I have added a link to Jamison Faught's blog http://www.muskogeepolitico.com/ on my recommended blogs list. His blog is called the MUSKOGEE POLITICO. Jamison is a very bright, mature young man who has good insight into politics. He concentrates on the eastern half of Oklahoma, but occasionally ventures into state and national issues. Jamison is wise beyond his years....you will enjoy reading his musings.

Steve

Weekly Opinion/Editorial OK ABORTION LAW OVERTURNED!
by Steve Fair

Last week was not a good week for the unborn in Oklahoma. On Friday, Oklahoma County District Judge Dan Owens struck down a 2009 law that was intended to prevent a mother from aborting a child because it was not the gender she wanted. Owens said the law had multiple subjects that were unrelated to each other which violated the state constitution. The other ‘unrelated’ issue in the law overturned on Friday would have required doctors to report age, marital status and education level of women having abortions to the state health department.
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Back in August, another Oklahoma pro-life bill was struck down for the same reason- more than one issue. That bill required that a mother see an ultra-sound of her baby before she made the decision to have an abortion.
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Judge Owens said, "It’s pretty disturbing we have to pass a statute to prevent people from doing that,” the judge said of gender-selection abortions. "It’s uncivilized.” It may be uncivilized, but the judge still struck down the law. Special Assistant Attorney General Teresa Collett, who defended the law on behalf of the state, said “We’re disappointed that any court would interpret the state Constitution as a barrier to aborting a child because of the sex,” Collett said. “We find it remarkable, certainly nothing that the pioneers would have anticipated as they wrote our constitution.”
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The law was challenged by a New York pro-choice clinic that filed the suit on behalf of two Oklahoma women. One of the plainiffs, Lora Joyce Davis of Shawnee said “I am disappointed to hear all this rhetoric about gender and sex-selective abortions.” That’s the most ridiculous and insulting thing to say to Oklahoma voters. The purpose is publicity, I think, to drum up emotions about a very private issue.” It's not so 'private' when taxpayers fund abortions.
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According to Planned Parenthood, most women give three reasons for choosing abortion. Three-quarters say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities; about two-thirds say they can't afford a child; and half say they don't want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner. Note there is nothing about the child’s right to live- it’s all about the mother’s rights.
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On Saturday, I talked with State Senator Todd Lamb, (R-Edmond) the Senate author of the bill struck down Friday. Lamb is the Senate sponsor of a single-issue bill this session that is already out of committee in the Senate. A one-issue bill on the sonogram issue is out of the committee in the House. It’s very likely there will be new one-issue pro-life bills that will pass constitutional muster signed into law, but for some aborted children it will be too late.
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According to the Guttmacher Institute, last year around seven thousand babies were legally aborted in Oklahoma. They also report that Oklahoma abortion rates are about half of the U.S. abortion rates (we rate 32nd). There are over a million legal abortions performed in the U.S. annually. According to Guttmacher, almost fifty million legal abortions have been performed in America since 1973 when Roe vs. Wade became law. In the Sooner state, ten children are aborted out of every one thousand pregnancies.
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The number of abortions is down in the U.S.- about 25% since hitting a peak in 1990, according to Guttmacher. In the early 1980s, nearly one in three pregnant women chose abortion. The most recent data show that proportion is closer to one in five.
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Pro-lifers have to be encouraged. Along with the reduced number of legal abortions being performed, more people are identifying themselves as pro-life. According to a Gallup Poll, conducted in May 2009 51% of Americans now call themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in polling back in 1995.
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It would seem the illogical arguments the pro-choice movement uses like- ‘we don’t know when life begins’ and ‘a fetus is a part of a women’s body like her tonsils and appendix.’ and ‘a fetus is just a potential human being, not a real one,’ are starting to resonate with the American people. *****
Science tells us that human life begins at the time of conception. From the moment fertilization takes place, the child's genetic makeup is already complete. Its gender has already been determined, along with its height and hair, eye and skin color. The only thing the embryo needs to become a fully-functioning being is the time to grow and develop.
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As former President Reagan said, ‘Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born.’

