Posted by
Cal Samuel August on Thursday, April 12, 2007 1:46:34 PM
What's the main issue now, and who seems to be the strongest candidate thus far?
"It's the economy stupid" may have been a catchphrase coined by James Carville and used by the Clinton machine to win the 1992 election, but is it the full equation today? No. A good economy depends on stability and security; in the post 9/11 world we can see how concerns about those issues can really weigh heavily and drag down the most robust of economies. However, the American economy is amazingly resilient as time as shown, and the will of the American people will always be make a comeback even in the worst of times.
As for all the candidates, Rudy seems to be the strongest thus far (I know Hugh Hewitt seems to like Mitt Romney, but I think Rudy is still stronger). Rudy has "it" on the economy front and so far on the security front, though I'd like to know what his policies with the overwhelming illegal-alien situation will be. If he's any bit as tough as he was governing New York, I think he would find the right balance. For his economic views see his Townhall posted article. I think you'll like them:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/RudyGiuliani/2007/04/11/my_four_pillars_of_american_prosperityEven in '92 "It's the economy stupid" was a bit simplistic, and of course, a bit insulting too. In the 2008 election "security" and "economy" will be the major issues. Moral issues will be important too. In the post-Clinton era, let alone post 9/11 I think many Americans are tired of Oval Office bad personal behavior and want a president who will focus on the job at hand, above all. That's why some Americans are questioning Rudy's past social behavior as he presently runs for office. They don't want more Clintonesque shenanigans. But Rudy isn't the only one who has personal morality issues to deal with (especially when we consider how long it took O'Bama to take the law seriously and pay off his parking tickets and the-what many perceive as-the shady past of Mrs. Clinton.) If Rudy was able to handle the overregulation and prune down the strangulating New York City bureaucracy, I think he will be willing to prune Washington bureaucracy as much as possible back to health. In the meantime, economics and security are still his strongest issues. If he wants to keep conservative support he MUST hold to putting forward strict constructionists justices should he get Supreme Court appointments, and of course, keep his head on straight morally. -Cal Samuel August