The Fall Of CNN

Twenty years ago, CNN was the most powerful and prestigious news organization in the world. Their coverage of Desert Storm (Gulf War I) proved far superior to the conventional broadcast news agencies.   Yesterday, analyst & contributor, Kathy Griffin (a comedian by day job),  took down the last vestiges of CNN's former self respect and dignity.   In a very carefully planned self-promotion, Griffin decided to compete with the late night Trump bashers (Colbert, Daily, Fallon, Meyers, etc). She and her promoters crafted a photo shoot of an ISIS-inspired beheading of President Donald Trump.  She knew she was playing dangerously. She even quipped that she may have to flee to Mexico to avoid incarceration for the act. But she pressed forward with it.   Evidently, there was no focus group testing of the ploy. Whether its career desperation, sheer vile hatred, or personal recklessness; Griffin released the photo of herself holding an effigy of a beheaded and bloody Donald Trump.

---

Griffin's expression is a blank stare of seriousness and resolute determination. She threw red meat at a pack  of rabid dogs who already have been worked into a frenzy by CNN's year-long propaganda machine.   It was at this time last year that CNN and other liberal news agencies switched from promoting Trump through wall-to-wall primary coverage; to nonstop trashing of the eventual Republican nominee.   When Trump completed a stunning upset (at least to the coastal liberal convention), CNN went into desperation-mode. They began narratives of innuendo and political sabotage. CNN had actively collaborated with Clinton in the presidential debates - providing tip sheets to the Clinton campaign.    It was just 6 years ago that CNN beat out Fox News Channel in a scholarly research by UCLA's media research. Tim Groseclose (a Tulsa native) led that research. Tim is now a professor at George Mason University.    In 2017, even Fox was seen as more critical of Trump than affirming; scoring a 52 in that recent index. CNN, however, threw away all sense of propriety and objectivity, scored a 93.

The Slant Quotient (SQ) is an index number assigned by the UCLA team. While CNN was clearly on the liberal side of the center, they were only about 6 points off.  But Fox News was about 10 points on the conservative side of center.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-fall-of-cnn

The Fall Of CNN

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-fall-of-cnn

The State Spending That We Can't Live Without?

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-state-spending-that-we-cant-live-without

The State Spending That We Can't Live Without?

Gov. Fallin wanted us to pay $2 billion more in taxes. The Budget Chairs tried to push at least half of that, but in the end got most of a billion more of our next year's income.   The legislators all went home. The documents all went to the governor's office. Thinktanks on the left and right are consulting attorneys for an inevitable court fight over the highly questionable decisions of the Republican leadership. ​Total Spent    $6,975,417,616.00 ​Common Education    $2,448,399,829.00 Medical Services    $1,161,822,103.00 Human Services    $822,900,283.00 Higher Education    $773,597,660.00 Safety - Corrections    $613,425,571.00 Mental Health - Addictions    $327,990,166.00 Miscellaneous    $292,342,937.00 Transportation    $155,338,280.00 State Financial Agencies    $139,530,413.00 Courts    $133,966,765.00 Natural Resources - Industries    $106,103,609.00

---

Waste Continues

  According to SoonerPoll's latest research, almost all of us agree that there's  plenty of ways to make harmless cuts to this budget.
  Rep. George Faught presented a bill to end the "swag" spending by elected officials. About $34 million is spent on banquets, token gifts, plaques, trophies, and other means of making the incumbents look generous, hospitable, and most of all.. important. Faught's bill never got out of committee. Many of his fellow Republicans killed it.
  With several dozen universities in the state, somehow our legislature still believes we need to subsidize them to the tune of over $6,000 per full time student. It's a giveaway that benefits wealthier families more than the poor.
​  If Oklahoma had ended the swag and the college subsidies, we would have had a surplus in each of the past 5 years.

