Candidate Braves Heat to Walk from Mustang to Moore Oklahoma City, OK – Businessman and Oklahoma State Senate Republican candidate Kyle D. Loveless will be making an unusual trip in his grassroots campaign by literally walking from one end of the district to the other in midst of the August heat. “I have already knocked on the doors of over 4,000 voters all across the district. I’m spending evenings and Saturdays after work talking and listening to people to find out what they want in their next Senator and what they want from the State Capitol,” said Loveless. In the hottest month of the year, Loveless believes that the time spent will be well worth it to get to know the people and the businesses along the route. “What better month than August to walk from Mustang to Moore? Oklahomans and the voters of Senate District 45 don’t want a fat-cat, do-nothing Senator. They want a Senator willing to work hard to get things done. They want someone who won’t shirk from the challenges or tough fights. Walking 45 miles in the heat of an Oklahoma August won’t be easy, but it will be exciting.” “Voters want to know that the person they elect is willing to work for the job. Whether managing our family business, Loveless Shoes, or walking in 100 degree heat, I’m no stranger to challenges, I am sure there will be plenty of hot air, just like down on 23rd and Lincoln. People will know that I will work for them as hard as I work at this campaign,” said Loveless. Loveless will begin his walk in Canadian County on August 28th at I-40 and Mustang Road and will conclude the walk in Cleveland County, the next day August 29th. Along the way, Loveless will be making stops at the Mustang Town Center for a community meeting, the Moore Rotary lunch, and will be walking the old downtown of Moore. He will be available to the media through his cell phone, 405-640-0740. He also welcomes any member of the press to would like to walk a portion of the route with him.

Labels: Decision '08, Kyle Loveless

Posted at 8/27/2007 05:47:00 PM |   

Lance Tarrance and Carlos Rodriguez are proud to announce that as of September 1, 2007 they are joining with Chris Wilson, CEO and Founder of Wilson Research Strategies, to form Rodriguez-Wilson-Tarrance (RWT) Strategies. Tarrance is one of the most respected pollsters in America, and named one of the 150 people in the country influencing government by National Journal. Rodriguez is a veteran campaign consultant and public affairs expert with more than 25 years experience at the local, state and national levels. Related Wilson Research Strategies has released its early August 2007 edition of the National Political Environment Assessment. This edition focuses on global warming, infrastructure and the Kentucky and Louisiana gubernatorial races.

Labels: WRS

Posted at 8/27/2007 05:19:00 PM |   

Posted at 8/27/2007 03:21:00 PM |   

Message from Chairman Jones This week, convicted felon and former Senator Gene Stipe will appear before a federal judge in Muskogee facing the possibility of having his payroll revoked and going to prison. After many decades of alleged wrong doing, Stipe was convicted and removed from office in 2003, was given a suspended sentence, and has been on probation since that conviction. We are now reading daily reports about another ongoing scandal involving Stipe, Stipe’s partner, former Democrat lawmakers, and several current high ranking elected Oklahoma Democrats including Attorney General Drew Edmondson, State Auditor Jeff McMahan and even Governor Brad Henry. The FBI met with our very own State Auditor for the third time last Thursday. You have to wonder how a scandal this widespread could go on right under the noses of those officials who Oklahoma voters elected to keep it from happening. And second, why our state officials aren’t investigating the matter. It’s actually pretty simple. The officials that could look into this mess are too closely tied to those responsible, and therefore they can’t see the forest because of the trees. Attorney General Drew Edmondson and State Auditor Jeff McMahan (along with others) have accepted tens of thousands of dollars in illegal contributions from Stipe and his associates. Yet they will not remove themselves from the investigation. When the governor was asked to name an independent agent to do the investigation, Edmondson responded that the request was political. Absolutely, Mr. Edmondson…this is political. It involves large illegal political contributions to your campaign and that of the state auditor. It is political Mr. Edmondson, because the campaign consultant for both you and the auditor has been named as a recipient of state funds, which were illegally funneled through the Rural Development Foundation. It is political Mr. Edmondson, and that is exactly why you should remove yourself and demand the state auditor be removed as well

Labels: AG, Drew Edmondson, Gene Stipe, Jeff McMahan

Posted at 8/27/2007 03:13:00 PM |   

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe today made the following statement on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ resignation: “While Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and I have disagreed on a few matters, including making English the national language of the United States, I appreciate his service to the country and wish him and his family the best in their future,” Senator Inhofe said. “Though he is a man of strong character and has served faithfully at the behest of the President, Alberto Gonzales’ effectiveness as Attorney General has been compromised by intense partisanship and the ongoing controversy surrounding the firing of the U.S. attorneys.”

