Weekly Opinion Editorial

POPULAR VOTE WOULD HURT OKLAHOMA!
by Steve Fair

Last year, SB 841, authored by Senator Rob Johnson, (R-Kingfisher) and Representative Don Armes, (R-Faxon) passed out of committee and if it had been approved would have sent to Oklahoma voters a State Question to have Oklahoma join the National Popular Vote Compact. After an outcall from citizens throughout Oklahoma, the proposal was withdrawn and never was voted on in either legislative chamber.

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The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement among states designed to replace current state rules governing the Electoral College system. If implemented, it would guarantee the election of the national popular vote winner. Eight states and the District of Columbia have passed the compact. Just last week, the country’s most populous state. California joined the compact. With the addition of California, proponents of the NPVIC have nearly half the electoral votes they need for the compact to take effect.

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The compact is based on Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, which gives each state legislature the right to decide how to appoint its own electors. Today, 48 states, including Oklahoma, award all of their electoral votes to the candidate with the most popular votes statewide. Proponents of the NPVIC claim that means we are electing the President and elect the President and Vice President of the United States by popular vote and this just simplifies the often misunderstood Electoral College system. You can read more about their proposal at http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/index.php.

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Who are the people behind the NPVIC? The Chairman is Dr. John R. Koza, the inventor of the scratch off lottery ticket, and twice a Democrat elector in California. Dr. Kova is a good friend of Al Gore, who won the popular vote in 2000 but lost the electoral vote count to George W. Bush.

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Barry Faden, a Democrat, is the President of NPVIC. He is a San Francisco attorney who supported John Kerry in 2004. He contributed $2,000 to Kerry according to campaignmoney.com.

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Board members for NPVIC are Tom Golisano, the owner of Paychex, an HR company for small business and the owner of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabers. In 2008, Golisano, a registered Independent in New York state, gave one million dollars to the Democrats for their national convention. Chris Pearson is State Representative in Vermont. He is a member of the Progressive Party, one of only 6 in the 150 member body. Stephen Siberstein is a California Democrat who contributed $250,000 to the Center for American Progress, a left wing think tank.

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So why is NPVIC pushing a national popular vote? In fifty-six Presidential elections, only four times has the winner of the electoral vote not won the popular vote (1824, 1876, 1888, 2000), so why is there such a rush to move to a national popular vote? According to the NPVIC website, it is “to guarantee election of the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.” But that doesn’t seem to be real motive.

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When Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000 by 500,000 over George W. Bush, liberals began a systemic attack of the Electoral College. Even though Bush won over 70% of the geography of the US and thirty states vs. Gore’s twenty, liberals still believe he stole the election. They know that large urban states tend to be more liberal than rural states, so moving to a popular vote system would give a definite advantage to a liberal.

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But the founders of our country were huge proponents of ‘states rights.’ The founders of our republic were avid supporters of state rights. James Madison, known as the father of the constitution, said, “In our complex system of polity, the public will, as a source of authority, may be the will of the people as composing one nation, or the will of the States in their distinct and independent capacities; or the federal will as viewed, for example, through the presidential electors, representing in a certain proportion both the nation and the States.”

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According to David Barton of Wallbuilders, the genius of the Electoral College is that it synthesized two important philosophies established in the Constitution: (1) the maintenance of a republican, as opposed to a democratic, form of government and (2) the balancing of power between the smaller and the larger States and between the various diverse regions of the nation. I would recommend you read David's 2001 article, "Electoral College: Preserve or Abolish? " at http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=95

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On Saturday, the state committee of the Oklahoma Republican Party voted to oppose any proposal to move to a national popular vote in the election of the POTUS. The vote was unanimous. This is one issue that both Oklahoma Republicans and Democrats must agree on; moving to electing the president by national popular vote would hurt Oklahoma.

