HERE COMES THE JUDGES!

Up until 1967, Oklahomans elected judges in partisan statewide elections. Voters knew the judge’s PARTY affiliation, convictions and values. Because the elections supposedly cost the judges a lot of time and money, they convinced the Oklahoma legislature to put a State Question on the ballot to amend the State Constitution to our current ‘judicial retention’ system. Since being implemented, NOT ONE OKLAHOMA APPELLATE JUDGE HAS FAILED TO BE RETAINED.

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The truth is most voters don’t know anything about the judges. Bear in mind that ALL these judges were appointed by a Governor. It stands to reason they reflect the values, views and opinions of the Governor who appointed them. Keep that in mind when you cast your vote or whether to retain or remove. I recommend kicking all of them out except James Winchester. Here is a brief profile of each of the six.

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The Norman League of Women voters conducted an interview with each of the judges on the retention ballot and have posted it online. It can be accessed at http://norman.ok.lwvnet.org/2010_judicial_retention.html

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STEVEN W. TAYLOR
Age 61
Position Vice Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court- District #2
Appointed by Governor Brad Henry- Democrat
How Long on Court 2004- present
Background Mayor- McAlester, District Judge- McAlester
Interesting Fact Presided over Terry Nichols trial in OKC

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JAMES R. WINCHESTER
Age 58
Position Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court- District #3
Appointed by Governor Frank Keating- Republican
How Long on Court 2000- present
Background District Judge- Chickasha
Interesting Fact Married to former State Representative Susan Winchester, (R, Chickasha)

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DEBORAH B. BARNES
Age 45
Position Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Appointed by Governor Brad Henry-Democrat
How Long on Court 2008- present
Background Private Practice ,Staff Attorney for State Supreme Court
Interesting Fact Sworn into office by her Father-in-law, a former Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
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DOUG GABBARD II
Age 58
Position Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Appointed by Governor Brad Henry- Democrat
How Long on Court 2005-present
Background District Judge- Atoka/Broken Bow
Interesting Fact Recently announced plans to apply for opening on OK Supreme Court

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JOHN F. FISCHER
Age 59
Position Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Appointed by Governor Brad Henry- Democrat
How Long on Court 2007- present
Background Private Practice, Assistant Attorney General
Interesting Fact Fischer was born in Rush Springs

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LARRY E. JOPLIN
Age 64
Position Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals
Appointed by Governor George Nigh- Democrat
How Long on Court 1994- present
Background Private Practice, Assistant DA- Oklahoma County
Interesting Fact Married, three children

STATE QUESTION #744 HAS STRANGE BEDFELLOWS!
by Steve Fair

The definition of ‘strange bedfellows,’ is “unlikely companions or allies.” State Question #744 has forced several groups, elected officials and politicos to come together, and become allies in order to defeat it.

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Last week, Oklahoma Governor Henry publically announced his opposition of State Question #744. Henry will serve as the honorary Chairman of the One Oklahoma Coalition, the organization working to defeat the state question. “I can tell you from experience that if State Question 744 passes, it will absolutely devastate the budget of all other critical areas of the state budget,” Henry said “And we can simply not allow that to happen.”

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“I am disappointed that my friend, Brad Henry, has made this decision. I am not surprised though, because I knew that the office holders in this state would be against SQ #744 because it will shake up the power structure in Oklahoma City and hold our leaders accountable for the promises they make to our students,” said Tim Gilpin, a Henry appointee to the state board of education and member of the YES on 744 coalition.

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To date, the American Federation of Teachers, the Oklahoma Municipal League, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Professional Economic Development Council, the State Chamber of Commerce and many other organizations have come out in opposition of #744.
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Oklahoma University President David Boren and Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis last week issued a joint statement saying the approval of SQ #744 would mean big cuts and programs at their schools and have potentially devastating effects on other areas of the Oklahoma state budget.
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Both candidates for Governor, Congresswoman Mary Fallin (Republican) and Lt. Governor Jari Askins (Democrat) have publically stated they oppose SQ #744. The only statewide candidates who have not taken a stand against the proposal are Susan Paddock and Kenneth Corn, both Democrats. Corn has said he favors passage and Paddock has said, "I'll let the voters decide." By the way, she is running for STATE SUPERINTENDENT!

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State Question #744 is on the November ballot after an initative petition drive by the Oklahoma Education Association. The OEA collected 234,000 signatures in 2008 to get the issue on the ballot. The National Education Association PAC has pledged over one million dollars to get SQ #744 approved by Oklahoma voters. What is SQ #744 and why is it so controversial?
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State Question #744, if approved, would tie Oklahoma’s K-12 educational funding to the ‘regional average.’ The per pupil funding for the six US states that border would be averaged and Oklahoma government would then be mandated by the state constitution to match that per pupil amount first before any other budget expenditures were made.
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I normally am not on the same side of an issue as Governor Blackjack Henry, but the Guv is right on this one. Here are the reasons SQ #744 should not be approved:
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First, approval of #744 would give control of the state’s education funding to our bordering states’ legislators. We elect ‘Oklahoma” state legislators to go the OKC to hammer out an ‘Oklahoma’ state budget each year. I’m not comfortable giving the power to take my money to someone I don’t get to vote on. In it’s purest form, SQ #744 is a mechanism for ‘taxation without representation.’