Missed Opportunities

  Criminal justice reform was shamefully thwarted by a couple of strategically-placed committee chairmen. The leadership is also responsible for their actions. Several task force recommendations failed to get to the floor for votes. Rep. Scott Biggs and Sen. Anthony Sykes are disgracing their offices by acting as dictators in opposition to the will of  the voters and their colleagues.
   The voters called for several reforms in criminal justice, last November. The authors of the initiative petitions were trusting the legislature to continue that work through statutory  structuring so that our dubious reputation for ruining lives with felony punishments would go away. Folks with petty charges or simple possession of harmless pot were supposed to get shorter sentences and more opportunity for getting their lives together.
  Some wanted to overturn the state questions (780 & 781) completely. One of them got arrested and removed from power before he could harm more lives. 
  Everyone paid lip-service about caring for the mentally ill, but we still send far more of them to jail than to state-run mental health institutions so they can get recovery and become productive again. I'm not talking about the ones who committed real crimes. They need to be helped in a forensic program. But too often they just rot in jail cells, indefinitely.
   We have a billion dollars sitting in a TSET fund. That account is not being made available to deal with the addiction problems of Oklahomans. TSET spends more on salaries and media buys than on people trying to get therapy for addictions. The legislature could have taken the initiative to change that. They didn't seem to want to. Instead they wanted to raise more tobacco tax.
   Our monument to the history of laws is still exiled from the capitol complex. The stone depiction of the Hebrew Decalogue is deemed a threat to society. Our National Guard Chapel may be the next thing to go. Even our chaplains may get kicked out of the state militias.
  Our marriage statutes remain inconsistent with our constitution and the federal rulings. Rep Todd Russ had a great bill, but another committee chairman, Chris Kannady, decided to kill it, all by himself.

The good accomplishments

• Tim Gillespie of OK2A says much of his agenda for reforming arms laws was successful. 
• Criminal Justice Reform is growing in support.
• Mental Health issues will continue to be addressed. Understanding among conservatives is growing.
  
• Corporate Welfare is ending. We quit paying industries in exchange for empty promises of economic development.
• Democrats are sounding more reasonable. They have to. (But never feed them after dark).
• The Oklahoma Chamber quit trying to sell us on Pops Museums, Expanding Medicaid, or timeshare condominiums in the middle of a swamp.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-state-spending-that-we-cant-live-without

A Failed Session? Will The Courts Negate The Taxes?

A Constitutional Crisis has now arrived. The Legislative leaders did the unthinkable. They blatantly raised taxes several times and in several ways that the constitution strictly forbids.   Today, the session has adjourned 'sine die' [latin for "with no appointed date for resumption"] . Tax Week Failures   When the two chambers failed to legally pass enough revenue increases before last Monday morning, to pacify the state's appetite; The only legal way to succeed in the regular session was to create a balanced budget within the means available.   Another option was to go into a special session. But the Governor did not activate that option. So the leadership of the House, Senate, and the executive branch; decided to raise more revenue in the last 5 days and without the 75% support of both houses.    The voters could pass all the new revenue bills, but that would have to wait until the Nov. 2018 general election.  It appears that several legal challenges are being written in the next few days.  Whoever takes up the cause of protecting the taxpayers of Oklahoma will be the favorite in the 2018 elections, whether the court battle is won or lost.

---

Two Supreme Court Scenarios:

1.  If a court battle is joined in the next few weeks, it could be granted a 'stay' of the new revenue hikes via injunction of the high court. If the ruling results in any of the revenue measures being thrown out, the state will have a financial emergency. There will still be money to operate, but only at a scaled back level of operations. there would be an immediate special session, but the Republican leadership will be weakened and perhaps face a 'no confidence' vote from within. The Governor could dictate that the session focus on properly raising revenue, or perhaps rewriting a budget, or a combination of both?

2. If a court battle is not fought, or if the revenue measures stand, there will be a revolt such as never seen in recent Oklahoma history. It would mean that our Constitutional language is disregarded by our justices. A populist uprising could go in any direction from there.

  The consequences of losing this constitutional battle are more dire than any result of any single session of the legislature. It would be a tyranny we may not soon recover from. The voters would 'throw out the rascals' and may give the House back to Democrat hands. It's also plausible that the Libertarian Party would sustain a windfall of electoral advancement.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/a-failed-session-will-the-courts-negate-the-taxes

A Failed Session? Will The Courts Negate The Taxes?

