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 Reaganite Rudy’s Faulty MemoryPosted on Jun 7, 2007By Joe Conason The only way for Rudolph Giuliani to protect his status as the Republican Party’s leading presidential aspirant is to distract his party’s primary voters from the long list of issues that divide them from him. So he constantly seeks to balance his moderate record on abortion, homosexual rights, gun control and immigration, which the Republican base abhors, with his authoritarian style and his grim enthusiasm for war, which the base admires. But the war in Iraq is increasingly unpopular, so lately Giuliani is talking more about supply-side economics—and about Hillary Rodham Clinton, who irritates Republicans almost as much as taxes. During a campaign visit to California’s Silicon Valley on May 30, he resorted to familiar rhetoric in attacking his old rival. What prompted Giuliani to pounce was Sen. Clinton’s forthright declaration that she would, if elected, roll back some of the Bush administration’s tax cuts for the richest Americans. “This would be an astounding, staggering tax increase,” he said at a fund-raiser that included technology executives and lobbyists. “She wants to go back to the 1990s. ... It would hurt our economy. It would hurt this area dramatically. That kind of tax increase would see a decline in your venture capital. It would see a decline in your ability to focus on new technology.” Once again, Giuliani’s memory seems to be failing, as it did when he claimed that Ronald Reagan had stared down the Iranian mullahs (rather than secretly selling them missiles and giving them cakes). His mayoralty, which lasted from 1994 through 2001, closely coincided with the strongest decade of economic growth in American history. He should remember those fat times, because the city advanced smartly along with the rest of the nation. In fact, if he tries hard enough, he might even recall that those years of peace and prosperity began with a bitter debate over taxes, when President Clinton was seeking to enact his first federal budget in 1993. Upon entering the Oval Office, Clinton found to his dismayed surprise that his “fiscally conservative” predecessor had left a $290-billion deficit. He responded by imposing substantial tax increases on the top 1 percent of taxpayers and omitting the “middle-class tax cut” he had promised in his campaign. That measure passed by a single vote in the Senate, cast by Vice President Al Gore. Predictably, the Republican right threw a screaming tantrum, falsely describing the tax increase as the “largest in history” (that honor actually belonged to Reagan) and warning that it would result in a severe recession or worse. Conservative politicians and pundits unanimously predicted that higher taxes would mean fewer jobs and larger deficits. They were resoundingly wrong, of course. Within a few years after the ’93 tax hike, we were enjoying full employment, shrinking poverty, rising household incomes at all levels, greater home ownership—and the prospect of a gigantic federal surplus. Now it is true that the biggest opportunities for Giuliani to enrich himself (and start worrying about the top tax rate) arrived in the years after he left office. As a security consultant, book author, investment rainmaker and corporate lawyer, he has reportedly earned many millions of dollars. He commands more than $50,000 for every inspiring speech he delivers about the leadership he displayed on 9/11, a sum that annoys heroic firefighters whose opinion of him has soured. But for the rest of America, the ’90s were better than the years since the millennium. Under President George W. Bush, another economic Reaganite who cut taxes for the wealthy, wages have stagnated along with family incomes, while the income gap has grown—all thanks to the policies advocated by Giuliani. He promoted those trends early on as mayor, when privatization began to drive down wages among the city’s lowest-paid workers, causing family incomes to drop and poverty to rise. Out in Silicon Valley, he bragged about his economic record. “The way I paid for preparing the New York City budget was by lowering taxes. I was collecting billions of dollars more from the lower taxes than from the higher taxes,” he claimed. “You can make money by lowering taxes.” That is exactly what Republicans love to hear: It’s their version of a free lunch. He forgot to mention what happened later, however. When he departed City Hall, he left on his desk a gaping deficit of nearly $4 billion, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg had no choice but to raise taxes. Perhaps Rudy Giuliani really would be better off talking about handgun bans and gay marriage. Joe Conason writes for the New York Observer. © 2007 Creators Syndicate Inc. SHARE THIS TRUTHDIG ARTICLE:
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Confronting the Terrorist Within
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Jump to Comments
By Dan Uu Noel, June 13, 2007 at 4:32 pm #
As Giuliani’s candidacy gains steam, the 9/11 events will come back to view, and the mainsteam media may find it difficult to keep covering a few puzzling mysteries, some of which could put Giuliani’s memory to a much more serious challenge than his flip-flops on fiscal and sexual issues.