Labels: Sen. Inhofe

Posted at 8/27/2007 02:57:00 PM |   

"President" Obama on who he would like to work with in the Congress: "I would also seek out people like Tom Coburn, who is probably the most conservative member of the U.S. Senate. He has become a friend of mine.'' Sen. Barak Obama

Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn

Posted at 8/27/2007 02:47:00 PM |   

"This isn't about whether you are for or against immigration, or for or against immigrants. It doesn't matter what your skin color is or if you speak with an accent. What matters is if you are in the country legally or illegally. The only people threatened by House Bill 1804 are those who choose to break the law." Rep. Randy Terrill (R) Moore Thousands of Hispanics have fled the Tulsa, Okla., area in the shadow of a looming state law that limits benefits and mandates deportation for illegal aliens, according to a report from KTUL television in Tulsa. The state of Oklahoma recently approved a new law that requires deportation for illegal aliens who are arrested, and limits benefits and jobs to those individuals. The report said in East Tulsa, where a community of Hispanics has grown over recent years, there's been a sudden drop in population. Business owner Simon Navarro has been in business there 11 years, and said the tough law has chased away 30 percent of the state's Hispanic population. "Two months ago I heard 25,000 Hispanics have left Oklahoma," he told the station. "They are leaving. A lot have already left. "People are leaving," he said. "They're scared of the sheriff." Read more...

Labels: Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 8/27/2007 02:26:00 PM |   

Graphic courtesy of okiedoke.com From ESPN: Over the weekend, several different TrueHoop readers sent me a link to the same article, by Erik D. Williams and Frank Hughes in the News Tribune. It's an article based on information supplied by an anonymous Sonic employee who was part of meetings last week with team chairman Clay Bennett, who represents the Oklahoma City-based group that bought the Sonics and Storm last year. In the meeting, Bennett reportedly outlined some things Oklahoma City was prepared to do to entice the Sonics to move. That would reportedly include paying a long list of expensive things: legal fees associated with breaking the arena lease, settlement costs to the lease holders, moving expenses for Sonic employees, relocation fees due the NBA, a renovation of the existing arena in Oklahoma City, and eventually a new arena there too. (If this is really the city's offer to the Sonics, wow. That's a lot of money! None of those things are cheap and these days arenas are $500 million or more. Meanwhile, an article published just last Friday says 16 of Oklahoma City's schools are failing to meet basic federal education standards.) Williams and Hughes explain the circumstances of the discussions, and Bennett's reaction to the leaked information: Read more...

