Giuliani touts fiscal conservatism, tough immigration policy in Iowa

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By Jens Manuel Krogstad, WATERLOO COURIER | Friday, November 09, 2007 |

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani on Thursday trumpeted his fiscal conservatism and tough immigration policy at a campaign stop on the University of Northern Iowa campus.

In decrying too much spending, taxes, regulation and litigation, Giuliani talked like a candidate in a general election: He criticized his Democratic rivals for proposals to raise taxes and increase spending, and attacked Hillary Clinton on health care.

“You vote for the Democrat, you vote for higher taxes,” he said. “We’ll keep the tax rates low like they are right now, then we’ll lower them even more.”

He said Democratic presidential candidates have proposed increasing the income tax rate for the highest earners, nearly doubling the capital gains tax and keeping the inheritance tax intact.

Democratic proposals on the income and capital gains tax would affect only high income individuals. For example, John Edwards’ proposed capital gains tax increase targets people earning at least $250,000 per year.

Giuliani’s proposals to lower taxes to spur economic growth resonated with Roger Pease, 77, of Cedar Falls. He’s a lifelong Republican who served under President Reagan in the transportation department.

In explaining his support for Giuliani, Pease said he’s already looking forward to the general election.

“He’s the only person who can win in a general election,” he said. “That’s the main thing you need to look at.”

In fact, Giuliani may have won over a couple of Democrats on Thursday — but only if Hillary Clinton wins the nomination.

Kurt and Shelby Wiethorn of Cedar Falls said they plan on caucusing for either Edwards or Barack Obama. But if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, they said they’ll probably vote Republican.

“I do not want Hillary Clinton in the White House,” said Kurt Wiethorn, a retired middle school principal.

“She’s just a power-driven shrew,” his wife chimed in.

In case of a Clinton presidential run, both said they’re now leaning towards Giuliani because they believe he has the best chance to beat her.

Kurt Wiethorn said he liked the former New York City mayor’s enforcement-based immigration stance and health care policy.

Giuliani said he would give families a $15,000 health care tax credit and $7,500 for individuals, and also provide a health savings account.

But the Wiethorns said they were concerned that Giuliani didn’t directly answer an audience member’s question on what he would do with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States after he seals the border.

Giuliani didn’t address the issue in detail. He said he would first worry about securing the border through more border patrol and technology, and by issuing tamper-proof identification cards.

(The Waterloo Courier is a Lee Enterprises newspaper.)

Jens Manuel Krogstad can be contacted at (319) 291-1580 or

jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.