Report thisBy Janus, June 13, 2007 at 10:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Just one of the row of clowns--except Ron Paul--who is trying to out-Rambo Rambo. He is just the man for our quasi-fascist Plutocracy.
Report thisBy louis stroud, June 10, 2007 at 6:05 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
no wonder fred thompson sounds so good, he is an actor, their job is to convince you that no is yes, and yes is no, in other words they lie to you like rudy does and try to convince you of something wonderful, to a mushroom.
Report thisBy In the debate Rudy supported a FREE PRESS -- WTF?, June 9, 2007 at 12:13 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Rigged Debates And Jailed Reporters
After the recent Republican presidential debate, CNN executives evidently manipulated internal political polls, made it difficult for the public to find information on the real ‘winner’--small-government conservative Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex), according to widespread Internet results.” Here’s the evidence:
“- GOP candidates were seated so that the ‘first tier’ candidates had center stage.
“- Second tier candidates received, in some cases, only half as much time as first tier candidates.
“- CNN moderators stated continuously that ‘all’ would have a chance to answer every question, but then ran out of time before these promises could be kept.
“- After the debate, behavior that seemed to marginalize certain candidates--especially Ron Paul--was just as obvious.
“- CNN anchors spent a good deal of time interviewing ‘major’ candidates, but far less time with increasingly popular ‘second tier’ candidates. The fervent support of some second-tier candidates on the ‘Net--especially free-market proponent Ron Paul--is a major news story, but one that CNN virtually ignored.
“-CNN put up a ‘visual’ after the debate but then promptly pulled it. At the time it was pulled, it apparently showed candidate Ron Paul (R-Tex) winning the debate by a significant majority.
“-Later, CNN put up a web-based comments page about the debate but took that down, as well. The ‘vanished’ comment page has been posted at several alternative news websites. It features numerous positive comments about Ron Paul’s performance.
“-CNN has also seemingly made it fairly difficult to find its web-based GOP Poll on the debate’s winner. Once again, Ron Paul is firmly entrenched as the leader, and in several other Internet polls as well.”
Posted Jun 9, 2007 07:52 AM PST
Category: MAINSTREAM MEDIA
“The Presidency is far too important to leave it up to the %$#@% voters!”—ABCNNBBCBS
Report thisBy Skruff, June 9, 2007 at 5:12 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
76332 by Giuliani has no chance on 6/08 at 9:31 am)
“The reporter, Matt Lepacek, had a valid press pass issued by CNN. Rudolph Giulianis Press Secretary pointed at Mr. Lepacek, after refusing to answer any questions posed. New Hampshire State Troopers then removed Mr. Lepacek and charged him with criminal trespassing
This is a frequent occurance. One woman was removed from the Bangor Mall because she was wearing an “offencive tee-shirt” She was also charged with “criminal tresspass”
The tee shirt had only one word printed on it;
“PEACE”
Report thisBy Leftwing gatekeepers like to talk about Rudy, June 8, 2007 at 6:59 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
...so that they can direct the conversation away from Ron Paul. RP is winning every poll. Rudy & McCain are dodging the Iowa straw poll because they know they cannot win against Ron Paul. Ron Paul is supported by everyday Americans, not the mainstream media, which is starting to commit outright lies about him.
Truthdig, where’s your voice?
Report thisBy Pablo, June 8, 2007 at 12:03 pm #
Does Rudy remember his taste for womans clothes?
If he stays in the race, someone will be sure to remind him.
