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Politics

Democrats would wreck economy, Giuliani says

By Associated Pess
Published August 26, 2007

MANCHESTER, N.H. - A Democratic president would raise taxes and ravage the economy, GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Saturday.

The former New York City mayor said he would lower taxes, make permanent President Bush's tax cuts and eliminate inheritance taxes.

"The Democrats believe in government when they have a choice. Republicans believe in people when we have a choice. ... The Republican Party is the party of the people. The Democratic Party is the party of the government," Giuliani said at a town hall meeting. He appeared with former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, who is a campaign adviser, and former Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci.

In his speech, Giuliani paid little attention to his GOP rivals while taking on the Democratic candidates.

"If you've never run anything, you sometimes have unrealistic ideas," he said, noting none of the leading Democratic contenders has served as an executive. "This is not a place for on-the-job training."

Giuliani criticized Democrats who want to repeal Bush's tax cuts. "When it's working, let's change it. That's a brilliant philosophy. It sounds little bit like Iraq," Giuliani said to laughter.

Democrats took issue with Giuliani's approach.

"Rudy Giuliani and the rest of the Republican candidates seem to be the last people in America who think the voters are looking for more of the same failed Bush agenda," said Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee.

Giuliani told his audience that he is the best option to help them have more control over their own money. As part of his standard stump speech, Giuliani routinely reminds voters he cut taxes 23 times.

"New York City's taxes were way too high," Giuliani said. "We were taxing people out of the city. We were making the choice for them."

While Giuliani cut taxes 23 times, his record has come into question.

Giuliani initiated only 15 cuts and opposed one of the largest, accepting it only after a five-month negotiation with the city council. Seven cuts started at the state level. One was initiated by the council.

Edwards on trade

PLYMOUTH, N.H. - With intensity that matched the heat, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards continued his scorching criticism of special interests Saturday in New Hampshire, telling voters his trade policies would work for them, not big corporations.

As temperatures hit the upper 90s, the former senator wondered jokingly whether he actually was in his home state of North Carolina before turning serious.

"The question that has been asked as we negotiate our international trade deals has been: 'Is this good for the profits of big multinational corporations?' That's the wrong question," he said outside an elementary school. "The question should be: 'Is this trade agreement good for working middle-class Americans?' "

Edwards said he will insist that the nation's trade partners meet strict labor and environmental standards and will enact regulations barring other countries from manipulating their currencies.

"And we're going to close down these tax loopholes that actually give incentives to take jobs and go overseas," he said. "This is crazy."

Obama on Republicans

KEY BISCAYNE - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama often says he will be a candidate that will bring both parties together, and Saturday he named a few of the Republicans he would reach out to if elected.

"There are some very capable Republicans who I have a great deal of respect for," Obama said in an interview with the Associated Press. "The opportunities are there to create a more effective relationship between parties."

Among the Republicans he would seek help from are Sens. Richard Lugar of Indiana, John Warner of Virginia and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Obama said.

[Last modified August 25, 2007, 21:27:48]