Joe Miller On The Issues: What He Has To Say About Guns, Hate Crimes, Social Security And Abortion

Alaska GOP Senate candidate Joe Miller shocked the political establishment this week with his come-from-nowhere performance in his race against incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

As of Thursday, Miller holds a narrow 1,668 vote lead over Murkowski in the GOP Senate primary. However, thousands of absentee ballots cast in Tuesday's election have yet to be counted. The Anchorage Daily News reports that those additional ballots could take a week or two to be tabulated.

But with the upstart Miller still holding on to a razor-thin lead, political observers are asking the same thing, who is this guy? Before Tuesday's primary, Miller made national headlines for earning the endorsement of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Plain.

On her Facebook page Palin suggested, "Alaskans are learning more about Joe." And so are we.

HuffPost has mined Miller's Web site and his media interviews leading up to primary day, plumbing the depths of his conservative -- and in some cases eyebrow-raising -- views. From advocating the need to "transition out" Social Security to suggesting that "hate crimes laws" violate the United States Constitution, here's a sneak peek at the candidate who could be on his way to becoming the next U.S. Senator from Alaska:

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Guns 'Not Unusual In Political Rallies'

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Miller's staunch support for Second Amendment rights should come as no surprise given the conservative nature of his views, as well as the fact he comes from Alaska -- a state where any individual who can legally own a firearm is able to carry it concealed and without a permit or license. Perhaps more surprising, however, is the lack of concern Miller expressed last month over guns and weapons being toted to political rallies. “It's not unusual to walk into a Wal-Mart, or to walk into a gas station, and see people carrying guns," explained the Tea Party-backed hopeful during an appearance on ABC News/Washington Post's "Top Line." "You know, it's not unusual in political rallies, it's not unusual in parades, to see that type of thing. Probably though, in the lower 48, it does raise some eyebrows.” The big twist is that the comments came on the heels of Miller, himself, sparking controversy after video surfaced showing supporters of his campaign marching in a parade with handguns and even more powerful weapons.

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Miller's staunch support for Second Amendment rights should come as no surprise given the conservative nature of his views, as well as the fact he comes from Alaska -- a state where any individual who can legally own a firearm is able to carry it concealed and without a permit or license.

Perhaps more surprising, however, is the lack of concern Miller expressed last month over guns and weapons being toted to political rallies.

“It's not unusual to walk into a Wal-Mart, or to walk into a gas station, and see people carrying guns," explained the Tea Party-backed hopeful during an appearance on ABC News/Washington Post's "Top Line." "You know, it's not unusual in political rallies, it's not unusual in parades, to see that type of thing. Probably though, in the lower 48, it does raise some eyebrows.”

The big twist is that the comments came on the heels of Miller, himself, sparking controversy after video surfaced showing supporters of his campaign marching in a parade with handguns and even more powerful weapons.

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Comments

[Eleanor Ruby Moon]

06:47 PM on 10/18/2010

And what about the next time they get on a airplane? I doubt the FAA is in the Constitution but what sort of chaos would there be without the FEDERAL Aviation Administration. All those planes flying wherever the hell they wanted all over the US? What a crapshoot that would be? I'm laughing so hard I can't contain myself. Let's ask the Tea Party candidates how they would continue to travel all over the country then?

[jjtx]

04:29 PM on 10/05/2010

1. I guess having guns at political rallies is ok if we have a one-party political system. Otherwise, no.
2. Have you ever noticed that a stove can warm up a room? How about millions of stoves? Do you think maybe they would warm up the planet. What a f00l.
3. Social Security is probably the best program to come around in our country. Only people who don't remember the elderly living in abject poverty would be against Social Security.
4. You might disagree with yourself, Miller, if your 13 year old daughter was raped and now pregnant. Would you really want your precious child being put through a pregnancy and labor after having already endured the trauma of a rape.
5. WHAT? I don't even get what he is saying. I don't know if anyone has access to your thoughts but most of the time in life, it is better to keep your mouth shut.
6. That's because the children brought here illegally by their parents are good enough to fight for this country but not good enough to become a citizen.
7. It is not "Obamacare". It is healthcare insurance reform legislation passed by both houses of Congress.
8. Hypocrite! Good enough for your wife but not for anyone else, huh?
9. The Department of Defense is also not in the Constitution and I, now, think we would all be better off if we were to get rid of it.

[WOODSTOCKER51]

10:24 AM on 10/17/2010

Only people who don't remember the elderly living in abject poverty would be against Social Security

.MILLER NOW GETS A CHECK FROM OIL COMPANIES YEARLY.SO.THAT HELPS HIM..WHO CARES ABOUT ANYONE ELSE..{ADD THAT TO HIS FARM SUBSIDY CHECK..AND HIS WIFES UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK...AND HE DOES HAVE GOVERNEMENT SUPPORTED HEALTHCARE....HE'S IS THE KING OF SOCIAL SERVICES ....FOR HIM,ITS OK...,,,,,,,,,.FOR YOU..PFTTTTTTTTTT}

[seiedvard]

10:05 PM on 10/04/2010

Are razors unconstitutional?

[MamacitaOfLove]

11:59 PM on 10/04/2010

He's going for that Papa Grizzly look.

[nananance]

09:40 PM on 10/04/2010

I bet he thinks requiring candidates to file financial disclosure information is unconstitutional too since he hasn't turned in the paperwok which was due six months ago.

[redstateblues69]

09:08 PM on 10/04/2010

It's not unconstitutional to put Joe to sleep, like a dog.

[Photofarm]

09:17 PM on 10/04/2010

Actually, yes it is.

