Posted on 02/10/2007 9:26:03 PM PST by FairOpinion
Republican primary voters should rally around the GOP field's most accomplished supply-sider, the all-but-announced Rudolph W. Giuliani. Having sliced taxes and slashed Gotham's government, New York's former mayor is the leading fiscal conservative among 2008's GOP presidential contenders.
Before Giuliani's January 1, 1994 inauguration, New York's economy was on a stretcher. Amid soaring unemployment, 235 jobs vanished daily. Financier Felix Rohatyn complained: "Virtually all human activities are taxed to the hilt." Punitive taxes helped fuel a $2.3 billion deficit.
Mayor-elect Giuliani sounded Reaganesque when he announced he would "reduce the size and cost of city government" to balance the budget. In his first State of the City address, he said: "We're going to cut taxes to attract jobs so our people can work."
Giuliani spent eight years keeping these promises.
"America's Mayor" cut or killed 23 levies, saving taxpayers $9.8 billion. Giuliani pared Gotham's top income-tax rate by 20.6%. Washington, D.C.'s CFO reported that between 1993 and 2001, local taxes on a family of four New Yorkers earning $50,000 fell 23.7%.
Giuliani cut the commercial-rent tax, curbed sales taxes, and curtailed the marriage penalty on taxpaying couples. Giuliani proudly shaved Gotham's hotel tax from 6% to 5 in 1994. Consequently, that tax's revenues soared from $135 million in Fiscal Year 1995 to $239 million in FY 2001.
Giuliani defends his supply-side instincts with bracing candor. Asked after September 11 if he would hike taxes, Giuliani called that "a dumb, stupid, idiotic, and moronic thing to do."
Giuliani's expenditure growth averaged 2.9% annually, while local inflation between January 1994 and December 2001 averaged 3.6%. His FY 1995 budget decreased outlays by 1.6%, while his post-9/11 FY 2002 plan lowered appropriations by 2.6%.
If President Bush had followed Giuliani's example and limited Washington's spending to 2.9% average, annual growth, the just-unveiled FY 2008 federal budget would cost $2.275 trillion, not $2.9 trillion, saving taxpayers $625 billion, the Cato Institute's Stephen Slivinski estimates. Such Giulianian fiscal discipline would generate a $386 billion surplus, not an anticipated $239 billion deficit.
Giuliani repeatedly privatized municipal assets. Giuliani sold WNYC radio for $20 million, WNYC-TV for $207 million, and Gotham’s share of the U.N. Plaza Hotel for $85 million. Divesting the New York Coliseum excised an eyesore from Columbus Circle and added $345 million to city coffers. Giuliani also let the private Central Park Conservancy manage Manhattan's fabled urban forest.
These eight years of tax reduction and fiscal responsibility helped hammer unemployment from 10.4 percent in 1993 to 5.7 percent in 2001. Simultaneously, personal income advanced 53 percent.
It's hard to compare a two-term ex-mayor, a one-term governor, and a four-term U.S. senator. Nevertheless, Cato's 2006 gubernatorial report card gives former Massachusetts chief executive Mitt Romney a "C." While the top personal tax rate fell 6 percent on his watch, thanks to a referendum voters approved before he arrived, Romney's first budget raised $140 million by closing corporate-tax loopholes. It also featured some $501.5 million in increased fees, including higher marriage licenses (from $4 to $50), pricier gun permits ($25 to $100), a $100 biannual fee for volunteer firefighters (rescinded under pressure), and a $10, previously free, ID card that lets the blind ride Boston public-transit gratis.
Few in Congress expose outrageous federal boondoggles as fervently as does John McCain. However, he is an ambivalent tax fighter. According to Club for Growth research, McCain opposed President Clinton's 1993 tax increases and supported his 1997 capital gains tax cuts. He also voted to extend President Bush's 2003 tax cuts. For 2005, McCain earned a 78% National Taxpayers Union rating -- an "A."