Labels: Supersonics Clay Bennett

Posted at 8/27/2007 02:14:00 PM |   

University of Arkansas Professor Gary Ritter testifies before the Oklahoma House Education Committee on Teacher Performance Pay. (AUDIO) CLICK TO LISTEN OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 21, 2007) – Performance pay programs in other states resulted in better results for students and a better work environment for teachers, according to testimony by an expert on Tuesday in the first round of hearings to develop a comprehensive performance pay plan for Oklahoma's teachers. "This is a promising strategy. It's worth trying and evaluating rigorously," said Gary Ritter, an associate professor and endowed chair in education policy at the University of Arkansas' Department of Education Reform. "The one component we know improves student performance is the effectiveness of a teacher." Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, said Ritter's balanced and thorough testimony began to debunk many of the myths surrounding performance pay -- including a common charge by opponents that performance pay creates so-called "negative competition" or hurts collaboration among teachers. "It was exciting to learn that performance pay plans across the country are encouraging collaboration, team work and higher performance among teachers," said Cargill. "While we should take into account a variety of factors when developing a performance pay plan, defenders of the status quo may never run out of reasons why they oppose reforms. Once one set of concerns is addressed they will likely move the ball by coming up with new concerns. But for most Oklahomans, performance pay makes perfect sense because it rewards teachers for success." (Hear more) "Performance pay has never been given serious consideration in Oklahoma," Cargill continued. "We've basically had the same teacher compensation system for a hundred years. Some opponents are so stuck in the past that they can't possibly move this state forward. But now is the time for bold reform." Ritter testified that under current "single salary" systems such as that used for Oklahoma teachers, rewards for teaching excellence decline over time. By contrast, he said, performance pay plans can be an effective tool to recruit and retain good teachers. In one example, Ritter examined a pilot project in Little Rock, Ark. schools called Achievement Challenge Pilot Project (ACPP), and found that it boosted student test scores. The program did not hurt teacher collaboration and encouraged a positive school environment. Ritter also testified that "lump sum", across-the-board pay raises for teachers have not generated increased student achievements where such raises have been implemented across the country. "Whatever performance pay system we develop in Oklahoma, it's clear that the days of one-size-fits-all pay raises are over," said Cargill. "We should be rewarding success, not punishing it by encouraging mediocrity." Tuesday's hearing was the first in a series of five hearings that will run through Oct. 9. The next is scheduled for Sept. 11, and will hear from school officials and teacher organizations. House Education Committee Chairman Tad Jones, who chaired Tuesday's hearing, said it was a good start. Jones has championed such reforms as the Academic Achievement Awards in Oklahoma, a program that provides cash bonuses to teachers in high-performing or greatly improved schools. "We've taken some positive first steps over the past few years. With these hearings we're simply trying to develop a plan that pays teachers as professionals," said Jones, R-Claremore. "We should be doing everything we can to keep good teachers in the classroom where they can make a difference in children's lives." Rep. Earl Sears, who is helping Jones facilitate the hearings, said that during his years as a school principal a performance pay plan similar to those discussed at Tuesday's hearing would have made a positive difference. "Having a performance pay system in place would have allowed teachers in my school to do a better job with their students," said Sears, R-Bartlesville, who served as principal of Central Middle School in Bartlesville for 24 years. Cargill and House Republican lawmakers first signaled they would pursue a comprehensive performance-based pay system for Oklahoma teachers after lawmakers completed a $4,800 pay raise commitment for teachers over the past three years. Part of this year’s state budget agreement included an additional $400 on top of an already-agreed to $600 pay raise – with the additional funds weighted toward veteran teachers or those with advanced degrees.

Labels: OK Legislature, Spkr. Cargill

Posted at 8/22/2007 04:01:00 PM |   

AMERICA’s MOST BEAUTIFUL: Mayor Kathy Taylor and George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) Chairman and Tulsa Beautification Foundation (TBF) President Phil Lakin announced a $5 million pledge from GKFF to help beautify Tulsa-area gateways, highways and thoroughfares. The first TBF project completed was beautifying Tulsa International Airport by painting the Virgin Street bridge, replacing crumbling sidewalks and medians under the bridge, new irrigation systems and extensive landscaping. MIRANDA ENZOR for GTR Newspapers From BubbaWorld dot Net: Tulsa’s Mean Streets Tulsan Doug Lawson found out just how bad “Tulsa’s Mean Streets” have become recently while out on his can collecting route early Thursday morning. Lawson was robbed, struck in the head and shot in the leg by a couple of punks when he lied and told them he had no money or keys to his truck parked nearby. Was Lawson wrong to try to escape with his $25 and his truck? I wasn’t there and therefore can not say. But I do know that Mr. Lawson was lucky to escape with his life, as many Tulsans have not these past few years. Read more...

Labels: Kathy Taylor

Posted at 8/22/2007 03:43:00 PM |   

"I'm hearing more and more frequently a sense of rage with the Democratic leadership in Congress. From failing to stop the war to expanding Bush's wiretapping authority, the swing vote of conservative Democrats in the House are forming an effective conservative majority that is enabling Bush to govern as he wishes." "Bush's Dogs" Jason Altmire, PA-04 John Barrow, GA-12 Melissa Bean, IL-18 Dan Boren, OK-02 Leonard Boswell, IA-03 Alan Boyd, FL-02 Chris Carney, PA-10 Ben Chandler, KY-06 Jim Cooper, TN-05 Jim Costa, CA-20 Bud Cramer, AL-05 Henry Cuellar, TX-28 Lamar Davis, TN-04 Joe Donnelly, IN-02 Chet Edwards, TX-17 Brad Ellsworth, IN-08 Bob Etheridge, NC-02 Bart Gordon, TN-06 Stephanie Herseth, SD Baron Hill, IN-09 Nick Lampson, TX-22 Dan Lipinski, IL-03 Jim Marshall, GA-08 Jim Matheson, UT-02 Mike McIntyre, NC-07 Charlie Melancon, LA-03 Colin Peterson, MN-07 Earl Pomeroy, ND Ciro Rodriguez, TX-23 Mike Ross, AR-04 John Salazar, CO-03 Heath Shuler, NC-11 Vic Snyder, AR-02 Zack Space, OH-18 John Tanner, TN-08 Gene Taylor, MS-04 Tim Walz, MN-01 Charlie Wilson, OH-06 Read more...