THE LEGACY!

This has been a tough year. I just got out of jail and now the doctor is saying I have lung cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. He tells me there is not much hope and that I have just months to live. He just shook his head when I told him I had abused my body for the school children of Oklahoma. He just doesn’t ‘get it.’
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It all started back in 1982 when Oklahoma voters approved pari-mutuel gambling- you know betting on the ponies. There were commercials saying the money I gambled at the track would help educate the kids. I’ve always been about helping kids so I started going to the track every week doing my part to help the schools. In about a year, I had gotten to where I was going every day after work and on my lunch break. I wasn’t winning anything, but I took comfort in knowing that I was helping Oklahoma kids by betting on the ponies. I ‘got it.’
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In 1990, the Oklahoma legislature raised taxes on liquor and cigarettes. The extra money was earmarked for schools. While I didn’t drink or smoke then, I felt I had to start in order to support education. At first I have to admit I wasn’t too keen on the idea, but after a year or so, I had acquired a taste for a couple of cheap wines called Night Train Express and Thunderbird. I was drinking a couple of bottles a day and was struggling to stay awake at work, but I was helping the schools, so I faithfully stopped at the liquor store every day after work. Cigarettes calmed me down and I eventually I was up to four packs a day. I laughed at people who looked at me with disgust because I smoked. Did they not know that a large part of the price of a pack of cigs went to the schools? I was surrounded by selfish, thoughtless people who didn’t ‘get it.’
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When things got really tough was in 2004 when Oklahoma approved a lottery and expanded casino gambling. I have to admit I was not very excited about having to gamble more than I already was. But when the Superintendent of Schools said the lottery and the casinos were going to help the schools, they had me. I’ve always had a weakness for kids and now I not only was forced to bet on the ponies, but now I had to go to the three Indian casinos in my county after I had stopped at Love’s to buy my $50 worth of lottery tickets every week. Winning anything was secondary to me- my passion was helping the kids. I ‘got it.’
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My routine was the same every day- I would get up, smoke a couple of cigarettes and drink a quart of Thunderbird for breakfast. Then I would drive to the casino and play Blackjack for an hour while smoking another five cigs. Then it was stop by Love’s to pick up some lottery scratch offs before work. At lunch, I would go to the track, place my bets, and then play the slots in their casino before going back to work. I usually drank a Red Bull to keep me going in the afternoon. After work, I would stop off at the liquor store to buy my supper and breakfast, go by the Indian smoke shop and casino for an hour or so and then head home. My wife left me several years ago because she didn’t understand my dedication to the education cause. She didn’t ‘get it.’ After I drank my dinner, I headed to the large casino in the county that offers free drinks while you play poker. I usually left around midnight or when ever I ran out of money.
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About a year ago, I noticed I was getting a lot of ‘unpaid’ notices in my mail. After close investigation, I found I had not paid my house payment or car payment in over six months. I devised a plan to win the money to catch up on my bills. At work, they trust me to count the money that comes into the business. I’ve been working there about twenty years and quite frankly I don’t think the management of the company ‘gets it.’
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I know they know I smoke, drink and gamble to help the kids, but they never compliment my commitment to education or encourage other employees to emulate me. I decided if they weren’t willing to help education on their own, I would have to take matters into my own hands and force them to. I started taking a couple of hundred bucks each day out of the till to use at the casinos and at the track. I devised a way to cover it up and they would never know. The problem was I wasn’t winning at the track and casino. When the company auditor discovered what I was doing, the selfish jerk turned me into the owner. They had a trial and the selfish judge gave me two years in jail. I tried to explain to him that I had been doing it for the kids and the schools, but he just shook his head. He just didn’t ‘get it.’
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So today I’m sitting in the doctor’s office being told that my long term commitment to helping education in Oklahoma has evidently cost me my life. At least my legacy will be intact- I ‘got it’- I CARED!