Unfortunately, McCain opposed President Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. McCain voted against repealing the Death Tax in 2002. Also, in 1998, McCain embraced former Sen. Tom Daschle's (D.-S.D.) motion to approve Big Tobacco's Master Settlement Agreement, including a $1.10-per-pack cigarette-tax increase.
"I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues," McCain conceded to Wall Street Journal editorialist Stephen Moore. "I still need to be educated."
Conservatives seeking a proven leader to lasso taxes and rein in runaway spending have a natural choice for President: Rudolph W. Giuliani.
The point of gun control is to keep guns in the hands of law abiding citizens, who like you said pose no threat to society, and to keep them out of the hands of criminals, thugs, gangs, etc. The way to do that is to make sure you have standards so law abiding citizens can purchase them and to get illegal guns off of the streets.
As much as I disagree with Bloomberg and I think he is going too far, but I don't know how any conservative regardless of how pro 2nd amendment they are could oppose ridding the streets of illegal weapons.
Baloney. The opposite is true.
...and to keep them out of the hands of criminals, thugs, gangs, etc.
No law has ever done so. The cities that have imposed the most draconian "gun control" laws are the ones in which it isn't safe to walk down the street.
Your misrepresentations are why it is unacceptable for any presidential candidate who could be described by your screen name to be president.
yes there is a way to say that nicely and it was meant with humor, not distaste.
I realize its very difficult to understand someones post, or what someone means via the computer (unless youve spent alot time posting to each other).
Sometimes you come across harsh at times, but I also realize that you have a big heart or atleast thats what ive concluded from the little we have talked.
I do know what the primaries are and i have watched them, though generally not the dems (bad for blood pressure)!
I initially didnt see the reason for all the excitement. I thought my post made sense. now that i am up and have had a cup of coffee, i see that it did not.
Its also not the first time Ive popped something off between trying to cook dinner, spend time with my husband or son, and jump from one thread to another. have you never had more than one thought at once?
I was thinking about the primaries, the early debates and the general and it all came out in one very short, very bad post.
I usually try and make my post short, since i dont much care to read an opus, but today i will attempt to explain what i meant. For whatever good it will do:)
I dont think either hillary or rudy will participate in any early debating. firstly because Hillary is considered too right for her base, where as rudy is considered too left of his.
Instead I beleive they will wait, see how the other candidates do and what best hits the heart of the base and moderates of thier party's and procede from there.
If they participate in early debating it will be OBVIOUS where they stand and yes, i do believe that folks would see some simularitys between the two (even though they are not debating each other).
Rather i think both will continue to do what they are doing ie: travelling to places where they already have a large amount of support. this rallys folks up and makes for great photo ops and TV time.
I was also thinking of the general election and sometimes it gets in my head on these threads that its already been decided rudy vs hillary.
I know you think they will have plenty to debate, but i dont think it will be substantial, such as watching dick cheney and john edwards (which was awesome). I know you see lots of differences and thats fine. we probally wont ever agree there;-)
So, I dont know if I made sense, hopefully some. I have no desire to get into heated debates with anyone. I wish to vote in the primaries the man that most represents my views and values. that man is duncan hunter.
I know you think thats wishful thinking yada yada yada. and maybe it is. we will see. primaries are a ways off and alot of things could happen. one dean scream and poof!!
Youre more than welcome to give me some type of FR poltical test if you want LOL I realize I sometimes come across polianish and unaware, but im not, just a careless poster at times.
So anyhoo. Im off to spend some time with my family:-)
There's more to being a conservative, than being a fiscal conservative. Being a conservative is a way of life.
Many conservatives say they pick "none of the above" when faced with a choice of Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani as the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.
"When I look at these top three guys, I think of Shania Twain singing 'That don't impress me much,' " said former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, referring to the popular country singer.
Such dissatisfaction with the leading Republican presidential candidates is widespread among the party's conservative stalwarts, including many of the 150 alumni of the Reagan administration who attended an annual reunion at the Heritage Foundation on Tuesday night.
