Anchorage Daily News Letter 'O the Day

"Mike Miller is no true conservative; he's a true 'knee-jerk reactionary'

Now that Mike Miller has drawn his reserves into his fight for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, a clear picture has emerged. With Sarah Palin and Tom Fink having publicly endorsed him, Miller is plainly the chosen instrument of the extreme right of the GOP.

His mailings tout him as a "trusted conservative," and dismiss incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski as "too liberal" and "not sufficiently conservative." It is more accurate to describe Mike Miller as a "knee-jerk reactionary" on every issue discussed in his mailings.

He stands firm against enacting a state income tax, and for lowering federal taxes, without uttering a word on ways to meet our deficits. He stands firmly in defense of "Second Amendment rights," suggesting that Lisa Murkowski opposes these rights. He chafes at "federal restrictions on using public lands," without a word about protecting the environment from despoliation. He argues for parents having "the greatest number of choices" in educating their children, saying nothing about strengthening our public schools.

This man is not a true conservative, a guardian of the best from our past. He is simply a reactionary who cannot stand others who show some independence and flexibility."

-- Alden Todd

Anchorage