Labels: Congress, Iraq War, Rep. Dan Boren

Posted at 8/22/2007 01:44:00 PM |   

Related Oklahoma Women's Network Blog: "Oklahoma Women's Groups meet with Rep Mary Fallin"

Labels: Iraq War, Rep. Fallin

Posted at 8/22/2007 01:27:00 PM |   

By Alice Collinsworth The Edmond Sun EDMOND — This is the first of a three-part series exploring the problem of Oklahoma’s high divorce rate in Oklahoma and its effect on our state’s residents. Part two on Monday will highlight the generational impact of divorce; part three on Tuesday outlines one woman’s plan to help families avoid the financial pitfalls of divorce. The state of marriage in Oklahoma is not well. It’s an accepted fact that about 50 percent of American marriages end in divorce; among the states, Oklahoma traditionally ranks high. It has become more difficult to compare state divorce statistics, said Kendy Cox, director of services for the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, but in 1999, researchers ranked Oklahoma anywhere from No. 1 to No. 5 on the list of failed marriages. “Based on everything I’ve read and seen and researched, Oklahoma does rank right up there in the number of divorces,” said Oklahoma County Court Clerk Patricia Presley. At the same time, applications for marriage licenses are on a decline during the past two decades. In Oklahoma County, 6,309 applications were made in 2006. The year 2005 was the lowest since 1987, with 6,288. Read more...

Labels: Frank Keating

Posted at 8/22/2007 01:05:00 PM |   

From The Hill: By Daphne Retter A battle between the offices of Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) over a controversial earmark intensified earlier this month, displaying how debates on Capitol Hill sometimes can turn personal. The senators had been at odds over the matter for much of the summer, but it would reach a new level when John Hart, communications director for Coburn, forwarded a news article detailing his boss’s request for an investigation of a defense contractor. The target of the would-be investigation, 21st Century Systems Inc. (21CSI), employs Patrick Nelson, the son of the centrist senator. Sen. Nelson had requested an earmark for 21CSI, triggering a heated battle between the senators that has raged for weeks. “This will shut that f---er up,” Hart stated in an Aug. 1 e-mail sent from his Senate account to several of his colleagues. “I can’t wait to send an In Case You Missed It to Nebraska press that will be forwarded to a--face.” Read more... Related Huffington Post: "Nasty E-mails Fly As Senate Earmark Battle Gets Personal"

Labels: Congress, Sen. Tom Coburn

Posted at 8/22/2007 12:29:00 PM |   

Legislative Work Continues with Interim Studies By Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant While the 2008 session of the Legislature is still more than five months away, legislative committees are beginning to work on issues that will be before us next year. This process is called “interim studies,” and is the time we in the Legislature use to look at issues without the enormous time pressure of the regular four-month session. The idea is to gather as much information as possible. That way, when crunch-time arrives in February, we will be better prepared to make decisions in the best interest of the people we represent. As the Democratic chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee, my co-chair and I are in the process of looking at study requests assigned to our committee. Jointly, we will decide how to conduct the investigation. Five studies have been assigned to the Energy Committee; in addition, the committee – along with the House Energy Committee – will serve as a statutory task force to examine regulation of the state’s electric utilities. All of that will lead to a number of meetings during the fall and early winter. The list of studies assigned to the Energy and Environment Committee includes: Read more... Giving Oklahoma Students A Chance By Rep. Jason Murphey One of the most exciting and encouraging events of my first year in the legislature occurred this week as I was privileged to visit the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) and meet with KIPP principle Tracy McDaniel. KIPP is an inner city charter school located on the second floor of the F.D. Moon Academy at 13th and Martin Luther King Blvd. in Oklahoma City. A few years ago, I visited the F.D. Middle School to speak to the students. I remember thinking how deplorable the conditions of the school were and observed the lack of discipline in the students. The school was the lowest-performing in the state. Principle McDaniel explained that in the past, the school was handicapped by inadequate staff, making it difficult to achieve success. He indicated that of approximately 50 teachers, he believed 45 were simply not up to the task of providing a quality education. As a result, F.D. Moon remained one of the lowest performing schools in the state. That is when McDaniel took action. He spent a year out of state in training with the KIPP program and then returned to Oklahoma and the F.D. Moon school, where he now runs the KIPP Charter School. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislator's Blog, Rep. Jason Murphey, Sen. Gumm

