the matter. It's the gold standard by which any politician may be measured. The anti-gun politician has already made up his mind that, at a fundamental level, your life doesn't belong to you. All else follows.
Very interesting...I think you're right.
It depends on what you're looking at. Giuliani is hard-right on defense/foreign policy issues, center-right on economic issues, and center-left on social issues.
We live in transformative times. If the Democrats win this election, America will lose in a big way that will make 911 look like a trivial event.
A year of two ago one of them denied having that ability.
I believe that just like I believe they can't see who pushes the "abuse" button unless one selects to reveal their ID.
Hillary may be positioned a tad more to the right than Rudy.
I think Fred Thompson from Tn could win, From everything I've read, he's conservative.
I'm speechless.
"Common sense dictates Guiliani is not a conservative"
Well obviously yours does, but not necessarily every one elses.
Are you moving the chains here? Rudys social positions are now defined as Center-left? I think you skipped a few sections on your way to Center-Left.
I fear a true conservative will have NO chance to be elected until the MSM liberal cheerleaders are finally outed to the majority of voters. Too many people vote in ignorance now.
They're not capable of thinking that far ahead....
"I'm speechless."
Why so?
Really? I can't imagine what you think plain old "left" is like if you think Rudy is center-left socially. Actually, on gun freedom, gay issues and abortion, I don't think I'd want to know.
What are you? A liberal? A card-carrying Communist?
//Rudybasher
That and/or they vote third party.
There isn't a single conservative, be it social conservative, libertarian conservative, or religious conservative, (be it a big C or a small c), that lived or worked in Guiliani-era NYC, that believes that Guiliani is anywhere near a conservative, small c. (You'd get laughed out of the pub if you called Guiliani a conservatice with a big C)
Conservatives in NYC metro area are utterly disgusted by his rule, it will take conservatives the nation over a bit longer to catch on to why.
Since when is one of, if not our most important, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS - the 2nd Amendment, a mere SOCIAL issue?
It is a VITAL part of not only our personal security, but our NATIONAL SECURITY as well you RINO-LOVING DOLT. Preisdent of the United States and leader of the free world is OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Keep it up with this NONSENSICAL support of RINOs, and you'll hand the presidency to a demonRAT on a silver platter.
RINOs need not apply for anything bigger than dog catcher in MOST parts of the country, and maybe mayor in Blue state inner-city liberal hell-hole like the Peoples Republic of NYC.
So, you're convinced Giuliani would govern half the continent as if it was the boroughs?
Would you rather have the Dems nominating judges? Surely the D's are 2nd-Amendment Friendly.
...I give up.
Hang electability...Blast the pragmatist buffoon I say...Darken not my door with your damnable "electablity" I would sooner vote for a mange afflicted cur dog or Canadian hockey fan than Rudolph Illich Giulianitov, Sir!
I shall march over my pure unsullied ideological cliff unweighted by the burden of pragmatism, harrumph. ( sarc)
You're not looking at the big picture.
For example, Rudy tried to get funding pulled from an museum that was using money to push offensive anti-Christian art. Giuliani is also a huuuege supporter of school vouchers and private schools. And his sound positions on crime and welfare reform go without saying.
To make it sound like Hillary is farther to the right than Giuliani isn't farfetched; it is downright stupid.
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