Actually I have been making a joke out of how fast the anti-Rudy group gets to the threads or replies they don't like. I have been here long enough to see a pattern! They are much nicer then some of the Freepers in the past. We have honest disagreements but no flame wars. Been in those as well in the past.
BTW, I am a conservative going back to Goldwater and I support Rudy because of the leadership that he has shown. He has a backbone and is not kumbaya which means a lot to me! I am tired of 'compassionate conservatism' and 'kumbaya' both which irritate me to no end right now.
Have a hunch if more Freepers had observed our State House in the last session and some of the most idiotic bills that were debated, you would be feeling the same way. Infrastructure took a backseat to social issues even though our state was burning. With all the 'feel good' bills, they couldn't pass a budget and had to go in an extra session (where they got paid more money). Of course we are the State where the previous legislature gave a tax rebate which we had to claim on our income tax -- all of $90 and we had to pay extra tax! Took a ton of money to process and mail the stupid rebate but everyone took credit. This fiscal conservative has had it!
This past year in OK from the State House to the pro-life disruptors on campus to the threats made when a parade name was changed to holiday three parades ago but last year and this year it became a central issue it cost us statewide elections. How do I know about the threats? I received some of them after I dared say the name of the parade didn't make any difference as we were putting Christmas back in the parade with our float. All the threats were from the self-identified, religious right,'social' conservatives some who taught at the Christian school and were nasty with their comments. Told my daughter who answered the phone to get on the next boat back to Italy because her ilk are not wanted here. These people go to church every Sunday, send their kids to a Christian school, and were some of the nastiest people I have ever dealt with and I know who they are and who was behind them. Those are only a few of the low lights of the last two year. Try getting a virus sent to your computer several times a day for almost a month until it was turned over to the authorities.
After being involved with these people for the last two years as a party official, I do not want a social conservative as our candidate for President or we are going to take a beating because of their temperment and 'my way or no way' which is worse then I ever thought it could be. When you observe it up close and personal, it paints a whole different picture and it is not a pretty one.
I am pro-life personally but after the past two years you will NEVER find me shoving it at anyone. What I have witnessed made me stop and think the damage that has been done and how some people who would become pro-life won't because of the irrational behavior of some people getting right in their face. Those people on campus cost us votes in the 2006 election. You have to change people's hearts and calling them all kinds of names when don't even know them isn't the way to do things.
So to summarize your lengthy post, even though Rudolph Giuliani supports abortion, is a leader in the radical homosexual movement, supports anti-gun legislation and is pro-illegal immigration, he has your vote.
My problem with Rudy is NOT any single one issue. THAT, simply put, is my point!!
If it was just one issue--I could look the other way. As I have repeated on this thread--I can overlook one or two,,,but NOT FIVE MAJOR ISSUES!!! (and I am ignoring the 'train wreck'--aka his personal life)
His abortion, gun control, pro-gay, amnesty, big government leanings, and support and endorsement of Mario Cuomo (showing minimal Republican loyalty--as he not only voted for Cuomo, but ENDORSED him publicly. That tells me a lot about his core political leanings. Voting for George McGovern his late 20's also tells me a lot about his core political leanings--as I, too, voted in that election and remember McGovern's positions very, very well.)
He was a fine mayor, and he probably would have been a great NY senator if he had done his country, his party and his state a GREAT SERVICE be removing Hillary from the Senate. He chose not to. Probably because his postitions aren't all the different than Hillary's (he has stated in the past that Slick's positions weren't all that different either). He probably also felt he could not win (in the state that knows him best, loves him and where he has proven his leadership). That, too, is sad. He could have retained control of the Republican Senate--and likely severely damaged Hillary's Presidential ambitions.
As I have stated before, he can spare us his efforts now. If he gets elected, I'm sure he can do it without my, my wife's and two sons votes--as we all agree there is no way we would ever vote for him.
I wish him luck, but will give him absolutely no support at all--while doing what little I can to make sure he is not nominated or elected.
All I gotta say is this,
-Reagan voted, supported, and campaigned for FDR and Truman.
-Giuliani voted and supported McGovern.
-Reagan was a Liberal Democrat.
-Giuliani was a Liberal Democrat.
-Reagan switched to the Republican Party.
-Giuliani switched to the Republican Party.
-Reagan legalized Abortion in California but,
personal came to oppose it.
-Giuliani personally opposes abortion but,
believes it it is up to the courts to decide
whether it remains legal.(This is no different than how Reagan opposed the 1964 Civil Rights Act but, still supported civil rights)
-Reagan ran in 1980 as a libertarian anti-communist
-Giuliani will un in 2008 as a libertarian anti-islamist
-Reagan supported illegal immigration and amnesty
-Giuliani supports comprehensive immigration reform
-Reagan hung out with freaky eccentric Hollywood types.
-Giuliani hangs out with freaky eccentric New York types.
-Reagan was friends with gays and supported their civil rights.
-Giuliani is friends with gays and support their civil rights.
-Reagan opposed the Ban on Gays teaching.
-Giuliani supports Gay Civili Unions.
-Reagan invited gay couples to sleep in his house.
-Giuliani has slept in the homes of a gay couple.
-Reagan talked the talk of religious conservativism but,
rarely walked the walk.
-Giuliani talks the talk of religious conservativism but,
usually militantly defends Judeo-Christian religious freedom.
-Reagan appointed two liberal sumpreme court justices.
-Giuliani supports strict constructionists like Alito and Roberts
-Reagan was a great leader that is seen as a hero of American Folklore
-Giuliani is a great leader that is seen as a hero of
American Folklore
-Reagan pulled in the ethnic, asian, and hispanic vote.
-Giuliani will pull in the ethnic, asian, and hispanic vote.
-Reagan restored the North maintained the West while pulling into the South firmly into the GOP camp.
-Guiliani will restore the West, maintain the South while pulling the North firmly into the GOP camp.
-Reagan won a landslide twice by attracting Democrats in droves.
-Guiliani will win a lanndslide twice by attracting Democrats in droves.
-Reagan restored America's confidence after the malaise of the shock of 1968 & 69, scandals,an unpopular war with a shameful end,high gas prices, and a presidency void of leadership
-Giuliani will restore America's confinence after the malaise of 9/11, scandals,an unpopular war with a shameful end(I hope not),high gas prices, and a presidency void of leadership(Wake-up Mr. President!)
Here's my point if Clinton equals Kennedy/Johnson and Bush(43) equals Nixon/Ford then Giuliani equals Reagan.