Posted at 8/22/2007 12:08:00 PM |   

The Oklahoma Political News Service is looking into an incredible report that two of Oklahoma's dueling energy titans are using the same Oklahoma-based advertising/public relations firm. If true, the two companies would be guilty of "gross political stupidity" according to one source contacted by OKPNS. The advertising firm mentioned is one of the region's most respected ad agencies, but seldom mentioned in terms of political acumen. "How do you start to explain how politically foolish it is to have your bitter foe receiving advice and counsel from the same people you pay to do the same. I cannot believe we have business leaders that naive." Another insider says he doubts the rumor is true, but says the if the ad agency can get away with it, it's the fault of the companies paying them. "I doubt the veracity of this report, but if the agency can con these two companies into this unwise arrangement, then power to them. If it is true, it's the political bone-head play of the year." Developing! Posted at 8/20/2007 03:36:00 PM |   

From Transworld News: Does Tom Coburn Have a Snowball's Chance? There has been no paperwork filed and his name does not appear on the USA Election Polls website, but one republican who is still mulling over a run for the presidency is the junior senator from the state of Oklahoma, Tom Coburn. He has the dubious distinction of being Newt Gingrich's nemesis, in part owing to Coburn's estimation that Gingrich is a symptom of what ails the Republican Party: a gradual drifting to the left. Furthermore failing to make friends with the more moderate conservatives by calling for the dismissal of embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, he is considering a run for the White House on his conservative values. While in theory there is a substantial number of conservatives who will welcome this back to basics approach Mr. Coburn embraces, the more realistically minded constituents admit that his candidacy – should he declare it – does not have a snowball's chance of taking off, suggesting that Coburn has alienated too many moderate republicans he will be unable to garner the nod of the party. Read more...

Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Tom Coburn

Posted at 8/20/2007 02:36:00 PM |   

“As a conservative Republican it is very difficult for me to ask for a tax increase, but I think the benefits will come back 10-fold. The effects will go way beyond my lifetime. It will help Tulsa compete for jobs, conventions and young professionals. Our kids and grandkids will look back and see how important this was for the whole area.” - Tulsa County Commission Chairman Randi Miller By David Jones Is the timing right to vote on a tax package to develop the Arkansas River corridor in Tulsa County? Tulsa County Commission Chairman Randi Miller is confident that when the proposed .4-cent sales tax is presented to the people it will be resoundingly accepted. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor also thinks the time is right. “We have been working on and planning this project for years,” she says. “It’s time to stop studying and do something.” As for the decision of the County Commission to have a vote Oct. 9 Taylor said, “The election is totally at the discretion of the County Commission. This is a project that is truly a regional project. The biggest concern we have to get an educated workforce to move to the area is the quality of life. With the Bank of Oklahoma Center and the development of the river, this area will be ready to take off.” “Polls taken toward the end of June showed a narrow victory for the proposal,” Miller says. A poll recently published in the Tulsa World disagrees, showing a majority of voters opposing the project. Read more...