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/a-failed-session-will-the-courts-negate-the-taxes

The Looming Supreme Court Ruling On Revenue Bills

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-looming-supreme-court-ruling-on-revenue-bills

The Looming Supreme Court Ruling On Revenue Bills

The legislative leaders and governor are acting willfully delusional. They have this notion that as long as they don't utter the dreaded 't' word (tax), then they can pass any revenue bill at any time and with only a mere majority of  the yeas & nays.   About 25 years ago, the people of Oklahoma did an end-run around our own arrogant legislature by passing a citizen initiative ballot question. The result was an amendment to our state constitution which requires...  "any bill intended to raise revenue to be submitted to a vote of the people at the next general election before it can be enacted".   An alternative enactment can be expedited if 75% of the full authorized membership of both houses and a governor's signature.    But in neither case can those proposals be passed in the last 5 days... Even with 100% support!   The panic of these past weeks has been the bureaucratic fear that the current funding levels of state government cannot be secured without the new money raised by these revenue-raising bills. ​   Absolutely no one believes these tobacco bills, car sales tax bills, petroleum production taxes, or any number of other rushed schemes is about anything other than grabbing money from the taxpayers.

---

  The only case history we can cite on this issue is from last year. But in that case the judges simply ruled that eliminating a refundable credit (corporate welfare) was not raising revenue, because the effect did not result in a taxpayer owing any taxes.  That decision was split 5-4, none the less. It was no different than cutting a welfare spending program.
  But this new group of expected cases will be well presented by a vast collection of the left and right. It If the filings and briefs are presented within the next ten days, we may see oral arguments within 4 weeks.
By July 1st, there may be a complete scrapping of a whole class of statutes. That would certainly bring panic to the whole of state agencies and lead the governor to call an immediate special session.  This will no doubt have a detrimental impact on the popularity of the state's elected officials. It could lead to a political earthquake in the 2018 general elections.
  If the legislature believes the pressure was intense this last few weeks, there will be a crucible awaiting them before the July heat wave settles in on Lincoln Blvd., in Oklahoma City.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-looming-supreme-court-ruling-on-revenue-bills

Rep. Faught's Conservative Manifesto

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/rep-faughts-conservative-manifesto

Rep. Faught's Conservative Manifesto

Muskogee Republican, George Faught, serves in the Oklahoma House. He has become a conservative leader and uniter of many of his colleagues. Today he posted this summation of his past 4 months in the House. ​  This session, we have seen a role reversal here at the State Capitol. Republicans from the Governor on down have proposed new and higher taxes, ultimately passed on to the citizens of this State, while the Democrats are opposing these increased taxes merely for political posturing. There are some of us who have been against these new revenue measures from the beginning of session. We have not been obstructionists, but delivered our fiscal policies to our leadership to avoid these new taxes.   We have won some battles by keeping even worse ideas from coming forward, and we have lost other battles. The goal is to continue to grow those who are committed to sound policies that we as Republicans should adhere and to remain an effective voice. I am reminded of what the late Labor Commissioner Mark Costello always reminded me;  "A fee is nothing more than a tax by another name".

​  Today is the next-to-last day of this year's legislative session. This week, I've been wearing a red tie to symbolize my continued opposition to raising taxes on Oklahoma workers and businesses, my objection to unconstitutionally raising taxes in the final week of session, my intent to uphold the wishes of Oklahoma voters, who just six months ago overwhelmingly rejected higher taxes, and to express my support of the Republican platform principles of limited government and lower taxes.

​ We can and must do better. - Rep. George Faught

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/rep-faughts-conservative-manifesto

Legislatures Create Indefinite Prisoners, Without A Trial

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/legislatures-create-indefinite-prisoners-without-a-trial

Legislatures Create Indefinite Prisoners, Without A Trial

Oklahoma is just one of several states where legislatures are passively creating a clearly unconstitutional denial of justice.  By not directing the funding to provide sufficient mental health treatment capacity, even when a judge orders an ill person into treatment, to enable their mental recovery.  A recent Texas case illustrates a situation for which Oklahoma's Commissioner of Mental Health was also held in contempt of court.  Commissioner White made a patient wait in jail for over 6 months. A District Court judge only withdrew the contempt punishment when White appeared before the bench and committed to better communication. ​ But the situation is not yet significantly improved. White did immediately make that transfer when the judge applied serious threats.   The StarTribune News describes the scenario... ​AUSTIN, Texas — Though a judge deemed her mentally unfit to stand trial fourteen months ago, Jennifer Lampkin is still sitting in an Austin jail cell because there are no free spots for her at the state's psychiatric hospitals.

