So DU New Yorkers. Was Rudy Giuliani a decent mayor?

[white_wolf]

I know he's a right-wing asshole, but was at least competent? Or was his popularity based solely on how he handled 9/11?

[bettyellen]

1. Nope. He had the police and firemens support as he made them promises

But he went back on all of them- trying to squeeze more work out of them and focus on improving the crime statistics rather than the results- like discouraging reports taken of violent crimes unless they were easily solvable.

He pushed out all the homeless into the suburbs to make Disney happy so they would invest in Times Square.

Only people who hate diversity and want NYC to be just for tourists and rich people like him.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. He sucked. I don't remember much of his term, but...

several things stand out.

One of the first things he did was order the cops to get rid of the squeegee guys. This was a "quality of life" thing because everyone hated the squeegee guys. When you were stopped at the light coming out of a tunnel homeless guys would offer to wash your windshield for a dollar. We were sorta glad to see them go, but not sure of the way they went, Or where they went. This was the start of him not solving a problem, but the visible effects of a problem.

He turned City Hall into an armed fortress. Other Mayors kept it open for New Yorkers, held events on the steps, and the park was a great place to have lunch. Rudy would have none of that and actually built a wall around it. I still remember the day when Ed Koch gave Dolly Parton the keys to the city on those steps, and she surprised us all with a short set because Koch was a country fan. None of that nonsense with Rudy.

Anything happened, Rudy stole the camera. Did they catch a serial killer? The police commissioner and brass stood behind Rudy as he took credit. A big fire or explosion? Same thing-- Rudy took the stage while actual firemen were never seen.

I knew a few cops, and they hated Rudy. One told me that on one New Years Eve he tried to order EMS and other emergency services to keep victims on life support until after midnight so that year's murder numbers would be lower. That time he was told to fuck himself in no uncertain terms.

And secretive? Previously public information was now secret. Nothing was let out but reports his office vetted before publication. News outlets and public interest groups were furious.

He did chase the street hookers over to New Jersey, though, and closed down the cheap whorehouses. Just the cheap ones.

[beachbumbob]

3. He moved the cities emergency response unit into the WTC 7

Last edited Wed Oct 5, 2016, 06:06 AM - Edit history (1)

Not only was a piss poor mayor he was an idiot

[winstars]

4. It was in #7 WTC actually. Just as stupid though...

[JHB]

5. Doesn't matter, still the site of a known terrorist target...

...but a Brooklyn site was too far from City Hall to use the place for some quick nookie-time with his mistress.

[winstars]

11. It matters to those of us who were down there that day...

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Anyone could have done his job during and after 9/11.

Before 9/11 occurred, people were feeling relieved that he was leaving the scene.
9/11 also happened to be mayoral primary day.

His extramarital affairs didn't win him any sympathy, either.

And he polarized the city, race-relations-wise, especially in the matter of a Haitian immigrant named Abner Louima and the torture he endured at the hands of NYPD.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/the-abner-louima-case-10-years-later.

[Orrex]

7. Let's not forget his involvement in the "fat free" frozen yogurt scandal

[C_U_L8R]

8. No he was a jackass

Still is one.
But now he's got that crazy eye thing.
Didn't have that before.
Must have bumped his head on something hard.

[egduj]

9. Why just ask New Yorrkers?

After all, he was America's mayor.

[Johonny]

10. Much like Bush he came into office following an economic downturn and rode through the Clinton boon

He then departed office right as the first Bush recession hit. As we discovered from Bush's Texas governor days, it's not hard to look good when the American economy is soaring. Rudy was never ever able to use that time to get into another position: governor, senate, etc... that tells you something.