Thoughts on Rudy
As the front runner in the race for the Republican Presidential nomination, Rudy Giuliani has the potential to be the first ever president of Italian descent. He would also become the first former mayor of New York City to also be President.
While it is my hope that we someday have firsts for both, I believe it is in America's best interests that it not be this man.
"America's Mayor" rose to fame as a diligent crime fighter. Indeed he was the best since Elliot Ness -- perhaps even better. He won as a Republican in New York based on his crime-fighting history. At the time, New York was in the midst of the crack era coupled with a national recession that hit the northeast particularly hard. The two forces combined to give New York its highest recorded crime rates.
Crime did drop dramatically in New York in the eight years Giuliani was mayor. But here's the thing: it dropped everywhere in America. Giuliani loves to take credit for it, but the fact is the changing dynamics in the country (both on an economic scale and on its dealing with illegal drugs) led to the drop.
Giuliani became "America's Mayor" for his supposed heroic leadership following the events of 9/11. As far as consoling the families of the victims are concerned, yes, he was fantastic. He was also the face everyone saw. Because of this, he came to represent American resolve.
Forgotten was the fact that, despite the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Giuliani insisted on putting the City's communications center in the WTC complex. Also forgotten was all the garbage that had gone on for months regarding his messy divorce -- one that embarrassed the City.
What shouldn't be forgotten, however, was Giuliani's insistence that everything in downtown New York was safe for work by 9/17. In doing so, Giuliani is responsible for placing thousands of lives (including myself -- I returned to work on 9/17) in danger. We of downtown Manhattan breathed lead, asbestos, jet fuel and countless other contaminants for weeks. This was proven later and reported on in the book Fallout: The Environmental Consequences of the World Trade Center Collapse by New York Daily News reporter Juan Gonzalez.
Giuliani chose to open downtown because of a fear that an extended closure of the markets would create havoc on the economy. All that was needed was for a temporary move -- locations such as White Plains, Fort Lee and Stamford could have been perfect. Giuliani, though, followed the same path he always did. He chose the path of stubborn thoughtlessness. Time will tell how all of us who went back there will suffer from this decision.
In these times, with the problems we face, America cannot afford another stubborn president who fails to plan ahead. We don't need another George Bush.
And that is why we can't afford to elect Rudy Giuliani.
While it is my hope that we someday have firsts for both, I believe it is in America's best interests that it not be this man.
"America's Mayor" rose to fame as a diligent crime fighter. Indeed he was the best since Elliot Ness -- perhaps even better. He won as a Republican in New York based on his crime-fighting history. At the time, New York was in the midst of the crack era coupled with a national recession that hit the northeast particularly hard. The two forces combined to give New York its highest recorded crime rates.
Crime did drop dramatically in New York in the eight years Giuliani was mayor. But here's the thing: it dropped everywhere in America. Giuliani loves to take credit for it, but the fact is the changing dynamics in the country (both on an economic scale and on its dealing with illegal drugs) led to the drop.
Giuliani became "America's Mayor" for his supposed heroic leadership following the events of 9/11. As far as consoling the families of the victims are concerned, yes, he was fantastic. He was also the face everyone saw. Because of this, he came to represent American resolve.
Forgotten was the fact that, despite the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Giuliani insisted on putting the City's communications center in the WTC complex. Also forgotten was all the garbage that had gone on for months regarding his messy divorce -- one that embarrassed the City.
What shouldn't be forgotten, however, was Giuliani's insistence that everything in downtown New York was safe for work by 9/17. In doing so, Giuliani is responsible for placing thousands of lives (including myself -- I returned to work on 9/17) in danger. We of downtown Manhattan breathed lead, asbestos, jet fuel and countless other contaminants for weeks. This was proven later and reported on in the book Fallout: The Environmental Consequences of the World Trade Center Collapse by New York Daily News reporter Juan Gonzalez.
Giuliani chose to open downtown because of a fear that an extended closure of the markets would create havoc on the economy. All that was needed was for a temporary move -- locations such as White Plains, Fort Lee and Stamford could have been perfect. Giuliani, though, followed the same path he always did. He chose the path of stubborn thoughtlessness. Time will tell how all of us who went back there will suffer from this decision.
In these times, with the problems we face, America cannot afford another stubborn president who fails to plan ahead. We don't need another George Bush.
And that is why we can't afford to elect Rudy Giuliani.
posted by E-Luv at 1:58 PM
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