Giuliani a great leader despite personal flaws
Having recently relocated here from New York City, there are certain issues pertaining to the facts presented in Christian Krautkramer's profile of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani that may not be evident to people outside of New York City (""Giuliani's popularity opens doors,"" Nov. 9). With the exception of one major incident brought to national attention, police brutality has not been a particularly hot-button issue, nor has racial profiling (you may be thinking of the New Jersey Turnpike troopers just over the George Washington Bridge, whose behavior has been nationally chronicled). Relocating homeless and, primarily, mentally ill people out of the frigid winter cold may not be justifiably viewed as ""throwing homeless people in jail."" And Mr. Krautkramer's ""etc."" relating to further criticisms should not be acceptable in editorials when specific facts are warranted.
The article twice mentioned a Senate bid he never undertook. Fund-raising was initiated, but he was never a declared candidate. His diagnosis with prostate cancer only dropped him out of contention for the nomination. Also, Chuck Schumer won the New York Senate seat in 1998, not 1994.
Referring to him as one with ""no experience outside of city politics"" is flat-out wrong. Throughout the 1980s, Giuliani had been a fixture in national politics, serving as the Associate Attorney General (the third highest position in the Department of Justice) and the U.S. Attorney for New York City (making him the most important federal prosecutor in the nation). He may not have been a public figure outside of New York or Washington, D.C., but he was quite visible (and vocal) in New York City and the media for the past 20 years.
Like him or not, one needs only to look at the ""I Hate New York"" cover story in the Sept. 17, 1990, Time Magazine. Plagued by crime and civil unrest, New York City took a 180 degree turn over the last eight years of Giuliani's reign. I know because I lived through it all. He may not be many people's idea of a good person, but he is a great leader.
Wind power a valuable alternative for UW
The answer is truly blowing in the wind'wind power for generating electricity in Madison. It is encouraging to hear that Madison Gas and Electric has recently included wind turbines as a source of energy, shedding some of the dependence on fossil fuels (""Wind power blows into Madison,"" Oct. 23). Wind power is an excellent source of energy because it has no detrimental environmental impacts, never runs out and is not subject to market fluctuations. The turbines symbolize that we are aware of our responsibility to protect the environment and also meet energy needs for the future.
Big Red, Go Green is a campaign working with UW-Madison to make it more environmentally friendly by conserving energy, therefore reducing the amount of hazardous gases and particulate matter emitted by coal-burning power plants. The Big Red, Go Green platform has called for a 7 percent reduction in total energy consumption on campus by 2008 and for more investment in renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power.
With the support of students, faculty, staff and neighbors of UW-Madison, Big Red, Go Green will help increase demand for wind power, making it cheaper for everyone and decreasing the dependence on harmful fossil fuels.