---

Lampkin, 35, has both intellectual disabilities and a mental illness, and without treatment, the court couldn't reassess her competency to stand trial on an assault charge for allegedly slapping a child, which might at least allow her case to progress.
"I don't think she understands why she remains in jail," said her attorney, Elsie Craven. "She's stressed because she doesn't know what's going to happen. I don't believe she's getting the treatment she needs. How could she? She's in jail."
​
  Lampkin is one of hundreds of mentally ill Texas inmates who have been stuck in jail for months waiting for a spot at one of the state's overcrowded and understaffed mental hospitals. Though such problems aren't unique to Texas, its inmates face among the nation's longest waits to receive psychiatric treatment and the problem is only getting worse despite recent efforts to improve the situation.

  The average wait for a maximum security inmate to get in-patient psychiatric treatment has nearly doubled in the past two years, to 127 days, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

  For inmates like Lampkin with intellectual disabilities and a mental illness, the average wait is more than three times as long, at 417 days. That's partly because the state only has one unit dedicated to the treatment of such inmates, said Beth Mitchell, the supervising attorney for the advocacy group Disability Rights Texas.

  "People who are charged but not convicted are supposed to be let out on bond," said Mitchell, whose group has a class-action lawsuit pending against the state that argues the long waits are unconstitutional. "But in this case, these people can't get put out on bond because they don't have the capacity to agree to bond."

   If the Oklahoma legislature is committed to civil rights, they will enact sufficient line-item funding to make sure the restored capacity is quickly made a reality. It will also alleviate concerns that scores of county governments are expressing about jail expenses. Some are asking that SQ780 be overturned... simply for economic concerns. They worry that counties will bear the whole expense of housing misdemeanor convicts of simple drug possession or petty theft. But the legislature can mitigate that issue by restoring the much cheaper state mental hospital capacity. A treatment for mental illness is far more efficient than ongoing litigation & incarceration. With the new Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws, the ill person's long-term recovery can be monitored while they continue to recover the rest of their lives, livelihood, and relationships.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/legislatures-create-indefinite-prisoners-without-a-trial

House Leadership Still 'Twists Arms' With Proficiency

A seriously flawed revenue bill just passed the House with barely a majority. Several Republicans opposed it, as did all the Democrats. But the last 3 supporters seem to have been cajoled by some unusual techniques we aren't allowed to view in the chamber's webcasts.   When only the rollcall screen is visible, and all microphones are silenced, the presiding officer seemed to stay silent and leave the voting open.   That's when Representatives Michael Rogers, Mark Lepak, and Ronda Baker switched, one-by-one; to 'yes' votes. All three of them were 'no' votes for at least 5 minutes prior to that 'epiphany'. But that wasn't the biggest switch on this bill. Even though Majority Floor Leader, Jon Echols, said he "didn't know why" there's an emergency attached to this issue (supposedly simplifying the excise fees associated with buying a car),  He none-the-less called for a vote on the 'emergency'.  Clearly the emergency is a revenue shortage for the July 1st budget year. So this emergency would rush the effective date to July 1st.    On the 'emergency' another 19 Republicans agreed that a bill they originally opposed... needs to be enacted right away!

Three Republicans had a 'change of heart' at the last minute?

The final vote tally, after 3 members were evidently 'rolled' into supporters.

The stalled vote, before 3 republicans made a last-minute switch.

The 17 Republicans who voted for an emergency application of a bill they opposed.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/house-leadership-still-twists-arms-with-proficiency

House Leadership Still 'Twists Arms' With Proficiency

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/house-leadership-still-twists-arms-with-proficiency

The Red Tie Brigade of Conservatism

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-red-tie-brigade-of-conservatism

The Red Tie Brigade of Conservatism

The Republican Platform Caucus is now donning red ties in solidarity with Republican platform principles, for the remainder of this session. An internal memo went out this morning... " It needs to be Red for 'no' on taxes! Red for 'REAL Republicans'!   Yes, others may wear red ties. But those who have previously aligned with the Platform Caucus are stating that they know what it means to be a Republican and they urge their colleagues to remember that time when they also believed in conservatism.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-red-tie-brigade-of-conservatism

The Budget 'We Must Vote For, To Know What's In It'

After 11pm, last night; The appointed select members of JCAB were given copies of the massive new proposed state budget. Within a few minutes they were required to vote.   This document is the product of a 3-member group. The Governor, and the two Budget Chairs of the House & Senate.   Their disregard for openness and impatience with scrutiny are going to be legendary, in Oklahoma history.   Today, the House leadership will likely face push-back for trying to force a vote within hours.   Perhaps the only thing more thuggish will be the Republican leadership's complete disregard for the constitution, by forcing floor votes on bills which raise revenue, within the last 5 days, and without a 75% passage.   There have been over a dozen such actions in committees and chambers within the past two weeks.

