If you believe that Article II of the U.S. Constitution limits the powers of the President, read on...

I have found myself pondering on occasion, not only who I would like the next president to be, but who I would least like to see in that position, of those who are vying for it. This may not be as odd as it seems, since there are more contenders for the second category for me, than the first. But while it would be difficult for me to put my least desirable in order, it is not difficult for me to pick the winner of that category, Rudy Giuliani.

That choice may seem odd to people who know me, given Giuliani's relatively liberal socio-cultural beliefs, at least among Republican presidential candidates. However, in making my decision, I'm considering not only what the candidates may try to do within the realm of their enumerated presidential powers, but also outside that realm. My impression of Giuliani is that there is nothing much he would consider outside the realm of his powers as president, and that scares me. We have already had 7+ years of Cheney and Rumsfeld acting as though they are above the law; we don't need anymore.

I think long time observers of Giuliani as mayor, of all political stripes, will understand my concerns, if not worry about them as much as I do. However, for more eloquent and detailed elaborations of why I feel the way I do, read this TPM Cafe blog post or this Washington Monthly essay. Scary stuff...