"[13] Later that week, in accepting Forbes' endorsement of his own presidential candidacy, Giuliani said that "a flat tax would make a lot of sense".
And I would look to try to regularize the rates and look for some marginal reduction, even beyond what we're doing right now.With regard to Social Security, Giuliani has expressed his opposition to a tax increase but has declined to rule it out.
[16] On July 29, 2007, Giuliani announced his five key health care advisors: Daniel P. Kessler, Scott W. Atlas, David G. Gratzer, Sally C. Pipes, and Donald W.
(Giuliani)[20] In October 2007, he supported President Bush's veto of the augmented State Children's Health Insurance Program.
[27] In his Foreign Affairs article, Giuliani stated that he regards the Islamic Republic of Iran as a nation which "has been determined to attack the international system throughout its entire existence" and has "supported terrorism and murder".
In a December 2007 interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, he suggested that part of the solution to potential anthropogenic forcing of global warming – whilst still maintaining energy security – is an increased reliance on coal-burning power plants, combined with the development and deployment of technologies such as "clean coal" and carbon dioxide geosequestration which could help to make coal less environmentally intensive, and also on nuclear power: I think the best answer to it is energy independence.
[42]Giuliani did not address the fact that coal-generated electricity produces more carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels, and was not asked what specific measures could be taken to reduce the environmental impacts of coal.
His Texas-based law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, is a major lobbyist on behalf of coal-fired power plants and the fossil fuel industry.
Giuliani has a history of taking positions and making statements that are liberal in aspects of social policy, particularly as relating to abortion, gay and lesbian rights, gun control, illegal immigration and school prayer.
Giuliani will fund all city programs which provide abortions to insure that no woman is deprived of her right due to an inability to pay.
[58] He also stated that Bill Clinton made the right decision when he vetoed legislation in 1997 banning intact dilation and extraction, often referred to as "partial birth abortion".
Nonetheless, he praised a 2007 Supreme Court decision upholding a 2003 ban on the procedure,[59] saying that this was because the 2003 law had included "more scientific language protecting the life of the mother.
One such example is that he has advocated the death penalty for terrorists following September 11 and for individuals convicted of killing a police officer in the line of duty.
[66][67][68] The next day, the Board of Education chancellor, Rudy Crew responded with an open letter to the press, deeming Giuliani's comments "destructive" and "reckless."
When the mayor declares that the whole school system should be blown up, he tells 1.1 million children and thousands of parents, teachers and administrators that they are wasting their time.
"[76] As mayor of New York, Giuliani was a proponent of gun control, but, while running for President, has made statements supporting the right to carry concealed weapons.
"[80][81][82] In February 1997 a gunman opened fire from atop the Empire State Building hitting seven people, killing one of these persons.
[78] In a newspaper article, published, March 21, 2000, Giuliani was quoted advocating a mandatory written test for gun owners: "I do not think the government should cut off the right to bear arms.
Giuliani accused gun companies of "deliberately manufacturing many more firearms than can be bought for the legitimate purposes of hunting and law enforcement."
[78] According to Gun Owners of America (GOA), Rudy's position of "Disarming citizens because they live in a high crime area is taking away the most effective means of self-defense from the people who need it most.
GOA further expressed significant concerns that "If Giuliani's gun control agenda was really limited 'only' to big cities, that would be disturbing enough.
and "Since legal immigrants work and pay taxes like American citizens, they should be entitled to temporary assistance when they fall into personal difficulty.
"[107] In 1998, Giuliani argued for expanding Medicare, SSI and foodstamp benefits to legal immigrants and also, "Providing full Medicaid coverage to Prucol aliens with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses"[108] In April 2006, Giuliani went on the record as favoring the US Senate's comprehensive immigration plan which includes a path to citizenship and a guest worker plan.
"[117] Giuliani said that a comprehensive immigration bill would solve the border crises, and noted his record of supporting a pathway to citizenship in the past.
In a July 2005 appearance on Hannity & Colmes, Giuliani stated that having justices appointed with similar views on abortion to his own was "not the critical factor."
But in a February 2007 interview with Hannity, Giuliani said he would nominate Supreme Court justices who are "very similar, if not exactly the same as," John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
[120] On July 17, 2007, at a campaign rally in Iowa, Giuliani stated that he would appoint judges like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia (not mentioning the very slightly less conservative[according to whom?]
[121] For this reform, the Empire State Pride Agenda, an LGBT political advocacy group, hailed this law as establishing "a new national benchmark for domestic partner recognition.
"[123] During his aborted 2000 run for office in the U.S. Senate, Giuliani declared: "The institution of marriage should remain defined as a man and a woman.
[131] Giuliani was invited to the wedding of Howard Koeppel and Mark Hsiao – the gay couple he lived with following his separation from Donna Hanover while Mayor – in Connecticut on May 2, 2009 but did not attend.