POLITICS POLITICS POLITICS POLITICS

Senator Larry Craig is going to resign on Saturday in Idaho- GOP Lt. Governor to be likely successor-click on link for story:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RC9PLO0&show_article=1

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow quits- replacement named- click on link for story:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RC4J200&show_article=1

Governor Mike Huckabee is breaking ranks with "W" on the voting rights issue in DC. Some proposals have the district getting a Congressman and another being added in Utah. clink on link for story:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/huckabee-backs-d.c.-voting-rights-bill-2007-08-31.html

Michigan will have first Presidential primary- January 15th- click on link for story:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070831/NEWS06/708310401/1001/NEWS

The Dems are getting the Union endorsements. clink on link for story:
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/edwards-gets-in-the-union-endorsement-game-2007-08-30.html

Senator John Warner's big claim to fame was he was once married to Liz Taylor, but now he's quitting the Senate- not seeking re-election. click on link for story:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RC6D9G2&show_article=1

A plane carrying three Senators and one House member was fired on in Iraq yesterday. Senator Jim Inhofe was on the plane. click on link for story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/08/31/iraq.main/index.html

Want to know who is planning to run against Senator Inhofe next year? Freshman State Senator Andrew Rice! Who is he? He's a Harvard educated divinity student- clueless, but educated. click on link to read his bio:
http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/about/index.php

Oklahoma Democratic Chair Ivan Holmes said the Stonewall Democrats statement concerning Senator Inhofe was not the views of the State Democrats- Read what James Nimmo says he wished would have happened to Inhofe and Holmes response at my friend Mike McCarville's blog- link below:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/

McMahan can- and did- read all about State Auditor Jeff McMahan's troubles at the McCarville Report blog- link below:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/

FINALLY FRED!

Finally, the Fredheads can breathe. After months of waiting, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) will announce his entry into the presidential race next week. Thompson is set to announce his candidacy by video on his website Sept. 6, and then head out on a five-day tour of early voting states. Will Thompson immediately become the front runner? It's likely, but whether or not he can sustain the momentum remains to be seem.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/thompson-finally-takes-the-plunge-2007-08-30.html

C L O S E C A L L !

On Tuesday night, August 28th- my son's 31st birthday- I was sitting in a restaurant in Mexico City called Rincon Argentino when a number of Mexican federal police and military entered the place. They ordered everyone "not to move" and to get down on the floor. They herded out about a dozen well-dressed men that had been sitting a couple of table over from us. It seems this was a BIG bust. We knew it was something big because Mexican elected officials begin to pour into the place after the incident to talk to the owner of the restaurant. When I got back on Thursday, my associate in Mexico called me and told me the Mexican press was reporting that we were dining with FIVE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS MEN. CNN has a story on the bust- click on the link below to read about it. Frightening world we live in! By the way, I did have a great steak there. We stayed and finished our dinner.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/08/29/mexico.drugs.reut/index.html

THANKS CARTER COUNTY GOP!

Last night(Thursday), I traveled to Ardmore for the Carter County GOP fundraising dinner. Congressman Tom Cole was the speaker and it was a well attended event. I conducted the auction and we were able to raise a little money for the cause. I appreciate Marjorie Brown and her team in Carter County and all they do to help GOP candidates. It was a fun night and I appreciated the opportunity to "sell" some stuff to activists.

WHEN WILL MCMAHAN QUIT?

New Poll- When will the Auditor quit- or should he? Vote NOW!

I'M NOT GAY- I'M JUST HAPPIER THAN MOST GUYS!

U.S. Senator Larry Craig, R-ID, resigned his committee assignments today. He will likely quit the Senate after the scandal broke on his guilty plea to a "restroom" incident at the Minneapolis airport. The Senator- who was one of the Singing Senators- says "I'm not gay." Right! It's been rumored for years that Craig was a switch hitter. The Dems will be all over this and they should- FAMILY VALUES, HIGH MORAL GROUND, Senator soliciting gay sex in an airport restroom- it's the story that Dems couldn't have scripted better. Read the whole account on the link below.


http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/craig-i-am-not-gay-and-never-have-been-2007-08-28.html

WOULD HILLARY FIRE UP THE GOP?