Ann Colter

You will note I have dropped the link to Ann Colter's column from my list of recommended links. I have always admired Colter for her courage and candor, but it appears she has now endorsed the gay lifestyle by joining the Log Cabin Republicans- aka GOProud. Here is a link to the story concerning her joining up with the group.

http://www.inquisitr.com/133795/ann-coulter-goproud-honorary-chair/

“Ann Coulter is a brilliant and fearless leader of the conservative movement; we are honored to have her as part of GOProud’s leadership,” board Chairman Christopher Barron said in the group’s official statement. “Ann helped put our organization on the map. Politics is full of the meek, the compromising and the apologists — Ann, like GOProud, is the exact opposite of all of these things. We need more Ann Coulters.”

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Coulter, who has a history of anti-gay statements and who does not support marriage equality – at least not publicly – joins anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, online media mogul Andrew Breitbart, Republican strategist Roger Stone, and a slew of other noted conservatives, all of whom serve on the organization’s council.

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Disappointing, but in today's situational ethics society, not surprising....

Weekly Opinion Editorial

COOL CLEAR WATER!
by Steve Fair

W.C. Fields said, “I never drink water. I'm afraid it will become habit-forming.” Fields was right- water is habit forming. According to A.C. Nielsen sales of bottled water last year were over $60 billion. Water is a necessary precious resource. Wars have been fought over water and the right to use it. Oklahoma may be about to go to war with Texas over water rights.
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In early August, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kris Steele, (R-Shawnee), and Senate Pro Temp Brian Bingman, (R-Sapulpa) appointed sixteen state legislators to a joint legislative committee to study Oklahoma’s water policy. State Senator Brian Crain, (R-Tulsa), an attorney, and State Representative Phil Richardson, (R-Minco), a retired veterinarian, are co-chairs of the committee. Capital Beat has an excellent story on those appointed. You can read it at http://www.capitolbeatok.com/_webapp_3944106/Legislative_leaders_name_Joint_Legislative_Water_Committee,_with_diverse_group_of_16_members
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The committee met for the first time last Wednesday and according to OETA, they focused on water laws and court cases governing the allocation and use of water in Oklahoma. A New Mexico environmental attorney, Chuck DeMars, reviewed ‘The Red River Compact’ with the committee members.
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‘The Red River Compact’ was signed in 1978 by member states to resolve and prevent disputes over waters of the Red River Basin that are shared between the neighboring states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, and to assure the receipt by member states of adequate surface flows and releases.
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The Red River Compact Commission consists of nine members -- two members from each of the four states (the director of the state water agency and a basin resident appointed by the governor) and a federal representative appointed by the President. The federal commissioner is a non-voting member and serves as Commission chairman. The Commission meets once each year.
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While provisions of the Red River Compact specifically state how much water each signatory state is allowed to develop or store on an interstate stream, the compact generally provides a means of working out problems between member states in an orderly manner, thus preventing the likelihood of litigation in most cases.
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But the Tarrant County Regional Water District sued the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Oklahoma Water Conservation Storage Commission to keep its permit applications from being dismissed while the matter was in court. Dallas Water Utilities, the North Texas Municipal Water District and the Upper Trinity Regional Water District have since become parties to the lawsuit.
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The TCRWD wants to divert more than 130 billion gallons of water from river basins just north of the Red River and provide it to the district's growing population(Fort Worth area), which has been projected at 4.3 million by 2060.
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The district filed permit applications in 2007 to capture water from three river basins in south central and southeastern Oklahoma before it enters the Red River and takes on too much salt to be drinkable.
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While selling water to our southern neighbors may seem almost treasonous to many Sooners, we must approach this issue in a rational logical way.
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First, north Texas is one of the fastest growing areas in population in the United States and they need water. If Oklahoma has a water surplus, that could provide millions of dollars in capital to help create jobs and opportunity for our state. The key is what is ‘surplus.’ How much water do we have in Oklahoma that we don’t really need? Selling water to Texas may be a prudent, wise decision, but determining what is surplus is the key. As this year’s record setting drought has shown, water can evaporate quickly in 100 degree temperatures.
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Second, allowing this case to go to trial in federal court is risky. Oklahoma could lose and Texas would get the water for free. The Tarrant County group has argued that Oklahoma has more than enough water for its needs and is violating the Red River Compact by not sharing it.
"There's enough water in the Kiamichi River basin alone to serve four times the population of Oklahoma," Jim Oliver, director of the Tarrant County group says. Indeed, the OWRB has said repeatedly that Oklahoma has more than enough water for our needs. If the court agrees with Texas, we give them the water. That’s even worse than selling it.
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Third, before we start selling water out of state, we should insure that every area of Oklahoma is taken care of, not just the SE corner of the state where there is an ample supply of water. This committee should be looking at ways to move Oklahoma’s water to other parts of the state to help suffering Sooners. I realize that may be a challenge logistically, but before we start selling water to others; we should be taking care of ourselves.
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Fourth, if the state sells the water to Texas, what happens to the money? Will it go to roads and bridges? Will it go to social programs? Will it just be thrown into the state’s general fund and used to shore up short budgets and more state employees? Any sale of water should move the state forward with long term investments in infrastructure like roads and bridges or aqueducts within the state to move surplus water from one area to another.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

