JEFF MILLER HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO
By Chuck BaldwinMarch 8, 2002NewsWithViews.com
With the first few months now under Jeff Miller's congressional belt, it is time to analyze his early performance as Northwest Florida's Congressman. The short of it is that Jeff Miller is no Joe Scarborough.
Scarborough distinguished himself as a true maverick. While in the House of Representatives, Joe voted against his own party's leadership more often than any other Republican. Even people who disliked Joe had to admit that he was an independent thinker and courageous conservative. Unlike many in Congress, Scarborough was also knowledgeable regarding the U.S. Constitution. Yes, friends, Joe actually read and believed the Constitution. Therefore, his tenure on Capitol Hill was exemplary. We all should be very grateful and appreciative of Scarborough's principled performance in Washington.
At this early juncture, Jeff Miller gives no indication of being such a principled patriot. In fact, he owes voters an explanation as to why he deceived us about his positions on several crucial issues.
First, Miller told my radio audience that when he was elected to Congress he would not support Bush's egregious expansion of the federal government's role in education. You will recall that back in 1994, Republicans became the majority party in both houses of Congress on the strength of their promise to shut down five federal departments. One of those departments was the Department of Education.
However, today, Republicans have teamed up with the likes of Teddy Kennedy to pass the largest expansion of the Department of Education (and the federal government's role in public education) in the history of the republic! Furthermore, contrary to his commitment on the campaign trail, Jeff Miller voted for it!
Secondly, Miller told my radio audience that, should he be elected to Congress, he would not support granting the President fast-track trade authority, which, in effect, circumvents the constitutional requirement that such responsibility rests squarely with the legislative branch, not the executive branch. Remember that Congress rightly revoked this unlawful authority from President Clinton. However, now with a Republican President in office, they voted to return this unconstitutional authority to Bush. In spite of telling voters he would not support such a proposal, Miller voted for it, and his was the deciding vote as it passed by only a one-vote margin.
Thirdly, Miller needs to explain how any conservative could vote for the so-called anti-terrorism bill (without even reading it, no less). This Draconian legislation expands unconstitutional, police state powers that strip the American people of rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights more than any single piece of legislation within memory. This bill, promoted by President Bush and supported by Jeff Miller, literally expunges the Fourth Amendment and does serious damage to many others.
Like what he said or not, Joe Scarborough kept his word. Miller has not. Beyond that, Jeff Miller shows a propensity to be a political lackey, a water boy for the Republican hierarchy. Voters of Northwest Florida deserve better.
Jeff represented us well in Tallahassee, but it is a different ball game in Washington, and so far, his performance in the big leagues is less than spectacular. Jeff Miller has some explaining to do.
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Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
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