Some Republican activists are rooting for Senator Hillary Clinton- D, NY to win the Democratic nomination for President. Why? Because they believe she is such a polarizing figure that she would be the easiest to beat in the general election. Republicans were in Indianapolis this weekend for the biennial Midwest Republican Leadership Conference. The host county chair- Howard County (Ind.) GOP Chair Craig Dunn got excited when asked if Hillary being the nominee would improve Republican chances of retaining the White House. "Absolutely, absolutely!" he exclaimed animatedly, grinning widely. "We’ve never elected a president of the United States who started off with 45 percent unfavorable ratings!"

It is true that people either love or hate Hillary. There are few who are in the middle. But Hillary winning the nomination is not the key to the Republicans winning the White House in 2008. That responsibility falls to the Republicans. Republicans have to get out the vote and energize the conservative base to win elections. In 2006, when the GOP lost control of both chambers of Congress, it was because Congressional Republicans failed to act like Republicans. They were not conservative fiscally and looked and acted like Democrats. The conservative base-disgusted with the lack of guts and ethics in Congressional Repubs stayed home. If Democrats honestly believe they won last November because of a huge ideology swing in America, they are sadly mistaken. That loss was self-inflicted.

The Dems nominating Hillary will not sweep whatever Republican wins the nomination into the White House. There are some interesting other dynamics in play this year. When you consider for the first time in many years, Democratic candidates for President are raising more money than Republican candidates, that indicates Democrats are already energized and expect to win the White House.

In the second quarter of the year before each of the past three presidential elections, the total amounts raised were $34.1 million (1995), $55.3 million (1999) and $65.9 million (2003). But this year, we have second quarter totals for the top three candidates in each party. Those six candidates alone raised $110.7 million. And Hillary and Obama are the candidates leading the money race.

Ed Goeas is President the Tarrance Group, a nationally known polling organization. Ed went to Cameron University in the ‘70s. We took several courses together. He says, "As Hillary Clinton becomes the nominee, Republican intensity will simultaneously spike." I agree with Ed that Hillary winning the nomination would "fire up the troops," but unless the GOP nominee energizes the base, she will be President. You might remember that New York Republicans were excited when Clinton won the Democratic nomination for Senate because they thought she would be easy to beat in the blue state. She proved to be an able campaigner, connected with the voters and won easily in a year when Republicans nationally did well. You can’t underestimate the Clintons when it comes to politics. They are aggressive, organized, and engaging. If Republicans hope to avoid a replay of ’06 in ‘08, they will do three things.

First, we must nominate a principled candidate for President. There is way too much talk in GOP circles about "who can win the general election." Everyone has suddenly become an expert on demographics, politics, and voter trends. If we don’t nominate a principled candidate, the conservative base will not turn out and Hillary will be President.

Second, we must have a candidate that addresses the hard issues. Candidates that dance around the tough issues and "stick to the script" will not fire up the troops. Romney has proven to be incapable of handling questions about his religion or his position on abortion without losing it. If we have a candidate that avoids dealing with the hard issues, Hillary will be President.

Third, we must have a candidate that embraces the grassroots. When Barry Goldwater won the GOP nomination in 1964, his battle cry was "A Choice, not an Echo." Goldwater won the nod by getting the activists across the country fired up. His strategy worked well enough to win the nomination, but he abandoned it in the general and got beat like a drum. If we have a candidate that doesn’t recognize and embrace the grassroots, Hillary will be President.

I agree with Rove that Hillary is the odds on favorite to be the Dems nominee, but I disagree with my fellow county chair that she can’t win the general election. Rewind back to 1992 when her then little known husband knocked off an incumbent President. The Clintons are political animals that understand what must be done to win and are committed to doing whatever is necessary to win. Thus far, the crop of Repubs in the race have not shown the level of commitment or risk taking necessary to beat her. Hopefully, a candidate will emerge from the pack that will excite the conservatives- and it won’t be Hillary.

OBAMA SAYS HE CAN WORK WITH DR. COBURN!