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Second, SQ #744 does not provide a provision or mechanism for funding- it only mandates spending. Some estimates have other Oklahoma state agencies facing cuts of up to twenty (20) percent if #744 is approved. SQ #744 does not mention tax increases in the ballot language but rest assured if it were approved, taxes would go up- they would have to. Education already gets the lion’s share of the state budget- over 50%- and that percentage would dramatically increase if #744 were approved.
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When asked how SQ #744 would be funded, Becky Felts, the President of the OEA said, "The growth in economic revenue over the course the next years will fund SQ 744 without doing any harm to any other state services." Hogwash! Unless Felts knows of several major employers coming to Oklahoma, this statement is pure fantasy. Obviously fellow educators Boren and Hargis disagree with her statement.

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Third, there is no evidence that increased funding for education results in a better education for the kids. First suggested in 1966 by sociologist, James Coleman, ‘The Coleman Report,’ concluded that factors such as per-pupil spending and class size do not have a significant impact on student achievement scores. According to Lawrence W. Reed, “The finding of over 30 years of research is clear: More money does not equal better education. There are schools, states, and countries that spend a great deal of money per pupil with poor results, while others spend much less and get much better results. Despite this and subsequent findings, many lawmakers and educators continue to believe that additional resources and funding will somehow solve the problems within the government education system.”

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Approval of State Question #744 would be a fiscal disaster for our state and another link in a long chain of failed education solutions for Oklahoma. SW #744 has created a lot of strange bedfellows, but this is one issue all Oklahomans, no matter your Party affiliation, can see we can ill afford.

REPUBLICANS PLEDGE TO AMERICA

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100923/ap_on_bi_ge/us_republicans_agenda

This is good as far as it goes, but the one pledge they conveniently LEFT OUT was mandatory term limits!

BRET BURNS IS NOT
A REPUBLICAN

or a CONSERVATIVE
by Steve Fair

Bret Burns and Jason Hicks are running for District Attorney District #6. That includes Stephens, Jefferson, Grady and Caddo counties. Burns was appointed DA in 2006 when Gene Christian resigned. Burns filed unopposed in 2006. He has never worked in the private sector, going to work for his Dad (former DA Tony Burns) right out of law school. This is Burns’ first political race and it shows. Here are some of the rookie mistakes he has made.
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First, Burns seems intent on convincing people , if not deceiving them into thinking he is a Republican and a conservative. He attended the 5th annual Stephens County GOP Fish Fry in May, sitting with some attorneys from the Duncan area, who are Republicans. It takes a lot of ‘Chutzpah’ to show up in a room full of 850 Republicans. Chutzpah is the quality of audacity for good or for bad. The word derives from a Hebrew word, meaning "insolence", "audacity", and "impertinence."
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In an election year, the Democrat Burns showed no class by attending a political fundraiser for the OTHER party. I understand he also ‘planned’ to attend the Grady County GOP Women’s candidate round-up, but was warned he wasn’t welcome to the clearly partisan event. The reason Burns is trying to ‘paint himself red,’ is because Grady County (the largest county in the district) is decidedly Republican. Stephens County (the second largest county in the district) is Hicks’ home and votes Republican. Burns knows he must convince Republicans and conservative Democrats to vote for him in order to win. Rookie politicians fail to recognize they hurt their cause when they attempt to appeal to everyone. Stand on principle and let the chips fall where they may.
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Second, Burns in the past has made overtures that he might be willing to ‘switch parties,’ but failed to do so before the required deadline. Some of his Republican supporters (he has a few) argue the office of District Attorney should be like the Judicial offices- non-partisan. While they can certainly make a case for taking the ‘partisanship’ out of the DA’s race, a person’s first vote is their party affiliation. Burns has chosen to be a Democrat and therefore must either agree with the Democratic platform or is using it only as a mechanism to get him elected.
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Third, Burns has baggage. His busting of the former Grady County Sheriff and several law enforcement types at the Elks Club in Chickasha has resulted in polarizing the very people he has to work with- law enforcement. While most of the officers cannot take a public stand, they are ready for a change.
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Finally, Burns is not accountable. Recently, his photograph was published in the Lawton Constitution donating $1,000 to the Stephens County Crimestoppers. That is a worthy organization, but the money Burns was donating wasn’t his- it was money from his Property Forfeiture fund.
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Most district attorneys in the state have a Property Forfeiture Fund. The fund is not subject to fiscal year limitations and is to be used for enforcement of controlled dangerous substances laws, drug abuse prevention and education, and is maintained by the District Attorney to be used at his or her discretion for those purposes. The revenues for said fund come from the proceeds of forfeited assets. Any cash, vehicles, real property, or other assets used in the commission of or acquired as a result of a crime as described in the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act is presumed to be forfeitable. Asset forfeiture is an effective law enforcement tool used by local district attorneys to deprive criminals of their ill-gotten gains by seizing the proceeds of criminal activity and property used to facilitate crime.
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In Oklahoma, the arresting agency gets a portion and the District Attorney’s office the rest. Evidently, there are little or few rules on how the money can be used. The DA has sovereign rule over that fund. The State Auditor and Inspector audits the fund about every three years, but in effect thousands of dollars can be in the Seizure fund with little or no accountability. That needs to be fixed legislatively, but in reality the DA shouldn’t have to be compelled to being accountable to the taxpayers.
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Burn’s rookie political mistakes will cost him reelection. He should have changed parties several years ago because in a Republican year and with a strong qualified opponent, Burns is not going to convince enough Rs to spilt their ticket and conservative Democrats will be voting straight R in November.