[Demidan]

12:07 AM on 10/05/2010

Unless he has rabies.

[soonerliberal]

08:43 PM on 10/04/2010

THINGS THAT ARE DEFINITELY UNCONSTITUTIONAL THAT YOU WON'T HEAR THE TEA BAGGERS GRIPING ABOUT.

- Invading other countries to secure their oil and taking my tax dollars to do it is unconstitutional.
- Not honoring treaties made with foreign governments or entities is unconstitutional but, see Gitmo
- Farm Subsidies
- Rural Electrification Act (Hey, all these Joe Bobs want less government. Let's give it to them by NOT requiring utilities to provide power to them. Let's let the free market work and watch as darn near 2/3rds of my state (OK) would lose electric service immediately!)
I say let thise tea baggers enjoy a REAL dose of what they are asking for. No Farm subsidies. No electricity (except for a humongous fee of course). They would be begging for a return to "big government"

[joyf1]

08:52 PM on 10/04/2010

And farm subsidies. Those same folks with their hand out for farm subsidies also make sure their kids get Pell Grants. It's amazing how they'll take money from a program developed by the most liberal man in Congress, Claiborne Pell.

[Photofarm]

09:19 PM on 10/04/2010

So let me see, you only mention those that you think won't affect you, but will have no effect on the budget deficit.

[Opygollopy]

08:42 PM on 10/04/2010

He is against everything because "its not in the constitution"?

When does he think the constitution was written? Last year?

It must be the cold weather, its affecting his thinking skills.

[Fred M White]

09:58 PM on 10/04/2010

Unfortunately for Mr. Miller, the two items I've heard him speak to as being unconstitutional, minimum wage and unemployment benefits were challenged as unconstitutional decades ago resulting in Supreme Court rulings finding them constitutional....Isn't he an attorney? Doesn't he research some of this stuff before he opens his pie hole? Just a thought....

[Demidan]

12:10 AM on 10/05/2010

If it's not on YouTube, it's not real.

[MJinCanada]

01:47 AM on 10/17/2010

And for that matter, since when is the US constitution the be-all and end-all and such a perfection of its kind anyway?

Heck, the constitution of San Marino, written in 1600, and based on statutes dating back to 1300, has regulations covering infrastructure maintenance and consumer protection.

Constitutions are written for their times and are meant to be updated and improved.

[soonerliberal]

08:35 PM on 10/04/2010

Hey, anyone know where I can get a suitcase Nuke?

...just excercising my 2nd amendment rights!

Where's the limit? Who defines that limit? Can I have uranium depleted shells for my assualt rifle? Why and why not?
Those are all hypothetical for tea baggers. I'm sure you would get 100 different answers.

[Mag7]

07:32 PM on 10/04/2010

If minimum wage is unconstitutional, what does he call the social welfare for the entire state of Alaska?

[Demidan]

12:11 AM on 10/05/2010

Capitalism at it's finest!

(Snark)

[rktboy]

07:19 PM on 10/04/2010

Dear Alaska,

We like your yummy fish, your lumber products, your pretty landscapes, and of course, your oil has been pretty great too. But you really have to do something about all these loony pseudo-politicians wandering out of your asylums and down into the Lower 48. Otherwise, we might just take them seriously about all this secession stuff, and then they'll be your NATIONAL leaders. And frankly, whatever it is you think about all those scary illegal aliens--Mexicans or Canadians--it's them we're all really afraid of.

Sincerely,
The Rest of Us That Sarah Palin Refers to When She's Saying We're Not Real Americans

[Opygollopy]

08:45 PM on 10/04/2010

I'm Canadian, we don't want those foolish politicians here either, so, you don't have to worry about us moving there. Better health care up here, bank regulations (tough ones) written in stone. We like that stuff.

[thebertmanlives]

10:24 PM on 10/04/2010

get ready for the exodus

[MamacitaOfLove]

12:01 AM on 10/05/2010

We're jealous!

[thebertmanlives]

10:26 PM on 10/04/2010

forget secession, let's just sell it back to the ruskies and texas to mexico. the money can pay down the debt

[Margo Arrowsmith]

06:46 PM on 10/04/2010

Well, its easy to understand why he is against the department of education, he doesn't want anyone to know more than he does and well, anyone past the 6th grade would be in that category. 

[dfranz]

06:10 PM on 10/04/2010

It's hard to imagine anyone being more mainstream than Joe Miller. He's just a country boy tryin to make things better....for him. Screw everyone else.

Can you spell M.U.R.K.O.W.S.K.I? Hope Alaskans can. If so, we;ll have another democrat from Alaska.

[Opygollopy]

08:45 PM on 10/04/2010

Can you spell M C ADAMS? DEMOCRAT. Murkowski is a lock stepping republican.

[dfranz]

09:35 PM on 10/04/2010

I figure if Murkowski takes votes away from Miller, McAdams will win.

[Spencaa]

05:49 PM on 10/04/2010

Rationality is unconstitutional, and apparently sanity

[westcountyPA]

05:46 PM on 10/04/2010

I just don't see how someone who has had so many opportunities in his life and has shown himself to be a courageous member of the armed forces decides that the United States government is such a rotten institution.
No Social Security, no minimum wage, no Dept. of Education....does Miller think it is better to have 50 separate countries running things? How does someone become so selfish and self-serving?

[Libra28]

05:34 PM on 10/04/2010

For those who enjoy satire....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExzINsaq4LI&feature=player_embedded

[MamacitaOfLove]

12:04 AM on 10/05/2010

F&F