Changes

On [[education]] Giuliani was a strong advocate of school choice. He created the Charter School Initiative in 1999, which led to creation of 17 new schools by the Fall 2001. His administration offered grants of up to $250,000 to new [[Charter Schools]]. In 1999 he placed $12 million into the budget for parochial [[school vouchers]]. Wanting to reduce school bureaucracy, Giuliani frequently battled [[liberal]]s at the New York City Board of Education.  

On [[education]] Giuliani was a strong advocate of school choice. He created the Charter School Initiative in 1999, which led to creation of 17 new schools by the Fall 2001. His administration offered grants of up to $250,000 to new [[Charter Schools]]. In 1999 he placed $12 million into the budget for parochial [[school vouchers]]. Wanting to reduce school bureaucracy, Giuliani frequently battled [[liberal]]s at the New York City Board of Education.  

===Controversies===

===Controversies===

In 1999 Mayor Giuliani, a devout catholic, threatened to cut off city funding for the [[Brooklyn]] Museum if the museum did not remove a painting of [[Virgin Mary]] next to elephant dung and female genitalia pictures. Although [[Christian]]s supported the mayor's actions, the museum and the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] successfully filed a lawsuit against Giuliani that his actions violated the first amendment. Mayor Giuliani was forced to restore funding.   

In 1999 Mayor Giuliani, a devout catholic, threatened to cut off city funding for the [[Brooklyn]] Museum if the museum did not remove a painting of [[Virgin Mary]] next to elephant dung and female genitalia pictures. Although [[Christian]]s supported the mayor's actions, the museum and the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] successfully filed a lawsuit against Giuliani that his actions violated the first amendment. Mayor Giuliani was forced to restore funding.   

==September 11 Terrorist Attacks==

==September 11 Terrorist Attacks==

On Sept. 10, 2001, Giuliani was known as a crime fighter; his approval rating hovered around 50 percent. He was a [[lame duck]], barred by term limits from seeking re-election, in a city that in any case felt increasingly worn out by eight years of his combative style. And while his supporters talked of a presidential bid, the prospect seemed a long shot for a Republican who supported abortion rights and restrictions on gun sales.  

On Sept. 10, 2001, Giuliani was known as a crime fighter; his approval rating hovered around 50 percent. He was a [[lame duck]], barred by term limits from seeking re-election, in a city that in any case felt increasingly worn out by eight years of his combative style. And while his supporters talked of a presidential bid, the prospect seemed a long shot for a Republican who supported abortion rights and restrictions on gun sales.  

==Political Views==  

==Political Views==  

Rudy Giuliani is known for having liberal positions on social issues such as [[abortion]], [[gun control]] and [[gay rights]], while conservative positions on national defense and fiscal policy.  

Rudy Giuliani supports "responsible" restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on [[partial birth abortion]] – except when the life of the mother is at stake. He holds that he and his fellow Republicans can "respectfully disagree" on this issue.{{fact}} However, In 1997 Giuliani said that then - President [[Bill Clinton]] made the right decision when he vetoed a ban on partial birth abortion. During his 2000 Senate campaign he said that he would "vote to preserve the option for women.” Giuliani has also given six contributions to [[Planned Parenthood]] in the 1990s. The payments, totaling $900, were made in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999. Planned Parenthood is one of the top abortion advocates and abortion providers in the [[United States]].

 

Giuliani supports school vouchers for lower-income students. He is also a supporter of privatizing failing schools.

Giuliani supports "responsible" restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on [[partial birth abortion]] – except when the life of the mother is at stake. However, In 1997 Giuliani said that then - President [[Bill Clinton]] made the right decision when he vetoed a ban on partial birth abortion. During his 2000 Senate campaign he said that he would "vote to preserve the option for women." Giuliani has also given six contributions to [[Planned Parenthood]] in the 1990s. The payments, totaling $900, were made in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999. Planned Parenthood is one of the top abortion advocates and abortion providers in the [[United States]].

Rudy Giuliani supports a large decrease in federal spending and a Balanced Budget Amendment to ensure responsible fiscal management. As New York City mayor, he cut the size of city-funded government bureaucracy by nearly 20% - excluding the number of cops on the street and teachers in the classroom.  

