Giuliani Campaign Press Release - Giuliani Ad Facts: "Jumpstart"

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "Taxes. Insurance. Housing. All a mess."

BACKGROUND:

DEMOCRATS WANT TO RAISE TAXES

Hillary Clinton's Pledge To Raise Taxes

Clinton Called For "Ending What She Called Mr. Bush's 'Irresponsible' Tax Cuts…" (Russell Berman, "Clinton's Big Tax Hike," The New York Sun, 5/30/07)

Clinton Called For Higher Corporate Tax Rates. "Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Tuesday she might seek to scrap certain corporate tax breaks and subject CEO pay to public scrutiny if elected president in November 2008." (Brian Early, "Clinton Proposes Cutting Corporate Tax Breaks," Reuters, 5/29/07)

At 2007 DNC Winter Meeting Hillary Told Democrats "I Want To Take" Oil Company Profits. "The other day the oil companies reported the highest profits in the history of the world. I want to take those profits and I want to put them into a strategic energy fund that will begin to fund alternative, smart energy. Alternatives and technologies that will begin to actually move us toward the direction of independence." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Remarks At Democrat National Committee Winter Meeting, Washington, DC, 2/2/07)

"Presidential Hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton Outlined A Broad Economic Vision Tuesday, Saying It's Time To Replace An 'On Your Own' Society With One Based On Shared Responsibility And Prosperity." (Holly Ramer, "Clinton Promotes Shared Responsibility," The Associated Press, 5/29/07)

Clinton: "I Prefer A 'We're All In It Together' Society." (Holly Ramer, "Clinton Promotes Shared Responsibility," The Associated Press, 5/29/07)

Clinton: "Fairness Doesn't Just Happen. It Requires The Right Government Policies." (Holly Ramer, "Clinton Promotes Shared Responsibility," The Associated Press, 5/29/07)

Sen. Clinton, On Paying For Her Big Government Health Plan: "That's Going To Mean Taking Money Away From People Who Make Out Really Well Right Now." (Robert Pear, "Candidates Outline Ideas For Universal Health Care," The New York Times, 3/25/07)

Clinton: "I Don't Think There's Any Democrat That Is Not Going To Let The Bush Tax Cuts On The Wealthiest Americans Expire. We're All Going To Do That." (Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, CNN/WMUR/Union Leader Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)

Barack Obama's Pledge To Raise Taxes

Obama Said "People Didn't Need" The Tax Relief And Called For The Lapse Of The 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts. "There is no doubt that the tax system has been skewed, and the Bush tax cuts, people didn't need them and they weren't even asking for them. And that's why they need to be lapsed…." (Sen. Barack Obama, PBS' All-American Presidential Forum, Howard University, Washington, DC, 6/28/07)

Obama Joined Former Sen. John Edwards In Calling For Higher Taxes To Pay For Health Care. "Obama joins former North Carolina Democratic Sen. John Edwards in calling for higher taxes to help fix the nation's health care woes." (Rick Klein, "No Lip Service: Dems Trade Higher Taxes For Social Programs," ABCNews.com, 5/29/07)

Obama Voted In Favor A Budget That Included The Largest Tax Increase In U.S. History. (S.Con.Res.21, CQ Vote #172: Adopted 52-40: R 2 – 40; D 48 – 0; I 2 – 0, 5/17/07; Obama Voted Yea)

INSURANCE RATES RISING

"Since Katrina, The Rising Cost Of (Re)Insurance In Areas With A High Concentration Of Natural Disasters Like Florida Has Led The Public And Their Elected Representatives To Accuse The Industry Of Making Money From People's Misery (See Last Year's Record Profits)." (Mairi MacDonald, "US Cat: State Vs Private – Fed Up?" Reinsurance Magazine, 12/19/07)

"At The Heart Of The Debate Lies The Sunshine State, A State So Badly Affected By Katrina And Wilma In 2005 … The Subsequent Withdrawal Of Insurers From The Market …" (Mairi MacDonald, "US Cat: State Vs Private – Fed Up?" Reinsurance Magazine, 12/19/07)

