Rudy Giuliani Return to Candidate Profile Page »

Should the government have a role in expanding access to health care? What, if anything, would you do to restructure the health care system?

America is at a crossroads when it comes to our health care. All Americans want to increase the quality, affordability and portability of health care. Most Republicans believe in free-market solutions to the challenges we face. I believe we can reduce costs and improve the quality of care by increasing competition. We can do it through tax cuts, not tax hikes. We can do it by empowering patients and their doctors, not government bureaucrats. That's the American way to reform health care.

The Social Security system is an important part of our society. Any solution must be reached through a bi-partisan consensus. I would look forward to working with both parties to strengthen Social Security and make the system solvent without raising taxes. There are many ways to achieve this, and I would listen to all suggestions. However, one thing is clear: any solution must not affect current retirees and those soon to retire. Any solution should be structured to have its greatest effect in the distant future when it will be most needed. Many young people today say they do not think that the Social Security system will exist to help them in their retirement. We must gradually and cumulatively address Social Security's problems so that all Americans, young and old, can be confident in planning for their retirement.

America must ensure we keep our promises to those who are retired or near retirement. The Social Security system is an important safety net to protect Americans in their retirement. Any solution must be reached through a bi-partisan consensus. I would look forward to working with both parties to strengthen Social Security and make the system solvent without raising taxes. There are many ways to achieve this, and I would listen to all suggestions. However, one thing is clear: any solution must not affect current retirees and those soon to retire. Any solution should be structured to have its greatest effect in the distant future when it will be most needed. Many young people today say they do not think that the Social Security system will exist to help them in their retirement. We must gradually and cumulatively address Social Securitys problems so that all Americans, young and old, can be confident in planning for their retirement.

Do you support setting a deadline for either a withdrawal or a partial pullback of troops from Iraq? If so, what would be the date of that deadline?

Setting an artificial timetable for withdrawal from Iraq now would be a terrible mistake, because it would only embolden our enemies. Iraq is only one front in the larger war on terror, and failure there would lead to a broader and bloodier regional conflict in the near future. Building an accountable Iraq will assist in reducing the threat of terrorism.

What distinguishes your plan for Iraq from those of the other candidates?

The reality is that you do not achieve peace through weakness and appeasement. Weakness and appeasement should not be a policy of the American government. We should seek a victory in Iraq and in Baghdad, and we should define the victory...The reality is that if we can bring stability to Iraq, and we can give them a chance to develop stability, that's what we should be trying to accomplish. This is part of an overall terrorist war against the United States... This is part of an overall war against us by the terrorists. It's a battle in that war. America should win that battle. And winning that battle is to have an Iraq that helps us against the Islamic terrorists.

What would be your top three national security priorities if you were elected?

The great challenge of our generation is to win the Terrorists' War on Us. We need to stay on offense and address all the immediate threats we face. Our government and international institutions must transform themselves to fight the terrorists. To ensure our victory is permanent we need to work on changing the environment that allows terrorists to prosper. We will work closely with our allies to spread good government, global prosperity and defeat common enemies.

Do you think climate change is caused by human activity? If not, what is your view on the issue? What, if anything, would you do to deal with climate change?

The overwhelming majority of scientists believe there is significant human cause that is making [global warming] worse. America's government, corporations, and individuals must engage in efficiency and conservation efforts that reduce demand for oil, without damaging America's competitiveness worldwide or our standard of living. We need to use more energy-efficient technologies and take personal responsibility for conserving energy. Every gallon of gas and any electricity we do not use is energy we do not import and pollution we reduce.

Should the government have a role in encouraging development of energy-efficient technologies and sustainable energy resources? If yes, how would you do it?

America's government, corporations, and individuals must engage in efficiency and conservation efforts that reduce demand for oil, without damaging America's competitiveness worldwide or our standard of living. [My] administration will track key energy indicators to measure our progress toward energy independence. EnergyStat will continuously monitor and measure a selected set of indicators that are specifically tied to the effective management of initiatives on energy independence and climate change. Expanding America's infrastructure and diversifying its geographic location directly impacts national security, economic stability, and job creation. Key steps include enhancing security, cutting red tape in the regulatory process, investing in a digital 'Smart Grid,' and developing batteries to more effectively store energy.

How do you think the United States should handle illegal immigrants? Do you support President Bush's immigration plan?

Real immigration reform must put security first because border security and homeland security are inseparable in the terrorists' war on us. The first responsibility of the federal government is to protect our citizens by controlling America's borders, while ending illegal immigration and identifying every non-citizen in our nation. We must restore integrity, accountability and the rule of law to our immigration system to regain the faith of the American people.

What are your top three priorities with regard to immigration?

Congress authorized the construction of 700 miles of border fence in 2006 and then appropriated over $1.1 billion for border security. However, Washington has only built a few dozen miles of fence. I will commit to building the fence -- both physical and high-tech -- now, while deploying and maintaining 20,000 Border Patrol agents and measuring their progress toward ending illegal immigration. It is important to accomplish this goal in order to preserve and expand legal immigration. I will propose BorderStat to bring accountability to measuring the progress in securing our borders. It will use key indicators to identify both effective enforcement strategies that demonstrate tangible results and areas of the border where we are failing so the failures can be immediately corrected. I will propose the Secure Authorized Foreign Entry Card (SAFE Card) to be uniform for all non-citizen workers and students, utilizing tamper-proof and biometric features for secure identification. I would also propose consolidating all existing databases into one so a foreigner's legal status can be quickly checked.

