Giuliani accuses Dems of wanting "nanny government"

Ferret, originally uploaded by Thelms Eye.

Rudy Giuliani is accusing the Democrats of wanting a nanny government for the United States.

That's rich, coming from the man who as mayor tried to ban ferrets:

It's always worth recapping Giuliani's famous riposte to a ferret owner who called in to the mayor's weekly radio show to protest the city's ban on them as pets: "There is something deranged about you.… The excessive concern you have for ferrets is something you should examine with a therapist.… There is something really, really very sad about you.… This excessive concern with little weasels is a sickness.… You should go consult a psychologist.… Your compulsion about—your excessive concern with it is a sign that there is something wrong in your personality.… You have a sickness, and I know it's hard for you to accept that.… You need help." [Vanity Fair]

Hizzoner even compared legalizing ferrets to legalizing tigers. Someone should ask Giuliani whether he supports his Republican successor's plan to ban unauthorized photo shoots in New York City.

Comments

[mudkitty]

Gulliani doesn't want a nanny state, he wants a Daddy State. As long as he is the absent daddy.

[Eric Dondero]

Who is it nationwide banning smoking in bars and discos and even on public beaches? Democrats like Bill Richardson. (For the record I'm a non-smoker).

Who was it that pushed to ban "offensive mud-flaps" in the Arizona Legislature recently, like the infamous silver big titty girl so common on trucks? Democrats.

Who is it that so passionately supports the 21-year old drinking ages, and is opposed to letting the states decide? Democrats.

Who is it that's pushing speech codes on college campuses nationwide disallowing criticisms of Radical Islam?

The Democrat Part has become the Prude Party. And the Republicans are moving libertarian.

Libertarians for Giuliani at www.mainstreamlibertarian.com

[Cass]

So he has a concern for our mental health- with a mature and compassionate awareness of how difficult some find it to accept his incisive analysis. What's not to admire?

[zuzu]

Oh, Jesus, Libertarians for Giuliani? The same guy who tried to get New York Magazine's bus ads banned because they mentioned Rudy, and who cracked down on bars where people spontaneously danced, because the bars didn't have cabaret licenses? Who tried to get the Brooklyn Museum to shut down an exhibit he didn't like?

Who is it nationwide banning smoking in bars and discos and even on public beaches?

And in New York, it was Bloomberg, a Republican. Who also banned trans fats.

[Cass]

Martial law, everlasting war, Unitary Executive Theory, blah blah blah. Freedom-loving patriots want to know: what are the candidate's postions on mud flaps?

[micheyd]

Forget about Giuliani's overreaching of power, those Democrats want to curb our God-given right to whack off to sexxy mudflaps! Those assholes!

[Bepah Benoweh]

The Democrats don't actually want a nanny state. They just like to talk about solving every problem for every person through government intervention. It doesn't mean that's what they actually end up doing, especially once all the kickbacks and corruption get factored in. Not that the Republicans are any better.

As Bierce said, a conservative is a politician enamored of existing evils, as opposed to the liberal, who wants to replace them with new ones.

[Dock Miles]

Bumper sticker --

Rudy Giuliani: Tranny State, Not Nanny State

[togolosh]

I find Hizzoner's rant hilarious. Is there a non-insane basis for ferret bans? I could see concerns about having them destroy local wildlife, but in a city that allows cats that's an absurd justification.

[Eric Jaffa]

Eric Dondero -

"Republicans are moving libertarian"?

Is Bush saying that he can lock you up for life without a trial (Padilla case) a libertarian view?

Have any Republican presidential candidates criticized Bush for this, as Kerry and Edwards did?

[Cass]

That's an adorable picture, by the way.

[Amanda Marcotte]

What is it with Republican politicians and contempt for people's pet animals? Romney and the shit-smeared dog that's crazy scared, Bill Frist the cat-murderer and now Rudy Giuliani the ferret-hater. Far be it for me to read too much into this situation, but it seems to me that there's a certain cold-hearted contempt for people and our all-too-human affections radiating out of these politicians.

[Amanda Marcotte]

Of course, ferrets are kind of gross. Still, banning them is excessive.

[shrimplate]

If I were a ferret I'd switch to the Republican party and run as a presidential candidate against Giuliani.

I think a ferret has at least as good a chance as "none of the above" to knock Giuliani out of the primaries.

[me2i81]

Smoking in public places is not a "nanny" issue. It's an issue of someone fouling the air that other people breathe. I'd think a libertarian would understand that.

As for the drinking age, that was passed in 1984, signed by Ronald Reagan. William Rehnquist wrote the majority opinion for the Supreme Court upholding it. The main push behind that was neither Democrats nor Republicans, it was MADD.

[Bagman]

He's just jealous because he can't get a $400 haircut. Because he has no hair. Ha!

Nice marmot.

What is he now? A freakin' park ranger?

[Michael Hussey]

Rudy Giuliani has a nasty habit of questioning the mental state of callers on his radio show. This Youtube video has Giuliani attacking a man with Parkinson's disease.