Florida Insurance Rates Are High Due To Potential For Devastating Storms. "The difference was that the two worst storms, Category 5 hurricanes, struck south of the U.S. this year. Had those two storms hit Florida, the insurance industry might have been faced with the long-expected — and dreaded — storm season with $100 billion in damages. The possibility of such devastating storms will keep Florida's homeowners-insurance rates high." (Anika Myers Palm, "State Still Seen As Catastrophe Magnet," Orlando Sentinel, 11/30/07)

Tightening Credit Market Hurts Insurance Market. "Tightening credit-market conditions also could have been a problem if Florida had been struck by a catastrophic storm. If the state and insurers had needed to borrow money, the cost to borrow $1 billion would have been 12 percent higher in August than it would have been in January, [Robert Hartwig, president and chief economist of the New York-based Insurance Information Institute] said." (Anika Myers Palm, "State Still Seen As Catastrophe Magnet," Orlando Sentinel, 11/30/07)

Insurance Rates In Florida Are Expected To Rise Well Above National Average. "When it comes to homeowner insurance rates, the news still isn't pretty for Florida consumers. Bob Hartwig, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group, said Florida remains the most catastrophe-prone state because of its exposure to hurricanes. For homeowners, that means insurance rates in Florida are well above the national average and they're likely to go higher." (Beatrice E. Garcia, "Expect Insurance Rates To Rise, Expert Warns," The Miami Herald, 11/29/07)

U.S. FACING "SEVERE HOUSING CRISIS"

U.S. Facing "Severe Housing Crisis." "The Bush administration is working to combat the country's severe housing crisis but there is no simple solution, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday, adding that a correction in the housing market is 'inevitable and necessary.' Paulson said the country was facing an unprecedented wave of 1.8 million subprime mortgages that are scheduled to reset to sharply higher rates over the next two years. He said this raised the threat of a market failure and was the reason the administration brokered a deal with the mortgage industry to freeze certain subprime mortgage rates for five years to allow the housing market to recover." (Martin Crutsinger, "Paulson Says There Is No Simple Solution To Housing And Mortgage Crisis," The Associated Press, 1/7/08)

"Contracts To Sell Existing Homes Fell In November And There Could Be Darker Days Ahead For Home Values, Which Are Expected To Post Their Biggest Decline On Record This Quarter As A Full-Year Rebound In Prices Now Isn't Expected Until 2009, According To An Industry Trade Group." (Chris Isidore, "Home Sales Sink, Outlook Darkens," CNNMoney.com, http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/08/news/economy/home_sales/?postversion=2008010810, 1/8/08)

"Analysts Warned Of Continued Calamity In The Ailing U.S. Housing Market." (Alan Zibel, "Nov. Housing Index Falls 2.6 Percent," The Associated Press, 1/9/08)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "But Rudy Giuliani knows how to fix those."

BACKGROUND:

AS PRESIDENT, GIULIANI WILL LOWER TAXES

Giuliani Will Cut Taxes As President. Giuliani: "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 because I cut taxes and got results as Mayor of New York City. As President, I will cut taxes further." (Rudy Giuliani For President Website, www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/5, Accessed 11/19/07)

A President Giuliani Will Permanently Lower Marginal Rates To The Current Level And Possibly Further. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website, www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/5, Accessed 11/19/07)

Giuliani Will Commit To Ending The Death Tax So Wealth Passed On To Future Generations Is Not Subject To This Punitive Tax While Preventing Double Taxation. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website, www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/5, Accessed 11/19/07)

Rudy Will Commit To Preventing The American Public From Facing A $3 Trillion Or More Tax Increase Over The Next 10 Years By Making The Current Tax Provisions – Like The Marriage Penalty Relief And Child Tax Credit – Permanent And Reining In The Growth Of The Alternative Minimum Tax. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website, www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/5, Accessed 11/19/07)

GIULIANI WILL HELP LOWER INSURANCE RATES

Mayor Giuliani: "Every Community In America Must Be Prepared For Natural Disasters And Terrorist Attacks, Which Is Why I Support The Creation Of A National Catastrophe Insurance Fund …" (Rudy Giuliani For President, "Giuliani Campaign Announces The Catastrophe Advisory Committee," Press Release, 1/10/08)

GIULIANI CAN HELP RESTORE HOUSING MARKETS

During Mayor Giuliani's Time In Office, New York's Home Price Index Went Up 63%, Compared To A 53% Increase Nationally. (Standard & Poor's Website, http://www2.standardandpoors.com/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.topic/indices_csmahp/0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html, Accessed 1/10/08)

