SCOTT MILLER
News Assistant
Slow and steady wins the race, as the old adage goes. That is certainly the approach that former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has been taking with his possible White House run in 2008. Let’s hope that the adage holds true for Giuliani in the next couple years.
In November, Giuliani created a presidential exploratory committee to “test the waters.” Since then, sources in the Giuliani camp have said that he recently filed a “statement of candidacy” with the Federal Elections Committee, a step that puts him on the same legal level with other Republican hopefuls as Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, and Sen. John McCain (R- Ariz.).
While Giuliani has been met with some criticism from right-wing opponents who say his social platform is far too liberal for the Republican nomination (pro-choice and pro-civil unions), many others recall his leadership after the Sept. 11th attacks of 2001. Proponents also recall Giuliani’s record on crime in New York City, which was one of the most criminal cities in America prior to his being mayor; and became one of the safest cities in the United States by the end of his tenure.
While mayor, Giuliani also cut taxes to the lowest tax burden for New Yorkers in three decades, by eliminating 23 unnecessary city taxes. He also headed a welfare reform program that created job centers, instead of merely granting handouts. This mind set upholds the basic social contract that the United Stated is founded on: for every right, there is a responsibility and duty. Giuliani also managed to increase education spending 50 percent; he created the nation’s largest charter school fund, as well.
This is the kind of action that a presidential candidate needs to have under his resume. While Barack Obama could provide a fresh face to the executive office, he is simply not qualified or experienced enough. The presidency is an office that requires the know-how of a seasoned political veteran. Along with his impressive career in New York, Giuliani also has a long resume of public offices, including Deputy Attorney General and US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. His experience is what will guide the United States out of its international and domestic struggles.
Since the Democratic power coup in Congress, both political parties have been flamboyantly throwing the term “bi-partisan” around like candy at Halloween. If bi-partisan cooperation for the betterment of the United States is what everyone wants, then we should promote and elect a leader who will give that sort of balanced thinking to the most powerful office in the United States.
Let’s elect a man who has proven himself time and again as mayor of New York City, and during one of the United States’ darkest hours on Sept. 11th. Let’s elect “America’s Mayor.”
02-08-2007