Giuliani leads GOP supply-siders out of the gate

Metro Daily News ^ | Feb 18, 2007 | Deroy Murdock

[PhiKapMom]

By Deroy Murdock/Syndicated columnist
Sunday, February 18, 2007 - Updated: 12:40 AM EST

By Deroy Murdock

The Republican primary's most accomplished supply-sider is 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 Jan. 1, 1994, inauguration, New York's economy was on a stretcher. Amid soaring unemployment, 235 jobs vanished daily within the city. 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.

Giuliani cut or killed 23 levies, saving taxpayers $9.8 billion. Giuliani pared Gotham's top income-tax rate by 20.6 percent. 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 percent.

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 percent to 5 in 1994. Consequently, that tax's revenues soared from $135 million in fiscal year 1995 to $239 million in 2001.

Giuliani defends his supply-side instincts with bracing candor. Asked after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center towers whether he would hike taxes, Giuliani called that "a dumb, stupid, idiotic, and moronic thing to do."

Giuliani's expenditure growth averaged 2.9 percent annually, while local inflation between January 1994 and December 2001 averaged 3.6 percent. His 1995 fiscal year budget decreased outlays by 1.6 percent, while his post-9/11 2002 plan lowered appropriations by 2.6 percent.

If President Bush had followed Giuliani's example and limited Washington's spending to 2.9 percent average, annual growth, the just-unveiled fiscal 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 percent 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 South Dakota Democratic Senator Tom Daschle's 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."

[noname07718]

If ignorance is bliss; you must be one happy camper.

[dirtboy]

The Republican primary's most accomplished supply-sider is 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.

Except for the fact that during Rudy's 2nd term, NYC government growth far outpaced the rate of inflation. And he massively increased NYC's debt load.

[AdvisorB]

The truth is ignorance, to the ignorant.

[noname07718]

In 1995 Rudy ordered Yassar Arafat out of Lincoln Center during a performance. His reason was that he did not allow terrorists the freedom of the streets of NYC. That is called courage, leadership and conviction. I would be interested in such examples from other potential 2008 wannabes.

[dirtboy]

I don't think Deroy Murdock has any idea what "supply side" economics is.

He's the same columnist who tried to make a pro-life case for Rudy by stating the fact that abortions declined nearly fifteen percent in NYC while Rudy was mayor. While failing to mention that nationally, the abortion rate fell nearly twice as much.

But he is consistent. He calls Rudy a fiscal conservative while failing to mention that he massively increased NYC's debt load while mayor. Details, details, details.

[noname07718]

Here is one strong answer.

In 1995 Rudy ordered Yassar Arafat out of Lincoln Center during a performance. His reason was that he did not allow terrorists the freedom of the streets of NYC. That is called courage, leadership and conviction. I would be interested in such examples from other potential 2008 wannabes.

[dirtboy]

MTV has Pimp My Ride. Murdock has Pimp My RINO...

[AdvisorB]

"In 1995 Rudy ordered Yassar Arafat out of Lincoln Center during a performance. His reason was that he did not allow terrorists the freedom of the streets of NYC. That is called courage, leadership and conviction. I would be interested in such examples from other potential 2008 wannabes."

I think we're in the same choir, sir.

[noname07718]

You got me on that one. I have no idea what you are trying to say.

[AdvisorB]

My earlier comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek in that I'm worried that many of our conservative bretheran will sit out the election, or vote a 3rd party center-right ticket, because our GOP standard bearer is insufficiently conservative. This destructive political behavior will allow hitlary an opportunity to insinuate her way into the Oval Office.

[noname07718]

Thank you sir.

I appreciate that. Everyone calls to mind the wonderful job Rudy did after 9/11. I’m sorry, but I think he was just doing is job. He was elected to be a Mayor of a city and was expected to handle any crap that came his way. All he did post 9/11 was his job; but he did it better than anyone else could have do. Given his position and his known leadership values, all he did was his job.

However, the 1995 Yassar incident and the standing up on principle when being assaulted by the Clintons, State Department, and the UN itself, standing up on the shear principle of being RIGHT; now that is a LEADER. I want to elect LEADERS in the WOT. They will hire the necessary managers to execute on his LEADERSHIP initiatives.

[DKNY]

Rudy did a great job in NY with his fiscally responsible policies.

[ElPatriota]

BEWARE!... Social-conservatives, Christian conservatives or moral-conservatives of ANY KIND..