During The Five Years Prior To Mayor Giuliani's Taking Office, New York's Home Price Index Decreased 9%, Compared To A 6.6% Increase Nationally. (Standard & Poor's Website, http://www2.standardandpoors.com/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.topic/indices_csmahp/0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,0.html, Accessed 1/10/08)

"Giuliani Says The Best Way To Fix The Housing Slump Would Be For Congress To Make Bush's Temporary Tax Cuts Permanent. That Would 'Do Much Much More For The Economy Than A Tailored Bailout,' He Said." (Marilyn Geewax, "Outlining GOP Candidates' Views On Economic Policy," Cox News Service, 12/11/07)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "He reformed welfare before others tried."

Chyron: "Reformed Welfare"

BACKGROUND:

Newt Gingrich Called Giuliani An "Absolute Revolutionary" On Welfare Reform. "[O]ur moral critique — if anything, I feel, in retrospect, I was not bold enough in Washington, DC. Our moral critique of the welfare state is going to accelerate, and the place it's happening is at the state and local governments. I mean, Giuliani, in his real reform of welfare, is in fact, behaving as an absolute revolutionary." (Newt Gingrich, Remarks At Progress And Freedom Foundation Conference, Washington, DC, 1/22/96)

While Washington Was Held Back By Endless Discussion, Giuliani "Raced Ahead" To Create Nation's Most Successful Welfare-To-Work Program. "The Giuliani administration, which created the nation's largest and most successful workfare program among single adults in the Home Relief program, is now extending the work requirement to recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children i.e., single mothers. The program continues the city's ambitious efforts at reform, one based on action. While Washington and Albany talk endlessly … Mayor Giuliani has raced ahead by going back to basics: work." (Editorial, "The Four-Letter Fix For Welfare," Daily News, 3/23/96)

Giuliani Cut Over 640,000 People From City Welfare Rolls To The Lowest Number Since 1966. (City Of New York Human Resources Administration, January 1999 HRA/DSS Fact Sheet; City Of New York Human Resources Administration, December 2001 HRA/DSS Fact Sheet; City Of New York Office Of Operations, Reengineering Municipal Services 1994-2001, p. 111)

58.37% Decrease In Number Of Welfare Recipients, From 1.1 Million In January 1994 To 462,595 In December 2001. (City Of New York Human Resources Administration, January 1999 HRA/DSS Fact Sheet; City Of New York Human Resources Administration, December 2001 HRA/DSS Fact Sheet)

Giuliani Turned Welfare Offices Into Job Centers, Which Made 151,376 Placements In FY 2001. (City Of New York Office Of Operations, Reengineering Municipal Services 1994-2001, p. 111)

New York City's Workfare Program Required 20 Hours/Week Of Able-Bodied Recipients. (City Of New York Office Of Operations, Reengineering Municipal Services 1994-2001, p. 103)

Over 250,000 Total Work Experience Program (WEP) Participants. (City Of New York Office Of Operations, Reengineering Municipal Services 1994-2001, p. 103)

35,599 WEP Participants At Program's Peak In 1999. (Independent Budget Office Of The City Of New York, "Welfare And Work," http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/newsfax/nws61welfareandwork.html, 2/14/05)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "And delivered more tax relief than the other Republicans combined."

Chyron: "Delivered More Tax Relief"

BACKGROUND:

Americans For Tax Reform's Grover Norquist: "In Looking At The Records Of All The Republican Candidates, Yours Clearly Stands Out. … You Are The Most Successful Tax Cutter In Modern New York History And, On Balance, The Most Successful Tax Cutter In The Republican Field Today." (Americans For Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, Letter To Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 12/3/07)

Club For Growth's Pat Toomey: "Rudy Giuliani Accomplished More Cutting Taxes Than Anybody Else In A Very Difficult Environment. I Think That – You Know, I Think We Have Got To Give Him Credit For That Difficult Environment In Which He Did That." (Fox News' "Your World," 10/17/07)

Giuliani Worked With New York City's Democratic City Council To Reduce Taxes 23 Times. Giuliani: "We wanted to reduce taxes and be able to accomplish some of that with the Democratic City Council, overwhelmingly Democratic. We ended up reducing taxes … 23 times successfully …" (Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Interview With WOKQ Radio's Don Brian, Portsmouth, NH, 3/12/07)

