Mixed? Has he ever done anything good on civil liberties?
He isn't the best candidate on civil liberties, I admit. He has made some pretty bad votes in that regard. However, I will point out some good points.
Here are amendments he offered for the PATRIOT act:
The first amendment requires the Director of the FBI to personally approve any FBI request for library or bookstore records under the section of the bill that allows the FBI to obtain such records. Another amendment more explicitly defines domestic terrorism under the section regarding the seizing of assets, changing the “domestic terrorism” definition to "federal crimes of terrorism."
An additional amendment precludes judges from preventing someone from receiving notification about a home search by the government simply because it would delay a trial to notify the target.
The last amendment allows recipients of national security letters to be able to consult with an attorney, and also allows them to also challenge national security letters in court.
......
Congressman Flake worked with other members of the House Judiciary Committee in 2001 to add sunset provisions to the more controversial portions of the PATRIOT Act, encouraging law enforcement officials to use the new power prudently and giving Congress a chance to monitor the law’s use. A ten-year sunset provision has been added to this bill.
He did vote against creating the DHS and against warrant less searches. BTW, He actually did vote against the NDAA, but did vote against the Amash-Smith amendment. He voted for the repeal of DODT which would be considered a civil liberties victory; even though I would have kept the policy personally.
He is also a leader against the War on Drugs:
Flake adopted the Republican Liberty Caucus Position Statement:
As adopted by the General Membership of the Republican Liberty Caucus at its Biannual Meeting held December 8, 2000.
WHEREAS libertarian Republicans believe in limited government, individual freedom and personal responsibility;
WHEREAS we believe that government has no money nor power not derived from the consent of the people;
WHEREAS we believe that people have the right to keep the fruits of their labor; and
WHEREAS we believe in upholding the US Constitution as the supreme law of the land;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Liberty Caucus endorses the following [among its] principles:
While recognizing the harm that drug abuse causes society, we also recognize that government drug policy has been ineffective and has led to frightening abuses of the Bill of Rights which could affect the personal freedom of any American. We, therefore, support alternatives to the War on Drugs.
Per the tenth amendment to the US Constitution, matters such as drugs should be handled at the state or personal level.
All laws which give license to violate the Bill of Rights should be repealed.
On foreign policy, he is not perfect but is better than most people. Voted for Iraq but later opposed it. Opposes sanctions against Iran and Cuba. Also wants to defund U.N.
I appreciate that Flake votes against foreign aid,
even to Israel.
The reason Jeff Flake is going to be helpful is because he is a workhorse. Most people in Congress fiddle around, but people like Flake and Paul Broun are constantly adding amendments to bills that eliminates federal activity in the specified area.
He will also immediately be maybe the strongest fiscal conservative in the Senate, along with the trio of Rand, DeMint, and Lee.
