Low Expectations
July 8th, 2006The Federal Budget deficit is said to be coming down to less than three hundred billion dollars, and Republicans are declaring mission accomplished. It is a vindication of supply side economics and tax cuts, they say. I answer with, that is what’s considered in the GOP to be a success? Excuse me for not leaping in glee, but we should’ve never been in this deficit position, and we shouldn’t even be this far in the red. It’s just ridiculous, and irresponsible to boot.
Bob Novak had an interesting report this morning about Rudy Giuliani, the incompetent and sleazy former Mayor of New York whose goal is to ride 9/11 to the White House.
Well-connected public figures report that they have been told recently by Rudolph Giuliani that, as of now, he intends to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. The former mayor of New York was on top of last month’s national Gallup poll measuring presidential preferences by registered Republicans, with 29 percent. Sen. John McCain’s 24 percent was second, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich third at 8 percent. National polls all year have shown Giuliani running either first or second to McCain, with the rest of the presidential possibilities far behind. Republican insiders respond to these numbers by saying rank-and-file GOP voters will abandon Giuliani once they realize his position on abortion, gay rights and gun control. Party strategists calculate that if he actually runs, he must change on at least one of these issues.
There you go, folks. Giuliani intends to run, and Republicans think he’ll have to reverse one of his heartfelt convictions to be President. I don’t know if that says more about the GOP strategists’ low opinion of Republican voters — they’re willing to accept not just a flip-flopper, but a flip-flopper who only flips on a position, but doesn’t flop on the others?! — or about Giuliani, if he does switch opinions. Color me cynical and call me a meanie, but I can totally see Giuliani changing his mind about things that he’s stood for forever. That’s just the type of man he is.