"We are without a viable candidate for 2008 at this point," said Mary Ann Meloy, who was an official in the Reagan White House.
Eagle Forum President Phyllis Schlafly counts herself in the "none of the above" category because, she said, the top three candidates are wrong, ambiguous or suspect on "limiting court jurisdiction, the loss of U.S. jobs from globalism and the immigration-amnesty-guest-worker, pro-life and same-sex marriage issues."
Similar discontent has been expressed by conservatives as prominent as radio host Rush Limbaugh -- who said last month that "there's nobody out there that revs me up" in the 2008 Republican presidential field -- and from many other longtime activists who are influential, if not quite household names.
"No one of the three top-tier individuals is a conservative," said Tom Carney, a Florida lawyer and Republican fundraiser. "But even more importantly, none of them have original thoughts. They are all ultimate pragmatists. They want to be president without the necessary vision in this time of international crisis."
Faith Whittlesey, who headed the Reagan White House liaison office and was ambassador to Switzerland, said she is trying to find hope in the situation. "I hear the three choices are all we got, so I would like to see their positions evolve on the core issues that face the nation -- and I am, let's say, hoping for the best," she said.
Christian Josi, senior vice president of Dezenhall Resources, a Washington-based public relations firm, said, "I am a conservative. I have had all I can stomach of Republicans."
"To put it very simply, it is very clear that McCain and Giuliani both have demonstrated that they have significant problems with key elements of the Bill of Rights," Mr. Josi said. "And that is frightening. Don't get me started on Romney. Suffice to say, I find his ideological commitment to the core conservative principles to be highly suspect."
excerpt http://www.washtimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20070208-115658-7902r
It's time to support a CONSERVATIVE presidential hopeful, like Duncan Hunter, and it's early enough to make it happen.
One of Rush Limbaugh's substitute hosts brought out the fact that probably 20% of the conservative voters would vote 3rd party or stay home, if Rudy were the nominee, and then it WOULD be Hillary, or whoever the Dem nominee was.
Vote for CONSERVATIVES in the primaries.
Remember 2006!
I certainly do not want taking away one of many of my shooters like this $2,500 Sig Sauer and leaving me defenseless and vilating my Second Amendment Constitutional rights..
BTW, are you an NRA member, a SASS member, and IDPA member, and IPSC member?
Tancredo does not favor a free economy...
It was Rudy that took all guns away in NYC. He took them from FReepers. Even Dinkins didn't do that. He also tried to screw the gun industry and backed fed laws that banned semi-autos. Bloomberg is simply carrying on the Rudy tradition.
The 2nd Amend does not allow for "standards". What that means is one needs permission from the govm't to have them, and some gun grabbing bureaucrat gets to decide who is worthy enough to have them. Since that's the mentality of a gun grabber. I have no respect for them, and will not support anyone that has such a mindset. It is repugnant to freedom, and to the Constitution.
"I don't know how any conservative regardless of how pro 2nd amendment they are could oppose ridding the streets of illegal weapons."
Their efforts don't regard "illegal weapons", they regard all. They make no distinction between the criminal and the citzen. They treat hte citizen, as if they were criminals. They ban guns and forbid folks from mounting an effective self defense. Population density is irrelevant. I grew up in Chicago, and the neighborhood didn't go down hill, until king Daley and the police forbid effective defense of self and property. It had nothing to do with race either. It had to do with gun grabbing, and forbidding folks from taking effective action against thugs.
I was mugged at knife point on Michigan ave in downtown Chicago, at noon, on a weekday. The response of all the folks on the sidewalk, was that I was the bad guy, because I got loud and told the creep to shove it. NY prosecutors, and their enablers did the same to Bernie Goetz. I see no difference between a gun grabber and a murderous thug. The only diffence is the clothes they wear, and one does it under the color of law.
"Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it."
