ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY ON ETHICS!

The AP is running a story on the Oklahoma Ethics Commission's probe of the State House PAC/Oklahoma County GOP, and Speaker Lance Cargill. See the story at the link below:

http://www.apexchange.com/(X(1)A(wu4e87QCyAEkAAAAOGU1YzczZjEtMGUzYS00NzUzLThhY2EtZDU2NTVlNjM4MTVh-clijbSfC1d3Z9ngQqaZNI16UC81))/pages/oneup_rss.aspx?id=47a839321c0c48e5960a0349f899bb1e%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&links=USABL&uh=ZlmexWy8QrhLhjGcJKC%2FyGpHx15SqKbrpeGqusGoNm4%3D&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING!
Chicago is installing a system that will use a computer program to detect criminal- or what the computer thinks is criminal behavior- acts and then contact police. Read the whole story at the link below:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8RTSNE84&show_article=1

WILL THE MYSTERY MAN

PLEASE ID HIMSELF?

Tonight(Thursday 9/27/07), Channel 9 featured a story about the ETHICS MESS. According to Channel 9 and a "mystery man" (face was shadowed/voice altered) informant, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Lance Cargill was the person who diverted checks made out to the Oklahoma Republican Party to the Oklahoma COUNTY Republican Party. The County organization then paid for campaign activities outside their county including polling work for 5 races. The "mystery man" said the whole scheme was Lance Cargills'. Cargill issued a statement denying any involvement.

If this is true, then it's a sad commentary. Unfortunately, some Republicans believe the end justifies the means. They believe in situational ethics and are not guided by principle. That is not acceptable. Volunteer Republican activists should rise up in mass against this kind of garbage if it is true. If diverting money, violating rules, ignoring the correct protocol and using whatever means you have to to win is your bag, then join the progressive party- change your party affiliation to Democrat.

It does make a difference the way things are done. If you don't think so, read 2 Samuel 6 and the story of Uzzah.

George Porter is a fellow editorial writer at The Duncan Banner. George's weekly column normally appears on Fridays in The Banner. This week's column deserves wide distribution.

Steve
Justice denied
The three to two decision by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on August 31 overturning the death sentence of Ricky Malone for the brutal slaying of trooper Nik Green in Cotton County on December 26, 2003 is a senseless denial of justice and an affront to the sanctity of the right of trial by jury. The reasoning by the three person majority is outrageous. The presiding judge of the Court of Appeals in his dissenting opinion says it very well: "The majority's opinion was improper…and is merely another attempt to sanitize the defendant but to dehumanize the victim". The rights of victim Nik Green were indeed denied and the future safety of citizens of south-west Oklahoma diminished. Retired Marlow teacher Lynn Baker's letter to the editor that appeared in this paper on September 1 is but one of many expressions of disapproval of the three person majority of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. In the opinion of the appeals court, things improperly done in the sentencing phase of the trial included: 1) the trooper's widow, Mrs. Green, in her comments mentions the Bible. "Furthermore, and particularly troubling to this court, Mrs. Green invokes the Bible…This invocation of religious belief and obligation in the context of a capital sentencing recommendation is totally inappropriate". Any normal American should expect a victim's widow to be emotional and speak her mind - including personal thoughts on religion and matters of right and wrong. But the appeals court writes that the victim impact evidence "was too much - both too long and too emotional". Also considered improper was the prosecuting attorney's efforts to build sympathy for the murdered trooper's family. The majority of the appeals court states "It was improper for the prosecutor to so blatantly suggest that Malone's jurors should sentence him to death because the family members were counting on them to do so…it was highly improper to seek sympathy". Does any reader believe that it is not the job of both prosecuting and defense attorneys to try to build sympathy for their client in the minds of jurors? I wrote a brief summary of these events to take to the monthly meeting of the county Republican Party on September 13, and asked that members consider including this issue as a matter for discussion and possible resolutions at the following meeting to be held Thursday, October 11. Many of the about 30 attendees offered comments and additional information before it was unanimously agreed to further discuss the issue in October. Senator Anthony Sykes told the group that Oklahoma is one of only three states in the country that appoints judges as does Oklahoma. The governor appoints, but without the confirmation by the state Senate as is done at the federal level and by the majority of states. Sykes proposed legislation this year to change the law to require Senate confirmation in Oklahoma, but his measure died with a four-four tie vote in committee along party lines. Sykes plans to try again in 2008. Question: Should the county party adopt a resolution supporting a requirement of Senate confirmation of judges nominated by the governor? Voters periodically decide if judges appointed by the governor are to be retained.. It was suggested that the party post on the internet facts about judges the electorate is asked to vote on. Steve Fair, chairman, said he had tried very hard to find information about voting records and other pertinent information about judges due a retention vote, but found that he could find little information. Questions: Should the party attempt to collect and publish voting records and written opinions of judges up for retention? Also, should law mandate this information be made available? The three judges voting to overturn the trial jury sentence were C. Chapel, C. Johnson and A Johnson. Question: Should the county party resolve that these three judges be removed from office by voters when they come up for retention? If any one were successfully removed, future jury decisions might not be improperly reversed. For a jury to impose a death sentence will always be controversial. In Tennessee this month a jury imposed a life sentence without possibility of parole on a former prison nurse for killing a corrections officer while helping her inmate husband escape from prison. That is the prerogative of the jury. The decision of the Comanche County jury to impose the death sentence in the trial of Ricky Malone was within the scope of their discretion, and without legal error by the trial judge, it too should stand. In you find this topic of interest, please plan to attend the meeting of the county Republican Party at the Red River Vo-Tec on October 11. Our meetings are open to the public. A short business meeting comes first, and plans for the Chili Cook-off set for October 20 at the Fair Grounds will be discussed. Our local state Senators and Congressmen will be there. Plan to join us.