WHY CONSERVATIVES SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR JARI ASKINS!
REASON #11
ABSTRACTING
by Steve Fair

There are one hundred and thirty two (132) real estate abstract offices scattered across Oklahoma. The function of abstract offices is to create a collection of legal documents which chronicles activities associated with a particular parcel of land. Generally included are references to deeds, mortgages, wills, probate records, litigations, and tax sales. Basically, any essential legal documents that affect the property are included in an ‘abstract.’ The abstract will also show the names of all property owners and how long a particular holder owned it for as well as showing the price the land was exchanged for when it changed owners.

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Title Search or Abstract Companies were created in the mid 1800s to provide buyers of property peace of mind. They searched for the documents affecting the title to the land in question usually by going to the county courthouse, pouring through dusty records and files, copying them, and putting them into a neat organized pile. They charged ‘by the page’ and the security of knowing the piece of ground you were purchasing did not have an outstanding mortgage or lien- that someone else had claim to it- was a valuable and necessary service. However, this procedure has been found to be cumbersome and inefficient in most of the US. With computer technology and advanced software, an abstractor can ‘access’ court house files from their office and print the documents off. It has become nothing more than a glorified copy business.

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Oklahoma and Iowa are the only two remaining states that require real estate transactions be finalized at an Abstract office. Because of so much criticism and frequent questions from Oklahomans on why the state still uses the out of date abstracting process, the Oklahoma Abstractor Board addressed the question on their website.

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In response to why the two states are the only two that still do abstracting, they wrote, “This is simply not true. Every state requires some form of "abstracting" and the final product the "abstract". Other states call it "evidence of title", "title report," "title search," or "title examination"--and some states do call the search "abstracting." The search process, no matter what it's called, has to be done, and is done, in every state.” The board’s website is: http://www.ok.gov/abstractor/FAQ/index.html

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It is true that Title Searches are done by purchasers in other states. It is also true that other states HAVE abstractors, but only Oklahoma and Iowa REQUIRE them to be used in the transfer of property when a mortgage is involved.

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Most buyers of property employ a real estate attorney to research and determine whether or not there are any liens on the property they are purchasing. But even a real estate attorney’s word is not good enough for most lenders. Banks and lending institutions require ‘Title Insurance’ which can be conveniently purchased from the abstractors at closing. So why do you need insurance on a title you just paid someone to research? According to one Oklahoma abstractor, “Title Searchers do searches and human error exists. You do not want their bad day to become your problem, insurance is your protection.” So much for standing behind your work.

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The OAB site lists the requirements/qualifications for a person to open an abstract office in Oklahoma. In essence, a prospective abstractor has to be approved by the board consisting of abstractors across the state. How convenient and a clear conflict of interest! What if you wanted to open a grocery store, but you had to get the permission of the Oklahoma Grocers Association board? Fat chance they would welcome a new competitor into the marketplace. No wonder there has not been a new abstract company start-up approved in the state for years.
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Lt. Governor Jari Askins is a partner (Vice President) with her brother Marty in the Stephens County Abstract Company. It was established in 1951 by their father, Ollie Askins. The fifty nine (59) year old Duncan business employs around twenty people. There is another abstractor in Stephens County, but most counties in Oklahoma have only one abstractor.
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Former State Senator Gene Stipe, (D-McAlester) at one time owned all or part of nine (9) abstract companies across the state. Ironically, Stipe was the author of the bill that requires Oklahomans to use abstractors to close real estate transactions.
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The oversight of the abstract business in Oklahoma is the duty of the State Auditor and Inspector. Former State Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan was ousted from office after accepting illegal campaign contributions from abstractors Stipe and Steve Phipps, Stipes partner. Phipps was sentenced to a year in prison for his part in diverting nearly three (3) million dollars in taxpayer money to his businesses and according to his own attorney broke the code of silence that brought down the Little Dixie political machine.
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Abstracting has been found to be cumbersome, unnecessary and inefficient in most of the U.S. Its heyday has past and it adds little or no value to a transaction. In effect it is a ‘good ole boy’ system that has made millions for a few select Oklahomans, including the Askins family. Real estate abstractors should have to run their business by convincing consumers they are providing a value and a service, not by lobbying lawmakers to mandate their services.