RURAL OKLAHOMA NOT REPRESENTED!
by Steve Fair

According to the U.S. Census Bureau eighty four percent of Americans live in metropolitan areas. In Oklahoma, only 63.3% of the state’s population lives in metropolitian areas. Oklahoma is a rural state.
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According to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) the sixteen percent of Americans that live in rural areas have only nine percent of the nation’s physicians. They claim the lack of accessibility for those in rural areas to quality health care results in higher risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetics. Oklahoma ranks 46th in primary care physicians per capita- 80 for each 100,000 population.
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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation along with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has ranked every county in the US on health. The four factors they used were health behavior, clinical care, social and economic and physical factors. Out of Oklahoma’s seventy-seven counties, Stephens County ranks 21st. Complete information on the study can be found at http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/

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When he was running in 2008, President Obama had a ‘Rural Plan.’ for America that included a tenet on health care. The plan can be viewed at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/ruralplan/ Obama said, “A basic problem facing rural America is access to affordable quality health care. Barack Obama is committed to signing universal health legislation by the end of his first term in office that ensures all Americans have high-quality, affordable health care coverage. His plan will save a typical American family up to $2,500 every year on their health care costs.
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Obama delivered on his promise and ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act’ was passed and signed into law. Some provisions have begun, but it will take ten years for the entire plan to be implemented. Last week, ObamaCare was dealt a blow when the 11th Circuit of Appeals in Atlanta ruled that it was unconstitutional to require all Americans to buy insurance or face a penalty. The 2 to 1 decision said that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage.
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Governor Mary Fallin said about the 11th circuit ruling; “I am pleased that yet another federal court has agreed that the ‘individual mandate’ contained within the president’s health care law is unconstitutional. Oklahomans have made it clear the federal government under no circumstance should be allowed to force citizens to purchase health insurance. As this case moves through the federal court system, I look forward to continued validation that the ‘individual mandate’ is unconstitutional and in contradiction with the free market principles that have made this nation great.”
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Last week, Oklahoma legislative leaders announced membership and meetings for the Joint Committee on Federal Health Care Law, a special legislative committee that will study how the new federal health care law aka ObamaCare will affect Oklahoma.Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman and House Speaker Kris Steele ordered the formation of the joint committee this past legislative session to ensure Oklahoma properly addresses the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. At the direction of co-chairmen Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, and Rep. Glen Mulready, R-Tulsa, the Joint Committee of Federal Health Care Law will do its work through a series of public meetings in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.The committee’s first meeting will be Sept. 14 in Oklahoma City. The committee is expected to meet at least five times through November.