George Porter is a retired insurance company executive and a Duncan Banner columnist. He may be contacted at geormrty@wmconnect.com

OKLAHOMANS ARE GOOD IN MATH!
In April 2003, the Oklahoma legislature passed House Bill 1278 and Senate Joint Resolution 22, which created the Oklahoma Education Lottery Act and the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund. It also placed on the ballot State Questions 705 and 706 in the November 2004 election. Governor Henry had made the establishment of the lottery a cornerstone in his campaign for Governor in 2002, so it came as no surprise when state voters were told the lottery would pump $300 million annually into education. Governor Henry and then State Budget Director- now State Treasurer Scott Meacham pounded the table and convinced Oklahomans to approve the “tax on the stupid.” Voters did- but voting for it and playing it are two different things.

Lotteries have the worst odds against winning than any other type of gambling. Sure, lotteries have big payout for small bets, but for example the Oklahoma Lottery only pays out forty-five cents for every dollar they collect. Casinos, slot machines, office pools, racetracks and dishonest bookies have higher payouts than the Oklahoma Lottery. Historically, lotteries are run by government to raise money for public service- most of the time for schools or roads. Lotteries are marketed to poor people who buy into the dream that they might just “hit the big one” and pull out of poverty. Those who play the lottery are those who can least afford to play the lottery. Professional gamblers say the lottery is gambling for those who aren’t good in math.

The Oklahoma lottery has been a dismal failure. Instead of state education getting $300 million like Blackjack Henry and Slim Meacham projected, this year the lottery contributed only $65 million. The shortfall has the Lottery Commission facing potential lay-offs. Last week, the State Lottery Director Jim Scroggins, said that he was going to ask the legislature to reduce the percentage that education gets off the lottery, so the Commission can avoid layoffs. Scroggins’ proposal created a firestorm at the State House- Oklahoma City, not McAlester.
State Representative Chris Benge, (R-Tulsa) said “The voters of Oklahoma were told lottery profits would go to our schools and any effort to divert that money is a violation of the voter’s trust.” House Majority Whip Rob Johnson, (R-Kingfisher) said, “Director Scroggins is one of the highest-paid lottery officials in the region, yet the Oklahoma Lottery has been an abject failure on his watch.” Scroggin’s salary is $175,000 a year- a far cry from the average Oklahoman’s salary. He has also been paid $50,000 in bonuses since the lottery started less than two years ago.

State Representative Randy Terrill (R-Moore) who chairs the Revenue and Taxation Subcommittee said, “From the first day on the job, Scroggins has known that our schools would receive 35% of all lottery profits.” “If he has a problem with that, he should resign.” “We are not going to cut school funding to prop up the governor’s failed lottery.”

Scroggins should play the hand he has been dealt. Asking for a reshuffle is ridiculous especially coming from a 25-year veteran of the lottery game. What legislators should consider is reducing the budget of the lottery commission by the percentage that Henry missed in his projection. For example- Henry estimated the lottery would generate $300M- it’s producing only $65M- just 21.6% of what Henry said it would produce. It would be reasonable to assume the Lottery Commission operating budget was based on Henry’s ambitious estimate of $300M. If that is the case then Scroggins salary should be reduced to 21.6% of what he currently earns ($175K). That would place his new salary in the ballpark of the state legislators salary- $37,800 annually. If the lottery is a business, then that makes sense. You produce- you earn. The schools are only getting 21.6% of what they thought they were going to get from the lottery. Seems only fair the lottery commission should be in the same boat.

On the Oklahoma Lottery website, Scroggins writes that he is impressed by the commitment he sees from the Governor, the Board of Trustees, and the people of Oklahoma to the lottery. Also on the site, Governor Brad Henry states that Mr. Scroggins brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and vision to this important position, and he looks forward to working with Mr. Scroggins to implement an education lottery that will make all Oklahomans proud.

The Oklahoma lottery has made us proud- it’s proven that Oklahomans are better at math than Henry and Meacham thought we were and that accounts for the lack of participation the lottery scam has gotten.

IT'S RUDY BY FIVE......
Real Clear Politics takes ten national polls and averages them out for the Republican Presidential nominees. They have Rudy leading and Huckabee fifth with Thompson, McCain, Romney in between. Keep in mind that's with NO VOTES THAT COUNT YET TO BE CAST. The ONLY poll that matters is the one conducted on election day in the primary states. Because no one is paying attention, too often you have people voting for who they perceive is the frontrunner. They don't base their decision on issues, what the person stands for, or their experience, but on their standing in the poll. Tragic but true. The intelligent, informed voters knows what the candidate stands for and get up to speed on issues.

You can view Real Clear Politics table on their average of the polls at the link below:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-192.html

OH WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE......!
The Tulsa World is reporting that some contributions (checks) that were made out to the Oklahoma Republican Party(the state party) somehow made their way to the Oklahoma County Republican Party- not the same organization. The Ethics commission is investigating. You have to play by the rules- whether you agree with them or not- or change them. It remains to be seen who gets "thrown under the bus" in this deal. Read the entire story at link below and to those involved in this stupid scheme, read If by Kipling. You need the admonition!

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070921_1_A1_hItap15656

IF

by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too If you can wait and not be tired by waiting or being lied about, don't deal in lies Or being hated, don't give way to hating and yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise

If you can dream and not make dreams your master If you can think and not make thoughts your aim If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools or watch the things you gave your life to, broken and stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools

If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss and lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue or walk with Kings, nor lose the common touch If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you If all men count with you, but none too much If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run yours is the Earth and everything that's in it and which is more, you'll be a Man, my son!