COLD CASES MAY WARM UP!
by Steve Fair

Shawn Beaty lived in Bryan County, Oklahoma(Durant area). She was a founding partner of Sun and Reaction Sports, a company that represented several major scuba equipment manufacturers. She also owned a dive travel agency. On January 31, 2005, Shawn Beaty's charred body was found after a house fire that authorities determined was arson. Her husband, a scuba expert, was on Grand Cayman Island when he got the news. “I got a phone call at 9 o’clock in the morning on February 1st and was told that my house had burned, everything I owned was gone, my wife was dead and both my dogs were dead,” he said. “I literally had nothing left but the suitcases I had with me.”

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Jerry Beaty offered a $25,000 reward in the case. He hired a private investigator, appealed to the dive community and even filed a civil suit against a man he says was responsible for the crime although investigators had not named that person as a suspect.

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In 2007, a Bryan County judge denied Jerry Beaty’s petition for a grand jury investigation into his wifes death. The judge who denied the petition was the DA when the murder was committed. Jerry Beaty’s attorney said the judge should have recused himself, but the judge said the issue never came up in the proceedings.

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Jerry Beaty worked with the OSBI and other authorities in his quest to find his wife's killer, but finally in desperation he turned to the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute at Auburn University-Montgomery. College students from Auburn-Montgomery and Faulkner University in Alabama work with students at Bauder College in Atlanta to investigate unsolved crimes. Participants don’t get grades or credits; instead, they get the chance to work with law enforcement professionals on real crimes. They have worked on high profile cases like the Chendra Levy and Natalie Hollaway case. They are credited with solving the Levy murder. But because CCIRI wasn't a ‘law enforcement’ agency, the OSBI could not release records to CCIRI.
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Jerry Beaty turned to State Representative Sue Tibbs, (R-Tulsa), and State Senator Don Barrington, (R-Lawton) for help. They authored HB 3294 which allowed the OSBI to release the files and now the students are on the case.
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“Unfortunately, Mr. Beaty was told that current state law barred the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation from releasing files to the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute,” Barrington said. “HB 3294 cleared the way for the OSBI to release information to other agencies and groups outside law enforcement such as CCIRI in an effort to solve cold cases.”
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A cold case is any criminal investigation by a law enforcement agency that has not been solved for (generally) at least one year and, as a result, has been closed from further regular investigations. Cases get closed for a variety of reasons such as: previously available technology was not able to adequately analyze the evidence in order to form a conclusion; witnesses became hostile or uncooperative; various time constraints hindered the investigation; heavy workloads for law enforcement; or the most common, a lack of worthwhile leads stalled the case.
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Over 200,000 murders committed in the United States the past fifty years remain unsolved. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, only about 62.6% of homicides are "cleared" each year, leaving a substantial portion of murder cases unresolved. That means over 6,000 murders hit the cold case files every year.
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“We’ve worked to ensure law enforcement in Oklahoma can fully utilize important forensic tools such as DNA and other types of crime scene evidence,” Barrington said. “This new law will enable us to take advantage of additional programs and organizations to help us solve cold cases.”

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Only time will tell whether the students at CCIRI will be able to solve Shawn Beaty’s murder, but HB 3294 will give Oklahomans like Jerry Beaty the option to get help with cold cases. For their efforts, Barrington, Tibbs, and Governor Henry will receive the first annual ‘Shawn Beaty Award’ in Atlanta on October 7th.

MODERN DAY PHARISEES
by Steve Fair

Last week, Westboro Baptist Church sent a letter to Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney saying they planned to protest the memorial service for fallen soldier Vinson Adkinson of Duncan on Monday September 13, 2010. Fortunately, Westboro didn’t show up which spared the Adkinson family the stress and McKinney the headache of having to deal with their disrespectful protest tactics.
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In a press release announcing their protest of Atkinson’s funeral, Westboro Baptist Church said, “Staff Sgt. Adkinson gave his life for the Constitutional right of WBC to warn America. To deny us our First Amendment rights is to declare to the world that Staff Sgt. Adkinson died in vain, and that America is a nation of sodomite hypocrites.”
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Westboro Baptist Church is a small independent, unaffiliated Baptist Church from Topeka, Kansas. Founded by Fred Phelps, 80, in 1955, Westboro Baptist has about seventy members, most who are relatives of Phelps. He is a disbarred former civil rights attorney who has thirteen children, four of which are estranged from Phelps. He has run for office five times in Kansas as a Democrat. The group makes their living suing people, organizations, and the government who ‘violate their first amendment rights.’ (the right of free speech). Never mind that suing other believers is condemned in scripture (Read 1 Cor. 6). Westboro has no less than ten lawyers(Pharisees) among their membership.