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE LEADING!

by Steve Fair

Several years ago, the Oklahoma legislature gave up the authority to set tuition prices at the state’s colleges and universities. Lawmakers passed a law that established tuition increases based on tuition rates at colleges and universities at states within the region. While the lawmaker’s intentions may have been good, the problem is that Oklahoma is near the bottom in the region in every economical category. It’s like basing your household budget on your richest neighbors. State Representative Steve Kouplen, (D-Beggs) wants to change that and has introduced a proposal this legislative session that would tie tuition increases to inflation or the CPI (Consumer Price Index). Kouplen says he wants to ‘protect’ Oklahoma’s college students by regulating tuition increases. In an Sunday editorial, The Oklahoman attacked Kouplen’s proposal calling it an attack on the free market system.
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The Oklahoman is technically right about Kouplen’s proposal- it does fly in the face of free enterprise. The problem is most college students are not able to ‘shop’ around and utilize the free enterprise system when a tuition increase at their school is announced. Most colleges and universities find creative ways to not accept all credit hours earned at another school. When a student transfers, they lose hours. Because they have to take more courses due to the transfer, they often are ‘locked in’ at a college and have no other alternative but to accept the tuition increases. But Oklahoma higher education has more problems than tuition rates.
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Only twenty five percent of Oklahoma high school grads go to college- a third of those dropping out before graduation. Only seventeen percent of Oklahoma high school graduates finish college. Less than fifty percent of Oklahoma college graduates stay in the state when they graduate college. That means Oklahoma educates, and then exports our best and brightest out of state. These kids don’t leave the state because they hate Oklahoma, but because there are no opportunities to use their newly acquired education in the state. The good paying jobs are not here for a variety of reasons- primarily due to poor leadership(Democrat/one party rule for almost a century) over an extended period of time.
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Oklahoma higher education is big business as evidenced by the fact that the various Presidents of the state’s colleges and universities are the highest paid employees on the state payroll. For example, Cindy Ross at Cameron makes $259,200 annually. OU President David Boren, $383,844, and OSU President Burns Hargis, $329,500. That’s mighty good money in a state with a per capita income of around $34,000. That information is available at www.ok.gov/okaa thanks to Senator Randy Brogdon and Representative Jason Murphy.
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Colleges and universities get a large part of their budget from the state- aka Oklahoma taxpayers. Higher education is the second largest item in the state budget, but because private money is thrown into the pot, complete transparency on how the public money is being spent is not yet available to the taxpayer. College tuition, housing, books, and fees go up every year and the higher education ‘business’ gets bigger, but with no accountability to their largest partner, aka the taxpayer.
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A large amount of revenue generated by Oklahoma college and universities is the remedial courses for incoming freshman. Oklahoma colleges/universities are teaching high school courses to college students because their high school teachers/parents failed to prepare them. (We wouldn’t dare blame the kid for failing to study) From a business standpoint, this is a growth segment for higher education, so it’s doubtful they will discontinue them nor will they raise their standards and force common education to send them students that are prepared for college level work.
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Testing indicates Oklahoma’s colleges and universities do a decent job in educating students, but the real problem is retaining those college graduates in the state. Part of the problem is the abysmal job the colleges/universities do with their so called placement services. The ‘placement’ office has been a joke among college students for years. Few schools do a good job of helping their graduates get interviews or getting potential employers on campus to interview. Most colleges/universities are infinitely more interested in getting the student’s money than educating them or helping them find a job. That’s not what the catalog or recruitment flyers says, but it’s a sad fact.
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The purpose of a college education is to empower students with life skills that enable him to contribute positively to society. Why can’t the leaders of Oklahoma’s institutions of higher learning do the same by leading the charge to move Oklahoma forward? They should be at the forefront of recruiting jobs and industry to Oklahoma. They should be pressing common education to send them students prepared for college work. They can start by being accountable to those who fund them-the taxpayer.

