Posted on 02/06/2007 2:00:28 PM PST by EternalVigilance
Orwellian euphemism is nothing new in the realm of contemporary American political discourse. Choice, translated by the left, refers to the chopping up of unborn children. Peaceful patriotism permits the trashing of our troops. Just now in a shocking scandal for adjectives everywhere, verbal authorities have booked articulate for bearing concealed racial overtones. We shouldn't, but we do get acclimated to this kind of rank pseudo-intellectualism after a while. What is jarring is to hear linguistic engineering of mind-bending magnitude coming not from the left, but from conservative commentators themselves.
Monday night on Hannity and Colmes, RINO Rudi announced his intention of announcing his candidacy for the office of President of the United States, which is as close to making sense as the entire interview ever got. What we heard from the presumptive Republican front runner was the whole set of self-contradictions one would expect from a liberal hijacking a conservative ticket: that he is "personally opposed" to abortion while upholding a "woman's right to choose;" that he defines marriage as between a man and a woman but simultaneously supports "domestic partnerships;" that he is not for "amnesty" for undocumented workers but does believe in their "regularization," meaning that those who break immigration law should become the ones who make it. When John Kerry reverses himself over the course of several months on the subject of the war in Iraq, the right-wing talking heads never tire of highlighting it. But let the former mayor of New York thrash like a trout on a line in the course of a single interview, and everyone on our side of the aisle is supposed to nod in solemn wonder, if Hannity's handling of the whole farcical situation is any indication.
Giuliani's gymnastics would be unremarkable — they are certainly unoriginal — if not for the fact that this same man demonstrates lucidity and singularity of purpose when the terrorist threat to our nation is invoked. This, of course, is the pillar on which his "conservative" credentials are precariously teetering, the one issue alleged as trumping all the others. Pardon me. The word isn't trumping any more — a position which common sense and a moment's uninterrupted reflection will reveal as positively spurious. How can the right to liberty outrank the right to life? According to Sean Hannity's post-interview reflections, however, what Rudi has actually done isn't really waffling after all. For RINOs only, it is hereafter to be known as transcending the issues. That's what Sean said. Giuliani is succeeding, he believes, not in betraying conservative principles but in transcending them.
Judging by its context, his neologism must mean something like: "getting people to cave in about things it is positively disastrous for them to cave in about." Hannity seems to connect his inventive term with Dick Morris' revelation that three-quarters of the conservatives he talked to were ready to overlook Rudi's handicaps in the interest of defeating Hillary. (Wouldn't this be an insult to Obama, by the way, that it isn't in the interest of defeating him?) So, let's see how Hannityspeak would work out in other situations.
Bill Clinton in the waning days of his administration evidently did a bang-up job of transcending perjury (to pick a problem of his more or less at random). Who knew? I see now with the clarity of vision Sean has imparted that the trend in the European nations is towards transcending Islamofascism, not catering to it. It must also be the case that Terri Schindler Schiavo's right to life — sadly, according to just about the only high profile American journalist who truly extended himself in an effort to defend it — wasn't really violated in the end, but only transcended. And so forth.
If Rudi Giuliani or anybody like him manages to gain the support of a majority of conservatives, it will deal our cause a more serious blow than anything that Hillary or Barack or anybody else could do, from inside the White House or outside. Liberals can only set the conservative agenda back. RINOs are attempting to define it out of existence. If the handful of conservative commentators in the mainstream media decide to grease the linguistic wheels of this insidious effort, who is going to be able to stop it? Is it really a good thing, for the distinction between those who stand for what is right and just in this country, and those who do not, to be transcended at last?
But McCain and Hagel are the only 'evil' Republicans running right now.... :^)
I understand where you are coming from, but 13 months from now we'll know who the candidates will be, and things may appear a bit different at that time.
My position is the same thing that it always has been: that you play fast and loose with the facts and don't know what you're saying a lot of the time.
One need only read this thread to prove that.