In a statement that is sure to be used against him by the libs, Senator Obama says he can work with some Republicans including Oklahoma U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn. They have partnered on some legislation, but overall their philosophical views are miles apart. Read the whole story on the link below.



http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070825/D8R89VJG0.html

AUDITOR MEETS WITH FBI

On the front page of today's The Oklahoman, is a story about Oklahoma State auditor Jeff McMahan being visited by two FBI agents for an hour to discuss their investigation into the Gene Stipe/Steve Phipps/Mike Mass/Randall Erwin mess. McMahan said the G-men told him HE WAS NOT THE TARGET. You will recall that Jeff said 2 years ago he didn't know Phipps in a full page response to Is Big Daddy McMahan's Sugar Daddy? published in The Duncan Banner . Jeff's word doesn't mean much and if he is not a part of the investigation, then why are the feds there? Once again, Oklahoma gets a black eye because we have an elected officials who has not principles. In his own words, "I will take any legal campaign contribution." Just because a campaign contribution is legal doesn't mean its OK to take it. McMahan should step aside voluntarily before the grand jury indicts him. Read Jeff's response to the FBI visit on the link below:

http://newsok.com/article/3110214

WHERE DOES ROMNEY STAND ON ABORTION?

WHO KNOWS? It appears not even Mitt knows. Ado Annie from the musical Oklahoma when asked which feller she preferred answered- "Depends on who I'm with." That's Rambler Romney's stand on abortion. Last week on ABC, he was for a Pro-life Constitutional amendment. Yesterday he said the issue should be left up to the states. Romney's campaign better get a handle on this issue quickly if he plans to stay in the race. Check out the link below if you want the whole story on flip-flopping Rambler Romney.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3511448&page=1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BASH!

Oklahoma Republican Chair Gary Jones and Vice-Chair Cheryl Williams have birthdays upcoming and have figured a way to raise money for the OK GOP- have a party. I LOVE IT! You can't get money unless you ask. It only costs $25 per person or a hundred bucks if you want to mingle with Tancredo. Debbie and I will probably go unless I can't find the $25. We need to support the state party. Gary & Cheryl are doing a good job and don't get a lot of credit for their work. It will be a fun evening, particularly when they light up the candles on the cake. You will be able to see the glow in Tulsa.

The special guest for the evening is U.S. Congressman and Presidential Candidate Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

WHAT: OK GOP Birthday Bash and Cookout
WHEN: Friday, September 7th, 2007. 6pm- reception, 7pm- Birthday Bash

WHERE: James and Regina Dunn Family Ranch. 15300 NE 220th, Luther, OK

That's the same James Dunn that ran for AG in 2006.

TO RSVP: Contact Jay at jay@okgop.com or 405-528-3501

*Directions to Dunn Ranch: From I-35, exit at 2nd Street in Edmond (exit 142), which is also Route 66. Go east to Hiwassee Road (about 7-8 miles). Turn left (north) and go to the first stop sign, Coffee Creek Road (also 220th Street). Turn right (east), go about 2.3 miles to the Dunn home. It is on the south side of the road. Go through the gate on the left.

SENATOR INHOFE ENDORES FRED THOMPSON!

At a breakfast in Broken Arrow yesterday morning, Senator Jim Inhofe said he was backing former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson for the Republican nomination. Thompson is expected to formally announce his candidacy in early September.

BTW- State Senator Andrew Rice made ROLL CALL this week. They did a story on the freshman Senator's planned candidacy against Inhofe. Senator Jim could be so lucky!

STAFFERS ARE HIRELINGS
hireling- noun -derog:1. A hired servant.2. Someone whose work is motivated solely by money. Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hyrling.

An elected officials staff is a challenge for political activists. Most are not in it for "the cause." They went to college, got a political science degree, worked a campaign, and landed a job with the elected official they chauffeured around during the campaign. Some have principles- others have none as evidenced by the email that Senator Tom Coburn's Communications Director sent to several other staffers on the hill. The language is bad enough, but the attitude is worse. No staffer should be allowed to have a top level job in Washington until they can tell the difference between an 18 oz. jar and a 32 oz. jar of jelly. Read this lack of civility- low class-poor judgement-ridiculous-bone headed move story that involves an Oklahoma elected officials staff member by clicking on the link below.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senate-earmark-battle-turns-very-personal-2007-08-21.html

STEPHENS COUNTY GOP FISH FRY OPENING VIDEO

The opening video at the SCRP FISH FRY on May 5th was a big hit. After several requests for me to post it on the blog, I have relented to the intense pressure and complied. The link is below:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=to3I1Aifpv0

This video is the creative work of The Smith Brothers- not the cough drop guys- Adam & Andrew Smith. If you would like to utilize their creative ability, email them at adamsmith@mac.com.

