Giuliani's GOP:
(1) The question was about one's favorite philosopher, not one's favorite political philosopher.
(2) Is the author really suggesting that President Bush should avoid the rhetorical tropes employed by President Lincoln?
Captain Obvious was here. Not to mention he's a gun-grabber.
At least she is willing to admit who will be choosing the Republican nominee for Pres. I would suggest Rudy and others remember that.
“They ground their ideas in rational thinking and (nonreligious) moral argument. And the conservative movement is crippling itself by leaning too heavily on religion to the exclusion of these temperamentally compatible allies.”
This is because, in part, the number of non-believing conservatives is dwarfed by the number of believing conservatives.
Politicians, like Willie Sutton looking for money in banks, go where the votes are. If you're a conservative, it's with believers.
That's a pretty bold statement by Mac Donald. How does she know? You mean to tell me that Rudy never prayed for guidance, especially during and after 9/11? He never prayed for strength to lead the city out of it's crime infestation?
Michael Pakaluk lies down to recover from his attack of the vapors.
April Fools was months ago.
The invocation of religion in support of political beliefs is, above all else, a dangerously effective tool for foreclosing debate, discouraging scrutiny and suggesting that one’s opponents lack moral fiber.
The battle of ideas should be fought with the weapons of reason and logic alone.
This is precisely where the Objectivists fall down. Elevating belief in rationalism (objectivism) to the exclusion of a belief in God is just fooling yourself.
Normally, I like MacDonald, but she's off the deep end (as is the "author" of this screed) on this one.
This is an lie. From the December 13th Des Moines debate 1999:
BACHMAN: Governor Bush, a philosopher thinker and why.
BUSH: Christ, because he changed my heart.
Christians are not to relegate God to the closet under lock and key.
This is why John Kerry is no good. He is supposedly Catholic but votes for abortion.
That it matters.
Such talk might just be read-my-lips syndrome, but it's calculated, reasonable, and logical all the same--even if it's not coming from the heart. They know the constituency for whom it matters.
The biggest problem with this statement is that rational thinking in the US is still grounded in Judeo-Christian morality. While atheists may see atheistic arguments for supporting our way of life there are equally compelling arguments for other ways of life - compelling if less comforting. That the atheist calls his arguments "moral" is evidence that it is based on a religious concept of what is right and what is wrong.
The second biggest problem with this statement is the implication that theists do not ground their ideas in rational thinking. It was theists who insisted on maintaining a right for people to believe whatever they will. It has, therefore, been incumbent upon theists in this country to defend their positions to believers and non-believers of all stripes whenever debating public policy.
Shalom.
Giuliani: "Thank God that George Bush is our president"
Every year Giuliani had an ash Cross on his forehead- all day- on the day that is religiously done by Catholics.
He attended Mass regularly.
Before he went into law he contemplated the Priesthood.
ping
It's a silly controversy, as Giuliani is not a conservative, nor does he even resemble one.
His left-wing positions on guns and immigration have nothing to do with religion.
And even the same-sex "marriage"/civil union issue is not explicitly religious; it's fundamentally civilizational.
Better start getting used to the idea of Rudy as the nominee - I know it kills a lot of you - but you can always take your toys and stay home.
I love watched people (social conservatives) get exercised when Rudy's name comes up. Reminds me of my 4 year old when she complains about bed time.
Free Republics Own Internal Poll
If Romney, McCain, and Giuliani were the only names on the ballot for the GOP 2008 nomination, whom would you vote for?
Giuliani
45.2%
Romney
28.1%
Sit it out
21.4%
McCain
5.3%
And he'll win without my vote.
The Real Rudy Giuliani:
Read more about Giuliani's liberal positions here and here.
- Pro-abortion - He even opposes banning partial birth murder.
