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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He WASN'T!!!
LOL, Black Tooth!
Funny, I don't see an actual question there.
They usually begin with words like how, what, when, where, etc, and end with a question mark.
All I see is a theory put forward. And if I had to classify it, I'd put it in the 'too clever by half' category.
I was discussing EQUAL RIGHTS. You can see my post right up the thread.
And the second thing I was discussing was your DISHONEST twisting of what I have said on this thread.
You said I was in favor of affirmative action and you said I was supporting Miers; I asked you for posts and you haven't provided anything to back those up, you've just changed the subject, a tactic that obviously has worked for you in the past, as you've used it multiple times on other threads.
I never said I was in favor of affirmative action -- you lied. Unless, of course, you are now claiming that equal rights IS affirmative action.
And I haven't been supporting Miers; I've been supporting WAITING for the hearings -- so you lied again.
If you're going to try to engage me on a topic and accuse me of certain things, be sure you are ready to be challenged on what you write - especially when you're trying to say I lie.
I just did that very thing.
If you can't deal with that, your best bet is just to avoid trying to take me on.
Spoken like a true prig.
Let me explain in simple terms for you.
The "standards" of a position are the things that you are expected or required to do for a particular job. 'You are required to lift and carry 150lbs for 50 yards, for example'
The "qualifications" for the job are the attributes that one possesses to qualify for the job. 'You must have the physical ability to lift and carry 150Lbs a distance of 50 yards, for example.
Can you conceive this or should I draw a picture for you?
Res Ipsa Loquitur
EOM.
Whoops. I asked whether you liked Miers' business instincts, but now I'm wondering if you can assail my theory.
If that was true, there would be a whole lot more bandwidth on this forum.
And did you forget you're not suppose to discuss other Freepers without pinging them?
nah, I'm the one who controls who gets banned around here.
Since you addressed this to me initially, I'd take it that you're lumping me in with using 'foul language' to a woman.
I don't appreciate the insinuation. If you think I did, post where I have on this thread. Otherwise, please don't try to associate me with it.
Plus, to have her hide behind people being impolite to her, after she falsely tried to say I was a liar...and then insinuating I was on booze or drugs...we'll, that's just seems to be par for the course.
And did you forget you're not supposed to call people liars on a public forum?
Or use personal attacks by saying saying I'm on booze or drugs?
You're the one to talk.
Going to answer any of my direct questions you keep avoiding?
At least you do it to my face; unlike some weasels on here.
Anytime you lie about what I've said in a post, you bet I'm going to call you a liar.
You have again failed to answer a direct question.
Do you support the policy that this thread is about?
"Spoken like a true prig."
Your repeated personal attacks have grown tiresome.
Ok.
You certainly do seem to have issues.
One of which includes an aversion answering direct questions that have been asked of you.
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