COBURN- INHOFE

MOST POPULAR STATE WIDE

ELECTED REPUBLICANS!

Poll results-

Senator Tom Coburn: 54%
Senator Jim Inhofe: 30%
Corp. Comm. Bob Anthony: 10%
Corp. Comm. Jeff Cloud: 6%

Thanks for participating in the FAIR & BIASED poll

Architectural Failure

Once again Pat Buchanan nails it! Karl Rove was a genius politically, but in the area of GOVERNING, he was clueless. Rove steered "W" to the left more than most conservatives liked. It cost us the mid term elections and threw control of Congress back to the "D"s. This is a great article- click on link to read in its entirety.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21957

LIKE THOSE ODDS?

Between Blair and Norfolk, Nebraska is a two-lane toll bridge. The toll is 50 cents to cross. The bridge is owned by the descendents of the man who built the bridge. The family maintains the bridge and collects toll to cross the bridge. I’m not sure how profitable private bridges are, but it might be the answer to fixing our nation’s crumbling roads and bridges. In Britain, Maggie Thatcher privatized some of their country’s roads and bridges. It has also been done in Russia. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that worldwide more than a thousand public-private deals in the transportation field have been done alone in the past twenty years. And privatization is also being done in the United States.

In Indiana, they sold their turnpike system to some Australians for twice what they thought it was worth- 3.85 billion. And the state gets the roads back in seventy-five years. The Aussies had to agreed to some guidelines that include specific maintenance. In Chicago, the Mayor sold the city’s Skyway (toll road) to the same group. The Windy City also got twice what they thought it was worth. Just goes to show you that politicians have no clue on how much something is worth.

With the recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis, the spotlight has been cast on our nation’s infrastructure. Nearly 20% of America’s roads are now considered in poor shape and almost 25% of the nation’s bridges are labeled “structurally deficient.” The U.S. Department of Transportation has estimated that it would cost a whopping $460 billion to fix our nation’s roads and bridges. Oklahoma is right at the top-or bottom of the list in decaying infrastructure.

Oklahoma ranks first in the percent of deficient bridges in the United States with over twenty seven percent classified in that category. Our roads are the sixth worse in the U.S. Oklahoma spends a paltry four percent of the state budget on roads and bridges. The primary reason we have poor infrastructure in Oklahoma is because the Democratic Party was in power in the Sooner state until the last four years. They controlled funding and roads and bridges were not at the top of their priority list. Politicians pay little attention to fixing roads and bridges because it doesn’t buy them as many votes as a social program. Roads and bridges take too long to build and no one person benefits from their construction, unless it’s a road to one of their campaign contributors.

Privatizing might be an answer. We could sell naming rights to bridges. Large companies like Chesapeake and Devon could pay to put their name on large bridges like those over Red River. County bridges could have smaller sponsors. Local businesses could pony up some dough to keep the bridges maintained. Selling roads and bridges to Australians might work, but it’s not likely to happen here. The Aussies would have to invest too much to get the roads and bridges up to standards.

Seriously, two things need to happen. First, Congress needs to pass the Transportation Empowerment Act that Senator Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and Senator Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma have been trying to get passed for years. The TEA would empower states with authority for the taxing and spending for highway programs and mass transit programs. In effect, it would return to the individual states the authority and responsibility for the interstate system within their state. Under the TEA, motorist and truckers who fund the system would get a more equitable return on the taxes they pay. Currently the northeastern states, Pennsylvania, New York, Conneticutt, New Jersey, and Ohio get more than they pay into the system. Oklahoma, Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, North and South Carolina (note they are all red states) get back less than they collect in federal fuel taxes. DeMint & Inhofe’s proposal would shift the transportation priorities to a more local level and take the power away from the Washington bureaucrats. They propose a phasing out of the federal fuel tax-, which is now around nineteen cents, a gallon- and letting states collect that money to maintain roads and bridges.

