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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The record there is not worrisome at all aside from the so-called affirmative action one.
And really, that is not something to get riled up about, either. It just altered regulations to allow more women on the force.
What if a women competed on the same basis and with the same requirements as a man with the exception that her weight and height could be adjusted (minimally). Would that woman be qualified for the same job if she satisfied all the other requirements?
". Adjusting height and weight minimums only increases the opportunities for women to compete."
No, it only removes some men from the field so unqualified women can play at being firefighters even though they don't have the physical size and strength to do the job.
Feminism is crap.
Exactly.
There is nothing in her record that is worrisome there.
Too bad she was gone for the Brady vote though.
It isn't like the changes demanded quotas or actively led to affirmative action. It just made it so women, who are generally shorter and less heavy, be able to get on the force if they made the grade.
"Is that a macro, becaue I've seen you post it about a million times since Monday?"
No, but thanks for the suggestion. Can you tell me how you programmed your multiple attack macros?
"And I'll wait right here while you go find a post where I supported her."
I can't find that either ...just you bashing anyone who thinks it might be a bad choice.
BTW, to answer your other question about 'hating women' (my, I love how easily some slip into liberal demonization mode): My two picks for her spot would have been janice rogers brown or diane sykes. Both more qualified with proven judicial philosophies, plus sykes is 13 years younger.
Oops, I guess that makes me an 'age-ist' too!
I'm not responsible for the newspaper's headline, and I don't care what you call it -- political correctness, affirmative action, or pookie. The fact remains that as a person selected to protect the public good, including the public safety, she lowered standards for a political reason, to benefit women. (Don't get me wrong, I have the highest respect for women.) This is proof of the "pragmatism" her friends have lauded her for.
Note: I made not one post on the Roberts nomination.
I don't know either.
Why did this happen?
Because of politically correct BULL SH*T!! People are dying over this PC insanity!
so you don't favor the policy?
Clarify, since you certainly seemed to give that impression by going after those who opposed such a policy.
No MA'AM...meant no disrespect...
No MA'AM...did NOT mean to speak out of place...
Yes MA'AM...Ah sho' 'nuf knows my place...
I be shufflin'
You are babbling; are you drinking while you're posting?
That's one lie you're told so far.
to answer your other question about 'hating women'
That's two lies.
When you have to resort to lies, you're losing you credibility.
Your falsification of the headline has been reported.
Fire! ooops....sorry....I'm a female. Go get a MAN to pour water on her head!
Hi Howlin :-)
If women had to pass exactly - precisely with no modifications whatsoever - the same physical tests as men, the answer is still no. And very likely the tests were watered down anyway.
Height and weight make a difference. I know some firefighters. Size and therefore obviously strength - especially upper body - make all the difference in the world.
Everything and everyone in the world isn't equal, and all the leftist feminist jive in the world isn't going to make it so.
Everyone wants stuff they can't have. I'd like to have all nice gold teeth, but I don't qualify - I don't have the money. I bet you wanted a pony when you were a kid. A lot of women want to be firefighters (well, a few). Just because someone wants something doesn't mean the world has to change and get all adjusted to fit their wants.
Uh huh.
About the only thing I do against 'you people' is have the audacity to point out exactly what you're doing, or give you the occassional 'bush bot' themed tweak when you seem to be especially lacking in the humor department.
A big AMEN bump!
I love it when you post stuff like that; it just shows what a petty little creep you are.
Neither of those is a fair summary of what the article said.
I read the first item as wanting Democratic Representation in the redrawing of voting districts. The second, being in Texas and not the "Ivy League" East, it sounded like she was being modest about the Federalist Society, since the Texas Bar and other Texas groups were more varied in opinions than in the East.
And, this is what I got from the media article. No telling what the whole facts and context were.
I have the feeling you think women should stay home and not work. Am I right? Feminism is crap but there is nothing feminist about women working or having careers, is there?
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