RUDY'S MEDICINAL LIE

As a prosecutor, Rudy Giuliani built his reputation on rooting out corruption. As mayor of New York City, he ran a tough, by the books administration. But he also knew how to bend legalities in his favor. At times, his interpretations of the law became almost elastic. Occasionally snapping back at him. For instance, there was a time in his reign when the State government was underfunding the New York City public school system. According to Giuliani, school principals inflated the number of students in attendance in a ploy to get the funding that they needed. He defends their actions by saying "There are different levels of wrong doing". At the core of his argument is that if one does the wrong thing for the right reasons, then it is ok. However, he is reminded by a reporter that in his first term as mayor, he also cut funding to NYC schools. Rudy hastily replies that he cut the funds because the Board of Education refused to be accountable to him. One could surmise that while the Board of Ed was "sent to their room", it was the kids who went without supper. Now Rudy states that this must be viewed in the framework of Accountability vs. Money. His explanation is reminiscent of the famous Abbott and Costello routine of "Who's on First". Tautological arguments and political absurdities will always be played on in local government. However, they take on a different tone when raised to a national level. The concept of "doing the wrong thing for the right reasons" could have dire consequences. When it is applied to religion, war and the national economy, one man's stubborn ideology cannot speak for us all.

See video at http://www.video.google.com/ Search box: Rudy In the Raw (4)