Posted on 10/06/2005 10:18:56 PM PDT by Ol' Sparky
Miers' time on Dallas City Council provides some insight
BY DAVE LEVINTHAL
The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS - (KRT) - She may have no judicial record, but Supreme Court justice nominee Harriet Miers took firm stances on issues ranging from taxation to democratic reforms abroad as a one-term member of the Dallas City Council, a Dallas Morning News study of city records indicates.
For example, in 1991, Miers voted in favor of a council resolution reaffirming economic sanctions Dallas had imposed against South Africa, then under a white minority-rule apartheid government. The council adopted the resolution by a 6-2 vote with three absences.
At the time, President George H.W. Bush was considering repealing federal economic sanctions against the country.
A 1989 city ordinance prohibited Dallas government from buying goods that originated in South Africa or conducting business with firms that sold goods or services there for use by the police, military or prison system.
"As she goes through this nomination process, something like that should cheer the liberals and lead to gnashing of teeth among the very conservative social conservative," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, Miers' alma mater. "Hers was the appropriate moderate Republican position of the day, but beating up on South Africa wasn't a way to win friends with conservatives."
It was one of several council votes that will be scrutinized as her court nomination moves forward. She served between June 1989 and November 1991.
Miers was one of 10 Dallas council members to unanimously approve a 1989 agenda item that revised minimum height, weight and vision requirements for Dallas firefighters to facilitate "promotion of certain ranks in the Fire Department," particularly women.
The agenda item's title: "Implementation of Fire Department Affirmative Action Plan."
In one of her first meetings as a council member, Miers sponsored a resolution "recognizing democratic aspirations of students and civilian population in Beijing, China." The council ratified the resolution 10-1.
"It's important for the city to let those people know we realize what they're going through," Miers said at the time, a few weeks after the Chinese government violently quashed pro-democracy rallies centered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Records from council meetings during her tenure also indicate that she:
_Voted for a 1990 resolution requesting that Congress "pass legislation which would prohibit judicial taxation of local governments." The council unanimously adopted the resolution, which came at a time when courts in some places had seized control of floundering school districts and administered taxes. "This is a position that would be almost universally accepted by Republicans," Jillson said.
_Abstained from an otherwise unanimously adopted 1990 resolution urging Congress to pass legislation bolstering AIDS emergency treatment programs and provide funding to local governments for such programs. Before the vote, Miers said she had a conflict of interest, although no record detailing that conflict was available.
_Voted to ratify a 1990 resolution urging the governor to call a special session of the Texas State Legislature and consider a bill that aimed to limit state power and return regulatory jurisdiction over pawnshops to municipalities. The council ratified the resolution by an 8-2-1 vote.
_Voted in 1989 to levy property taxes on "business personal property temporarily located within the state." The agenda item passed 10-1, but the record indicates Miers directed Dallas' city manager to search for alternate revenue streams so that the tax could be repealed in 1991.
_Was absent when the council in 1990 unanimously resolved to install City of Dallas and U.S. flags within all municipal parks.
_Was absent in 1991 when the council formally urged Congress to pass the Brady Bill, which limited gun accessibility. The council adopted the resolution unanimously.
_Voted in 1991 to ratify a resolution urging the Texas State Legislature to observe the Rev. Martin Luther King's birthday as a state holiday. The council unanimously ratified the resolution.
_Voted in 1991 to ratify a resolution supporting passage of the federal North American Free Trade Agreement. The council ratified the resolution by a 7-2-2 vote.
_Voted in 1991 in favor of a resolution urging Congress to approve a presidential request for "fast track" trade negotiation authority. The resolution passed 5-2-3.
_Abstained from voting on a resolution urging Congress to allow toll road development along interstate highway right-of-ways. Records did not indicate why Miers abstained; the resolution passed by a 6-1 vote with three absences and an abstention.
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Another really sad part about 'lowering standards' for women,,,is that it trivializes, minimizes, dilutes the accomplishments/status of those women that actually MET the previous higher standards!!! How sad.
I be shufflin - see? I be a-shufflin..
Don' hit me, Maam! I be a-shufflin along now.
"I'm not playing your stupid baiting game. "
Nice technique.
I see you haven't answered my question in post #92, either.
Try to call somebody a liar, and when they question you on it, act like you're above this pesky little game - you know, the one you started.
The great thing about this thread is it really illustrates the kind of person you choose to be. I thought about hitting the abuse button on your posts where you falsely accused me of being a liar, because it is rather insulting, but I want to leave them here, for everyone to see just how you operate.
Dang, girl!!! You ain't a house servant!!! Git back in the field where you belong!!!
Equal rights is not affirmative action.
You'd acknowledge that if you were honest, but here you are playing word games.
"Adjusting height and weight minimums only increases the opportunities for women to compete."
Please, if you quote me, use the whole quote. I am against feminism and affirmative action programs, FYI. However, I do not see adjusting weight and height requirements for certain jobs as long as the male/female performance is based on the same qualification. I am surrounded by a wife and two daughters who are very fine lawyers, so I have to be careful here:)
There, I fixed it.
You must have trouble reading my posts. Lowering height and weight requirements does not lower standards if the person passes the qualificatios for the job.. Please be more careful.
Yessum, Missy Paulat, or is it Massa Paulat?
I be grabbin the shovel, I be!
Explain what you mean.
Be more careful? Lowering height and weight requirements does not lower standards if the person passes the qualifications? SAY WHAT? I guess that you cannot conceive of standards and qualifications as being one in the same? Are you for real?...lol
Girl? Aint you got eyes?
SHHH!!! I'll be in HUGH trouble wi' th' Missus!!!! Dis be SERIES!!!
...figure of speech....
"PUT DOWN THE BOTTLE OR THE PILLS."
So, you just accused me of being drunk or on drugs.
Or is that something that you didn't say, either?
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