Report thisBy Michael Boldin, June 8, 2007 at 11:07 am #
This Giuliani character is the biggest fraud in politics - in my opinion. And that’s no small feat obviously!
He runs as a republican, but he’s obviously no conservative. He acts like a “hero” of 9-11, but the reality of that is quite different too.
Some interesting reading on this:
“Giuliani vs. the Firefighters”
Report thishttp://www.populistamerica.com/giuliani_vs_the_firefighters
By THOMAS BILLIS, June 8, 2007 at 10:08 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Joe at least the New York media will try to keep Rudi accurate not an easy task.Rudi constantly forgets to mention that the reason a bald middle aged man was running around the streets on 911 is that he insisted the communications be placed in the World Trade Center rather than be underground in Brooklyn where it is today.This after the World Trade Center had already been hit.You forget to mention that not one Republican voted for that tax raise in 93 but the republicans wanted all the credit for the prosperity that ensued.Keep Rudi honest Joe.I know you will get least sleep but it is worth it.
Report thisBy Giuliani has no chance, June 8, 2007 at 9:31 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Infowars’ Matt Lepacek arrested after GOP debate
The reporter, Matt Lepacek, had a valid press pass issued by CNN. Rudolph Giuliani’s Press Secretary pointed at Mr. Lepacek, after refusing to answer any questions posed. New Hampshire State Troopers then removed Mr. Lepacek and charged him with “criminal trespassing” although there was no trespassing, and no crime occurred. This is clearly documented on the video feed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOerYpJse30
Go to This YouTube video of Rudy Giuliani telling Peter Jennings that he was warned that the World Trade Towers were going to collapse. Rudy makes this admission about 1:05 into the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKHLok-RVNw&mode=re lated&search;Rudy cannot explain how or why he received an advance warning that the towers were going to collapse, and more to the point why the firefighters inside the towers were not given that same warning and given a chance to evacuate. So, Rudy has started telling everyone that he did NOT receive any early warning, and any reporters who show up with the tape of his comments to Peter Jennings is dealt with harshly.
If he acts this way as a candidate, he will act this way as President.
Report thisBy anonymous, June 8, 2007 at 7:04 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
...or “dolph”.
Report thisBy anonymous, June 8, 2007 at 7:02 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Never trust a fascist whose name ends with “dolf”.
Report thisBy mark jensen, June 8, 2007 at 6:57 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
if there are people that will believe your lies then lie, why not. how does one stay sane when their life is built on lies? doesn’t matter, they do it, they win, we suffer.
Report thisBy Skruff, June 8, 2007 at 6:10 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
“We the people” would do well if we never again elected a public prosecutor to the presidency. The brain that makes one good at prosecuting criminals has an aversion to free and open conversation, and equal exchange of ideas.
One of the ways Rudy raised money in New York was to give Times Square to Disney This in turn pushed lower and middle income folks out of the Clinton neighborhood (Clinton borders Times Square uptown and west)which the city took (emminent domain)and resold to developers.
A dictatorship is a much more efficant form of government, but only comfortable for the dictator.
Report thisBy KISS, June 8, 2007 at 4:28 am #
And than there is the goon squad he has that harass CNN reporters and have them arrested when the questions they ask are too controversial and catch him in lying. Ask Alex Jones, he was there.
Report thisLike Bush, Giuliani has lapses of memory when convenient. His handling of 9/11 was so overblown and as the truth comes out we find he was no better than Brown with Hurricane Katrina. This guy is as phony as a pair of Hong Cong Nike’s.
By DennisD, June 7, 2007 at 6:59 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Way to go Rudy, compare yourself to Ronbo, as if our deficit and national debt aren’t big enough already.
Report thisI can’t wait for my Rudyomics course to come in the mail in it’s customary brown paper wrapper. The rhetorical question of the day is, are the American voters dumb enough to buy into this bullshit again? I think i just scared myself with the answer.