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

LOBBYING IS ABOUT FIRST AMENDMENT!
by Steve Fair

A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest. Often times, a lobbyist represents a trade association or large cooperation and are paid to monitor legislation that may impact their client. Businesspeople have to run a business and don’t have the time to watch everything that goes on in government, so lobbyists provide a valuable service to their clients. Lobbyists can be helpful to legislators by providing them information on how proposed legislation will impact those they represent.
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Often the whipping boys of politicians and pundits, lobbyists are the recipients of lampooning portrayals and sensationalized news coverage. Little attention is given to how most lobbyists simply do their job by helping staff draft legislative language, or providing members with quality policy and political information. Lobbyists rely on building and maintaining strong relationships with those in power. If they do that, they’ll succeed in advancing their policy objectives within the give-and-take process of the American legislative system.
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In a Washington Times editorial entitled “Lobbyist are good people too”, former Clinton advisor and now Washington lobbyist, Lanny Davis responded to those who bashed lobbyists. Davis said, “They are wrong because lobbyists spend much of their time with members of Congress and their staffs providing factual and expert information about legislation that affects their clients. Their clients are companies that employ people, real people, sometimes hundreds of thousands of people who deserve to be considered when laws are made. The First Amendment protects petitioning and communicating with government.” I’m not so sure lobbyists are as pure as the driven snow, but I agree that not all lobbyists or lobbying is bad.

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Not all lobbyists are bad, but I do believe the lobbying industry is full of people who are more interested in peddling influence than information. Like hired gunslingers, lobbyists often are former legislators who sell their skill to use past relationships to influence legislation for a few scheckles.

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Several years ago I wrote an op/ed entitled, ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch.’ It prompted a response from a major Washington lobbyist who said I was wrong in insinuating lobbyists expected a ‘return on their investment’ when they entertained a legislator- particularly something as so small as a lunch. He was right- no self-respecting legislator is going to sell his vote for lunch- it’s going to take a good campaign contribution for that. What the ‘K streeter’ didn’t say was that lobbyists represent organizations with political action committees that dole out campaign money to people who are voting like they want them to. While that is their right, principled legislators must recognize there is no such thing as a free lunch. Those checks come with strings attached.

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In the Sunday edition of The Oklahoman, a front page story on lobbying at the Oklahoma State Capitol revealed that thirty two former legislators, including fifteen Republicans, are working their former colleagues on behalf of their clients. Some of these former lawmakers just left the legislature, others have been gone a while, but the common thread is they didn’t return to the true private sector. It seems that a lot of former Oklahoma legislators wind up in some state job or at a lobbying firm when they leave office? Are these former Oklahoma lawmakers so bumbling incompetent, they can’t get work in the real private sector? Will no one hire them?

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Lobbyists in Oklahoma must register with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission each year or within five days of engaging in lobbying. They have to submit two reports each year showing which legislators they entertained and the value of each gift given to the legislators. There are three hundred and ninety registered lobbyists in Oklahoma according to the Ethics Commission. That means that nearly 10% of the lobbyists at the State Capitol are former legislators.

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State Representative John Trebilcock, (R-Tulsa) is running a bill that would establish a ‘cooling off period’ for outgoing legislators. Trebilcock, an attorney, says, “I was always concerned with the perception that in the last term of a legislator, they would be more interested in lining up what they’re going to do next as opposed to working for the people.” His bill makes sense and perhaps it would force some outgoing lawmakers to get a ‘real job,’ but not likely. If he really wants to make a difference, Trebilcock should run a bill that would ban anyone who has ever served in the legislature from lobbying. It wouldn't likely go anywhere because legislators would be cutting off a potential source of income in their future.