- Anti-2nd Amendment - supports gun grabbing legislation including the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapon Ban
- Pro-big government - amassed unprecedented debt as Mayor of NYC
- Pro-radical gay agenda
- Supports gay marriage
- Attended every gay pride parade in NYC while mayor (even one in 1992 that included a NAMBLA contingent of pedophile activists)
- Has received many awards from radical gay groups
- Attends and supports many functions and fund-raisers held by radical gay organizations (even did a cross dressing act at Pride Agenda fund-raiser)- Pro-illegal immigration - said no one in New York City is going to assist the federal government with the enforcement of immigration law, sued Feds in 1997 to be able to ignore immigration law, lost in court, vowed to ignore law anyway
- Endorses liberal Democrat candidates over Republicans - endorsed liberal Dem Mario Cuomo over Republican George Pataki in NY Governor's race
- Ran for NYC Mayor in 1994 on Liberal Party ticket. Appointed Liberal Party State Chair to a Deputy Mayor position. Endorsed 3 times by the Liberal Party for his liberal views.
- Holds many other liberal views
- Republican In Name Only - opposes many major planks of the GOP Platform
Some people want Republicans to ignore his liberalism on almost every issue and, as a distraction, they try to pretend that Rudy is fiscally conservative. Again, his record shows that he isn't fiscally conservative either:
According to an article in The Nation from 2002:
It's now apparent that Giuliani purchased the city's good times partially with borrowed money and left his successor, Mike Bloomberg, holding a bag of debt. New York City went from a $3 billion budget surplus in 1998 to a $4.5 billion deficit after Giuliani left office. This mismanagement of prosperity is a big part of his legacy. Giuliani left the city's finances in a mess...Here are some things Giuliani did as Mayor that were NOT anywhere near being fiscally conservative:
- New York City went from a $3 billion budget surplus in 1998 to a $4.5 billion deficit after Giuliani left office.
- Added 25,000 government employees patronage hires to the city's payroll after promising to cut the work force.
- Giuliani's borrowing practices increased the city's debt burden by 50 percent.
- Partly because of Giuliani, New York City is now the biggest debtor in the nation outside of the federal government with $42 billion in loans outstanding.
According to the article from The Nation:
During the 1960s Giuliani was a self-described "Robert Kennedy Democrat." He identified with RFK as a liberal Catholic prosecutor. He volunteered for RFK's 1968 presidential campaign while he was a student at NYU Law School. Giuliani also voted for George McGovern in 1972. During the liberal 1960s, he was a liberal.So, to sum that up:But in 1975 Giuliani switched his party registration from Democrat to Independent when he got a job in Gerald Ford's Justice Department, according to his mentor Harold "Ace" Tyler.
On December 8, 1980, Giuliani changed his registration from Independent to Republican. This was one month after Ronald Reagan's election, and just as he was applying for a top job in the Justice Department.
He's a liberal. He's not even in the same building as conservative. He's only a Republican because...and this comes from his own mother, Helen Giuliani:
- Liberal Democrat until 1975
- Worked as volunteer for Democrat Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign.
- Voted for liberal George McGovern.
- Liberal Independent from 1975-1980.
- Did not register as a Republican until 1980 and only AFTER Ronald Reagan was elected and because he was applying for a top job in the administration.
"He only became a Republican after he began to get all these jobs from them. He's definitely not a conservative Republican. He thinks he is, but he isn't..."And as John Hawkins put it in an excellent article in Human Events:
Despite all of his charisma and the wonderful leadership he showed after 9/11, Rudy Giuliani is not a Reagan Republican. To the contrary, Giuliani is another Christie Todd Whitman, another Arlen Specter, another Olympia Snowe. He's a throwback to the "bad old days" before Reagan, when the GOP was run by moderate Country Club Republicans who considered conservatives to be extremists. Trying to revive that failed strategy again is likely to lead to a Democratic President in 2008 and numerous setbacks for the Republican Party.
Well, it's supposed to tell citizens that the candidate intends to follow God's law and the principles of liberty and honesty based on that law.
That is, if the candidate is telling the truth. I don't think anyone could convince me to believe candidate Giuliani is telling the truth.
(P.S. the current poll on FR showing a Giuiani lead frightens me.) 
This writer sure must think Lincoln was a devil. Just look at how he spoke - in his inaugural addresses and everything....
