Rudy Giuliani: the unlikely frontrunner

Andrew Ferguson has written a lively account of Rudy Giuliani on the campaign trail for The Weekly Standard. He makes this interesting observation about the "unlikely frontrunner":

Giuliani is routinely described, in the pundit's shorthand, as a moderate, and Fred Siegel, the Cooper Union scholar, coined the term "immoderate centrism" to describe Giuliani's politics. But watching the mayor lay out his views you begin to see that Siegel's term is only half correct. Giuliani's not a centrist at all. He's that rare politician who's most comfortable staking out positions at the further points of the ideological spectrum, swinging from one end to the other depending on the issue at hand, and passing over the middle altogether. Rather than appeal to the "centre," as his supporters claim, it is just as likely that Giuliani's social liberalism will offend conservatives and his fiscal conservatism will offend liberals.

It's long but well worth a read.

Robbie Millen

Comments

[Eric Dondero]

In other words Rudy Giuliani is a libertarian. He's fiscally conservative/socially tolerant and Pro-Defense -- the PRECISE definition of libertarianism.

Why is the media so afraid to use the term libertarian?

Rudy doesn't fit the traditional Left/Right spectrum.

And PLEASE stop calling him a Moderate. He's anything but.

Eric Dondero, CEO
MainstreamLibertarian.com

[Jonathan Bostwick]

That is a laughable application of the term libertarian.

Libertarians believe in freedom and the rule of law. Giuliani believes in one thing: power.

He only suggests cutting taxes because he thinks it will get him more money in the long run.

Libertarians are opposed to the warfare state, because it is centrally planned, anti-markets, and the death of freedom. Nazis endorse militarism, Communists endorse the draft. Libertarians endorse peaceful cooperation and voluntary relationships.

[Steve LaBianca]

Dondero says "fiscally conservative/socially tolerant and Pro-Defense -- the PRECISE definition of libertarianism." At best, Dondero is characterizing positions of what he believes a libertarian would hold. I would take issue that Giuliani is "Pro-Defense". I believe that Giuliani's position regarding foreign policy is "Pro-Offense", that is support for committing interventionist military actions around the globe. No Dondero, the "precise definition" of libertarianism is one which would include and not violate the non-aggression axiom, that is the prohibition of the initiation of force. All positions on "issues" must adhere to this principle to be characterized as "libertarian".