BY BILL WEST

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said wide majorities of Americans do not trust elected officials and think the federal government is “broken”.

Rob Miller, a Beaufort County small business owner, is running against 2nd District Congressman Joe Wilson, again. Two years ago, Miller gave Wilson the strongest challenge he has faced since being elected in 2001.

The percentage who believe that government is broken has gone up 8% since they last surveyed the question in October 2006. Twenty-two percent of those polled in 2009 said government is “not broken.”

Seventy-five percent of those surveyed said the word “honest” does not describe their officials in Washington. That number is up from 2006 when 65% said they would not call government officials “honest.”

Miller, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, suggested to the Chronicle that his challenge against the incumbent has turned into the most expensive House race in the nation.

He pointed to the Congressman’s outburst against the president during the State of the Union address as just one of a host of negative attention getters. “Which for South Carolina is very unfortunate.”

Citing the congressman’s actions that have brought disrespect to the Palmetto State, Miller, speaking as an experienced Marine said, “Our campaign has built a world class campaign. On the ground, I have been talking with small business leaders, religious leaders and other community leaders face to face.”

“Apparently the Congressman is looking to be a national figure,” Miller said. “After his outburst in the joint session of Congress Wilson’s reaction was, ‘My leadership told me to apologize so, I did.’”

The father of a seven-year-old son likened the apology to one his son gave recently. “He came to me and said, ‘Mama told me to say, I’m sorry’”

“I told him, back to your room, I don’t think so. We are better than that.”

When pressed for his solution to what he described as the major problem facing the Second District, Miller listed his objectives in a military battle style plan.

• We need to be focused on small business right now.
• We must be focused on providing opportunities right now.
• We need targeted tax cuts for small business right now.
• We need tax credits to hire new workers right now.
• We need to ensure there is capital in small credit unions right now.
• And, our farmers need help, they lost a lot in the last cold snap.

With a flourish, Miller said, “Small business has to be our number one priority, that is what we will have to fall back on.”

On the subject of Free Trade, the USC grad said he was for it, “As long as it is fair. Just look at NAFTA and CAFTA, they are not fair. Just look at the 70,000 jobs that have been sent overseas thanks to CAFTA.

On Wall Street bailouts, “They were wrong. There is a time and a place, but now is neither.”

His campaign has proven, he said, that voters are angry, disgruntled, confused, they don’t understand why “We can’t get a lot done in Washington.”

The Beaufort resident kept repeating his theme of focus on local business, strong support for infrastructure and education, “Take care of the local businesses and families and the nation will be taken care of.”