Giuliani has changed his views on guns over time. As mayor of New York, he was a proponent of urban gun control, but, while running for President, has stated that he thinks differently about more mid-west environments. As Mayor of New York, Giuliani became a nationally visible figure in favor of gun control measures, beginning with an appearance on [[Meet the Press]] in late 1993. He was in favor of the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. In 1995, Giuliani called member's of the [[National Rifle Association]] "extremists." And that anti-gun control positions of many Republicans are "terrible for America."  

Giuliani has changed his views on guns over time. As mayor of New York, he was a proponent of urban gun control, but, while running for President, has stated that he thinks differently about more mid-west environments. As Mayor of New York, Giuliani became a nationally visible figure in favor of gun control measures, beginning with an appearance on [[Meet the Press]] in late 1993. He was in favor of the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. In 1995, Giuliani called member's of the [[National Rifle Association]] "extremists." And that anti-gun control positions of many Republicans are "terrible for America."  

Although Rudy Giuliani does not support same-sex marriage, he does support "domestic partnerships" that provide stability for Americans who are in non-traditional relationships.

On February 26, 2007, Giuliani said that he was against any notion of universal health care in America, which would mean a "socialization" of American medicine. "That would be a terrible, terrible mistake. [Solutions] have to be free market solutions. They have to be a competitive system." He wrote an article for the Boston Globe on his official position on health care. In it he stated that taxes should not be raised to provide more health care but instead lowered for "individual empowerment". He talked about the creation of a tax-free Health Savings Account that would allow individuals and small businesses to stock up on health insurance and in effect lower rates.

 

 

Giuliani has supported President [[George W. Bush]]'s tactic of using domestic surveillance.  

===[[Immigration]]===

Giuliani is known as a staunch conservative on national security. He has supported [[President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s tactic of using domestic surveillance and strongly supports completing the mission in [[Iraq]] and hunting for [[terrorists]] and insurgents. Giuliani was described by [[Newsweek]] magazine in January of 2007 as "one of the most consistent cheerleaders for the president’s handling of the war in Iraq."  

Rudy Giuliani's position on illegal immigration has changed over the years. In 1996, he said that "We're never, ever going to be able to totally control immigration in a country that is as large as ours." He went on to say, "If you were to totally control immigration into the United States, you might very well destroy the economy of the United States, because you'd have to inspect everything and everyone in every way possible." As Mayor, Giuliani said that, "There isn’t a mayor or public official in this country that is more strongly pro immigrant than I am. Including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti immigrant legislation about 2 or 3 years ago." In 2007 his rhetoric became more conservative. In February 2007, he told a meeting with California Republicans, "We need a border fence, and a highly technological one."<ref> [http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/giuliani_immigration/2007/09/07/30827.html Rudy: Illegal Immigration Not a Crime], [[NewsMax]], September 7, 2007</ref>

On economic policy, conservative economist [[George Will]] said of Rudy Giuliani's two terms as mayor, "the most successful episode of conservative governance of the last 50 years. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjS-MVp-j9k</ref> He has received praise from fiscal conservatives for his advocacy of lower taxes and less government bureaucracy.    

Giuliani strongly supports completing the mission in [[Iraq]] and hunting for terrorists and insurgents. Giuliani was described by [[Newsweek]] magazine in January of 2007 as "one of the most consistent cheerleaders for the president’s handling of the war in Iraq."

 

Giuliani is known to be a strong [[fiscal conservative]]. He cut taxes 23 times in New York and turned a $2.3 billion budget deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus, while balancing the city’s budget. Because he turned his conservative principles into action, New York City taxpayers saved more than $9 billion in taxes and enjoyed their lowest tax burden in decades, while the economy grew and city government saw its revenues increase from the lower tax rates. [[Club for Growth]], a conservative political action committee which supports lower taxes, school choice and free trade has said that, "it is impossible to ignore Giuliani's overall commitment to a pro-growth philosophy and his executive talent for implementing that philosophy in a hostile political environment."

 

Although Rudy Giuliani does not support same-sex marriage, he does support "domestic partnerships" that provide stability for Americans who are in non-traditional relationships.

==Endorsements for the 2008 Presidential Election==

==Endorsements for the 2008 Presidential Election==

===Hollywood===

===Hollywood===

*Actor [[Adam Sandler]]

*Actor [[Adam Sandler]]

*Actor [[Kelsey Grammer]]

*Actor [[Kelsey Grammer]]

*Actor [[Kevin James]], stand-up comedian who played Doug Heffernan on the [[King of Queens]]

*Comedian [[Kevin James]]

 

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==