---

​
​  Judiciary intervention will certainly be forthcoming, and may effectively shut down the entire state agency system withing the next several weeks.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-budget-we-must-vote-for-to-know-whats-in-it

The Budget 'We Must Vote For, To Know What's In It'

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-budget-we-must-vote-for-to-know-whats-in-it

Last-Second Vote Switching At The Capitol

This morning's House vote on Gross Production Tax had a few curious vote flippers. The measure was deemed by the Majority Floor Leader to "not be a revenue increase bill" (even though it clearly was written for just that reason). At any rate, the Republican caucus members were told that a simple majority vote would send the measure to the Senate, and then the Governor.   The bill had 54 supporters, but with about 30 seconds before the close of the roll, Rep. Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee) switched from supportive to opposing.  Then, with less than 10 seconds left, Fetgatter switched back to supportive.   Fetgatter wasn't the only one with fingers on the buttons in the last seconds. Dale Derby (R-Owasso) switched from supportive to opposing. So did Lewis Moore (R-OKC). Moore is in his 5th term, but the other two are freshmen.  Constituents can ask these Representatives for an explanation  of their vote-switching.    Members of OKPAC may likely include floor votes like this to compile a Conservative Index rating. The Oklahoma Constitution Newspaper has published this index for well over 30 years.

---

The figure on the left shows the final votes on the House floor.    The image below shows what the vote looked like, prior to the final seconds.   This is not a case where the representatives had rushed in the room and accidentally pressed a wrong button, then immediately correct themselves.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/last-second-vote-switching-at-the-capitol

Last-Second Vote Switching At The Capitol

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/last-second-vote-switching-at-the-capitol

Pork Politicians Revealed: Addicted To Swag

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/pork-politicians-revealed-addicted-to-swag

Pork Politicians Revealed: Addicted To Swag

House Committee rejects bill to cut spending on non-essential trinkets and swag

Feature, by Jamison Faught, of Muskogee Politico -   Late last night, (just before midnight) the House Joint Committee on Appropriations & Budget (JCAB) rejected a measure designed to cut non-essential agency spending on promotional items and other trinkets (the "anti-swag" bill).   Presented by Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee), the bill could have saved as much as $30M, which could have avoided additional cuts or paid for half of a $1000 teacher pay raise. Instead, JCAB members shot down the measure, specifically objecting to cutting items such as FFA trophies (which could be paid for by private funds) and stress balls for veterans. The final vote was 5-21. These members felt that nonessential promotional spending should be cut, and should be commended: Jon Echols (R) John Paul Jordan (R) Jason Murphey (R) Terry O'Donnell (R) Todd Russ (R)

​These members felt that nonessential promotional spending is just too important, and shouldn't be cut: Scott Biggs (R) Chad Caldwell (R) Dennis Casey (R) Josh Cockroft (R) Jason Dunnington (D) Katie Henke (R) Scott Inman (D) Steve Kouplen (D) Ben Loring (D) Scott Martin (R) Charles Ortega (R) Leslie Osborn (R) Pat Ownbey (R) John Pfeiffer (R) Eric Proctor (D) Dustin Roberts (R) Mike Sanders (R) Earl Sears (R) Shane Stone (D) Emily Virgin (D) Kevin Wallace (R)

Editor's Note: Blogger, Jamison Faught added;​   "It's a shame that so many so-called Republicans are rejecting efforts to make the easy cuts (nonessential spending) and instead push for tax hikes."   Perhaps no other piece of legislation could be more emblematic of the problems with the current legislature.  This is one place where the people of Oklahoma are not detrimentally impacted (unless your snowflake kids need a participation trophy to make them feel that life is worth living.   This is a case of our Conservative Platform Caucus being defied by both Democrat and Republican camps. It's very difficult to see a narrative to compromise whereby all 3 camps in the legislature give up some of their goals in order to balance a difficult budget gap.   As things stand, your family will have to endure painful increases in taxes; decreased core state functions, and spare our kids of the deficit-spending "bonds"; so that some district politician can get some free 'pr' face time in front of local groups, and present yet another shiny trinket to make us all feel real special.   In reality, this 'swag' is more about letting a local incumbent us state funds to endear himself to targeted constituents of his.   My mother once scolded me;  ​"Nothing good happens at that hour of the night!". I now agree with her a good bit more than I used to.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/pork-politicians-revealed-addicted-to-swag

