2009-12-10

Rep. Miller addresses GOP women

By Judith Pannebaker

When Rep. Doug Miller took his seat in the 81st Texas Legislature last year, veteran legislator Sid Miller of Dallas informed Miller that his “official psalm” corresponded with the 73rd legislative district.

In essence, Psalm 73 teaches that the ultimate good in life is neither prosperity nor the absence of pain, but the nearness of God; that pain puts life and death, pain and prosperity into perspective; and dealing with the problem of pain is a process, according to a eulogy placed on www.bible.org.

After re-reading and studying the psalm, Miller decided it was “eerily appropriate” for his nascent legislative situation.

As guest speaker for the monthly meeting of the Bandera County Republican Women, Friday, Dec. 4, Miller offered an update on the 4,000 pieces of legislature proposed during the four and a half month session.

“It’s not mass chaos,” Miller assured his fellow conservatives. “There is a system to our process.”

Noting that the Texas House of Representatives is comprised of 76 Republicans and 74 Democrats, Miller ascribes to the political reality of “disagreeing philosophically, but not being disagreeable.”

According to Miller, building successful relationships can often lead to a successful legislative session.

As he ruefully pointed out, “When there’s only a one-vote difference, it makes it tough to put the hammer down.”

One dichotomy that might prove helpful, he said, stems from the fact that some Democrats elected from West Texas and various eastern portions of the state actually ascribe to conservative principles.

“They understand family values and some of them are frustrated with the Democratic leadership, including the slow process of the system – especially with regard to voter ID,” Miller said, adding happily, “There are no liberal Republicans.”

He continued, “Of the 7,000 bills proposed, 1,300 passed and 37 were vetoed by the governor – one of which was mine that had related to retired teachers. It’s a heckuva process, but I want to work for the good of the 73rd District, Texas and Texans as a whole.”

Although “madder than a wet hen,” that a bill requiring voter identification, didn’t come to a vote, Miller predicted the matter would be debated again in the 2011 82nd Legislature.

In his opinion, Democrats failed to support the measure, in part, because they felt it would inhibit people from registering and ultimately voting. “(A vote identification program) would affect the minority segment of our communities rather than non-minorities,” Miller opined.

Discussing his appointment to the House Appropriations Committee – a prestigious assignment for a freshman legislator – Miller said it offered him unparalleled insight into the budget-making process.

He described the tenuous process of balancing the state’s $182 billion budget as saying, in essence, “No, no and no to people with their hands out wanting to expand state government.”

Miller also took exception to the “74 members of the Texas House” who wanted to withdraw money from the $7 billion “rainy day” savings account to pay for pet projects. “We resisted and, as a result, we’ll have $8 billion in the fund in 2011,” Miller explained, proud to have contributed to “reining in state government.”

He continued, “We have two choices in tough times – generate more income or cut expenses.” Miller predicted, “We will face difficult decisions and make more cuts in the next legislative session.

“We’ve been fortunate in Texas. We’re better off than a lot of folks around the country. Michigan’s unemployment rate is officially at 20 percent, but unofficially, it’s close to 25 or 30 percent. There are people living in cars on the streets of Detroit.”

Miller also note that passing the Democrat-sponsored cap and trade would have a devastating affect on the petroleum industry in Texas – as would a proposed healthcare reform bill if approved.

“It’s not that (Republicans) don’t want reform, but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he said. “We don’t want government interfering with our lives. This healthcare bill will have a tremendous affect on state budgets.”

Miller has filed for re-election in the Republican primaries next spring. “If we could get to 78 or 80 Republicans in the House, there wouldn’t be a problem,” Miller said, predicting a “lot of close races.”

He continued, “It will be a real effort to challenge the Democrats, but we have a chance to pick up three or four seats through redistricting in 2011.”

Since Miller’s focus remains on the District 73 race, he declined to offer even an “uneducated” guess as to who would be on the ballots for the state-wide races for governor and senator.
“I have absolutely no idea who’s on first and I’m glad I don’t,” he quipped.

So far Miller has not drawn an opponent, but rumors continue to swirl that former Rep. Nathan Macias is planning another go for the Bandera, Comal, Gillespie and Kendall legislative seat.