Giuliani Tax Cuts Saved Individuals And Businesses In New York Over $9 Billion. (City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1996; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1997; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 1998; City Of New York Executive Budget, Fiscal Year 2002)

By End Of Giuliani's Term, New Yorkers' Tax Burden Was Reduced 19.88%. (New York City Office Of Management And Budget, Monthly Report On Current Economic Conditions; New York City Office Of The Comptroller, FY 2001 CAFR)

Under Mike Huckabee, Arkansas Residents' State Tax Burden Increased 18.75%. (Bureau Of Economic Analysis Website, http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/, Accessed 1/9/08; U.S. Census Bureau Website, http://www.census.gov/govs/www/state.html, Accessed 1/9/08)

Under Mitt Romney, Massachusetts Residents' State Tax Burden Increased 8.17%. (Bureau Of Economic Analysis Website, http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/, Accessed 1/9/08; U.S. Census Bureau Website, http://www.census.gov/govs/www/state.html, Accessed 1/9/08)

Sens. John McCain And Fred Thompson Were Never Executives In A State, City, Municipality, County, Or Other Government, And Thus Could Not Deliver Tax Cuts. (Congressional Biographical Guide Website, bioguide.congress.gov, Accessed 1/9/08)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "Now Rudy will jumpstart our economy with the biggest tax cut in modern history."

Chyron: "Biggest Tax Cut in Modern History"

BACKGROUND:

Americans For Tax Reform President Grover Norquist: Giuliani's Tax Cut Is "The Largest In History." (Americans For Tax Reform, "Rudy Giuliani Tax Cut Plan," Press Release, 1/9/08)

Townhall.Com's Matt Lewis: "According To One Economic Expert I Talked To: '[Giuliani's] Plan Would Be Huge. It Would Be 4% Of GDP. By Comparison, GWB Tax Cut Was 1.3% Of GDP. Reagan's Was 1.9% Of GDP.'" (Matt Lewis, "Rudy's New Tax Plan Unveiled," Townhall.com, http://townhall.com/blog/g/4478b4ef-1344-42e8-8fc6-4c519e681a9a, 1/9/08, Accessed 1/9/08)

U.S. News & World Report's James Pethokoukis: Giuliani's Tax Plan "Would Be The Largest Tax Cut In The History Of The American Republic. Actually, Of Any Republic—Ours, Rome's, Greece's. Just Huge…" (James Pethokoukis, "Giuliani's Shock-and-Awe Tax Plan," U.S. News & World Report's "Capital Commerce" Blog, http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2008/1/10/giulianis-shock-and-awe-tax-plan.html, 1/10/08, Accessed 1/10/08)

Mayor Giuliani's Plan To Cut Taxes Includes Making The Bush Tax Cuts Permanent, Eliminating The Death Tax, Indexing The Alternative Minimum Tax To Inflation With The Goal Of Eliminating It. (Giuliani For President, "Rudy Giuliani Is The Real Fiscal Conservative Running For President," Press Release, 1/9/08)

According To The Congressional Budget Office, Permanently Extending The Bush Tax Cuts Would Save Taxpayers $3.1 Trillion. ("The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Year 2008 To 2017," Congressional Budget Office, 1/07, p. 107)

According To The Congressional Budget Office, Eliminating The Death Tax Would Save Taxpayers $480 Billion. ("The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Year 2008 To 2017," Congressional Budget Office, 1/07, p. 81)

According To The Congressional Budget Office, Indexing The Alternative Minimum Tax To Inflation Would Save Taxpayers $1.1 Trillion. ("The Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update," Congressional Budget Office, 8/07, p. 20-21.)