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“Having suitable health care options in Oklahoma is an issue the Legislature takes very seriously and intends to proactively protect and address through this committee,” said Stanislawski. “Oklahoma patients, taxpayers, businesses, health practitioners, insurers and others all have wide-ranging questions and concerns about this largely unwanted new federal law. The law will affect all Oklahomans, some in significant ways, so this committee will seek to address all relevant questions and concerns for the benefit of all Oklahomans.”
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First, the Oklahoma legislature should study the impact federal health care will have on individuals and businesses. That is prudent considering the sheer magnitude ObamaCare could potentially have on heath care in our state.
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Second, the members of the committee should have been appointed based on the Congressional districts, geographic areas and population of Oklahoma. The twelve members of the committee (eight Republicans and four Democrats) do not include one legislator from southern Oklahoma. Thirty seven percent of Oklahoma’s population lives in rural areas, but for the most part they are not represented on the committee. All of the announced public meetings are scheduled in OKC and Tulsa. http://www.oksenate.gov/news/press_releases.aspx
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Rural Oklahoma has the real health care shortage and yet it appears we are not represented. That is unacceptable.

Weekly opinion editorial

HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT!
by Steve Fair

State Representative Guy Liebmann, (R-OKC), has announced plans to file a bill for the 2012 legislative session that would require drug testing of individuals in Oklahoma applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
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“Federal law already gives states the right to test welfare recipients for use of controlled substances and sanction those recipients who test positively,” Liebmann (R-Oklahoma City) said. “My legislation would just make it mandatory. It’s just a common-sense bill and one that is already being signed into law in other states.”

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Liebmann’s bill is similar to one just signed into law in Florida. Last week, Missouri’s governor signed legislation requiring applicants and recipients of the welfare program be tested for drugs if there is reasonable cause to suspect illegal drug use. More than two dozen other states are considering similar legislation.
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Temporary Assistance for Need Families is a federal program begin back in July 1997, and succeeded the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program. According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services website, TANF in the Sooner state is to be primarily a safety net for children. The site describes the program as: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally-funded program for children deprived of support because of a parent’s death, incapacity, absence or unemployment. Cash assistance is available to the family on a time-limited basis through TANF. The purpose of this federal program is to provide temporary support in meeting basic needs, training leading to employment, employment services and childcare assistance for qualified families with children.
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In 2010, there were about 10,000 families and 5,000 single parents in Oklahoma on TANF. Monthly payments ranged from $10 up to $500 per month per child. Those onTANF are also eligible for food stamps and taxpayer funded health care.
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Is there a widespread problem with drug use among those on government assistance? It would seem so. According to a U.S. government study from 2000, 9.6 percent of people in families receiving some type of government assistance reported recent drug use, compared to 6.8 percent among people in families receiving no government assistance at all. A recent University of Michigan study found that almost 20 percent getting TANF payments reported recent use of some illicit drug.
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That is a significant percentage and no one using dope should expect taxpayers to fund their habit. Two questions need to be addressed on Lieberman’s proposal:
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First, what happens to the children if a parent doesn't pass a drug test and are not able to receive a government handout until they can prove they are drug-free? Liebmann said he would like to include a provision allowing parents who test positive for controlled substances to sign up a relative to serve as a protective payee to receive benefits for a dependent child. But if children are living in a home with drug abuse and parents who are not responsible enough to place the care of children above the desire to take meth or smoke a crack pipe; shouldn't they be removed from the dangerous situation? The question of what to do about the children will likely be seriously considered and debated as Liebmann’s bill move forward.
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Second, how much will this testing cost Oklahoma taxpayers each year? In Florida the annual tab will be $3.5 million dollars. TANF is a federal program so any money ‘saved’ by not going to a drug user will not be put back into state coffers to help offset the cost of testing. That means the feds save money, but it is highly unlikely they will help the state with the cost of testing. Oklahoma taxpayers will foot the bill to help combat fraud and the feds will redistribute the ‘saved’ money to other states.
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If Liebmann can find a way to help those kids who are in homes where dope is being used and a way to fund the program, this bill should sail through the legislature. Really why shouldn’t people wanting government assistance be drug tested before they get a dime of taxpayer funded assistance? Most employers now require new hires pass a drug test before employment. Many employers conduct ‘random’ drug tests to insure a safe working environment for their employees. The poor and downtrodden should be shown compassion during difficult economic times. But when they use taxpayer dollars to buy dope and alcohol that is not giving them a hand up, it’s giving them a hand out.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