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Several observations and comments about Westboro Baptist Church:
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First, Westboro Baptist Church is neither Baptist nor a Church. Historical Baptist churches have maintained six fundamentals of the Faith. (1) The inerrancy of scripture, (2) The deity of Christ, (3) The virgin Birth of Christ, (4) The substitutionary atonement of Christ, (5) The bodily resurrection of Christ, (6) The literal bodily return of Christ. Please note that picketing /protesting is not one of the fundamentals of the Baptist faith.

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A scriptural Baptist Church recognizes their primary scriptural mandate is to fulfill the Great Commission (Acts 1:8) by equipping their members to preach the gospel to the lost. Westboro spends little time training their members to reach the lost or how to ‘rightly divide the Word of truth,’ but instead spend all their time training their members to insult and berate those who don’t agree with them by threatening them with lawsuits.
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Second, Westboro loves media attention. This is also unscriptural. Christ didn’t hold public press conferences; send out press releases telling the Pharisees he was going to protest at the temple on Saturday and that if they opposed him, he would take them to Pilate’s court. Westboro’s website is filled with rambling press releases on who they will be protesting and why. There is little on the site about the redeeming work of Christ. Westboro claims to be ‘Calvinist,’ in their theology, which means they claim to believe in the absolute sovereignty of God. But true Calvinist loudly proclaim the GRACE OF GOD, something you will be hard pressed to find anything about on the Westboro site (http://www.godhatesfags.com/).

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Third, Westboro Baptist haughtily claims they know why God allows certain events to happen. This is probably the most frightening characteristic about this group. America has definitely veered from the principles on which we were founded. Our nation has rejected the revealed Word of God and is a wicked, rebellious nation. No Christian with an elementary knowledge of God’s Word can deny our country and it’s leaders do not follow the most basic principles and precepts found in scripture. America certainly deserves the punishment of God, but Westboro’s claim to know why a particular tragedy happens to a family is akin to what the three friends of Job did. If you will recall, Job’s ‘friends’ were certain they knew why he was being chastened by God, but in fact they were wrong. In Job 42:7, the scripture says, After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." God rebukes them and praises Job. Sometimes we mere mortals misinterpret situations in our lives, but Westboro seems to have a special dispensation from God on what his motives are in every action.

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It’s true that most American churches and ministers have lost the’ iron rail up the shirttail’ to speak out against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ That is something that needs to change. The churches in America should be the spiritual conscience of America, by proclaiming the pure grace of God. But Westboro’s brand of speaking out is inappropriate, unChristlike, and hypocritical.

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Westboro probably didn’t show up in Duncan because they had bigger fish to fry. When Pastor Terry Jones backed out of burning the Koran on 9/11, the Westboro group decided they would take up the cause. They issued a press release which said, “Meanwhile, we will also burn the flag of this doomed, rebellious, disobedient nation of proud sinners. While you sissy brats browbeat and jockey with the false prophet Terry Jones—pretending like the lives of those soldiers are your political and personal pawns—we will tell you the truth. The blood of the dead soldiers is dripping off the hands of General Petraeus.”

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Fourthly, Westboro fails the ‘fruit of the spirit’ test. When God does a work of regeneration in a dead heart, those people become new creatures that manifest the fruit of the spirit. (See Galatians 5). Westboro protesters are not ‘Christlike.’ They don’t let their light shine before men that others see their good works and glorify the Father (See Matthew 5) The Westboro Baptist Church is full of Pharisees(lawyers) who are using the tax code to their benefit. They sue those who would confront them. 1 John 4:1 says we are to try to spirits to see if they be of God. There is none of the true gospel of Christ being proclaimed by this group.

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I’m no man’s judge- I'm just a sinner saved by grace- but I know that what the Westboro group does is not consistent with God's Word. If they want to protest, they should stop calling themselves Baptist and Church. It is not accurate and does damage to the cause of Christ. They are little more than modern day Pharisees.

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

Politics can be Fun!
by Steve Fair

Some people believe that getting involved in politics is boring. They think all elected officials, candidates and political activists do is sit around and discuss public policy in jargon few understand. Those folks haven’t been to the annual Stephens County GOP Chili Cook-off.
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Last Saturday, September 11th, the local Republican Party held our fifth annual Chili Cook-off. There were over twenty booths in four rooms at the Fairgrounds. Randy Parks, a vocalist from Kansas and childhood friend of State Representative Dennis Johnson, was featured along with the Cowboy Church band. Parks sang an original song entitled, “Let’s paint America Red,” that was wildly received by the crowd. In the other three rooms, there was karaoke, a kid’s carnival, and a replay of the OU/FSU game. Over five hundred people milled through the building, sampling chili and talking to candidates and/or their representatives. The mood was light-hearted and festive. There were no ‘political stump speeches’ or appeals for money.