Politicians' Donors Revealed

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/politicians-donors-revealed

Politicians' Donors Revealed

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has created an online resource for citizens to review the campaign reports of elected officials.   State law requires that candidates for elected state office make complete reports at least quarterly, if they are raising money or spending funds. Failure to make these reports can get a politician in significant trouble. Making a false report could result in fines and/or incarceration.   Often a candidate will present himself to voters as a staunch supporter of a particular set of values and priorities. But when in office, his votes and public policies will betray that campaign posturing. We are seeing a good deal of that at the state capitol, this weekend.   The Guardian website allows the public to type a candidate's last name and search all records and reports for campaign activities.     There will often be several quarterly reports as well as supplemental files. These reports will list campaign contributions and campaign expenses paid.    The website is a bit clumsy and redundant. It's a government service and has all the inefficiencies we have come to expect from our government. But it is an improvement in transparency.    Knowing who funded your local politician is the best way to know how he will vote, in office. Check the list of contributors.

---

  One prominent conservative group, Tulsa 912 Project, has expressed strong displeasure, at the actions of several lawmakers who courted the support of members of the grassroots group, last year.  President & Founder, Ronda Vuillemont-Smith has archived the political publications of several lawmakers and plans to publish some very strong statements in the weeks to come.
   Several of the Republican Lawmakers' reports show that they had close ties to an indicted campaign operative, Fount Holland. Holland is accused of several felony counts of violating statutes associated with campaigns. Holland also led one of the largest state campaign consulting firms, AH Strategies.  Holland also operated Majority Designs, along with his associates.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/politicians-donors-revealed

Twitter Diplomacy At The Capitol

If you aren't following social media, you're not getting all the nuance and posturing going on between Democrats & Republicans in state government.   SoonerPolitics created a special facebook page to make it easier to see all the negotiating which is spilling over onto social media. We're following over 100 accounts of key individuals at the state capitol, and we're loading them in real time, to a Facebook page called; "Capitol Chatter".   There has been a very dramatic and draining process going on at the capitol, this year. There are also more press conferences, media blasts, and even an occasional public apology.   Some key players are using the medium to sell the various solutions. Some are focusing on the weaknesses of the other options. ​  Those interested in the budget drama would do well to 'Like' & 'Follow' the Capitol Chatter Facebook page. If there's a feed we're missing, send us a message on that page and we'll do our best to improve on our coverage.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/twitter-diplomacy-at-the-capitol

Twitter Diplomacy At The Capitol

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/twitter-diplomacy-at-the-capitol

SoonerPoll: 87% Believe There's More Room For Efficiency In State Spending

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/soonerpoll-87-believe-theres-more-room-for-efficiency-in-state-spending

SoonerPoll: 87% Believe There's More Room For Efficiency In State Spending

​an excerpt from Bill Shappard -  The message from state agencies and legislators over the last few months has been, for the most part, that the state has cut too much from government budgets and there is no more wasteful spending now.  But, that isn’t what Oklahomans think.   According to the SoonerPoll Quarterly Poll, an overwhelming 87 percent of likely voting Oklahomans believe more efficiency can still be found in state government spending.  About six in ten likely voters strongly agreed.   Only 7.5% disagree about there being room for more efficiency. We don't know if those same 7.5% work for state agencies?   About 5% didn't have a comment or just didn't know.   This report should be hearkened to by our lawmakers during this state-down at the capitol. If voters are being ignored, they may resort to a political shift at the ballot box; or initiate a petition drive to supersede the legislative and executive branch altogether.   Read the full report by SoonerPoll at their website.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/soonerpoll-87-believe-theres-more-room-for-efficiency-in-state-spending

Time To Wean State Universities Off the State Taxpayer's Burden

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/time-to-wean-state-universities-off-the-state-taxpayers-burden

