I have no intention of “embracing” socialism, but I do embrace reality, and will vote for whatever candidates (for all offices) show the least commitment to socialism. I have no idea if that will be Rudy Giuliani, but if I’m facing a ballot that’s offering me a choice between Rudy, Hillary or Obama, and a couple of fringe party candidates who don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning, I won’t hesitate to vote for Rudy. Unfortunately, there are no viable candidates who have a real aversion to socialism, because there is only a small minority of US voters who have a real aversion to socialism. That state of affairs will not be fixed at the voting booths — it needs to be fixed through political education of our fellow citizens, one by one. Only after a great deal more of that is accomplished, will candidates who are committed to rolling back the tide of socialism become potential winners of elections.
I lived in NYC through Rudy’s entire time as Mayor, and believe me, the city was much better off with him as Mayor, than it would have been with any of the other candidates who had any chance of actually getting elected. I don’t like his views on the Second Amendment, illegal aliens, or massive social “welfare” programs, but I won’t express my dislike for those views by voting for somebody who holds even more socialist views on these and other topics, or by handing my vote to a more-socialist-than-Rudy candidate by voting for somebody who has no chance whatsoever of winning.
That is what is happening now. How do we change the course of our our electorate if we don't vote our convictions?
How does it help to educate the electorate and then only give them the choice between liberal and not-quite-as-liberal?
Right now, there are very few politicans who are truly public servants. They are there for their own good, both democrat and republican. And the parties only exist to be in power. When was the last time the Republican party cut off funding to a liberal incumbant?
Shades of 1950's "Better Red than Dead" lives on.