Do you support affirmative action? If you do, why do you think it is a benefit to our country? If not, what do you think would be gained by changing or eliminating it?

I believe in hiring the best person or best company irrespective of race, color, creed or sexual orientation... all such decisions are based solely on merits.

Do you agree or disagree with the argument that only the wealthiest Americans are benefiting from the current economic growth? Why or why not?

The economy that we live in now is a global economy. That should be exciting. It's exhilarating. It is a tremendous opportunity for this land of entrepreneurs and risk-takers and wealth-creators and inventors and innovators and just hardworking people. Success in this new century depends on reinvigorating our historic mission with determined leadership that gives hard-working American families confidence their future will be better than their past. In the process, we can strengthen our national security and economic security while building a more peaceful and prosperous world. Lower taxes and the increasing economic productivity create revenue and jobs.

What are the three most important things you would do to promote economic growth and prosperity?

I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending. I will cut taxes and reform the tax code. I will expand America's involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.

If elected, would you balance the budget? If you answered yes, how soon would you do it?

I will make government more honest, accountable, and transparent by making Congress budget more responsibly, like American businesses and taxpayers. Controlling spending must be a chief executive's priority or it doesn't get done.

Would you roll back tax cuts that were supported by the Bush administration?

I've seen how pro-growth policies lead to broader prosperity. We'll not only keep the current tax cuts in place or their equivalent, we'll enact additional tax relief and give the Death Tax the death penalty. High tax rates hurt business and destroy jobs. I know that tax cuts are good for the economy. It's not just theory for me... As President, I will cut taxes further.

Do you support the No Child Left Behind program? Why or why not?

It seems to me the thing that's wrong right at the core of No Child Left Behind is the enforcer of standards should not be the bureaucrat in Washington or on the board of education. It should be the parent. We should have choice. We should empower parents. They should decide -- private school, parochial school, public school, charter school, home school. That will give the parents the kind of control over their children's education. They understand their children better. Why should a government bureaucrat be sending 168,000 children to failing schools when parents think they can do better for their children? I think it's the single biggest civil rights issue that we face in the 21st century.

What changes, if any, would you attempt to implement in national education policy?

We're going to take the decision-making and we're going to put it in the hands of the people who really know the children, really love the children, really care about the children, more than anyone else: the parents. I will establish Federal school voucher programs for disadvantaged students -- similar to the programs in Cleveland, Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. -- that provide options for students trapped in failing schools. I will allow states to use Federal funds to enable the families of special education students to seek out appropriate placement in both public and private schools. I will propose establishing a pilot program to offer scholarships to children of all active-duty military personnel living on or off base to attend private schools or to pay for the costs of attending public schools to which they are not assigned. I will expand charter schooling, equitable treatment for charter schools in funding and facilities, and efforts to ensure that local districts are not the sole chartering authorities.

What is your position on the proposed constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman?

I don't think we need a constitutional amendment at this point. If states begin to establish gay marriage through judicial activism then we should have a constitutional amendment.

What is your position on civil unions between same sex partners?

I clearly believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, although I did support domestic partnerships and still do, [as] a contractual relationship.

Do you support the Roe v. Wade decision or would you like to see this decision overturned? Why or why not?

I hate abortion. I would encourage someone to not take that option. I encourage adoptions. But ultimately, since it is an issue of conscience, I would respect a woman's right to make a different choice. I support the ban on partial-birth abortion. It would be okay to repeal [Roe v. Wade]. Or it would be okay also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent... I think the court has to make that decision, and then the country can deal with it. We're a federalist system of government, and states could make their own decisions.

Should the federal government have a role in seeking an end to poverty? What would you do, specifically, to deal with poverty?

I believe the government should help move people from welfare to work and should provide incentives for a strong economy that will provide jobs. With people who have lost their jobs, we should be helping them. We should help them transition. We shouldn't be helping the way the Democrats want to help them, by looking in the rearview mirror, by trying to go back.

Do you think gun control has an impact on crime rates in the United States?

The best way to deal with gun-related crime is to prosecute the criminals and enforce the laws already on the books. I will make sure that if someone commits a crime with a gun, they will go to prison for the mandatory sentence.

Do you think tighter restrictions should be in place for those buying a firearm?

What I believe is, the Second Amendment gives individual people the right to keep and bear arms. Government can impose reasonable regulation. Generally those reasonable regulations are about criminal background, mental instability.

If elected, would you keep the current ban on funding for embryonic stem cell research in place? Why or why not?

As long as we're not creating life in order to destroy it, as long as we're not having human cloning... there is plenty of opportunity to then use federal funds.

What would be your top three overall priorities if elected?

I will keep America on offense in the terrorists' war on us; end illegal immigration and secure our borders; and restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.