Giuliani said two things today at the Conservative Leadership Conference that lit this blogger up:
First, he said: "I’ll be darned if I’m going to concede that Democrats care more about poor people than we do." This is a message that was awkwardly put by Bush in 2000 as "compassionate conservatism." But what Giuliani is angling at is that conservative/free-market types want to quibble with the idea that a) government can help people more than free individuals can (social entrepreneurship), that the liberals have cornered the market on benevolence in general, and that government programs actually help the poor rather than trap them in poverty. (Besides: it’s easier to be generous with other people’s money.) And if Rudy has in mind compromise measures to aid the poor? They’ll be more about helping them with credits and tax breaks than handouts and new programs. (Note his record in NYC.)
Second, Giuliani said: "They’re moving toward socialized medicine so fast, it’ll make your head spin." And he’s right. They’re doing it at the state level and national level. If they don’t do it incrementally through the expansion of SCHIP (Medicaid), they’ll do it by enacting a single payer system at the national level. Single-payer is codeword for socialized Medicine. I’ve raised my concerns about it here, here and here. It will do nothing but displace the costs of routine care, and make you wait in line for months for a broken leg–all while paying more in taxes. Is that really what we want?
Tar Heel Conservative says
While I applaud Mayor Giuliani’s comments on the war on terror, during the Leadership Conference, I will “NEVER” support him for President. As a person said during one of the conference forums, when the group was discussing Conservatism, “what in the world was Giuliani during here, as he has “never” been a true Conservative”. And most agreed, including me. And then we have a “so called” Conservative Democrat speaking. Conservative Democrat?? What an oxymoron! Especially when his conservative voting record is so dismal. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!!! It seems the Civitas organizers are pushing for Giuliani’s nomination, and for inclusiveness, even when there is very little substance, per Shuler. And that tells me that the Civitas organizers, and leadership are more in line with the Rockefeller “Liberal” Republicans. In other words they are Democrat “lite”. I was “VERY” disappointed to see that trend in the Civitas conference. No wonder people are so apathetic. I hear it over and over, that there is no difference between the two Party’s. As one forum speaker said, we can’t win by being “Democrat lite”. There “must” be a clear difference between the two Parties. And right now I don’t see that clear distinction with the promotion of a Liberal Republican Presidential candidate, and a so called conservative, in name only Democrat. If the Republican Party loses in 08, then the “liberal” Rockefeller Republicans need only look in the mirror for the reason.I will think twice about participating in the conference next year.
Tar Heel Conservative says
I want thank you for not posting my remarks from a few days ago about Giuliani and the Conference. It just reinforces my suspicion that you cannot be trusted to have an open and honest debate. As a Republican activist in my county, and coordinator of the Republican HQ, I will be informing our members of this squelching of open debate. I’m looking for change in the Republican party from the Democrat lite that we’ve had for the past several years. And I was looking to your organization for guidance and leadership. But not anymore. Your decision to not even open issues up for discussion is “very” disappointing.