Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Rudy Giuliani's "Twelve Commitments" to the American people
I like the ambition and all, but Rudy's list strikes me as a litany of "pie crust" promises calculated to cater to, er, me. Yes, I support virtually all of these "Twelve Commitments," but most of them stand little chance of happening.
I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us.
I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation.
I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.
I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.
I will impose accountability on Washington.
I will lead America towards energy independence.
I will give Americans more control over, and access to, healthcare with affordable and portable free-market solutions.
I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.
I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.
I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.
I will expand America’s involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.
The leadership "towards" energy independence is as underambitious as it is Anglophilic (please, proper American English is "toward"), and I admit that I hope he spends exactly no time increasing adoptions. Otherwise, I'd be happy if the next administration accomplished any two or three of these items to any significant degree.
16 Comments:
By 
, at
Tue Jun 12, 06:03:00 PM:
This is great. Why are you down on it?
By 
Purple Avenger, at
Tue Jun 12, 06:33:00 PM:
What's all this talk of fiscal responsibility?
I suppose that means I don't get a pony :(
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Jun 12, 07:13:00 PM:
I think they are wonderful aspirations, but unlikely to be achieved. I suppose I am down on them because it depresses me that they are so unreachable.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Jun 12, 08:00:00 PM:
When did we start believing politicians?
By , at
Tue Jun 12, 08:58:00 PM:
If the president really wants to decrease the number of abortions every year he should get rid of abstinence-only sex ed in favor of "abstinence+" or "ABC" ("abstinence, be faithful, use a condom") programs. Every high school kid in a public school should know about birth control (esp. condoms) and how to use it correctly. Talk about general education and life skills!
The really interesting point here is, why the hell should the President of the United States spend his time dealing with adoptions or abortions anyway? Wouldn't he or she have anything more important to do, especially in this day and age? If you need evidence of how beholden the Republican party is to the Christian extremists in its ranks, look how the Republican presidential candidates have to make time to throw this noxious constituency a bone - that alone makes me want to not vote for them.
By markg8, at
Tue Jun 12, 09:47:00 PM:
Did he write that on a bar napkin between visits to airport tarmacs? And what is he going to do with all those non citizens he identifies? Ethnically cleanse them? Give 'em all union cards? Send them to Iraq?
By Georg Felis, at
Tue Jun 12, 10:39:00 PM:
Actually this strikes me as the primary difference between the Republican and Democratic candidates. The Republicans say what they intend on doing, the Democrats make strange fluffy noises which you can not pin them down on and even then they backtrack. It's like trying to nail Jello to a wall.
I agree with all of these points and I suspect that greater than 50% of the voting public agrees with at least a large majority of these points.
Get ready to say "President Giuliani". I may not agree with everything he says, but I admire his courage. (I'm still rooting for Mit)
By Georg Felis, at
Tue Jun 12, 10:42:00 PM:
Oh, and notice how each one of these is a Direction, not a Destination. (i.e. in Math, they're Vectors, not Points) Do you think he's been studying Newt?
By , at
Tue Jun 12, 10:54:00 PM:
A direction is all that can actually be promised in politics.
I count that in his favour.
On the other hand, how about every high school kid who doesn't know about birth control be locked up in a home for the mentally handicapped? Because that's a sure sign in this day and age. I can't believe that anyone with an IQ above 65 could get through highschool without learning that, from TV if nothing else.
By , at
Tue Jun 12, 11:36:00 PM:
Georg: if you honestly think that Republican politicians are on average made of better stuff than their Democratic counterparts, I have one hell of a bridge to sell you.
By , at
Wed Jun 13, 07:42:00 AM:
Does this mean Newt is going to be the VP pick?
By Georg Felis, at
Wed Jun 13, 12:55:00 PM:
Picking Newt as a VP would be worth it just to see Keith Olbermann's head explode on national TV.
The hour after the decision is announced a number of liberal news heads would perform like popcorn (a rock hard substance that when exposed to pressure beyond its design limit detonates and shows the fluffy lightweight material inside.)
By TigerHawk, at
Wed Jun 13, 01:03:00 PM:
There is no leading Republican I would rather shoot the breeze with over beers than Newt Gingrich. Definitely a very interesting guy. But his presence on a national ticket would doom the GOP. The next Republican president would be an idiot not to appoint Newt as his top domestic policy advisor and legislative director, or maybe even White House Chief of Staff (assuming he has good executive skills, which I somehow doubt), but please do not put him on the ticket. Apart from the entertainment value, which would be huge but ephemeral, the result would be painful.
By , at
Wed Jun 13, 01:35:00 PM:
The thing about Rudy that makes him different than other candidates is that he almost single handedly took America's biggest city, which was a complete mess, and he cleaned it up. I remember coming out of college in the late 80's and all of my job offers were in NYC except one and I took the one elsewhere because the city was such a mess. At this same time a study was done that said 1 in 2 New Yorkers would be mugged at least once in their lives and people took that as OK. They also took a ton of little things as just the way it was (e.g dirty streets, street hustlers, petty & viotent crime, businesses leaving the Big Apple because of a litany of issues.)I honestly believe that just by his power of personality and his single-mindedness towards what is "right" and not to settle, got most New Yorkers behind him reclaiming their city. I think that is also why when 9/11 hit there was not a better guy that New Yorkers trusted and believed they could get behind him and rebuild. It should also be noted, when 9/11 hit Rudy was at his lowest ratings as a Mayor, but the city rallied behind his leadership because of that trust and their whole-hearted belief in him. That is why I like Rudy - I think he wants the job because he thinks he can make a difference for generations to come...
By , at
Wed Jun 13, 04:48:00 PM:
Every endeavor needs goals, and these are his. Why for even a moment you would let yourself be cynical is beyond me, but it's not healthy or positive for the future.
Does anyone doubt he'll stay on the offensive against terror? Would you rather he not, like nearly all his prospective Democrat opponents have said they won't?
Numbers 2 through 8 are fairly moderate, practical things to say, and definitely not what the crazies on the right will want to hear (they'll only be happy with far more). Number 9 is an interesting goal, for Rudy G. anyway.
I like them, and I'm not necessarily a Giuliani supporter (which, obviously, is why he's putting these out- to appeal to more voters).
Andrew
By TigerHawk, at
Wed Jun 13, 08:28:00 PM:
Every endeavor needs goals, and these are his. Why for even a moment you would let yourself be cynical is beyond me, but it's not healthy or positive for the future.
You know, I probably was just in a mood. I like Giuliani, and if I had to vote today would probably vote for him. I even like all the goals. I am just burned out on expansive promises that cannot, in all likelihood, be achieved in a 50-50 world. You're right, though: without our dreams, we are lost.