CAN’T SAY NO!
by Steve Fair

A balanced- budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring government to not spend more than its income. It would require a balance between the projected receipts and expenditures of the government. Every state in America, except Vermont, has some form of a balanced budget amendment.
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The U.S. federal government does not have a balanced budget amendment, but with the debt ceiling debate, there is a lot of talk of passing one. But getting a balanced budget amendment is a long and tedious process.
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There are two methods spelled out in Article five of the US Constitution on how to amend the founding document. The first is for the bill to pass both the US House and Senate and then go to the fifty state legislatures where it must be ratified by three fourths- 38- of the states.
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The second method- which has never been done- is for 2/3 of the state legislatures to call for a Constitutional Convention and propose one or more amendments. Ratification must still be by ¾ of the states.
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The Supreme Court has stated amendment ratification must be within "some reasonable time after the proposal." Beginning with the 18th amendment, it has been customary for Congress to set a definite period for ratification. In the case of the 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd amendments, the period set was 7 years, but there has been no determination as to just how long a "reasonable time" might extend.
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Of the thousands of proposals that have been made to amend the U.S. Constitution, only 33 obtained the necessary two-thirds vote in Congress. Of those 33, only 27 amendments (including the Bill of Rights) have been ratified.
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One state ready to ratify a balanced budget amendment is Oklahoma. Sixty-four legislators in the State House signed a letter in support of a proposed federal Balanced Budget Amendment. The letter expresses the legislators’ support of the amendment and declares the legislators’ intent to work for ratification of the proposal in Oklahoma.“If the Balanced Budget Amendment is approved by Congress, we are committed to supporting and working for ratification in Oklahoma,” the letter states. “We are confident that if given the opportunity, Oklahoma will be one of the first states to ratify the Balanced Budget Amendment.” Speaker of the House Kris Steele, (R-Shawnee), Representative Dennis Johnson, R-Duncan, and Corey Holland, (R-Marlow) all signed the letter.
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Oklahoma’s congressional delegation all support a balanced budget amendment. In fact, Senator Tom Coburn is so confident that President Obama would sign it if it reached his desk that he bet reporters in Washington a steak. Coburn told reporters, “I will bet you a porterhouse steak if it lands on his desk, he will sign this puppy.”
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While Dr. Tom and Prez are friends, it would seem Obama is not ready to help the Okie from Muskogee collect on the bet. President Obama said, “I think it’s important for everybody to understand all of us believe we need to get to the point where we can balance the budget, We don’t need a constitutional amendment to do that.”
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Do we need a federal constitutional amendment to insure Washington doesn’t spend more than they take in? It would seem so. Even under Republican control, Congress has an insatiable appetite for spending. When Republican lawmakers who brand themselves fiscal conservatives, but then take earmarks, push pet projects in their home state and rail against ‘big spending,’ it’s obvious we have a problem. Spending taxpayer money is the nature of the political beast, so it’s critical a law be passed that forces the creature to do what every American household has to do- live on what money comes in.
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Balancing the budget will be tough. The federal government employs over 2 million people- up almost ten percent in the past ten years- and those folks will not go ‘gently into that good night.’ Because most of the 1.4 million civilian employees have lots of time on their hands at work, they will relentlessly lobby members of Congress on how important their job is to the survivable of America. That’s how America has gotten a national debt of over 14 trillion dollars- over $130,000 per taxpayer. By caving into special interests. Like Ado Annie Carnes in the musical Oklahoma, most politicians ‘can’t say no.’
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Oklahoma legislators are OK for leading the charge to ratify a federal balanced budget amendment.