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Adam Smith did an amazing job of organizing the event. Smith has been the event coordinator the last three years and just keeps taking this event to the next level. An army of young volunteers recruited by Adam manned the kid’s carnival room, several booths and the concessions. These teens and young adults were laughing, talking and clearly enjoying themselves. How is that possible? Don’t these kids know politics is serious business? Don’t they realize our country is in danger of going bankrupt and it’s all the other parties fault? Don’t these kids know that Social Security is going bankrupt and that our monetary system is on the verge of collapse? How can they paint little kids faces, make cotton candy, and sing karaoke with a smile knowing those catastrophes loom in their future?
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First, never take people who have fun as not being serious minded. In his book, ‘A Leadership Primer, former Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard. Seek people who have some balance in their lives, who are fun to hang out with, who like to laugh (at themselves, too) and who have some non-job priorities, which they approach with the same passion that they do their work. Spare me the grim workaholic or the pompous pretentious "professional;" I'll help them find jobs with my competitor.” Dale Carnegie says, “People rarely succeed if they don’t have fun in what they’re doing.”

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Second, politics doesn’t have to contentious and confrontational. Politics has become a full contact sport. Ask any candidate, elected official or activist. That’s probably why your great grandpa said to never discuss politics and religion. The tragedy is those two subjects(politics/religion) are the ones that most clearly define who people really are. Many people go through life never discussing their innermost convictions with others because they hate confrontation. But rational people can disagree without being disagreeable. We should be able to debate politics/issues in a civil way. The problem is when the issue of politics comes up many people mistakenly believe they are guest commentators on Fox News or MSNBC. They attempt to insult the other person’s position to make their point. That’s unnecessary, uncivil and unchristian, but it has become the way modern politics is discussed.
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Third, campaigning should be fun. As we head into the last fifty(50) days of campaigning before the election, you will see a lot of candidates and volunteers attempting to interact with you. It may be on your doorstep or at a ball game. Make their job a little easier by being nice to them. If you are supporting the opposition, you don’t have to attempt to demoralize them by giving them a dissertation on why you are supporting the other person. Just smile and politely say, ‘No thank you.’ Don’t be mean-spirited or confrontational with candidates. In a civil way, ask candidates their position on an issue. If you disagree, state your argument with passion, but not with anger. Candidates should observe the same rule. Some candidates act as if they are running for monarch and not for a public ‘servant’ position. They certainly don't appear to be having fun.

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Adam Smith did a masterful job organizing an event that efficiently dispensed election information to hundreds of people in a setting that was fun and festive. Adam’s ability to energize, motivate and encourage volunteers reveals leadership skills beyond his years. I don’t know what God has planned for Adam Smith’s life, but if politics is his plan, he has a very bright future. And rest assured Adam will have fun!

VOTE YES ON SQ 755!
by Steve Fair

On November 2nd, Oklahoma voters will decide the fate of eleven state questions. One of those will be House Joint Resolution 1056, authored by State Representative Rex Duncan, (R-Sand Springs) and State Senator Anthony Sykes, (R-Moore). The Joint Resolution will be on the ballot as State Question 755. It would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to explicitly state that judicial rulings based in or drawn from foreign precedents have no bearing on Oklahoma state court decisions.
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International law was established by the United Nations in 1945. The International Court of Justice or the World Court is composed of fifteen judges elected by the UN Security Council. Originally established to rule in disputes between member nations, the U.S. judical system has increasedly used World Court legal precedence in rulings, often in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution.
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Another rule of law that is gaining acceptance across the globe is Sharia law. What is Sharia law? The proposed amendment would require courts to “uphold and adhere to the law” as provided in the U.S. Constitution, the Oklahoma Constitution, the United States Code and federal regulations, Oklahoma Statutes and rules, and established common law. State Question 755 would prohibit all Oklahoma courts from considering the legal precepts of other nations or cultures, including in cases of first impression.Sharia( "way" or "path") is the sacred law of Islam. Muslims believe all Sharia is derived from two primary sources- the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The Sunnah means habits or practice. The Muslim usage refers to the sayings and living habits of Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam. Sharia also includes the consensus of Islamic imams.
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On Sept. 14, 2008, both The Times and The Telegraph reported that the British government had sanctioned Sharia courts to rule on Muslim civil cases in that country. The decision sparked widespread controversy among British citizens. Today, there are as many as 85 Sharia courts in Great Britain, but not all those carry the force of British law.On Sept. 14, 2008, both The Times and The Telegraph reported that the British government had sanctioned Sharia courts to rule on Muslim civil cases in that country. The decision sparked widespread controversy among British citizens. Today, there are as many as 85 Sharia courts in Great Britain, but not all those carry the force of British law. A couple of years ago in Great Britian the government santioned Sharia courts to rule on Muslim civil cases in the mother country. Since that time eighty five Sharia courts have been established in England.
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Representative Duncan says, “Oklahomans should not have to worry that their rights could be undermined by foreign court rulings in countries that do not have our respect for individual liberty and justice for all. Our nation’s laws were developed through a democratic process and should not be negated by an irresponsible judge’s haphazard reliance on foreign rulings developed in autocratic societies. Oklahoma court decisions should be based on the U.S. Constitution, Oklahoma Constitution, and our state and national laws – period.”