Rudy Giuliani
Yeah, I'll toss a vote for someone that hates Freedom as much as him.
Thank you for telling the truth..
History not your best asset? Think 2000 and what everyone, including some so called Republicans were saying about President Bush and Al Gore.That election was supposed to be 3-1 Gore.
We need a real conservative not some 10 percenter. If the Rudy supporters(so called conservatives), would put as much effort in getting someone like Duncan Hunter elected we would not be having this discussion.
But since the Rudy supporters are really liberals at heart, they just don't want a true conservative in power.
Talk, talk, talk, but none of the "Rudy is not the answer" conservatives can come up with anyone who has a chance of beating Hillary.
I posted the request multiple times: Name a conservative Republican candidate who has a good chance of beating Hillary.
These so-called conservatives sounds just like the "war is not the answer" crowd, who have NO solution, all they do is yell "war is not the answer".
All you and others like you do is yell "we hate Rudy, he is not conservative" but have NO solution to offer.
I ask again. Name a REALISTIC conservative Republican candidate who has a REAL chance of beating Hillary.
I am waiting....
Duncan Hunter.
Thats comparing apples to oranges. If you feel that gun rights are not a local issue then you have a crusade to fight. The vast majority of gun laws are on the state and local level. Rudy has said that as President he would not change the gun laws because he feels that they fall under state jurisdiction.
Duncan Hunter... How many times does it have to be said to you? And cut the, he can't beat Hillary crap. If you are saying that a Real Republican doesn't deserve your support, then get the hell out of the Republican party and register as a Democrat.
NRA... And no to Julie-Annie...
"Duncan Hunter... If you are saying that a Real Republican doesn't deserve your support, then get the hell out of the Republican party and register as a Democrat."
Then according to you, 99% of the Republicans aren't Republicans, because in a recent poll, Ducan Hunter got less than 1% of the vote. Duncan Hunter came in that last with so few votes, it didn't even register.
So who is the one who is out of touch with Republicans, you or the 99% Republicans?
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/01/postabc_poll_clinton_giuliani.html
Rudy Giuliani 34
John McCain 27
Mitt Romney 9
Newt Gingrich 9
George Pataki 2
Sam Brownback 1
Jim Gilmore 1
Mike Huckabee 1
Ron Paul 1
Tom Tancredo 1
Tommy Thompson 1
Chuck Hagel *
Duncan Hunter *
I'd have to call that a knock-out punch! ;^ ) Well said!
I figure that a lot of people are dubious regarding the name recognition of Hunter, about whom I know nothing.
I hope Hillary runs because however it goes, she guarantees good for Republicans:
She wins and sure as sunrise, she'll quickly become hated, suspected, loathed, and so enormously unpopular as to make Democrats seriously impotent. She will be a one-term disaster.
She loses thus the Republicans win. If Hillary actually becomes the nominee, she will be so detestable to a majority of American voters that they will be very receptive to ideas more than name recogition and familiarity in a "viable" oponent.
I say we go for it and use the primaries to put in a "Real Republican." My personal ideas of a "real Republican" include (but are not limited to!!!):
-- against gun control
-- proponent of free market fiscal conservatism and minimal taxes
-- sees that the Western world is in a terrorist war with radical Islam and that it will not fade away, but must be faced and conquered
-- has the honesty and guts to declare, "Americans are not aggressively intolerant of homosexuality; they have mostly discreetly regarded sexual orientation irrelevant and private. Therefore, NEITHER should Americans be intimidated by government policy into accepting or embracing homosexuality as part of our popular culture."
-- deeply comprehends that any philosophy that calls for government invasion of such matters as health and medicine and subsequent mandating of insurance, lifestyle, and diet behavior, are repugnant to Republicanism.
BOTTOM LINE: Republican core values should be to limit government and expand personal freedom and responsibility, economically and personally. Those values are the common denominator of the "right" stand on virtually every issue, whether it's national health insurance, the right to bear arms, free speech, judges, etc.
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