Labels: Kathy Taylor, Randi Miller

Posted at 8/20/2007 02:21:00 PM |   

The Conservative Democrat Dan Boren The Washington Post has been following four members of Congress as they grapple with what to do about the Iraq war in the coming months. The focus during Congress's August recess is on what these lawmakers are hearing from voters in their home districts. Future installments will feature Rep. Jan Schakowksy (D-Ill.) and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). By Jonathan Weisman HUGO, Okla. R ep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) was settling into his chair in the snug broadcast booth at K95.5 Country as the station's Jo Ann Matthews sing-songed her way through the subjects she wanted him to touch on. There was the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Of course, talk about federal livestock assistance, she went on. Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) meets with constituents in Hugo, Okla. At more than a dozen town hall meetings in the past two weeks, Boren has heard the subject of Iraq come up voluntarily only once. (By Jerry Ward For The Washington Post) "And I know the war is a big issue on everybody's mind, but," she said haltingly, her sweetly twanged voice tailing off to silence. Then, "I'm real impressed with the work you're doing on cancer," she finished. If lawmakers in most parts of the country are being accosted with questions about the September showdown on Iraq, here, in the sleepy southeastern corner of Oklahoma, the war is the subject that almost cannot be discussed. The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Boren's district supplies virtually all of the war's munitions. The hamlets and small towns, such as Antlers and Hugo, Miami and Nowata, have sent their sons and daughters to fight. About 3,200 Oklahomans are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan; 18,428 have served since the wars began, from a state of 3 1/2 million. Most of the parents of those warriors split their tickets and voted for President Bush as they voted for Boren. Read more... Related: Sooner Thought: "DINO Dan Boren Takes the Heat for Supporting Bush" "Man Up, Grow A Pair And Stop Sniveling"

Labels: Cong. Dan Boren

Posted at 8/20/2007 02:06:00 PM |   

Hat Tip: Ron Black 1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot. 2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way. 3. They are cattle & oil wells. That's what they smell like to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-40 and I-240 go east and west, I-35 goes north and south. Pick one. 4. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 cotton strippers that are driven only 3 weeks a year. 5. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept. 6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of doves are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time. 7. Yeah, we eat catfish & crawfish. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop. 8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November. 9. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age. 10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey. 11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Picante Sauce!! Oh, yeah....We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat...IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!! Chili was born and bred in Southern OK....and real chili never met a bean! 12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair. 13. College and High School Football is as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch. 14. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards -- it spooks the fish. 15. Colleges? OU, OSU. East Central or South Eastern. They come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays. 16. We have more folks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, than any other state, so "Don't Mess with OKIES," If you do, you will get whupped by the best.

Labels: 400lb Gorilla

Posted at 8/17/2007 08:19:00 PM |   

A little damage control maybe? From Okbluenotes: Oklahoma Democratic Party & Veterans Committee to Host “Support the Troops” Event Oklahomans Deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan to Receive Care Packages Oklahoma City - The Oklahoma Democratic Party is sponsoring a ‘Support the Troops’ campaign by gathering items from the ‘most wanted’ list that have been requested by our Oklahoma Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who: Democratic Veterans, family members, elected official and Oklahomans who support our military What: Event to pack care boxes for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan Where: George Krumme Center, Oklahoma Democratic Party Headquarters, 4100 N. Lincoln, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 When: Tuesday, August 21st from 6:30p.m. to 8:00p.m. Ron Wasson, Vietnam Marine Corps veteran and Dr. Katherine Scheirman, retired Air Force Colonel, are co-chairs of the Oklahoma Democratic Veteran's Committee, which is devoted to political and social justice issues that affect our country's veterans. They have organized the event to let members of our armed forces know we salute their patriotism and courage. The event will include speakers from the Veterans Committee along with State Rep Richard Morrissette, Iraq war veteran Mike Waggoner and State Party Chair Ivan Holmes. Refreshments will be served and everyone is invited to participate in this important event. Read more...

Labels: Iraq War, ODP

Posted at 8/17/2007 03:37:00 PM |   

In commemoration of Oklahoma's centennial year, 100 Ideas recently showcased the 2007th idea which was posted this week on their blog. The idea was submitted by Bobby Cleveland of Norman. Here is an excerpt: "Golf courses can provide critical elements of habitat for amphibians, fish, mammals, birds, and insects. The use of better management practices, including buffer strips, natural growth and wetlands on golf courses, helps protect wildlife for future generations. Oklahoma should encourage the development of greener golf courses to improve our environment and protect wildlife."

Labels: 100 Ideas Initiative

Posted at 8/16/2007 07:33:00 PM |   

A new issue brief from Community Action Project (CAP) examines Oklahoma's new immigration bill, HB 1804, which is slated to take effect November 1st. The brief offers a section-by-section analysis of the bill and explores how its provisions relate to current law and practice in such areas as public benefits, identity cards, employment and law enforcement. It is designed to assist public and private stakeholders in the immigration issue understand how the bill applies to them. Among the issue brief's key findings: Many sections of HB 1804 may either duplicate or mirror what is already in state or federal law or simply put into statute what is already occurring in practice in Oklahoma. The bill does not challenge the constitutionally-guaranteed right of all children to attend school and receive all educational services, regardless of legal status. While the bill requires verification of legal status for those applying for "public benefits", the established definition of public benefits in state and federal law is limited to certain well-defined government programs, which already are unavailable to unauthorized immigrants. Read entire brief here.