Giuliani's Tax Plan Will Simplify The Tax Code By Introducing Optional FAST Form. "Mayor Giuliani plans to simplify the tax code by introducing the Fair and Simple Tax (FAST) form. The FAST form gives American taxpayers the option of filling out their taxes on a single page, while cutting the current six brackets in half and preserving the major deductions that Americans depend upon – mortgage interest, charity, state & local taxes, the child tax credit, the personal exemption and the new health care exclusion." (Giuliani For President, "Rudy Giuliani Outlines Plan To Cut Taxes And Reform The Tax Code," Press Release, 1/9/08)

"Rudy's Plan Also Cuts The Corporate Tax Rate From 35% To 25% To Keep America Competitive In The Global Economy." (Giuliani For President, "Rudy Giuliani Outlines Plan To Cut Taxes And Reform The Tax Code," Press Release, 1/9/08)

"In Addition, The Mayor Proposes … Cutting The Capital Gains Tax From 15% To 10% …" (Giuliani For President, "Rudy Giuliani Outlines Plan To Cut Taxes And Reform The Tax Code," Press Release, 1/9/08)

"In Addition, The Mayor's Proposal Eliminates The Double-Taxation Of Personal Saving Accounts, Reinstates The Research And Development Tax Credit And Makes The Current Bush Tax Cuts Permanent." (Giuliani For President, "Rudy Giuliani Outlines Plan To Cut Taxes And Reform The Tax Code," Press Release, 1/9/08)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "Eliminate wasteful spending."

Chyron: "Eliminate Wasteful Spending"

BACKGROUND:

GIULIANI WILL RESTORE FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND CUT WASTEFUL SPENDING

Mayor Giuliani: "All Spending Is Discretionary. Read The Constitution. Congress Has To Appropriate It; The President Has To Sign It. All Spending Is Discretionary And It Has To Be Looked At From The Point Of View Of, Can We Afford It Now? Is It Appropriate To Pass It On To The Next Generation? This Is What I Did In New York City. I Restored Fiscal Discipline …" (Mayor Giuliani, Remarks On His 12 Commitments To The American People, Bedford, NH, 6/12/07)

Giuliani Will End Anonymous Earmarks, Concealed Budgeting, And Special Interests That Waste Taxpayer Dollars Within The Federal Budget. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/2, Accessed 11/19/07)

As President, Giuliani Will Reduce The Federal Civilian Workforce By 20% Through Attrition And Retirement: Within The Next Decade, 42% Of The Federal Civilian Workforce – Some 300,000 Bureaucrats – Will Retire. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/2, Accessed 11/19/07)

A President Giuliani Will Require Agencies To Identify At Least 5% To 20% In Spending Reductions. Requiring agency heads to identify savings and increased efficiencies in each annual budget – as Rudy Giuliani did as Mayor – is a management tool that will lead to constant streamlining and more cost-effective government spending without compromising national security in the search for savings. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/2, Accessed 11/19/07)

Use GAPStat to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Federal Agencies & Eliminate Wasteful Spending. Rudy's plan establishes a Government-wide Accountability Program ["GAPStat"] based on New York's successful CompStat program to better evaluate each agency, analyze the effectiveness of Federal programs, and identify those that are wasteful, failing or duplicative. (Rudy Giuliani For President Website www.joinrudy2008.com/commitment/indepth/2, Accessed 11/19/07)

AD FACT:

Voice Over: "And he's the only candidate who'll fight for a national catastrophe fund to reduce insurance rates."

Chyron: "National Catastrophe Fund"

Chyron: "Lower Insurance Rates"

Mayor Giuliani: "I'm Rudy Giuliani and I approved this message."

BACKGROUND:

MAYOR GIULIANI FULLY SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL CATASTROPHE FUND

Giuliani Supports Catastrophe Fund As A "Federal Backstop." "Giuliani supports one of the top priorities of Crist and other Florida leaders from both parties: creation of a national fund to help cover catastrophic loses from national disasters. The idea is to spread the risk and limit the liability of insurance companies so they can provide more affordable rates. 'You should have a federal backstop for once-in-a-century catastrophes, once-in-a-decade catastrophes, these horrible things that happen,' he said. He said beneficiaries and state and local governments need to absorb some risk. Noting New York's potential vulnerability to hurricanes and the West Coast's susceptibility to earthquakes, Giuliani said such a program would be good for other parts of the country as well as Florida." (Anthony Man, "Giuliani Visits Florida," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 12/7/07)

"Former New York Mayor And GOP Presidential Hopeful Rudy Giuliani Stopped In Tallahassee On [4/4/07], Vowing To Support A National Catastrophe Fund …" (Joe Follick and Lloyd Dunkelberger, "Parliamentarianism Clogs Clarity Quest," The [Lakeland, FL] Ledger, 4/8/07)

