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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Of course it is..It would also be criminal.
I predicted long ago that the left would attempt to cast the next nominee, whoever it would be, in a bad light by comparing the next nominee to Roberts.
I never expected FReepers to do it. That's just low, and very revealing as to your motives.
Do we need FReepers who will assail this nominee for not being as good as the first nominee?
Of course it is.
Didn't the city do the same thing with the fire department in this case?
Since you're new here, maybe you aren't aware of the rules that a statement made on the open forum is open for comment by others, whether said statement was made to a specific person or not. If you want to comment to an individual without anyone else reading it or responding, that's what freepmail is for.
And I consider most of your comments nonsense, but hey - neither of us is banned (yet)! So carry on.
We need ALL FReepers. That's why this is the United States of America...and that's why this is called FREE Republic.
There are many dictatorships I can direct you to across the globe where dissent is not allowed.
Jim Robinson's world is a shining testimony to stirring debate and a living, breating representative democracy.
i like women too...particularly my maternal grandmother
wife and 2 daughters (and 2 sons)
should we adjust weight and height for short or overweight men too....all other things being equal?
No..Changing height and weight requirements is different, in my opinion. I do not think the standards of the job should be lowered, however, and women should be able to compete. I am against discrimination as well as quotas and other forms of affirmative action programs, especially in education where standards are lowered for racial, social or economic reasons. But, if a woman at 5'5" can compete with a man 5"7' and meet the same requirements, I am not opposed to either getting the job as a fireman or whatever.
Jim Robinson's world has it limits. Attempting to discredit this nominee with comparisons to the first nominee crosses the line.
No..Neither should we change age requirements. If you are too short or too fat, you don't qualify. That's why there are qualifications for jobs. Does your maternal grandmother want to be a firewoman?
Free Republic is a forum for discussion of conservative issues and ideas. It is not a debating society.
Thanks for the input, newbie!!!
Jim's never asked me to do so.
Nobody has said anything that is "over the line".
Well, I did, and it is.
No FReeper should discredit Miers for not being as good as Roberts.
Oops. I didn't but bunny did.
Attempting to discredit Miers by comparing her to Bush's first nominee is over the line.
I appreciate and note your concern. What does that mean?
I was thanking you for your input...acknowledging that conservatives can disagree and discuss the issues!
...refreshing in someone so new to the site!!
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