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Rudy’s a No-Go
National Review ^ | 2/6/2007 | Terence P. Jeffrey

Posted on 02/06/2007 10:43:27 AM PST by ElkGroveDan

“Murder and graffiti are two vastly different crimes,” Rudy Giuliani once said. “But they are part of the same continuum, and a climate that tolerates one is more likely to tolerate the other.”

Good point, Rudy.

Now, what about a climate — not to mention a Republican presidential candidate — that not only tolerates, but allows unelected judges to legalize the practice of delivering a child until only its head remains within its mothers womb so the child can be killed by sucking out its brains?

What about a climate where same-sex couples are given the same legal status as married couples, whether the resulting arrangements are candidly called “same-sex marriages,” or are semantically papered-over with terms such as “civil unions” or “domestic partnerships”?

Apply the Giuliani Continuum to fundamental issues such as marriage and the right to life, and where does it lead?

Not where conservatives want America to be.

Rudy Giuliani’s observation about the “continuum” running from graffiti to murder was quoted in a piece in the winter edition of City Journal by Steven Malanga. The title of Malanga’s piece neatly encapsulates his argument: “Yes, Rudy is a Conservative — and an electable one at that.”

I believe Malanga is wrong on both counts. Rudy is neither conservative, nor electable — at least, not as a Republican presidential candidate.

As Malanga seems to define it, a politician dedicated to good police work and free-market economics qualifies as a conservative. “Far from being a liberal,” Malanga writes of Giuliani, “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.”

But that’s not enough. While advocating law and order, self-reliance, and capitalism is laudable, it does not entitle a politician to a free pass for advocating other causes that are deeply destructive of American society.

While it is always wrong to take an innocent human life — whether on a New York sidewalk or in a mother’s womb — Giuliani is highly selective in applying this principle. In 1999, when he was pondering a run for the U.S. Senate, he was asked whether he supported banning partial-birth abortion. “No, I have not supported that,” he said, “and I don’t see my position on that changing.”

“I'm pro-gay rights,” he also said. Indeed, his position is so radical in this area that as New York City mayor he promoted a city ordinance that removed the distinctions in municipal law between married and unmarried couples, regardless of their gender.

“What it really is doing is preventing discrimination against people who have different sexual orientations, or make different preferences in which they want to lead their lives,” Giuliani said, explaining the ordinance to the New York Times. “Domestic partnerships not only affect gays and lesbians, but they also affect heterosexuals who choose to lead their lives in different ways.”

In other words, preserving a legal order that prefers traditional marriage and traditional families is “discrimination.”

Giuliani’s positions on abortion and marriage disqualify him as a conservative because they annihilate the link between the natural law and man-made laws. Indeed, they use man-made law to promote and protect acts that violate the natural law.

Given his argument that there is a “continuum” between graffiti and murder, you would think that Giuliani would understand the importance of the link between the natural law and the laws of New York City, let alone the laws of the United States. At the heart of Rudy’s “continuum” argument, is the realization that when society refuses to enforce a just law it teaches people to disrespect the moral principles underlying just laws.

The late Russell Kirk argued in The Conservative Mind that the first canon of conservatism is “[b]elief in a transcendent order, or body of natural law, which rules society as well as conscience. Political problems, at bottom, are religious and moral problems. … True politics is the art of apprehending and applying the Justice which ought to prevail in a community of souls.”

It is simply not justice to take the life of an unborn child. Nor is it justice to codify same-sex relationships so that, by design of the state itself, a child can be denied a mother or a father from birth, which is one thing legalized same-sex unions would do.

By advocating abortion on demand and same-sex unions, Rudy is doing something far more egregious than, say, defacing a New York subway train. He is defacing the institution that forms the foundation of human civilization.

That is not conservative.

Rudy will not win the Republican nomination because enough of the people who vote in Republican caucuses and primaries still respect life and marriage, and are not ready to give up on them — or on the Republican party as an agent for protecting them.