Labels: CAP, Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 8/16/2007 07:24:00 PM |   

To GOP Activists, Oklahoma County GOP invites you to a grassroots Get-Out-The-Vote training seminar to be held Saturday August 25th 10:00 am to noon at the GOP headquarters 4031 N Lincoln Blvd, OKC. We will be focusing on upcoming elections, especially the District 1 OK County Commissioner's race. Former GOP State Representative Forrest Claunch will be facing Democrat OKC Councilwoman Willa Johnson on September 11th 2007. We must take full advantage of this tremendous opportunity to elect a strong conservative to this open seat. This race will be a test of our preparedness and dedication for the upcoming election cycle. I strongly encourage each of you to attend this training session and help our County GOP make a tremendous impact in this special election. I will be out of town for the next week so please RSVP to Jay Mandraccia at jay@okgop.com so we may get a count of the number of attendees. Please bring your Republican friend and let's get excited about the opportunities awaiting the GOP in Oklahoma! Pam Pollard Chair , Oklahoma County GOP Posted at 8/15/2007 05:37:00 PM |   

Need further proof the world's going to hell in a hand basket? This piece is from the Dallas Voice, "The Community Newspaper for Gay & Lesbian Dallas." "State Rep. Thad Balkman, the instigator of the measure, claimed — apparently in error — that the law would prevent Oklahoma children from being adopted by gay couples from out of state, and opined that “children are better off with two parents — a mother and a father, not two mothers or two fathers.” By Ann Rostow News Analyst The U.S Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has struck down one of the most extraordinary anti-gay laws in the nation — Oklahoma’s ban on recognizing legal gay adoptive parents from out of state. Passed in 2004, the law was unique in the country and breathtaking in its scope. A lower federal court ruled the law unconstitutional last year, and last Friday, Aug. 3, the three-judge federal appellate panel put the final nail in its coffin, handing the GLBT legal community a nice precedent in the process. Critics of the law say it’s hard to believe that an elected group of lawmakers, even in the reddest state, could conceive of passing this kind of legislation in the first place. Imagine adopting a couple of children at birth, moving to Oklahoma years later, and discovering that you are no longer legally related to your teenage son or daughter, they say. How did it happen? It happened in a kind of gay panic, brought on by the plight of two gay fathers in 2003. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature, Thad Balkman

Posted at 8/15/2007 05:09:00 PM |   

From USA Today: By Randy Terrill With Congress gridlocked over immigration issues, Oklahoma and a few other states are leading the way on real reform — and rightfully so. After all, the tremendous economic burden created by illegal immigration is felt most at the state and local level — particularly when it comes to education, health care, welfare and corrections. In Oklahoma alone, the direct cost of illegal immigration is more than $200 million a year. The indirect cost is far higher, and this is a relatively small state. But even if you ignore the costs, states still have good reason to act. States are separate sovereigns in our federal system. They have the inherent legal right and a constitutional responsibility to provide internal domestic security, as well as to protect our citizens from waste, fraud and abuse. In Oklahoma, we have taken that responsibility seriously by enacting a carefully calibrated, common-sense, real immigration reform measure that many have called the toughest in the nation. Read more... Related: Enid News & Eagle: "Republican women host rally, speakers"

Labels: Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 8/15/2007 04:47:00 PM |   

"I was, and still am, in shock and I admittedly called the Democratic side of the County Commissioner race completely wrong....Yep, I was wrong and it wasn't the first time and I promise you that it won't be the last." "Psuedo consultant" Ron Black

Labels: 400lb Gorilla

Posted at 8/15/2007 04:03:00 PM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma Supreme Court has given a controversial $1.8 billion coal-fired power plant in Noble County the green light. But environmental groups claim the proposed Red Rock plant, despite assurances to the contrary from its developers, will be anything but green. The Supreme Court decided last week to dismiss a lawsuit filed last month by Red Rock's opponents. The suit argued that state-conducted hearings on the new plant were unconstitutional, LNL reported. Plaintiffs claimed the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) did not have judicial power to conduct hearings that pre-approve new power plants. Red Rock's most prominent opponent is nearby Oklahoma-City-based gas producer Chesapeake Energy, the county's third-largest independent pumper. Read more...