Time To Wean State Universities Off the State Taxpayer's Burden

Public university funding is way, way out of proportion. And it's harming the private universities who have to compete at market-set tuition rates.   I'd bet it's safe to say that if a lawmaker authored a resolution to place a state question on the ballot, to remove taxpayer dollars going to higher ed., then he'd be the biggest hero of the taxpayer.   Another constitutional change needed to for the universities to be subjected to audits from the State Auditor's office; in the event that the voters choose to continue subsidizing state universities. I don't believe I owe it to any fellow Oklahoman, to provide a college education. It's a socialist venture. ​Last November, SQ 779 would have passed, if the money had strictly gone to classroom teacher pay.   Currently, the legislature gives about $1 BILLION dollars a year over to the state's 20 university systems. That accounts for about 1/3 of the universities' official spending. Top notch private universities in Oklahoma charge full time students about $40k per year. The big state universities could still operate at current education levels of operation by bringing student tuition to market-driven prices of $30k.

---

But by cutting that $1 Billion of unjustifiable social spending, Our state could easily operate at current taxing levels. the taxpayers could significantly increase classroom teacher pay and restore other key constitutional functions.   Our state has more universities per capita than many other states. We no longer need to prime this pump.  Especially when we have to funnel all our funding though an agency (State Board of Regents) which pays it's chairman $400k per year, before helping any students.   What rationale is it, that compels us to give $10k of our state tax dollars, to every college student, every year? We're gunna have to smoke a lot of tobacco, just to put a kid through more schooling.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/time-to-wean-state-universities-off-the-state-taxpayers-burden

Jury In Shelby Trial: "Shoddy" Prosecution By D.A. Kunsweiler

The Tulsa Frontier News was able to conduct an interview with one anonymous juror in the trial of police officer, Betty Shelby. Shelby shot an unarmed Tulsa motorist last year. We're posting some amazing quotes from the article. Please read the full account at The Frontier. The juror said all 12 jurors wrote a letter they intended to be sent to TPD Chief Jordan in which they stated their belief that Shelby should not be a patrol officer. “There was a range of belief there,” he said. “Some of us thought she would be good behind a desk. She sounded like an excellent diver. I thought she would have made a great EMT.”

He said the letter also outlined the jury’s “extreme displeasure” with the case laid out by prosecutors.

“There were so many holes in their case,” he said. “We really felt like they could have gotten a conviction had they presented it better.”

One of the elements of a successful manslaughter case like the one presented against Shelby is that fear must be “an overriding” factor. He said the jury felt like Shelby was scared — she testified that the encounter with Crutcher was “the most scared she’d ever been” — but that she wasn’t panicking.

---

I’ll always feel like a coward
He said that while he never came out and said he felt  Shelby was guilty, he will always regret not “hanging the jury.”

“At one point I talked with another juror about just hanging the jury, and making the state try the case again,” he said. “We really agreed that if they did a better job, they could have convicted her. And maybe the right thing to do was just make them do it again, maybe they do something different and a different jury convicts her."

“I’ll always feel like a coward for not doing that.”

---

He said jurors had no idea how long they would be required to stay in the deliberation room. As tiredness and hunger set it, votes started to trend toward not guilty.

“We took a vote pretty early on and it was six not guilty, two guilty and four undecided,” he said. “We did it again and it was … seven not guilty, three guilty and two undecided. The next time we voted, we kind of went around the table and we all were supposed to explain our position. When it got to me I kind of felt like I should commit one way, and I committed to not guilty.”

---

“We also didn’t know how long we would have to deliberate,” he said. “We were thinking ‘How long do we have to stay in here before they do a mistrial? I was kind of irritated because I was hungry, I was tired — we all were — and we kind of felt that we needed to just come to a decision.”

He said the jury felt “at least somewhat” that what Shelby did was wrong, but they all agreed it didn’t meet the criteria to convict under first-degree manslaughter.

