Articles from February 2008
February 20, 2008
Twists and Turns Predicted for State Budget
State Budget Story Will Have Lots of Twists and Turns Before the End of Session
The old saying goes that politics makes for strange bedfellows. We may see some of the strangest this session.
For instance State Senator Kenneth Corn, a Southeastern Democrat, is standing with former Republican Transportation Secretary Neal McCaleb asking that more money be allocated to transportation even as the Board of Equalization was saying revenue growth was insufficient to trigger additional funds into the special ROADS fund. McCaleb who is a former Republican lawmaker and Cabinet Secretary in Governor Frank Keating’s administration is behind a program to remove the revenue growth trigger for the ROADS fund and make the funding automatic- this would add more than $30 million annually to highway spending and reduce the general fund by a corresponding amount. McCaleb also wants to increase the total amount that can go into ROADS and add motor vehicle tax collections that currently go into the general fund to ROADS.
Senator Corn who has floated a plan to make two year junior and community college educations free to all high school graduates has signed on to increasing the ROADS monies; apparently at the expense of his own higher education initiative.
But that is not where the weirdness ends. Old line liberals like Senators Jim Wilson and Richard Lerblanc have endorsed a plan to build more prison beds and infuse the Department of Corrections with up to $60 million of new money. This wing of the Democratic party used eschew law and order spending to make sure schools had adequate funding and teachers got pay raises. Now they stand with Republicans like Senator Mike Johnson to fund more lock-ups.
While the House and Senate have a had a long tradition of feuding, even when they are controlled by the same party, new coalitions are developing over use of the rainy day fund that put a different twist on that feud. Both Senate Republicans and Democrats want to break open the state piggy bank - better known as the rainy day reserve to fund road projects and corrections while the House Republicans are standing with Democratic Governor Brad Henry in his effort to keep the rainy day fund intact and not use it for on-going expenditures such as corrections.
House Republican leaders keep talking about more tax cuts even though the budget picture looks bleak and no “stimulus” from the previous tax rate reductions has yet materialized. Though they now have modified their stand to be for “revenue-neutral” tax cuts – that means taking someone else’s tax break to pay for your own.
Senate Republicans while talking about further rate reductions early on have now adopted the State Chamber of Commerce point of view that discretion regarding more tax cuts is probably wise.
This session will make it hard to keep track key issues and actors even you have a program listing the names and numbers of all the players. Some players may switch teams throughout the session depending on the tax or budget issue at hand. Polls show that people want change – they may get something closer to chaos.
February 10, 2008
Won't Be Fooled Again!
Anyone who has been following the Oklahoma House Speaker follies has to be thinking – "What the heck is going on? – Surely after two failed attempts the House Republicans can make a break from their ethics challenged, tax evading past and turn the page on a new chapter.
We don't think it is likely. With apologies to the WHO "Meet the new boss – same as the old boss".
To recap: While former Speaker Lance Cargill had to slink out of the position due to a litany of charges including not filing income tax, late property tax payments, and alleged campaign fund raising improprieties he was purchasing nearly a $1,000,000 worth of new furniture for his and his cronies offices. Cargill was replaced with current Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell, who while lacking the breadth of improprieties of Cargill, was much more consistent – He didn't pay his property taxes on time for 13 years in a row. House leaders thought they could still slide Blackwell by blaming the information on a witch hunt by the "liberal media". There was one slight obstacle; no one bought that the Daily Oklahoman was liberal. So Blackwell had to walk the plank too.
After much back room deal making, Rep. Chris Benge, the former Appropriations and Budget Chairman under both Republican Speaker Todd Hiett and Lance Cargill was selected in a close vote over Rep. Dale DeWitt. Benge enjoys a deserved reputation as a more thoughtful and fair minded legislator than either of the previous Republican speakers. Benge has worked well with numerous legislative factions and with interest groups around the capitol in his role as A&B Chair. So does this mean the Republicans have gotten off to a fresh start?
Not likely. Benge will be largely a figurehead – the real power will remain where it has always been – even under Hiett and Cargill. Political consultant Fount Holland, a former Tulsa World reporter and self made strategist really pulls all the strings. The gnome like Holland – a poor man's Karl Rove made sure that no real change would occur in the leadership. Disaffected members, moderate members and other fringe elements were all threatened by Holland with primary opponents and loss of access to the House GOP PAC money during the next election cycle to keep them in line. Because Rep. Dewitt posed a real challenge and actually chairs a bi-partisan rural caucus he could not easily be controlled. DeWitt might actually allow ideas to be debated and change to occur.
What is really surprising about this whole scenario is not that Holland and his hardball politics came out on top, but how much courage was actually shown by many in the Republican caucus to get DeWitt within a vote or two of nomination. We'll be on the watch for retribution on those members who had the guts to risk their positions and stand up to Holland's forces. We will also be watching carefully to see if Benge is willing to buck the trend and govern with integrity. We think he is basically a good guy caught in a bad system but his decision to appoint Cargill chief lieutenant Ken Miller to the important A&B post this week is not an auspicious start.
To quote a well know philosopher - "Fool me once – uh, uh won't be fooled again"
February 4, 2008
Winds of Change
The winds of change are blowing across the country you and I love. Your thoughtful letters have added to their velocity and fanned the flames of discontent and confusion about Immigration, middle class America, health care, poverty, etc. This sets the stage for the election of visionary leaders who will put the priorities of the American people above the influence of corporate money and cheap labor in China.
Like you, I’ve studied the Republican and Democratic candidates, watched the debates and reached a conclusion where my vote will go on Super Tuesday. I agree with the Wise Wizard of the East that John McCain is a phony who will likely get the necessary votes Tuesday to become the Republican nominee. I would predict that if McCain does not get the necessary votes Tuesday the hard Right Wing of the Republican Party will give Romney the support necessary to carry the contest to the Convention where they will have a chance to derail McCain.
The contest on the Democratic side has been historic. I truly hated to see John Edwards drop out and if the Democrats win the Presidency I hope the winner will appoint John Edwards to the office of Attorney General.
After watching the debate in California I’ve come to the conclusion that Hillary Clinton will get my vote. My decision is based on the following:
- The history of Hillary Clinton was investigated by all the private investigators that Kenneth Star felt necessary to hire, add to that an army of FBI agents for 8 years and she was finally given a clean bill of health.
- Hillary’s baptism in Hellfire and Brimstone created by the Right Wing of the Republican Party and her experience with the lobbyist Of the Pharmaceutical and Insurance Companies in trying to create a program of National Health Care has created within her intelligence the true grit necessary to overcome their influence.
- No one in America is smart enough to be President of the United States in this world of conflict and confusion. I believe that Hillary, more than any other candidate, understands this. I truly believe she has an understanding of the intellect of America and will reach out to those whose intelligence and knowledge is greater than hers and make them a part of her administration without regards to political affiliation.
- I believe that she expressed in the debate the only solution to the Immigration problem when she said she would enforce the fines on industries that hire illegal immigrants. If the jobs are eliminated they will stop coming and those that are here will go home. She is the only candidate that I’ve heard clearly say she would enforce the law.
I hope we have a record vote on Tuesday and the wisdom of American people make a choice that will grow middle class America and once again the United States will be recognized as a Nation that advocates, PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TOWARD ALL.
Jim Townsend