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“Sharia law coming to the United States. is a scary concept,” Sykes said. “Hopefully the passage of this constitutional amendment will prevent it in Oklahoma.”

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While the legislature overwhelmingly passed the Joint Resolution to put the issue on the ballot, the state question is not without detractors. It has received national attention and one of the vocal critics has been CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations). In the Muslim publication Illume June 15th edition, CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper, said the Oklahoma amendment is an example of anti-Islamic rhetoric and “Nazi-like” behavior.

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In an interview with The Edmond Sun, Hooper said the measure(SQ 755) was based on misconceptions of Sharia law and could have unintended consequences. He said the proposed constitutional amendment could impact Muslims who want to pray in the workplace, which would create future legal challenges and expense for the state.

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CAIR is a controversial group. Last November, Senator Tom Coburn along with four Congressmen wrote the IRS and asked that CAIR be investigated for excessive lobbying and for failing to register as a lobbying organization. CAIR reportedly has leaders who have past ties to Hamas- a terrorist organization. One of those leaders, Omar Ahmad, reportedly said Islam would some day dominate America. Establishing Islamic courts in the U.S. using Sharia law would be a logical first step.

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Take for example what happened in New Jersey. A judge and former State Senator ruled that a woman who was raped by her husband could not get a protective order against him because his religious convictions overrode the statues of New Jersey. The woman's lawyer, Jennifer Donnelly of New Jersey Legal Services, told FoxNews.com the ruling should add to the case for a proposed Oklahoma law, which would ban judges from considering "international law or Shariah Law" in their rulings. "Those who don't want the bill to pass say, 'there's really no need for it because why would a judge walk down that road of religion?'" Donnelly said. "Clearly here, this judge did walk down that road. He may not have said 'Shariah law.' But I think it's indicative that, in trying to be respectful of religion, judges venture into a very slippery slope."

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Duncan and Sykes should be commended for getting in front of this issue. Granted Oklahoma is not New Jersey, but this state question amends the constitution to insure activist judges stick to our ‘rule of law’ and not some global, international law as precedence.

TEN REASONS WHY CONSERVATIVES
SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR JARI ASKINS!
By Steve Fair

Lt. Governor Jari Askins is a very nice person- engaging, pleasant, and friendly- but she is not someone a true conservative should vote for. We should elect leaders whose views reflect the views of Oklahomans and will take on the hard issues. Jari Askins is not a conservative Oklahoman- as evidenced by her legislative voting record. During her twelve (12) year tenure in the State House, she amassed a conservative ranking of 21 as complied by the Oklahoma Constitution. That means that 79% of the time, she voted liberal!
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In the race for Governor, Askins has done two things in an attempt to appeal to Oklahoma conservatives.
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First, she has distanced herself from Washington and President Obama. Like most Democrats this election cycle, Askins recognizes the national Democrats are like an anchor. But in spite of her protests that she is not a Washington liberal Democrat, she has not committed to joining other states in a lawsuit challenging ObamaCare. She has failed to support Arizona’s right to protect their borders by suing the federal government. The intrusion of the federal government into our lives must be stopped by state leaders and thus far Askins has been unwilling to take a strong stand to stop the feds.
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Second, Askins has claimed she has a history of reaching across the aisle to work with Republicans. That was not the case when she was in the legislature from 1994-2006. The last two years she was in the State legislature, she was the Minority Leader- a very powerful position. Let’s just look at her voting record for the last year she was in the State House (2006) and then the single vote she has cast as Lt. Governor.
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These ten votes should be enough to convince any true conservative that Jari Askins doesn’t work with conservatives and would govern from the left. In her one tie-breaking vote as Lt. Governor, she voted WITH THE LIBERALS! Here are ten reasons (in descending order) not to vote for Askins.