Labels: OK Supreme Court

Posted at 8/14/2007 04:49:00 PM |   

But not these:

Related: ODP Chooses Homosexuals Over Veterans?

Labels: ODP, okdemocrat.com

Posted at 8/14/2007 03:50:00 PM |   

Tough on Crime; Smart on Crime By Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant Hello again, everybody! A constant we face is the responsibility to keep law-abiding Oklahoma families safe from those who would harm them. If you have read or heard the news recently, you know we again are facing a prison crisis. A crisis occurs when the Corrections Department does not have the resources to lock up all the criminals our state laws say deserve to be in prison. Oklahoma is locking up new criminals faster than existing convicts are completing their sentences. Our prison system has reached 98 percent of its capacity. The director of the Corrections Department calls the situation “the most critical point in three decades” because there are so few options. Read more... Courts To Decide Illegal Immigration Issue By Rep. Jason Murphey Perhaps the bill approved during this legislative session with some of the most far reaching consequences was House Bill 1804. House Bill 1804 is reportedly the most stringent immigration reform bill in the nation and takes a number of dramatic steps to crack down on the illegal immigration problem. HB 1804 is designed to stop illegals from getting both jobs and public benefits. It also contains a requirements that local law enforcement enforce federal immigration law and includes punishments for people who knowingly harbor or transport undocumented aliens. The passage of House Bill 1804 represented the culmination of two years of work by State Representative Randy Terrill (R-Moore). The bill passed a number of hurdles including a last minute public decision by Governor Brad Henry to not veto the law. Now, the law faces what may be it's toughest challenge yet. A group known as "The United Front Task Force" has formed as a response to House Bill 1804 and kicked off their opposition to bill by launching a public-awareness campaign, including a billboard going up in the Tulsa area. The billboard asks the question "Is if Ok ... for Oklahoma to have a law that promotes hate among people?" Perhaps the group's most effective tool against the law is their plan to file a lawsuit before the law takes effect. Read more...

Labels: OK Legislator's Blog, Rep. Jason Murphey, Sen. Gumm

Posted at 8/14/2007 03:01:00 PM |   

The first line of this piece destroys any credibility it may have had! From Daily Kos: Chris Casteel, chief propagandist for U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, published an article in The Daily Oklahoman on Sunday that obviously tries to rehabilitate the senator’s image. Inhofe, despised throughout the world for his ignorant and outrageous comments about scientific and lifestyle issues, suddenly feels concern for the country’s dilapidated infrastructure, according to the disingenuous article. Read more...

Labels: Decision '08, Sen. Inhofe

Posted at 8/14/2007 02:29:00 PM |   

Letter to the Editor: Apparently it is time for my annual response to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and other so-called experts in the field of what is best for teachers. There seems to be two main points this year: merit pay and the number of days that teachers work. It is true that Oklahoma teachers work 180 days per year. I will guarantee, though, that teachers work more minutes per day than any other profession. From the time the first bell rings until the last bell, teachers are working every single minute of the day. Studies have shown that the average blue-collar worker actually spends only 5.4 hours of every day in productive work, and white-collar workers (the ones who keep writing letters about how little teachers work) spend an average of 4.3 hours daily being productive. The most recent column states that teachers make 2 percent more per hour than the average professional wage, but we work almost 100 percent more in that hour. Now let’s talk about merit pay. House Speaker Lance Cargill has proposed that the only raises teachers should receive in the future should be merit based. What happened to the promise the Legislature made two years ago to raise teacher pay to the regional average? Read more...

Labels: OK Legislature

Posted at 8/14/2007 02:16:00 PM |   

Mickey Hepner is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Central Oklahoma. He regularly writes and comments on policy issues. Mickey's Musings: A few weeks ago U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin wrote a guest column for The Oklahoman criticizing House Democrats for their budget proposal (I mentioned this here). At the time I also drafted this letter to the editor and hoped The Oklahoman would publish it. Since it has been 2 1/2 weeks since submission, I think it is safe to assume that it won't be published. So, I thought I would post it here: Read more...

Labels: Congress, Rep. Fallin

Posted at 8/14/2007 02:06:00 PM |