Giuliani: Man of the people
By Daniel Olson
After much thought and research, I have decided to support Rudy Giuliani in his campaign to be the next American president.
During the recent debates and early primary activities, Giuliani demonstrated his natural ability to address a crowd and relate to all audience members on a more personal level.
Giuliani proposes 12 principles as the major characteristics that set him apart from other GOP candidates. I have chosen a few of these topics as examples because of their importance to me and what I am looking for in a candidate.
Giuliani promises to control government spending and the wasting of our nation's resources. Unlike my perceptions of most candidates, I believe he will keep his promises.
According to his campaign's Web site, as mayor of New York City, Giuliani "reduced or eliminated 23 city taxes while turning an inherited $2.3 billion budget deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus. These reforms helped lead New York City to an era of broad-based growth, with approximately 423,000 new private sector jobs created in eight years, as business returned to the center of city life."
Giuliani's successes as mayor demonstrate his competence with fiscal policy and that his promises are matched with accomplishments.
As mayor, Giuliani began various programs to reduce crime rates. Giuliani's efforts in New York City cut crime rates by 56 percent and murder rates by 66 percent. These drastic changes have now made New York City the safest large city in the United States.
I also firmly support Giuliani's initiative to ensure that the United States is not the only nation that will combat terrorism. It is clear that Hamas, al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are all radical groups that threaten everyone they come in contact with.
These groups use murder and violent displays of torture to instill fear and gain power. It is our responsibility to be the voice for those who are unable to speak out because of their fear and intimidation.
Giuliani's plan for Middle East foreign policy as articulated on his campaign's Web site emphasizes his desire to expand NATO "into a global security organization. The new NATO should dedicate itself to confronting significant threats to the international system, from territorial aggression to terrorism."
America should continue to have a presence in the Middle East to ensure that the basic rights of its citizens are not being violated.
When he was first elected in 1993, Giuliani became the first Republican to become the mayor of New York in a generation. He was then re-elected in 1997 in a city in which Democrats outnumbered Republicans five to one.
His re-election demonstrates that Giuliani's political background does not only appeal to Republicans, but to others as well. Giuliani's fairly liberal social policies allow him to appeal to Independents and even some Democrats.
It is clear that Rudy Giuliani's experiences as mayor have given him a fine background. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Giuliani addressed the people of New York and the United States of America in a manner that demonstrated he was in control.
His eloquent demeanor inspired all that heard him and displayed his natural talent to lead during even the most unfortunate of events.
It is because of his successes in New York that I find him to be the most seasoned statesman of the bunch.
Daniel Olson is a sophomore accounting major.