Secondly, politicians need to spend the transportion/inflastructure money where it’s supposed to be spent. Oklahoma ranks high in the diversion of allocated federal highway funds for other uses. The state gets seven percent of state revenue from the Motor Fuels tax. The state tax on a gallon of gasoline is seventeen cents and on diesel its fourteen cents. The motor fuels tax purpose is to maintain roads and bridges. Cities and counties get about a third of it to maintain their streets and county roads- the rest goes to the state. If the state is empowered to collect more money, Oklahoma politicians have to spend it where we need it- on our roads and bridges and not on some social program.

Oklahomans are gamblers, as evidenced by the fact that forty-nine cities in the Sooner state have a casino. Think about this- the odds are 3 to 1 the bridge you cross on your way to work is structurally sound. Like those odds?

In February 2005, I wrote the following article for THE DUNCAN BANNER. After it appeared, State Auditor Jeff McMahan wrote a full page response that appeared in a Sunday edition. In his rebuttal, he falsely claimed he didn't know Steve Phipps. He has since said that he did know him and took campaign contributions from him. Jeff said I was the mouthpiece for the State GOP. He was right about the MOUTHPIECE part, but not for the State GOP. By special request, here is the infamous BIG DADDY article. Enjoy!

Is Big Daddy McMahan’s Sugar Daddy?

In the 1970s, a popular television show was The Dukes of Hazard. In every episode, Bo and Luke Duke battled the local political boss- appropriately named Boss Hogg. It was not your classic case of good vs. evil, because sometimes the Duke boys bent the law a little to suit their taste, but fundamentally they were the good guys. Boss Hogg had his dirty work done by Roscoe the dim-witted sheriff and Cletus, the Deputy. Roscoe never worried about re-election so long as the Boss was happy. The Boss reigned sovereign in Hazard County! It was good entertainment because we knew that in every episode, the Dukes would win out over Boss Hogg. It wasn’t set in Oklahoma because in the Sooner state unfortunately, the good guys don’t always win.

For decades when one thought of sleazy, backroom politics in Oklahoma, Gene Stipe instantly came to mind. Stipe was at one time the longest serving elected official in America. Serving over 50 years in the Oklahoma state legislature, he was the poster boy for term limits. During his reign, Stipe abused his office as State Senator by using his power to build what can only be described as an empire in Southeast Oklahoma. Senator Stipe was so notorious that he earned the nickname “The Prince of Darkness”- a real-life Boss Hogg.

It seems the Prince has left his mark on many associates and partners that will perpetuate the Good Ole Boy network for decades to come in Oklahoma. Stipe followers have watched their idol rule over the State in a way that only a mafia boss could appreciate. The good Senator manipulated and abused the system so effectively that his personal wealth is estimated to be over 26 million dollars.

Many Oklahomans were hopeful that the day of Good Ole Boy politics in Oklahoma had come to an end when Stipe was forced to resign in shame. He pled guilty of violating federal campaign laws by illegally funneling $50,000 into Walt Roberts failed Congressional campaign, but it appears he hasn’t learned his lesson yet.

Now, one of Stipe’s minions, Steve Phipps along with the former Senator are being investigated for what appears to be a scam to open a dog food plant in McAlester. The plant, which was financed by state and city tax dollars, has not produced a single can or bag of dog food. It has not created the 25 jobs that were promised. However: the facility has been utilized to service Indian gaming machines. Phipps owns a business that provides that service to the tribes and he evidently, is using the facility to work on one arm bandits, but not to make pet food.

Who is Steve Phipps? His nickname is “Big Daddy.” It seems that the dog food factory isn’t the only connection Big Daddy has to the Prince. Phipps and Stipe are partners in abstract companies across Southeast Oklahoma. Anyone selling or refinancing property in Oklahoma are required to have titles brought up to date within a 90 day period. Abstract companies are the only place to get that done in the state. In many counties, Phipps and Stipe own the only abstract office in town. To add insult to injury, abstractors set their own rates. What an industry-to have customers that have to do business with you- on your terms- at your price?

One has to ask how such a system could be allowed to exist in Oklahoma? Who is responsible for watching the abstractors? That responsibility falls to the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector. The author of the bill that gave the Auditor’s office that job? That’s right- Senator Gene Stipe.