********************* WE NEED TO UNITE IN OUR PURPOSE!!! ************************

Just a reminder to conservatives out there... The Media ballgame is changing as we speak!...No longer can they call shots... And no longer we have to just "take it." No, we want to PARTICIPATE in the choosing of our Republican Presidential candidate. The CONSULTANTS are working feverishly to find new angles to "sell" this LEFTY to us conservatives, somehow... so Beware! keep your eyes on the ball. No matter how you slice it... Giuliani is the ULTRA-LEFT on social issues. And as far as FISCAL issues, I pity anyone whose main, and central passion in their lives is "fiscal restrain." I care care about them too... but in view of all the heavy duty issues this country currently experiencing, they are way down my priority list.

We should hold STEADY for a CONSERVATIVE candidate across the board whose word and character we can TRUST. I know this is a TALL ORDER from a politician, but DUNCAN seem to have those qualities. Is either "holding steady," or no longer be revelant in the Republican party. Evil forces have been engineering a way to take out the social issues conservatives (Christian right) out of the loop for a long time... So don't be surprised they are pushing for this LEFTY with all their might. If they win, then it will be demonstrated we NO LONGER MATTER... because we can be manipulated, bamboozled and tricked like a bunch of ignorant idiots, not to mention, the 'fragility of our CONVICTIONS,'

I believe Guliani's CONSULTANTS tactic is simply to DIVIDE the Republicans. To attract as many Lefty Republicans (I still don't get used to the label /s) by selling Mr. Guiliani as the CHAMPION OF NATIONAL SECURITY! to us, but I would not be surprised if we get a new batch of "converts" from the 'other side,' to push him over the top. Either I am paranoid but actually BELIEVE this "adoration," for this guy is orchestrated by some special interest out there. Just because, yes, He cleaned up N.Y. and acted with leadership on 9/11... Great as those things are, does not make him the Republican Presidential candidate by default...HARDLY!

And I should say, if he were a social-conservative (as DUNCAN is) THEN, I would be pushing hard for him!... But as it is... THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I WILL VOTE FOR HIM!... Because if he gets elected, well, social-conservatives LOSE AND the LEFT WINS... That simple. All true social, Christian or Moral conservatives should above all, DENY our vote to the Left... And Rudy is the LEFT on social issues, and those are our issues.

So let's get excited about the challenge... Because I have this funny feeling that this maybe the first time THE PEOPLE will actually defeat the CONSULTANTES! :)

So Let's do it people. Let's show them we are not the dumb a*** they think we are :)

[The South Texan]

More bait for the "all of nothing" crowd to swallow......

[Vaquero]

..In 1995 Rudy ordered Yassar Arafat out of Lincoln Center during a performance. His reason was that he did not allow terrorists the freedom of the streets of NYC. That is called courage, leadership and conviction. I would be interested in such examples from other potential 2008 wannabes.

as the mayor of the worlds largest Jewish city, Rudy did so with all political expediency. (I would most likely hold nose and vote for him in a general election against a Hitlery, but I will not be pulling the lever for him in the primaries....he is NO CONSERVATIVE!)

[noname07718]

He is not a Goldwater conservative, true. If we have to pick a single topic as a benchmark for voting for a President, I would say it is the WOT. If we lose that issue, everything else is meaningless. Conservative – Republican – Libertarian- Snake Charmer; all are labels and as such mean little to me. I will vote for the leader how gives me the best hope in winning the War on Terror. Put me in the Ann Coulter school of fighting this war.

[AdvisorB]

I am supporting Speaker Newt in the GOP primary, but I'm also realistic, in that the Speaker may decide not to run. And should Newt throw his hat in the ring, it would be difficult for him to capture the nomination. My best hope, is to get him on the ticket with one of the three front runners.

If Rudy, the greatest Mayor in New York's history, is the Grand Old Party's nominee, I will work hard to insure his election. I have my bumper sticker ready if Newt falters in the race. I'm hoping that Newt will be selected as someone's VP running mate.....

[BfloGuy]

More bait for the "all of nothing" crowd to swallow......

Yes. Aren't they the ones Limbaugh refers to as the "perfection caucus?"

[noname07718]

Sign me up! I want in on that way of thinking 101%. There are MANY names out there what while they could not capture the Presidential nomination, would make excellent VP Slots. Some folks that could use the VP position to build on a leadership model and follow through for an additional 8 more years. I especially like the Newt as VP idea.

Before anyone suggests I; McCain is out due to his age, ego, and sliminess.

[streetpreacher]

And speaking of the party, I'm headed out in a few minutes to our monthly GOP meeting. Sen. DeMint will be speaking today and I'll be interested to take the pulse of the party faithful with regard to Rudy.