Last Wednesday, President Elect Barack Obama announced Gov. Tom Vilsack from Iowa as the new Secretary of Agriculture. In rural Oklahoma, indeed most of rural America, young people are leaving to find better lives for themselves in urban areas. The incentive to stay in their hometown or return after college is limited and new farm blood is hard to come by.

But according to Oklahoma conservationist farmers Clay and Sarah Pope there is ample opportunity to revitalize rural America, retain youth, and bring in new blood.

Hat tip: SarahBurris1013

I want to start off by wishing everyone out there a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I had a busy week as I was able to catch up with many people at their end of year gatherings and parties. I was able to enjoy time with the Grady and Caddo County Superintendents, the Cyril school teachers, the Elgin school teachers, the Rush Springs Lions Club and several other groups and individuals. I also had the chance to visit with a group of students from Cement Public Schools as they took a tour of the Capitol and I prepared chili for the staff at the Capitol earlier this week as a thanks for the great job they did this past year for us.

The bill deadline for writing language will be on hand next week, so I’ve been working some long hours getting the wording correct in the bills. Among the ideas I requested, here are a few of them: Read more…

Giving our Money to the Corrupt

By Rep. Jason Murphey

Two weeks ago I wrote about a future discussion in the Legislature between those who believe Oklahoma can improve economically by reducing the size of government and lowering taxes, and those who feel that Oklahoma should continue to develop a wide array of giveaways in the name of economic development.

As State Representative, I have observed that whenever a new problem crops up, it takes very little time for people to look to government to provide a solution. All too often they fail to account for the fact that if government expands to provide the solution, it will make politicians more powerful, and better enable those who wish to use this power for inappropriate or counterproductive purposes.

In the case of economic development, those who advocate for giveaways to incentivize business will point to the problem of economic blight and ask for the government to take away our taxpayers dollars, give that money to politicians or bureaucrats to control, and then give them the power to determine who receives the benefit.

A prominent example of this type of abuse has been alleged in the state of Illinois. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to strong-arm the Chicago Tribune into firing critical editorial writers by leveraging his power to help give the Tribune millions of dollars. Read more…

From Examiner.com:

I think there is a misconception within the Republican Party whenever the term “minority outreach” enters the reforming the party debate. Many are fearful (and rightfully so) that those efforts will be nothing more than a haphazard and watered down version of what the Democratic Party offers its minority constituency. Those of us in the conservative African American community,who are organizing and debating among ourselves, have a whole new vision of what African American outreach should entail.

When I was a field representative in St. Louis for former Sen. Jim Talent, District Director Kacky Garner, Gregg Keller and I initiated an ambitious outreach plan to the Senator at the beginning of his term. We suggested to Senator Talent that he visit three to four African American churches on a regular, rotating monthly basis. Sen. Talent eagerly accepted and the program became very successful. Mr. Talent didn’t speak or asked to be recognized, but he did sometimes joined in on an hymn or clapped his hands when the spirit moved him. (albeit a bit off beat at times!) After the services at these churches, there were always lines of people respectively waiting to shake this decent and honorable man’s hands and thank him for attending their church. After several months, we had other St. Louis pastors asking for Senator Talent to attend their churches. We even received calls from Kansas City pastors.

These efforts were not just PR events, they were sincere and followed up with legislation aimed at helping African Americans, such as Mr. Talent’s groundbreaking legislation to battle the deadly Sickle Cell Anemia disease.

African Americans are a very forgiving people, as evidenced by the large percentage of African American votes Republican Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina and Former Alabama Democratic Governor George Wallace use to receive during their post segregation elections. You have to make the effort. Read more…

Our friends over at The Lost Ogle have bestowed upon former Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart their “Idiot of the Year” for 2008:

“Anyway, all that really has nothing to do with Brent Rinehart being named the Lost Ogle “Idiot of the Year” for 2008.  We just figured that if Oklahoma Today has the right to bestow upon someone an Oklahoman of the Year honor, then we certainly have the privilege to determine who our “Idiot of the Year” should be.  And we can’t think of any other Oklahoman who is more deserving of that honor than former County Commissioner and “Roads” scholar Brent Rinehart.” Read more…

Well since The Ogle leans left in their commentaries, we thought we’d name our “Idiot of the Year.” Our hands down pick is disgraced former State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan. Our runner up has to be McMahan’s wife who is probably going to jail right alongside her husband.