The Bellamy Brothers sang, What you need is a Sugar Daddy. It looks like Jeff McMahan has found one- maybe two. Now we learn that Big Daddy, The Prince and many of their employees and associates contributed to the 2002 campaign war chest of State Auditor Jeff McMahan. When asked about the contributions McMahan stated that he would take any “legal campaign contribution.” He went on to say that anyone contributing to him was doing so because they “believed in good government.” The average Oklahoma taxpayer’s idea of good government and Phipps’ and Stipe’s idea might be a much different. To accept campaign contributions from any and everyone shows a serious lack of judgment on McMahan’s part.

Who says that contributing to campaigns doesn’t pay dividends? It has paid excellent dividends for Phipps and Stipe. McMahan has refused to audit the Private Economic Authority that gave the money to Phipps to build the phantom pet food plant. The land the authority gave to Phipps was purchased from Gene Stipe at more than 2 ½ times the assessed value. This whole multi-pronged transaction doesn’t pass the “smell” test.
And when Steve Phipps-aka- Big Daddy- feels the need to meet with someone at the State Capital to try to get laws passed, who does he call?. He calls his good buddy Jeff McMahan. Evidently, Steve Phipps has used the State Auditor’s office to meet with legislators and others on numerous occasions while trying to influence legislation. He may have gotten some wording inserted into a bill that gave him a competitive advantage to produce Indian Gaming machines. As private citizens and taxpayers, we may not be able to do much about Stipe and Phipps and their shady dealings. That will be left to the investigators and prosecutors, but McMahan is another matter. His ties to Stipe and Phipps are troubling. We need to change our image in Oklahoma. McMahan is up for re-election in 2006 and we need to McFIRE him.

ARE WE LOSING THE FEMALE VOTE?

Author Anne Rice wrote Interview With The Vampire, and within a decade the book became the best-known vampire novel since Dracula. She has written several novels exploring sexual and romantic desire and the spiritual world, and is a famous New Orleans resident with a devoted fan base. In 1998 she had a reawakening of her Catholic faith and abandoned the dark subjects that made her famous. Her 2005 book, Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, tells the tale of Christ as a boy. I have never read one of Rice's books, but after she stopped writing the dark books, she has been an outspoken pro-life advocate. On her web site, she has announced her support of Hillary Clinton for President. How she can reconcile supporting Hillary Clinton for President is beyond me. You can email her at anneobrienrice@mac.com if you want to protest her support of Clinton. You can read her letter to her fans at http://annerice.com/

J.C. WATTS COMMENTARY

My friend, former Congressman J.C. Watts, writes twice monthly for the Stephens Newspapers group. In his last editorial, he writes about the irony that liberals have such a high regard for animal life (the dog fighting uproar), but have little regard for the taking of human life (abortion). Way to go J.C.- well stated! The article in its entirety can be accessed by clicking on the link below:


http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/9112656.html

SHOW OF HANDS!

The RNC has a new web game out called Show of Hands. IT'S A HOOT! You can access it by clicking on the link below:

http://www.gop.com/net/ShowOfHands/debate.aspx

ASK MITT ANYTHING A JOKE!

An associate and I attended the Ask Mitt Anything rally at the OU HSC Student Union today at noon. It was well attended- 4-500 people were there. Romney gave a creditable, standard, run-of-the-mill stump speech covering immigration, health care, terrorism and energy to the largely Republican crowd. He then took questions and after four "softball questions" we left. So did lots of others. The whispering in the crowd was "this is a set-up." It was so apparent the whole affair had been a carefully scripted campaign stop designed to get his message out. There is nothing wrong with that, but when you bill it as ASK MITT ANYTHING, that is disingenuous.

Romney certainly knows he must address two issues with conservatives- his flip-flopping stand on abortion and Mormonism. But, whenever either of those issues come up, Mitt gets defensive and visibly angry like he did in an Iowa radio interview. You can watch the video at http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/romney_gets_angry_about_mormon_questions