Weekly Opinon Editorial

COME FLY WITH US!
by Steve Fair

Last week, Governor Mary Fallin told the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce at their annual banquet that Oklahoma needs a ‘game changer.’ “All states have about the same things they offer business to come to their state. They all have tax incentives or use higher education or cash-back offers. In order to stand out, the state needs to create a game changer – something that is distinctive to Oklahoma and no other state,” Fallin said.

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One of the potential ‘game changer’ industries Fallin mentioned was the unmanned aircraft industry. “One such area today is the unmanned aerial systems program,” Fallin said. “Aerospace remains a key industry for our state, with more than 500 aerospace companies offering potential for growth and economic impact.” The Sooner state has about 360 flying days a year, so it is a great place for UAVs to be developed and tested.

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Unmanned aircraft has a history in Oklahoma. The Maritime Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System or MAVUS I was completed at Ft. Sill in 1992. That drone named, ‘The Sentinel’ successfully demonstrated the first free-flight autonomous landing of a UAV.

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According to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Association the advantages to using unmanned aircraft is the drones do not contain, or need a qualified pilot on board and can enter environments that are dangerous to human life. They can also stay in the air for up to 30 hours and can be programmed to complete a mission even if contact with the drone is lost.

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Some are saying it’s not that far into the future when commercial aircraft will have no on-board pilot, but a UAV pilot on the ground flying the plane remotely. The cost savings by eliminating the cockpit area would save carriers millions and would virtually eliminate the chance of a hijacking like what occurred in the 9-11 attacks.

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In fact Federal Express, the world’s largest air freight carriers, has said concerning UAVs, "'FedEx is always interested in new technology that will help us improve service to our customers, but we do not disclose the nature of our research."

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Call me old fashioned, but I want the pilot on-board/up front in any plane I’m flying on.

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In 2010, Oklahoma State University, through the University Multispectral Laboratories (UML), received a five-year U.S. Navy contract worth up to $44 million to test and design unmanned aerial systems. The work is being conducted at the UML in Ponca City, on the OSU-Stillwater campus, and at UML sites in Lawton. The contract will lead to the creation of 90 new jobs over the next five years
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The defense department has increased their inventory on UAVs in the past ten (10) years from less than 50 to more than 7,000 according to defensesystems.com. While the aircraft are unmanned, there is still a ‘pilot’ flying the UAV from a remote location. The challenge for the military has been a shortage of pilots which has plagued all branches of the service using the drones.

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UAVs perform a wide variety of functions and not just for the defense department. Most drones are currently used for some form of remote sensing. Less common UAV functions for the military include interaction and transport of supplies. Most everyone has heard of the MQ-1 Predator UAV which is armed with missiles and used for offensive purposes, but Predators have also been used to perform search and rescue and damage assessment. After hurricanes in Texas and Louisiana, the drones were sent up to 29,000 feet to gather information about the damage on the ground. The Predator has a sophisticated all-weather sensor capable of providing photographic-like images through clouds, rain or fog, and in daytime, so it is invaluable to officials as they access damage and what is happening on the ground.
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Fallin is onto something by encouraging the aeronautics industry to look at Oklahoma. Our two largest state universities- OSU and OU- have undergraduate degrees in Professional Pilot, Aviation Management, Technical Services Management, and Air Traffic Management. Oklahoma’s terrain and climate is friendly for flying planes- both manned and unmanned. The state has great people and an excellent quality of life. Aircraft companies should be looking to the Sooner state to location their operations. As the saying goes, “Come fly with us.”

Note: Pictured above is a General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, an unmanned aircraft (UAV) used primarily for reconnaissance and forward observation roles. The Predator carries cameras and other sensors and has been modified to carry and fire two Hellfire missiles. The drone has seen combat over Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bosnia, Serbia, Iraq, Yeman, Libya, and Somalia.