Here’s an excerpt from a January 20th post titled: Sunday Extra: Commentary on Oklahoma’s Bonny & Clyde:

“Here’s one example of their stupidity and greed. Lori McMahan allegedly received a pair of $500 earring as a gift from Stipe. Now, instead of getting rid of the earrings – that you can never wear in public again – she stashes them at her sister’s house! If she wasn’t so greedy, that one less count could have knocked a few years off that long prison term she’s facing.” Read more…

Related:

BREAKING: McMahan & Wife Indicted; OKPNS Predicted It Monday

Pat Campell, of KFAQ 1170 in Tulsa, interviews former Oklahoma Congressman Ernest Istook, now with The Heritage Foundation. Mr. Istook discusses the auto industry bailout and the fact that there ARE profitable automakers in the country.  You’re just not hearing about them.

Click here to listen to podcast

Related:

Bloomberg.com: GM, Chrysler May Accept Bankruptcy

 More proof of the incestuous relationship between W. A. D. and the media?

“Recently I sent out a news release with a statement declaring our innocence and attacking this politically-motivated prosecution. Next thing I know, the Citizens in Charge website gets shut down. An email from the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority complained to our hosting service that the news release was spam.”

Talk about censorship! It’s frightening that in America, if a media organization (one supported by tax dollars no less!) disagrees with your cause, besides ignoring you, they report your press releases to your hosting provider as spam. Welcome to the People’s Republic of Oklahoma!

Related: SHOW ME THE LOVE! ‘06 Media Contributions to Attorney General Skewing Current “PoultryGate” Coverage?

Edmondson Accepts Contributions from Tulsa World Chairman in ‘06; Also Receives Paper’s Endorsement

University of Oklahoma Film and Video Studies junior, Elizabeth Barrett, discusses her experience at the Oklahoma Democratic Presidential Watch Party.

Hat tip: universityofoklahoma

We want to thank those of you who have joined our new social network. We also want to encourage those who have not yet joined to check out the site.

Similar to MySpace and Facebook, this companion site will allow members to set up their own profiles with their own pictures, videos, blog posts, you name it. The site is open to Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Greens, Socialists, Communists, Anarchists, whomever. This takes ordinary chat rooms to another level! And what makes this site unique is that it will mostly be all Oklahomans!

If you have a little creativity, you can use the power of OKPNS and its vast readership of insiders and activists to promote yourself, your business, your cause, whatever! (as long as it’s legal or not offensive) You can also set up subgroups, start forum discussion, invite and network with other political junkees. Check it out!

Click here to get started. Its Free!

Related:

Green Country Values: Web 2.0 Wednesday – 2 Cool Tools

From okiepolitics:

“Jason Murphey (R – Guthrie) deserves credit. He doesn’t take shi “gifts” from lobbyists.

Lobbyists like Pat Hall do not “know why we need a law” banning lobbyists giving legislators gifts. Hall continued by suggesting that giving legislators trinkets has “never been a problem.” Read more…

OKPNSnet Forum Question: Should lobbyists be banned from giving legislators gifts? (click here to join the discussion!)

F.W. Mize of Norman, Oklahoma, explains why he voted the way he did to an OU journalism student. The video was taken from the YouTube page of OU visiting Professor Warren Veith.

Professor Vieth is a national reporter and editor returning to Oklahoma after an 18-year career with the Los Angeles Times. He covered the White House from the beginning of President Bush’s second term until January 2006. During his 16 years in the Times Washington Bureau, he also worked as a national economics correspondent, assistant national editor, assignment editor, project editor and night news editor.

 hat tip:warrenvieth