I guess Romney subscribes to the old adage- YOU DON'T DISCUSS POLITICS AND RELIGION! What truly defines a person is religion and politics, so when you dodge those core areas, it sends a message that openness and transparency are not who you are. The Governor's unwillingness to address those issues head-on will not endear him to conservatives. Staying with that strategy will result in a quick exit from the Presidential race. Contrary to what his "handlers" are telling him, if Mitt addressed the hard issues FIRST, instead of attempting to dodge them, Romney might be able to overcome the flip-flop and his polytheistic religious views. Romney is an attractive candidate. He's an effective communicator, has strong values, understands what is needed to lead America. It's true that being a Mormon hurts him with certain Evangelicals., but by ignoring or misrepresenting what he believes theologically, Romney insures he will not get their support. His campaign theme is TRUE STRENGTH FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE. Mitt exhibited none of that today. Playing defense only wins football games, not elections. Romney should have come to Oklahoma willing to address the two issues he knew people wanted addressed. He missed a great opportunity to define who he is- but then again, perhaps he did.

TRUE REHABILATION
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.—

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

In March the Oklahoma legislature passed HB 2101. The bill, authored by Speaker of the House Lance Cargill, (R- Harrah) and Senate Pro-Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Bethany) passed both chambers overwhelmingly and was signed into law by Governor Blackjack Henry on May 25th. The measure is known as the Transformational Justice Act. It encourages faith-based groups and other volunteer organizations to take a stronger role in rehabilitating Oklahoma inmates. It also encourages state prisons to partner with faith-based, community and voluntary organizations to help inmates rejoin society and reduce the rate of repeat offenders. Inmates that have less than a year left on their sentence are eligible for the program. The measure is part of the Safe Families Platform of the 2007 House Republican Year of Ideas Agenda. The law set up an eleven-member commission that will assist the Department of Corrections in implementing the program.

The jury is still out on whether inmates can be rehabilitated with the use of psychology. According to Tammi Port, a clinical psychologist, “What a person has done in the past is generally a good predictor of what he will do in the future, and therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that people with a history of criminal behavior are more dangerous that those without that history.” Port goes on to say that criminal psychopaths differ from other violent criminals in their likelihood to re-offend, meaning they are seldom rehabilitated. Criminals normally remain criminals, unless something happens within their heart and mind to change them and their behavior. Psychological counseling may or may not work, but spiritual counseling has been successful in rehabilitation of inmates.

Prison Fellowship, the ministry founded by former Nixon aide Chuck Colson commissioned a study by the University of Pennsylvania back in 2003 that showed religious education very effective in prison rehabilitation. According to the report, graduates of the Prison Fellowships programs were less likely than non-graduates to return to a life of crime. PF’s programs provide spiritual counseling, job training and mentoring to prisoners nearing the end of their sentences. Of the 177 ex-cons who participated in the study, the 75 who underwent biblical education and counseling were half as likely to be reincarcerated. The study concluded that spiritual education and mentoring works to rehabilitated inmates.

On Wednesday, State Representative Al Lindley, D-OKC held a news conference to express his concern that HB 2101 violated the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Lindley, who is in his final term, is not a Constitutional lawyer. He was a state employee- working at the Tax Commission- before he was elected to the legislature. Lindley has spent the last three legislative sessions trying to make sure Oklahomans have a right to get tattooed with a clean needle. His legislative career has been one that has not produced any meaningful legislation.

During his press conference, Lindley used the liberal company line in attacking HB 2101, saying it violated the separation of church and state. The phrase "Separation of Church and State" has been bandied about for so long that many Americans believe that it is actually in the Constitution. In fact, those words appear nowhere in the Constitution. They were in a letter written by Thomas Jeffereson to the Danbury Baptist addressing the Baptists’ concern that the federal government would establish a national religion. Jefferson assured them in the letter the Constitution forbade that, but he also made it perfectfully clear that God was essential to America’s survival.

The liberals have been sucessful at pushing God out of the public square. Public prayer is no longer allowed in schools. The Ten Commanments cannot be displayed in public buildings. Navity scenes and religious symbols are forbidden in the public square. This is certainly not what the framers of the Constitution intended. Even the most liberal recognizes that our founding fathers invoked scripture and referenced God in their writing and speeches. HB 2101 does not violate the First Admendment and anyone with any discernment at all recognizes that. Lindley is an opportunist- trying to get some publicity before he terms out. HB 2101 does not force an inmate to participate in a Bible study or service. It gives him the option and opens the door for these faith-based organizations to carry their life-changing message into the jails and prisons of our state. Perhaps God will open their heart like He did Lydia of Thyatira in Acts 16:14. That would result in true rehabilitation.

