The Case for Competence

Jack Kelly doesn't like abortion. Neither do I. As much as Kelly disapproves of abortion, he makes the case for competence over a candidates particular view on abortion in 2008:

I'm against abortion under most circumstances. So why does Rudy Giuliani's firm declaration of support for a procedure I abominate make me more likely to support him for the Republican nomination for president?

I'll be a single issue voter in 2008. If we don't win the war on terror, nothing else will matter very much.

All four of the Republicans who have a realistic chance of winning say the right things about the war on terror. So does George W. Bush. Mr. Bush is an honest, brave, compassionate man whose heart is in the right place. But his head's been somewhere else. The mistakes his administration have made have put our mission in Iraq in serious jeopardy.

After six years of the Bush administration, I yearn for competence in the White House. I want a president who will run the government, instead of being intimidated by his own bureaucracies. I want a president who will appoint competent people to key positions, not the likes of Alberto Gonzales or Michael Brown. I want a president who not only understands what's at stake in the war on terror, but who can communicate those stakes effectively to the American people.

Which is why I'm attracted to Rudy. His two terms as mayor of New York City are a masterpiece of effective conservative governance. As former Rep. Pat Toomey notes: "Despite powerful local obstacles, Giuliani was able to significantly cut taxes; hold spending increases down below the rates of inflation and population growth; overhaul the welfare system; deregulate and privatize many local government services; and join the fight for school choice."

Read the whole thing. Although I'm not 100% convinced that Rudy is the guy, the logic of Kelly's argument is compelling.