“We all kind of felt that maybe the law wasn’t that good,” he said.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/jury-in-shelby-trial-shoddy-prosecution-by-da-kunsweiler

Jury In Shelby Trial: "Shoddy" Prosecution By D.A. Kunsweiler

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/jury-in-shelby-trial-shoddy-prosecution-by-da-kunsweiler

Guest Opinion: A State In Denial Of A Spending Problem

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/guest-opinion-a-state-in-denial-of-a-spending-problem

Guest Opinion: A State In Denial Of A Spending Problem

A guest opinion, by Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, -founder of Tulsa 912 Project

​  Oklahoma does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.   Our representatives must cut the State budget, fund what is essential - like roads, courts, and law enforcement - and then carve away at the rest.    A proposed discriminatory tax increase on cigarettes ( HB2372) failed in the Oklahoma House this week. However, since it received a majority vote (thanks to some of our own legislators), it will be on the ballot in November 2018.    Two more tax-increase bills to defeat are HB2403 and HB2347 which together limit itemized tax deductions and change the way gross, taxable income is calculated, so      Tax Shake Down     Oklahoma Tax Shakedown Oklahomans pay more income tax. Additionally, Governor Fallin wants to charge sales tax on over 150 services such as funerals, insurance, utility bills, even child care and nursing home services.   Contact your State Representative TODAY and tell them to vote NO on these and all proposed tax increases. Oklahoma needs to cut spending, NOT increase taxes!

---

These Republican men and women ran for office on the principles of conservatism, individual rights, smaller government, lower taxes and a belief in the free market system. And yet, once elected, those principles fly right out the door.  "Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills."  ~Ronald Reagan   Oklahoma legislators should have to do what you and I do when we have a "budget shortfall" (aka over spending problem), tighten our belts and make tough decisions. Our governor has nothing to lose by raising taxes on hard working Oklahoma citizens, she is 'termed out' and will be gone, but many of the men and women serving in our legislature should be concerned. They need to remember that it is the citizens that put them into office, not the governor.   Call your state representatives and senators TODAY! Call them tomorrow. Call them every day until session is over. Tell them NO NEW TAXES, NO tax increases. Tell them to abide by the principles they ran for office on. Be polite and remember, if they don't hear from you, their constituents, the only people they will hear from are lobbyists and special interest groups. CALL NOW!!!  Sincerely,  Ronda Vuillemont-Smith  Tulsa 9.12 Project  Tulsa912Project.com

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/guest-opinion-a-state-in-denial-of-a-spending-problem

The Politics Of How To Smoke

The emblem on Oklahoma's revered state flag includes the prominent centerpiece of a smoking pipe. If this device is so fundamental to who we are, as a state, then why is there so much drama, lately, about the bedrock tradition involving a pipe?   Every culture has it's own traditions about what to smoke and how to smoke it. But never has there been so much consternation and obsession about telling folks: where to smoke, how much to smoke what device to use how much tax to pay for that smoke   Norman, Oklahoma has had an idiotic series of police raids and felony lawsuits because one 'mom & pops' shop decided to sell exotic and artistic pipes. Prosecutors are still abusing this family's shop. ​   Parks and recreation areas ban small smoking devices, but welcome campfires and BBQ smokers    The most contentious of all legislative proposals have been fought over whether or not to tax a customer another $15 for each cartoon of cigarettes.    Why are we acting so hostile to our own people for participating in an activity that we prominently identify with on our own state flag?

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-politics-of-how-to-smoke

The Politics Of How To Smoke

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/the-politics-of-how-to-smoke

Rep. Inman Calls Sen. Shultz A Liar

This afternoon, the Democrat House leader, Scott Inman, accused Senate President Pro-Tem, Mike Schultz a liar.  Democrats were in private discussions with  republican legislative leaders and Gov. Fallin. When Inman stepped out to discuss the Republican budget offer with the Senate Democrat leader, they were eventually called back and told that the deal was off; "Because the Republican rank & file members refused to support it.   But Inman claims that the Republican leadership never did present the proposal to the Republican caucus of either house.

---

  The sticking point remains a matter of 1% difference in gross production taxes on oil producers. It also depends on whether all wells are taxed at the same rate or if only new wells not yet drilled will see the higher rate.
​  Currently, newer wells are getting taxed at 2% of production for the first 3 years. Then they are taxed at 7% thereafter. The Republicans had offered a 4% package. The Democrats seems willing to move from 7% to 5% on all wells.
​  If a deal is reached on increasing oil production taxes, then several other large tax hikes will also be pushed through, making this years legislature the biggest tax hikers in decades.

from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/rep-inman-calls-sen-shultz-a-liar

Rep. Inman Calls Sen. Shultz A Liar

via Sooner Politics.org - Editorial Read the article at SoonerPolitics.org http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/rep-inman-calls-sen-shultz-a-liar