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2001 |
Release #268-01 |
| Contact: | Sunny Mindel / Matthew Higgins |
(212) 788-2958 |
View Mayor's
|
| Tom Antenen (DCPI) | (212) 374-6700 |
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Police Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik today announced that more than 3,000 guns taken off New York City streets will soon be turned into scrap metal. The New York Police Department recovered the guns over the last several months through a number of channels and the total includes guns that were used in the commission of crimes. The guns will be transported to an undisclosed location, where they will be smelted and the metal recycled. NYPD personnel will monitor every aspect of the entire process, until every gun has been destroyed.
"The Police Department's dramatic success in reducing crime is due in large part to its corresponding success in removing guns from City streets," the Mayor said. "More than 90,000 guns have been seized since 1994, and shootings have plummeted more than 74 percent. The NYPD's gun seizure success is also reflected in the murder rate, which has plummeted 65 percent since 1994, and is down another 11 percent this year over last year. The NYPD has also ensured that thousands of guns can never be used to commit a crime by destroying them and putting the metal to good use. Now, another 3,000 guns have been taken out of circulation -- permanently."
Police Commissioner Kerik said, "The destruction of these firearms is a very tangible reminder of the intensive efforts undertaken by the NYPD and the City to remove guns from our streets. Every gun taken out of circulation is one less gun that can be used to shoot an innocent citizen, gun down a hero cop, or carelessly end up in the hands of a child."
Including the guns to be destroyed following today's announcement, more than 7,371 guns will have been smelted this year to date. In 2000, the Police Department sent 8,278 guns to be smelted and turned into scrap metal.
www.nyc.gov
Mea Culpa. We now have proof that Rudy Giuliani appointed at least one Republican to the bench.
No. For accomplishing what I couldn't find in several days of looking: A Republican that Rudy appointed to the bench.
Not to mention proof that you'll argue for 100 posts over something you never even took the time to make sure was true.
I posted what you said; you were pretty declarative about it.
Did you hear on FOX today with Ann Coulter and Geraldine Ferraro that Geraldine said BLOOMBERG is the one who turned NYC around. I almost fell off my recliner. What a doofus. She gave Rudy zero credit.
It's because I believed it. It fits the pattern.
Do you understand how bad Rudy McRomney's records still look, even with the discovery of one Republican appointee?
I did hear that! Even the liberals in the media have given Rudy credit for over 10 years for cleaning up NY; Ferraro just proved herself to be a partisan hack with that statement.
I believe I'm thin, but I'm not.
Ann Coulter said she'd support Hillary is Rudy wins the nomination!
That's one of the stupidest statements Ann Coulter has ever made, and she's made some beauts.
Ann has some disconnect with reality. And though I love many of her statements, most of her outrageous statements are made for the maximum effect on others rather than out of any belief she holds. That's my opinion, anyways.
Here's #2.
Judge Dora L. Irizarry
Appointed to the Criminal Court in 1995 by Giuliani, she was tapped by Pataki to run against Spitzer in 2002.
Yes, food for thought, indeed.
EV is, indeed, working hard on these threads, unlike the rest of the Rudyphobes, who have managed to drive Giuliani's FR poll numbers northward.
My only real trouble with his latest argument (about judicial nominations) is that judges aren't always registered as partisan. But as long as the assertions exist, FReepers will scruitinize them.
I hate to see Republicans/patriots destroy each other, but, I guess, if there's a time to do so, this would be it. We just have to be cautious against giving the Bolshocrats too much ammo.
Wow. Keep it up and we might end up with 5% of his judge appointments being Republicans. ;-)
But, seriously, I did something I don't usually do in this instance. Normally, I'm very cautious about sourcing what I post. A couple of days ago I had just finished studying Romney's record, which was one of appointing more Dems than Republicans while he was Governor of MA. I saw the post on Giuliani not appointing ANY, and bit. Dumb. Sorry.
Not that it makes me like Giuliani one bit more. He's still a stark raving Leftist. ;-)
And the demands that Rudy should have stacked all positions with Conservatives, in a city where it's difficult to find many, and some of those positions are actually VOTED on, by the public, is preposterous; to say the least.
There were 462,525 enrolled Republicans in NY as of '03. You'd think they might be able to find a few, don't you?
Fact is, "positions are stacked" with Democrats, as it stands. Republicans are hardly represented at all on the courts. The system is rigged.
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