I must confess before I go on. If by some miracle, Rudy Giuliani is nominated by the Republican party for president, I will vote for him over any Democrat. Period. But, I do not or can not support him for the GOP nomination.
I am, at best, a nominal supporter of Mitt Romney. I see him as the best of the top tier in the race. Yea, I know it seems like he is suddenly supporting every social conservative cause known to man when as he ran for the senate in 1994 and governor in 2002 in Massachusetts, he ran as a social moderate at best. Has anyone thought that maybe, because he was running in his adopted home state that he would be an absolute loser running as a social conservative? Anyway, back to the point.
I think that Rudy was a great mayor of New York City. For New York City, he was about as conservative as one could be and run a respectable and even twice winning campaign. But he ran three times as a Republican (he lost in 1989 to David Dinkins) for mayor. So, when he won in 1993, what does he do? He endorses, very enthusiastically the reelection of...Mario Cuomo as governor. Yes, that Mario Cuomo, who was Democrat enemy number one in those days. Now, having seen what kind of governor Republican George Pataki was, Mr. Giuliani should not have endorsed anyone in the race in 1994. Yes, I know that Mr. Romney, who was a registered independent at the time and NOT an elected official, gave money to Democrat Paul Tsongas, a fellow Bay Stater but a Democrat, when he was running for president in 1992. But, again, Mr. Romney was not an elected Republican.
Rudy also supports gun control that goes beyond "assault weapons." He supports handgun control. After all, in states that have conceal carry laws, violent crime is lower. Most of those have handguns. He has not spoken much on that issue, but it will be something he will have to come to terms with as the campaign gets into full gear.
Rudy is "pro choice" on abortion. But it is not just that he is "pro choice" but said, as recently as yesterday, that he supports public-read taxpayer-funded abortions. Today, he said he wants to leave it up to the states and he will appoint strict constructionists to the federal courts. If Roe vs. Wade was overturned tomorrow, that is exactly what would happen. It would return the abortion issue to the states and they would get to decide abortion laws. The inconsistency on this issue makes it very hard to get the overwhelming pro life GOP primary voter to get a straight answer on this issue. It is like he is following one William Jefferson Blythe Clinton and trying a little triangulation on abortion. It won't work.
Rudy has not said he will CUT government, but make it run more efficiently. That is when a Republican says that they can run the welfare state more efficiently. When then congressman Newt Gingrich spoke of Sen. Bob Dole as the tax collector for the welfare state, all you have to do is put Mr. Guiliani's name for Mr. Dole.
Where there is agreement and why, if Mr. Guiliani is the GOP presidential nominee, is how he would fight the War Against Terror. He would fight it in the same manner as President Bush. He will go after the terrorists there in the Middle East and where ever they are trying to run there camps and the like.
Here is the thing. I don't think that because, even on the primary issue of the day, Republicans should turn their backs on all Ronald Reagan achieved in transforming the Republican party from moderate welfare staters and internationalist to a conservative, small government, nationalist party. Ronald Reagan was as and more conservative as President Bush (43) and won two national elections in landslides. Mr. Reagan showed by standing by principles, it can be done. The Republican party can not throw all that away in thinking with a moderate GOPer they can keep the White House. History proves that wrong.
That is why I tacitly support Mr. Romney. He actually cut government in blue as blue can get Massachusetts and when the State Supreme Court legislated same-sex marriage, he did all he could to get it on the ballot for the voters to decide. He has come around on abortion, as did Mr. Reagan. After all, Mr. Reagan was the most eloquent defender of life in the secular world. Mr. Reagan was ahead of his time.
But, compared to any Democrat, I would vote for Mr. Guiliani. I will do all I can to see that I won't have to make that choice.
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