THANKS FOR BEING HONEST!
Oklahoma Democrats for years have maintained they were more conservative than the national party. Last week in this space, the position of the state Democratic Party on the Fairness Doctrine was presented. You will recall the Oklahoma Democratic party’s 2007 convention resolution on the subject was exactly the same as the position of the national party. And that is not the only position the state party takes that is out of touch with the average Oklahoman.

In a state where 75% of the registered voters are pro-life, the Oklahoma Democrat’s position on abortion is clear. In their 2007 platform, they state, “We support a woman’s unhindered right and ability to decide upon and have access to her own health care, including reproductive care; furthermore, the government has no place asserting control over health care decision made by a competent adult.” The Oklahoma Republican party is proudly pro-life and committed to protecting life in the womb. Polls have shown a majority of registered Democrats in our state are pro-life.

Another Oklahoma Democratic Party resolution concerning abortion reads, “The Oklahoma Democratic Party supports the reproductive freedom of every woman, which means that every woman has the right to decide for herself when to bear children, and commits to the correction of economic and social factors that contribute to unintended pregnancies.” The Oklahoma Democratic party is proudly pro-choice.

Oklahoma Democrats are also against the introduction of the teaching of “Creation” into the school system. Another resolution reads, “We oppose the introduction of any religious dogmas, including “creationism” or “intelligent design” which have no scientific basis, into science courses of public schools. We oppose the insertion of disclaimer statements about evolution into any textbooks.” Translated, this means the Oklahoma Democratic party is opposed to the teaching of the Biblical account of creation to our children. The Republican party- both nationally and statewide- have long advocated that both sides of the Creation story should be presented to our children.

The Oklahoma Democratic party advocates civil unions or same sex marriage. Another resolution reads, “We support legislation that would allow establishment of civil unions permitting the legal designation of next of kin and affording civil rights accordingly regardless of gender." The Republican Party has taken a clear stand for traditional marriage and has consistently defined marriage as being between one man and one woman.

The Oklahoma Democrat’s 2007 platform has resolutions on global warming, the reduction of gasoline usage(in a major oil state), and the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. There are twice as many platform resolutions on the environment than on economic issues in their platform. They take no position on the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms) in a state that has one of the highest NRA/GOA memberships in the country. They have multiple resolutions on expanding welfare and social programs with no specifics as to how those programs would be funded.

Under the heading, “Jobs”, the Dems condemn “corporations” repeatedly. Over ninety percent of the “corporations” in America are privately held small businesses. According to a number of resolutions, Democrats blame corporations for poverty. Never mind that corporations are just businesses made up of people willing to take a risk and go into business, hopefully to make a profit. These “evil” businesses form the foundation our free market system is based upon. The "jobs" they say they want everyone to have are provided by these "corporations." The Dems just don’t get it.

One of the Oklahoma Dems resolutions condemns American companies for moving their operations out of the U.S. The resolution says, “We support federal legislation that protects jobs from being moved overseas, allowing federal dollars to benefit the states. We support increased import tariffs to protect American jobs.” The Oklahoma Dems are all about jobs, but this is the same Democratic Party that opposes tort reform and workers compensation reform every Oklahoma legislative session. Their stances on just those two important issues have hurt Oklahoma workers more than any corporate fraud.

The Oklahoma Democrats have a resolution urging repeal of Right-to-work, even though it was approved by an over two-thirds vote of the people. They want to reinstate the Davis/Bacon Act (prevailing wage law). This is the act that former State Labor Commissioner Brenda Reneau got suspended because of corruption in Oklahoma. Reneau found that taxpayers were paying millions more than they should have because of over quoting of the prevailing wage by organized labor. If the Dems want to talk fraud, let’s start there. This was real fraud- and it cost Oklahoma taxpayers dearly.

If you want some good liberal reading, pick up a copy of the Oklahoma Democratic Party platform. One good thing about the 2007 Oklahoma Democratic Party platform. It honestly states what they believe. For years, Oklahoma Dems have dipped and ducked from the national platform. But in 2007, they have at last stepped up to the plate and clearly stated they are out of touch with the average Oklahoman. Thanks to the Oklahoma Democratic Party for being honest.