Posted on 07/30/2005 5:55:36 AM PDT by Uncledave
With Gipper's game plan, Rudy can win it all
July 30, 2005
BY THOMAS ROESER Advertisement
As I write this I know my fellow social conservatives will get mad: There is no one in either political party who would be a more exciting candidate for president than Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City. I'll tell you his story -- the good and the bad -- and I'll tell you how he can solve his problems with you. And me. Incidentally, as you read, keep in mind the contrast with Mayor Daley.
The good and bad about Rudy is contained in a book, The Prince of the City [Encounter: 2005] by Fred Siegel, a hard-bitten teacher at Cooper Union University. The good: Rudy came into office in 1994 a Republican in a Big Apple that was rotten to the core, steeped with bosses, bagmen and racial arsonists, a hostile "combination of liberal consensus and helplessness [that] made serious policy debate seem irrelevant," and quickly brought in a band of brother prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office. They gave up millions in private law firm salaries for the fun of working and drinking (after hours) with Rudy. Most never left his side until his two terms ran out in 2001.
Giuliani was an eerily compulsive hands-on manager. If you want to understand him, said an associate, remember that as a Yankee fan he's the guy who keeps score and writes down how each out and each run took place. Just as when he read The Godfather he diagrammed how the mob worked, for relaxation he would sketch on a pad how every department worked. He would explain to the public clearly what he wanted to do: cut the size of government, cut taxes to attract jobs "so people can work," consolidate or cut out city departments, introduce competition to delivery of services and work with the governor [Democrat Mario Cuomo] "to get our fair share of revenue."
He insisted on tough police standards, once jumping out of his limo in Times Square to chase a guy he saw grab a woman's purse. He was heedless of civil libertarians. It seemed like he wanted to offend all interest groups and took the heat, forgetting the polls. Crime in 1995 saw 163,428 fewer felonies, with murder dropping 16 percent in 1996. He trumpeted that work is the best social welfare policy, pushing welfare reform, announcing that 23 percent of the welfare recipients in Jersey City were also receiving New York City benefits. He balanced his budget, fought with Al Sharpton against what he called "racial racketeering," and grinned as he took heat from minority communities.
The bad? Giuliani was ego-driven. He got jealous of his police commissioner, who was getting more favorable press than he, fired him and hired another (who was just as tough). Giuliani's personal life fell into tatters: his first marriage annulled, his second wife was a TV anchor who drove him nuts. He spatted with her, kept public company with a divorcee, came down with prostate cancer, married again. His political career was pronounced over. Then came 9/11.
That tragedy redeemed him. When the first plane hit the north tower, Guiliani ran from the Pinnacle Hotel where he was at a breakfast, shouting over his cell phone that command headquarters should move from 7 World Trade Center to Barclay Street a block away. Good thinking: Just as they evacuated, the plane hit the south tower. The debris was so heavy his command center was inundated. With his cell phone deadened, Giuliani's staff thought he was dead as well, but a janitor found him dazed and led him out through a little-known passage in the basement.
Television captured the man at that moment, stumbling down the street in the smoke, his handkerchief to his mouth, directing his city through uncharted territory, ordering all bridges and tunnels shut down. Courage is the most important virtue, said Churchill: It guarantees all others. As Bush retires, he should be supplanted by a man of this valor.
Social conservatives will oppose Giuliani for his pro-abortion views. It's up to Giuliani to help himself with them, and here's how. As governor of California, Ronald Reagan signed the most permissive abortion law in the country. Rudy, can you hear me? If you want this thing -- this presidency -- you gotta change and mean it. Your marriages we can do nothing about. But your social views have to change. They'll say you're an opportunist, but you have heard that before. You can change. And mean it. We're waiting.
I'm an agnostic, but I will not shrink from the logical consequences of rejecting religion.
The Gipper was staunchly pro-life. Is Rudy pro-life?
I'll point out for the record what you already well know my dear: the Gipper gameplan succeeded because of CONTENT, not strategy. A pro-abortion, anti-gun Ronald Reagan would have failed, and barely been noticed by history at all.
The red states are not going to vote for Hillery except Florida or Ohio. It is this simple the democrats are going to put her up she will win one of those states and all the blue states thus she wins. Even if she won florida which is a very good possibility Rudy will win New York which will offset the florida loss he will also Carry Pa which will upset the numbers even more. The democrats have done the math.
"Wow my posts have no hate at all they are realistic and of course you can't see past the blinder of yout irrationality to see that your belief system has been marginalized and that if you base your politics on your religious conveictions you are going to lose it is that simple. You will make the republican party losers because you can't shut your mouth for one election cycle "
Did you graduate from high school? Your reading comprehension isn't very good....I said in my last post that I'm not religious. Of course, I didn't expect you to read my post and understand it's implications because I know you're a knuckle dragging idiot.
You say your posts have no hate at all, yet in the link below you compare the "Religious right" to the taliban.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1453719/posts?page=122#122
You keep repeating your points "if you would just shut up for one election cycle"......it also shows you're opposed to the first amendment.
You really are stupid! I encounter a lot of idiots on this site but as of late, you take the cake.
"Rudy is a guy who focuses on the big issues of daily life, the main one being security. This is what we need for now and the forseeable future. Many may disagree on some of his "social" positions, but they really aren't that important in the scope of what a President is charged to do."
Amen. It astounds me that when we're facing the greatest threat in the history of our nation, so many people won't even consider the one guy who we know will take it to the bastards and never back down no matter what the left wing throws at him.
-ccm
I see the reality of the situation we live in an increasingly non-religious society if we want to salvage the religious values we have to do what democrats are really good at and reframe the debate. We can't use religion as the frame any longer it doesn't fly any longer.
It's an asinine quote. I won't dignify it with a response.
That'll be enough name calling, please.
"You can stick to pure conservative candidates and lose the next election allowing the Democrats to regroup and survive or crush them in this country and force them into several smaller parties."
Guess which one they'll choose.
It flies where I live.
Yes thats a great quote from me. If the religious right wants to start annoucing religious litmus tests for Republican candidates then the Republicans are lost and we might as well let the democrats run the country.
Name calling? Like calling the American religious right the "Taliban?
yeah it is.....
The left will love Rudy.
"Name calling? Like calling the American religious right the "Taliban?"
Exactly. Only an DUmmie would make a comparison like that, that *is* a leftist talking point.
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