“Ask Lisa” if she is for international bailouts, too

Will Murkowski Share Same Fate as Bennett Due to TARP Vote?

Today Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller cautioned that Greece’s financial problems should serve as a forewarning to the United States Congress regarding excessive government spending.  Miller called upon Senator Lisa Murkowski to demand that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner reject the plan to provide U.S. financial assistance to Greece.

“Last week we saw the uncertainty in Greece’s financial system contribute to a 1000 point drop in the stock market.  This is what happens when a country is too far in debt.  Our nation is headed in the same direction if we don’t take action,” said Miller.  “We cannot continue to borrow against our future. It is a recipe for disaster.  It’s time to put a moratorium on government spending. Continuing to feed the destructive appetites of international redistributionist programs can only exacerbate our problems at home. No more bailouts!”

Miller believes that it is financially irresponsible for the U.S. to go further into debt to bail out Greece.  “Senator Murkowski should call on the Treasury Secretary to reject the plan to provide financial assistance to Greece via the International Monetary Fund,” stated Miller.   “If we bail out Greece, then we will be bailing out Spain . . . and Portugal . . . and Italy . . . and the UK.  Where will it end?”

Last Friday Senator Murkowski launched a social networking effort to “enhance communications” with constituents during this election season.  In response to her new-found outreach, Miller is asking her if she favors international bailouts along with national bailouts like TARP.

“We have bailed out the big banks, Wall Street, automakers, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the insurance industry.  I urge our Senator to call on Secretary Geithner to reject this reckless spending.  No international bailouts,” said Miller.

Miller believes that Murkowski’s new communications efforts are in response to his campaign because she does not want to share the same election fate as Senator Robert Bennett, who was defeated on Saturday due to his support for TARP.

Presently the United States has a $1.4 trillion deficit along with a growing debt.  Over the past two years Congress has approved $700 billion for TARP which bails out the banks, $787 billion for the Stimulus Bill and no less than $1 trillion for Obamacare.

Miller is an Alaskan by choice.  He grew up in a working class family in Kansas, but headed to the Last Frontier sixteen years ago because of his love of the outdoors.  Following graduation from law school, Miller joined the prestigious firm of Condon Partnow & Sharrock in Anchorage.  He mastered the law quickly and three years later, at the age of 30, he was appointed as a State Magistrate (the youngest then serving in Alaska) as well as a Superior Court Master for the Fourth Judicial District.  Further honors followed four years later when Miller was appointed an Acting District Court Judge and, shortly thereafter, U.S. Magistrate Judge in Fairbanks.  Again, he had the distinction of being the youngest to serve in that federal position, not only in the state, but in the entire nation.  He was also the only judge in the United States that served at both the federal and state levels simultaneously.

In 2004, Miller stepped down from the bench to run for State Representative.  He readily won the contested Republican primary and nearly pulled off an upset in the general election coming within three percentage points of defeating the Democratic incumbent in a traditionally Democratic district: the closest re-election campaign the officeholder has ever faced.  Following the campaign, Joe returned to the practice of law.  He has represented clients in a wide variety of cases, some of which have gone all the way to the Alaskan Supreme Court.

Prior to becoming an attorney and a judge, Miller was officer in the United States Army.  He is a decorated veteran from the first Gulf War, receiving a bronze star for his actions in combat.  He received his commission from West Point, where he graduated with honors.  Joe is also a graduate of Yale Law School and holds a masters degree in economics from the University of Alaska.

Miller lives with his family in Fairbanks.  His wife of 18 years, Kathleen, is a teacher and serves on the Alaska Judicial Council.

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