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Lobbying is about the first amendment. Corporations and associations are made up of people and those people- individually and collectively- have a right to express their views on an issue. The problem starts when former members of a legislative body use their knowledge of the legislative system and their relationships with former colleagues to ‘buy’ votes with a bowl of porridge.
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......or tinker toys....or sporting event tickets......or tickets to concerts.....or travel junkets! We must have legislators who will stop this practice and use lobbyists for what they should be used for- information!

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

PULLING ON THE SAME ROPE!

by Steve Fair

When Republicans won control of the Oklahoma State House in 2004 and the State Senate in 2008, critics said the GOP would struggle with ‘governing,’ because the Rs had been in the minority for so long. Understand that most of the criticism came from Democrats who had just lost the majority in the legislature and whose stellar ‘governing’ skills had the state mired at the bottom nationally in most economic categories, so you had to consider the source. In just six years, the Republicans in the state legislature have made significant progress by all pulling on the same end of the rope at the same time, but is that about to come to a standstill?
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According to some sources, there is a rift between Senate Republicans and the Republican House leadership over the issue of property tax reform. Senator Jim Reynolds, (R-Oklahoma City) has introduced two measures dealing with property tax- one that would cap the annual increases at three percent, another at one percent. Reynolds joint resolution would put the issue on the state ballot in November for citizens to vote on. Sounds pretty reasonable, but thus far, Republican Speaker of the House Chris Benge, (R-Tulsa) has not allowed Reynolds bills to be voted on. Why has Benge not allowed a vote on the Joint Resolution? Because he knows it would pass the House overwhelmingly. Benge also knows the State Question would likely pass overwhelmingly if it makes it to the November ballot. Voters always vote for less taxes- that is a no-brainer. That is why Benge wants to try and keep the issue off the ballot.
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Benge correctly states that property tax reform could cause less revenue to be available for government-, which includes schools, and county and state government services. “I just don’t think that the timing is good to reduce revenue,” Benge has said. The Speaker’s flawed reasoning starts when he says Oklahoma needs to wait until the economic climate is a little more palatable. Government never wants to go backward- it is constantly growing. That’s the nature of the beast. Representative David Dank, (R-OKC), has been vocal about Benge not allowing Reynold’s Joint Resolution to be voted on and has said Benge “needs to step up on this vital issue” by allowing the House to vote on it “or step down and let someone else lead the House to make it happen.” Benge came back swinging said that Dank was political grandstanding and being irresponsible. Dank and several others in the State House are not willing to pull on a rope that is going the wrong direction. Progress requires leadership that is not threatened when challenged.

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There are several problems with Speaker Benge’s position on not allowing Reynold’s bill to be voted on in the House; First, if we do have government ‘by the people,’ then what is wrong with Reynold’s bill being voted on ‘by the people’ in the form of a state question? What is Benge afraid of? He may be right- it may not be the right time to cut revenue and government services in the Sooner state. There is certainly sufficient evidence Oklahoma taxpayers are doing fairly well vs. our counterparts across the country, but the argument and debate on this issue should be conducted in the public square and then let the voters decide for themselves if they want to continue under the current system or to force government to cut back.
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Second, Republicans have historically stood for smaller, more efficient government. While the GOP has veered from that principle nationally in recent years, hopefully Republican state legislators will stay the course. Oklahoma state government is undoubtedly too big and wastes money- all government is, but that doesn’t mean ALL of Oklahoma government is wasteful. It is the job of the state’s elected officials to identify where waste exists and eliminate it. Until we have leadership that will work to do that, citizens will see little difference between Republican and Democrat leadership.
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Our form of government was established as a republic- one which derives its power from the people. Unfortunately, too many elected officials mistakenly believe it is an oligarchy- a form of government in which power rests with a small elite segment of society. Those ruling elites believe they know what we need better than we do. They justify not letting people have a voice in their government, by saying the average citizen lacks sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision. The truth is voters sort it out pretty well most of the time and their track record is better than elected officials. The people know that cutting taxes will cut government and evidently Benge is unwilling to give them the option of expressing that opinion.