Giuliani: (laughing) Hey John. What kind of hole are you in there? It sounds like you are in a little hole. John. (laughing) Are you okay? You're breathing funny.

John: No, I'm not. I'm sick and you cut me off my food stamps and Medicaid several times. I guess you don't give a damn about that, either. Do you?

Giuliani: There's something really wrong with you, John. There really is. Why don't you stay on the line. We'll take your name and number and send you psychiatric help.

[Sean C]

I'd rather have a ferret run for president than a weasel. Or a rat. Though I have to admit Rudy does look rather domestic in his nanny outfit.

[The Phantom]

zuzu

Bloomberg was never a real Republican for a day in his life.

He switched parties for tactical reasons and Republicans voted for him for tactical reasons.

Your man was a Democrat in Republican disguise.

Really good mayor across the board, and he did save us all from a Mark Green administration, so give him that.

[me]

Sorry, so Rudy wants to be America's Nanny?

"The Democrats don't actually want a nanny state."
Well the Republicans certainly do. A corporate nanny state, with wingnut welfare for all (their minions).

"They just like to talk about solving every problem for every person through government intervention. It doesn't mean that's what they actually end up doing, especially once all the kickbacks and corruption get factored in."
To put it another way, the GOP listens carefully to its base, then persuades/bullies/brow beats them round to its chosen position, whilst the Dems listen to those who accept leftist narratives. And those who accept GOP narratives. And all the corporate supported pundits and soothsayers. They tend to ignore "non-mainstream" narratives, which is understandable because so many of them are BS (911 "truth", anyone?) Then they try to keep them all happy in the easiest way. What would you do differently?

"Not that the Republicans are any better."
Oh come ON! They are far worse. Do you read the blogs or just comment on them?

"As Bierce said, a conservative is a politician enamored of existing evils, as opposed to the liberal, who wants to replace them with new ones."
As opposed to a libertarian, who smokes dope, says "meh?" and gets steamrollered. And then gets REALLY ANGRY about all those Democrats and Republicans. Don't vote! Or vote Green! Or vote Libertarian! Same shit till we have a representative voting system.

[me]

Sorry, so Rudy wants to be America's Nanny?

"The Democrats don't actually want a nanny state."
Well the Republicans certainly do. A corporate nanny state, with wingnut welfare for all (their minions).

"They just like to talk about solving every problem for every person through government intervention. It doesn't mean that's what they actually end up doing, especially once all the kickbacks and corruption get factored in."
To put it another way, the GOP listens carefully to its base, then persuades/bullies/brow beats them round to its chosen position, whilst the Dems listen to those who accept leftist narratives. And those who accept GOP narratives. And all the corporate supported pundits and soothsayers. They tend to ignore "non-mainstream" narratives, which is understandable because so many of them are BS (911 "truth", anyone?) Then they try to keep them all happy in the easiest way. What would you do differently?

"Not that the Republicans are any better."
Oh come ON! They are far worse. Do you read the blogs or just comment on them?

"As Bierce said, a conservative is a politician enamored of existing evils, as opposed to the liberal, who wants to replace them with new ones."
As opposed to a libertarian, who smokes dope, says "meh?" and gets steamrollered. And then gets REALLY ANGRY about all those Democrats and Republicans. Don't vote! Or vote Green! Or vote Libertarian! Same shit till we have a representative voting system.

[mudkitty]

That was actually funny.

[cfrost]

As long as we’re quoting Bierce here (From the Enlarged Devil’s Dictionary edited by E.J. Hopkins.) –

Libertarian, n. One who is compelled by the evidence to believe in free-will, and whose will is therefore free to reject that doctrine.

Bierce even had a word to say about ferrets:
Polecat, n. A small European animal that is kind enough to lend the name to the American tongue as a euphemism for that of the native skunk. Like the skunk however, it makes music for the deaf when kicked.

Similarly, Giuliani makes a stink whenever he opens his yap.

[voxpopuli]

what they'd actually like to do is ban any kind of pics and video --- it's how we burn them and hold them accountable.
rudy calls us losers one more time i'm going to blog him under the mat every day.
you know there are americans and then there are democrats. Truman's Conscience

[Poilu]

Smoking in public places is not a "nanny" issue. It's an issue of someone fouling the air that other people breathe. ...

Not necessarily, at all. With proper ventilation and sensible situation (and separation) of smoking and non-smoking areas, the alleged problem needn't exist! These public smoking bans are merely examples of extreme "black-and-white thinking".

Having been recently subjected to such a statewide ban in New Jersey (under Democratic leadership), my take can only logically be, "WHOEVER is behind the Nannyism, I'm against it." And Democratic New Jersey currently has MORE than its share of nit-picky intrusions into what are essentially private decisions.

However, the notion of "Libertarians for Giuliani" strikes me as WAY too similar to a facetious "Jews for Hitler". That GOP critter is downright creepy! (Although, come to think of it, few of them aren't nowadays.)