REASON #10- HB #3120- LIMITED LIABILITY REFORM- Todd Hiett, (R-Tulsa), author 3/15/2006- Passed 58-41- ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill that sets limits on attorney’s fees or claims. The bill also sets limits on punitive damages that can be awarded based on the net worth of the defendant, including not more than $20 million if the defendant’s net worth is more than $1 billion and not more than 4 percent of a defendant’s net worth is $50 million or less. The bill also specifies that food manufacturers and producers are not liable for weight gain, obesity or health conditions due to long-term consumption of their food product. Additionally, the bill prohibits product liability action against manufacturers or retailers if the product caused harm ten years or more after the original sale, unless the warranty by the manufacturer specifies a longer safe life in writing.
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REASON #9- HB 3120- RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION BILL- Odilia Dank, (R-OKC)- author 3/7/2006 Passed 70-25- ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill that allows public school students to leave school during regular hours to attend religious instruction once a week for up to an hour and still receive credit for attendance in school; providing that the religious instruction does not advocate violence and the school does not provide transportation to and from this instruction. The bill also prohibits any teacher from participating in religious instruction during school hours.
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REASON #8- HB 2496- ABORTION INFORMATION BILL-John Trebilcock, (R-Tulsa)- author 2/23/2006- Passed 78-13-ASKINS DID NOT VOTE!

Vote to pass a committee substitute bill that stipulates 24 hours prior to an abortion that is at or past twenty weeks of gestation, women must be provided with information regarding potential fetal/unborn child pain experienced during an abortion.
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REASON #7-HB 3119-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION-Randy Terrill, (R-Moore)- author
3/14/2006- Passed 63-24- ASKINS DID NOT VOTE!

Vote to pass a committee substitute bill that requires individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency when applying for identification documents or when registering to vote. The bill also requires any agency, school or institution issuing identification documents to report the names of individuals who failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or residency to the Oklahoma Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, the bill prohibits scholarships, financial aid, or resident tuition to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or have legal U.S. residency.
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REASON #6- HB #1792- ACHIEVING CLASSROOM EXCELLENCE- Odilia Dank, (R-OKC)- author 4/5/06- Passed 54-32- ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill that creates the Achieving Classroom Excellence Steering Committee to assists the State Board of Education in implementing student assessment requirements. This bill also authorizes federal law to administer referenced tests based on the availability of state and federal funds. These tests shall be administered to grades 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th in the subjects of reading and math, and geography in 7th grade. The bill also authorizes the Board of Education to create and administer end-of-instruction tests in the subjects of English III, Geometry, and Algebra II. The end-of-instruction tests shall be implemented for the 2007-2008 school year. In addition, this bill states that any person of 18 years wishing to apply for a driver’s license or motorcycle license shall have satisfactory mathematic skills that are equivalent to an 8th grade level.
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REASON #5- HB 1657- CIVIL PROCEDURE- Todd Hiett,(R-Tulsa)- author4/27/10- Passed 54-30-ASKINS VOTED NO

Vote to pass a committee substitute bill that caps noneconomic damage awards at $300,000. Determines that defendants are only liable for the amount of damage caused, and exempts schools and their educational employees from lawsuits if they discipline students. The bill also exempts volunteer workers from civil action if they were acting in good faith and within the scope of their volunteer duties for a charity or nonprofit organization.
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REASON #4-SB1337- CLEANING UP WEEDS & TALL GRASS- Mike Thompson, (R-OKC)- author 5/24/10- passed 60-41- ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill authorizing municipalities with populations in excess of 500,000 to remove any trash or weeds from property zoned for agricultural use if the trash or weeds pose a fire hazard, or are within 10 yards of a paved public right-of-way used for vehicle travel. The bill authorizes the municipality to bill the property owner for the cost of removal of the trash or weeds.
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REASON #3- SB 2022- INCOME TAX RATE ADJUSTMENT-Scott Pruitt, (R-Broken Arrow)- author 4/10/2006- Passed 64-34-ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill that changes the calculation of income tax for individuals and married couples not deducting federal income tax. The bill also reduces the percentage taxed on the remainder of income above $10,000 for individuals or married couples filing separately and above $21,000 for married couples filing jointly to 6.25 percent for 2006 and to 4.9 percent for 2007 and after.
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REASON #2- HB 2842- MEDICAID REFORM- Kris Steele, (R-Shawnee)- author
3/13/2006- Passed 81-17- ASKINS VOTED NO!

Vote to pass a bill that eliminates certain State-mandated benefits in the State Medicaid program in favor of a system that encourages commercial insurers to offer varying benefit packages, all of which would include the federal minimum package of mandatory services. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority will formulate average costs per individual and provide choice counseling, as well as a grievance-resolution process for Medicaid recipients and healthcare providers.
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And the #1 reason for not voting for Jari Askins for Governor……..
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REASON #1-SB 1550- Reporting to the Employment Security Commission for small business- Charles Laster, (D-Shawnee)- 2/25/08- Passed 25-24 after LT. GOVERNOR ASKINS BROKE THE TIE IN THE STATE SENATE FROM THE CHAIR

Vote to modify and add requirements for certain reports to the Employment Security Commission and the New Hire registry relating to certain performance of labor or services.
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Laster’s bill(SB#1550)added unnecessary paperwork and burden on small home based businesses. Askins didn’t stand up for business- she toed the Party Line and voted with the Democrats. The talk of bi-partisanship is just that. Don’t vote based on personality, but on position! The future of Oklahoma is at stake!