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abortion; elections; gays; giuliani; giuliani2008; homosexualagenda; liberalagenda; moralabsolutes; pitchforkers; prolife; rubots; rudyagogo; rudycanbeathillary; rudytherednosedrino; singleissuevoters; unappeaseables; wot
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To: dmz
The most prolific voting bloc in this nation is the Christian Right. The Republican Party will not win a general nationwide election without them. The CR will not forsake their belief in God and His laws and vote for Giuliani or a like candidate. You may also throw into the mix millions of gun owners who are understandably leery of Giuliani.

So, I would advise the more secular minded members of the G.O.P. to nominate a candidate amenable to the CR. Do otherwise and the more secular minded members of the G.O.P. will be responsible for President Hillary Rodham Clinton.

101 posted on 02/06/2007 11:20:31 AM PST by jla
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To: Tokra; Pro-Bush; ElkGroveDan
..... he has said that he believes marriage is ONLY for a man and a woman.....

What Rudy says, and what he does, are two entirely different things.


102 posted on 02/06/2007 11:20:45 AM PST by Liz (Nearly all men can stand adversity, but to test a man's character, give him power. Abe Lincoln)
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To: ElkGroveDan

bttt


103 posted on 02/06/2007 11:21:00 AM PST by Guenevere (Duncan Hunter for President....2008!)
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To: Fawn

LOL. That's why I said I wasn't sure if it was accurate. Heck, I might even vote for him too. I don't know enough yet. But on H&C last night, he came across as being more conservative than his previous stances would indicate. What he's done in the past is more important to me than what he says he will do in the future, simply because anyone can say anything. That's the easy part.


104 posted on 02/06/2007 11:21:55 AM PST by jdm
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To: flashbunny

...and if Arnold hadn't won, it would definately be much worse!! Cruz Bustamante or Phil Angiledes? Remember them???


105 posted on 02/06/2007 11:22:04 AM PST by sissyjane (Mr. Nifong, you've picked on the wrong families and you will pay for the rest of your life)
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To: Pistolshot

"It's about CORE values, and Rudy is nowhere near the real Republican core values."

So let's just stay home like we did last November and hand not only the House and Senate BACK to the Socialists but suffer another Clinton administration for 8 years.

Yeah, we'll teach them like we did in 1992 and 1996.

If Duncan Hunter could beat Hillary by winning the Primaries great, I'll vote for him. At this point I'll vote for anyone who has a chance at beating her. The moderates will vote for Rudy and that could be the turning point.


106 posted on 02/06/2007 11:22:15 AM PST by poobear (Carter & Clinton - 'The Latter Day Church Of Jew Haters & Horndogs')
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To: dmw
but it isn't a valid reason to vote for him

That is your opinion.

Like I said, right now I am working hard for Duncan Hunter, but I if Rudy wins the nomination, I will vote for him.

107 posted on 02/06/2007 11:22:45 AM PST by James Ewell Brown Stuart (Happy Birthday Jeb Stuart - America's greatest cavalry leader - February 6th!)
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To: ElkGroveDan

Count me as another vote for Rudy. If McCain wins the primary, I'm voting 3rd party.


108 posted on 02/06/2007 11:23:27 AM PST by ILikeFriedman
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To: hellbender
IMHO, I think that Reagan was one of the best presidents of the modern age because he understood what it meant to be president. That is - always to act the part of a leader, surround yourself with good people, and let them do the heavy lifting.

Realistically, for a president to actually review 1% of what he's responsible for would be a Herculean undertaking. That (among other things) was the downfall of Bill Clinton. He surrounded himself with a bunch of people that were as amoral and corrupt as himself, and he largely destroyed the prestige of the office.

I think that Rudy understands how to act like a leader (seeing him after 9-11 proved that). I'm not sure about the other two pieces of the puzzle yet - that'll come out in the campaign.

109 posted on 02/06/2007 11:23:44 AM PST by wbill
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To: twonie
Neat idea! Do you think I have a chance of winning???