"Giuliani Told Legislators While In Tallahassee That He Backs A National Catastrophe Fund To Bail Out States Hit By Disasters, Including Hurricanes, One Of The Top Federal Government Priorities Of Florida Leaders." (William March, "Giuliani Puts Democrats On Defensive," Tampa Tribune, 4/5/07)

Giuliani Said He Thought National Catastrophic Insurance Was A "Very Good Idea." QUESTION: "Can you share your thoughts on a national catastrophic insurance program?" GIULIANI: "I just talked to your Governor about that. Talked to your Governor about it many times. He's explained it to me in great detail. The Attorney General, when he was a candidate, when I supported him, I think it is a very good idea. I think it's a very good idea not just for Florida, it's a very good idea for the whole country. We all need it. You need it for hurricanes, California needs it for earthquakes, somebody else needs it for tornadoes. New York needs it for ice storms and for hurricanes. During the time I was the mayor, my governor, Governor Pataki, had to deal with two really catastrophic ice storms in northern New York. We sent him some help, he did a great job of doing it, but we need that help. The parts of the country that think it only helps Florida, I think are missing all the other natural catastrophes and disasters and maybe they are not hurricanes, but they are all the other things I mentioned." (Mayor Giuliani, Remarks To Florida Legislators, Tallahassee, FL, 4/4/07)

OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES HAVE NOT ENDORSED CATASTROPHE FUND

Romney Wouldn't Fully Support National Catastrophe Fund. "Addressing a question about the impact of high property insurance rates on Florida's economy, Romney said he would like to investigate options for expanding the private insurance market before he supports a national catastrophic insurance fund, an idea endorsed by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. If he were to support a multistate catastrophe fund, Romney said, it should include only states at high risk for natural disasters. 'I do not believe that you're going to hear the nation say we're going have other states subsidize states that are high risk,' he said." (Mike Salinero, "Romney Supports Letting All Cubans Migrate To U.S.," The Tampa Tribune, 11/28/07)

With Little Thought On The Topic, Thompson Was Inclined To Oppose The Plan. "Though he appeared not to have given the topic much thought, Thompson also seemed inclined to oppose a national catastrophe insurance plan that could make property insurance more affordable in states prone to natural disasters, a critical issue in Florida." ("Thompson Sets Off Florida Alarms," Tampa Tribune, 9/20/07)

Huckabee Was "Sympathetic" To Some Homeowners' Plight But Did Not Endorse Fund. "Asked about a national catastrophe fund to ease the property insurance crisis in Florida and other states, [Huckabee] was receptive but said he'd have to see the details. Rebuilding people's beach homes doesn't appeal to him, but, 'I come from a state that's prone to tornadoes and floods. I understand how devastating it can be, so I'm very sympathetic.'" ("State Is Gaining Clout, GOP Told," St. Petersburg Times, 5/20/07)

McCain Wanted To Read More "Of The Fine Print" Before Offering Support Of Catastrophe Fund. "During their private meeting, Crist and McCain discussed the possibility of a national catastrophe fund, about which McCain said he wants to learn more. 'I want to read some of the fine print, but I think that what is being done here is the outline and the model of what needs to be accomplished,' he said." (Dara Kam, "McCain: I Meant To Say 'Judeo-Christian' Values," Palm Beach Post, 10/3/07)

NATIONAL CATASTROPHE FUND WILL REDUCE INSURANCE RATES

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL): "A National Catastrophe Fund Would Not Only Lower Insurance Rates For Our Citizens, It Would Also Use Taxpayers Dollars In The Most Efficient Manner." (Gov. Charlie Crist, Op-Ed, "National Catastrophe Fund Needed Now," [Fort Lauderdale] Sun-Sentinel, 5/14/07)

"[A] National Catastrophe Fund Could Go A Long Way Toward Providing Incentives For More Insurers To Write Policies In Florida, Bringing Competition And The Promise Of Lower Rates Without Putting The State's Finances Any Further On The Hook." (Editorial, "Crist Lobbies Congress," [Fort Lauderdale] Sun-Sentinel, 2/28/07)

National Catastrophe Fund Would Lower Rates By Boosting Competition. "Lastly, the Legislature should strongly back creation by Congress of a national catastrophe fund, to protect insurers from enormous losses and boost rate-lowering competition." (Editorial, "D-Day For The Legislature," Florida Today, 3/5/06)