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 is absolutly right. We don't have time for this Gloria Steinem utopia bs, especially when life is on the line.
just a question, are you a female?
If she is confirmed, we will be getting just another Sandra Day O'Connor.
I got as far as this steaming pile:
"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."
Total garbage.
Two identical fires break out in identical buildings, with identical victims trapped inside. A male firefighter goes into one building; a female goes into the other.
Will the fact that a female entered the second building somehow cause the fire there to burn more slowly? Will the people trapped in the second building somehow become lighter because a woman is carrying them?
If you can honestly answer "yes" to those questions, then affirmative action is appropriate (though I would appreciate your explanation of how the fire knows the sex of the person entering). If the answer to the questions is "no", however, I think it should be clear that affirmative action is stupid and dangerous.
Note that I would have no particular problem with a woman becoming a fire fighter if she is in the top 1% or so of women that actually have the strength required. Not sure how many of the women in that top 1% bracket would want the job, though.
If I see somebody say it, I certainly will.
You're hard to miss though; you seem to have taken on a special job at FR to personally refute every single favorable post about Miers.
I'm sure the original height and weight requirements were set up, not to discriminate against women, but because applicants of a certain size were necessary to carry someone out of a burning building, lift a ladder or haul a stretcher.
If a women can compete with men and achieve the same level of performance as a man, why shouldn't a women be able to have the same job? I am not suggesting that women have to do less in performance or have a lower performance qualification, only that height and weight requirements be adjusted.
Why do you want to know?
It's not the opportuntiy, it's the manipulation of outcomes.
Being a firefighter necessitates a certain degree of physical strength and therefore size. Women generally don't have what it takes. Women and men are different. Ever noticed that?
Feminism is crap.
Just curious. I'm guessing yes, based on your responses.
Of course, you could just call me a 'pig' for having that opinion, too.
Reaching out to spread democracy in China was a good thing, sans selling national secrets of course.
I like Miers' business instincts very much. Don't you?
You and your mouth are quite disgusting.
I'm betting you're one of those guys who have MAJOR issues with women.
Do you really believe the original weight and height requirements were set up to discriminate against women? Or do you think maybe the premise was that certain applicants of a certain size were more physically capable of doing the job?
Yes it is crap. I say RAISE the standards, not lower them!!!!
You have major issues with women, too?
That, in itself, lowers performance qualifications. Would this hypothetical "she" carry less gear into a building in an emergency, or would a victim suddenly weigh proportionately less if a female firefighter is charged with the rescue?
ah, and you're there to cheerlead and attack those who dare question here.
But I don't expect you to get it still.
You can support miers all you want. Just don't try to shout down those who question her nomination.
If you've been here the whole four days, and you're honest about it, you'll see what kind of kind of personal attacks and liberal tactics have been taking place against anyone who dares question the wisdom of this pick.
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