;o)
110 posted on 02/06/2007 11:24:45 AM PST by LIConFem
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To: DelphiUser
After watching Rudy on H&C last night, I started thinking a Rudy, Newt ticket might just be something I could get excited about.

Hmmmmm, now that's an idea worth pondering.

111 posted on 02/06/2007 11:24:51 AM PST by wbill
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To: sissyjane

and remember that the conservative candidate was shouted down by the (R)nold fans saying he could never win?

So instead of riding a wave of revolt with a more conservative candidate, the rino lovers declared their candidate the only one that could win, shouted down the conservatives, and ended up electing someoe who is more liberal than they ever admitted he would be, and closer to a liberal than a conservative.

Look at everything Rnold has done and proposed. Expect WORSE with a bald faced RINO like rudy.

I swear every RINO lover must have french ancestry. They all want to surrender before any fighting begins.


112 posted on 02/06/2007 11:25:43 AM PST by flashbunny (<---------- Hate RINOs? Click my name for 2008 GOP RINO collector cards.)
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To: dmw
Nothing wrong with liking Rudy, but it isn't a valid reason to vote for him. We need to put our feelings aside and think of the long term consequences of having a liberal president, especially at a time when we have liberals controlling congress.

OK, don't support Rudy G. because he's a "liberal". Yeah, let's nominate a "surefire winner" like Duncan Hunter. Then, instead of a liberal president, we'll have an extreme socialist/collectivist who will take your money and your property for the good of "all society", e.g. The Hildabeast.
113 posted on 02/06/2007 11:25:51 AM PST by Signalman
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To: Southerngl
The following was taken directly from Rudy's lips during his Hannity interview,

HANNITY: There's a misconception that you support a partial birth abortion.

GIULIANI: If it doesn't have provision for the mother I wouldn't support the legislation. If it has provision for the life of the mother I would support

Think that pretty well puts that "he doesn't support PBA" to rest.

The link to the transcript is here

114 posted on 02/06/2007 11:26:24 AM PST by Post-Neolithic (Money only makes Communists rich Communists)
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To: ElkGroveDan

Calling all of the "all or nothing Conservatives" out there.


115 posted on 02/06/2007 11:26:58 AM PST by The South Texan (The Democrat Party and the Drive By Media are a Criminal Enterprise!)
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To: AuH2ORepublican

Rudy Giuliani is not a viable national candidate.



If he gets the nomination we'll see I guess.... But if the GOP selects him in the nominating process that will be the candidate like it or not. If he's so far out of the stream I don't see how he can win the nomination, do you? Unless the GOP isn't as far to the right as many want to indicate.


116 posted on 02/06/2007 11:27:19 AM PST by deport
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To: ILikeFriedman
Count me as another vote for Rudy. If McCain wins the primary, I'm voting 3rd party.

I'm very curious as to why you feel the former acceptable and not the latter.

117 posted on 02/06/2007 11:27:23 AM PST by jla
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To: flashbunny

Perhaps you don't live in California. I do. There was NO WAY that McClintock could have won in this state. NO way!!!

I don't love everything Arnold has done, not by a long shot, but he's still better than the two democrats.


118 posted on 02/06/2007 11:28:08 AM PST by sissyjane (Mr. Nifong, you've picked on the wrong families and you will pay for the rest of your life)
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To: upsdriver
The lesser of two evils is still evil. You vote for Rudy if you want and I'll use my right to vote as I want.

Such a position puts you out of the electorate permanently, because the Constitution requires the candidate for president to be a Human Being.

I will support someone like Mitch McConnell or maybe Hunter in the primary, but I will vote for the GOP winner of the primary, either because I can support them, or if not, in order to offset at least one God-hating, USA-hating moonbat.

119 posted on 02/06/2007 11:28:17 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: ElkGroveDan
Here in Wisconsin we passed a gay-marriage ban.

South Dakota passed an abortion ban, which failed, but they're working on passing another one.

Utah is also working to pass an abortion ban.

Dozens of states have concealed-carry.

Conclusion: A President has no impact on social policy.

120 posted on 02/06/2007 11:29:07 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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