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I continue to be a friend to the Giuliani folks, but I thought the campaign was getting too much into the pre-9/11 New York City weeds in recent weeks. Q. Do Republican primary voters care about CompStat? A. Only insofar as you apply it to the challenges of the future. Elections are contests about the future, not the past. And, arguably, the problem with Rudy's resume is that he did such a good job on some of these problems (like crime and welfare) they no longer seem like big challenges worthy of a President's time and attention.
Today, Rudy filled out some of his broad strokes for the future -- his "12 commitments to the American people": 1. I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us.
2. I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation.
3. I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.
4. I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.
5. I will impose accountability on Washington.
6. I will lead America towards energy independence.
7. I will give Americans more control over, and access to, healthcare with affordable and portable free-market solutions.
8. I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.
9. I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.
10. I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
11. I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.
12. I will expand America’s involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world. The critics will blast this for lacking in specifics. But I find this pretty refreshing for being clear and succinct. This is something that can fit on a palm-card, something your backers can easily refer back to when answering the question, "What does he believe?" The voters need to know how each of these candidates will offer a different brand of Republican leadership. Stuff like this, and not long policy papers, is what makes the argument. The details can be fleshed out over time. Rudy effectively has his schedule set for the next twelve weeks; he can devote a week to rolling out each of these components with speeches, policy white papers, web site features, and more.
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