President Barrack Obama (D)

***(Editor’s Note: Barack Obama is the President of the United States  and ‘The Lawton Town Crier’ appreciates Mr. Obama’s many contributions to our site, most notably his “Weekly Adresses,”.  His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lawton Town Crier, or other contributors.***

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama called on Congress to seize this opportunity – one that may not come again for decades – and finally pass health care reform. With families unable to keep up with skyrocketing costs, premiums rising three times faster than wages, businesses shedding jobs, and deficits piling up every year, reform simply cannot wait. The American people and the American economy need reform that improves care, lowers costs, strengthens businesses, and gives families the choices and security they deserve.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Right now in Washington, our Senate and House of Representatives are both debating proposals for health insurance reform. Today, I want to speak with you about the stakes of this debate, for our people and for the future of our nation.

This is an issue that affects the health and financial well-being of every single American and the stability of our entire economy.

It’s about every family unable to keep up with soaring out of pocket costs and premiums rising three times faster than wages. Every worker afraid of losing health insurance if they lose their job, or change jobs. Everyone who’s worried that they may not be able to get insurance or change insurance if someone in their family has a pre-existing condition.

It’s about a woman in Colorado who told us that when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her insurance company – the one she’d paid over $700 a month to – refused to pay for her treatment. She had to use up her retirement funds to save her own life.

It’s about a man from Maryland who sent us his story – a middle class college graduate whose health insurance expired when he changed jobs. During that time, he needed emergency surgery, and woke up $10,000 in debt – debt that has left him unable to save, buy a home, or make a career change.

It’s about every business forced to shut their doors, or shed jobs, or ship them overseas. It’s about state governments overwhelmed by Medicaid, federal budgets consumed by Medicare, and deficits piling higher year after year.

This is the status quo. This is the system we have today. This is what the debate in Congress is all about: Whether we’ll keep talking and tinkering and letting this problem fester as more families and businesses go under, and more Americans lose their coverage. Or whether we’ll seize this opportunity – one we might not have again for generations – and finally pass health insurance reform this year, in 2009.

Now we know there are those who will oppose reform no matter what. We know the same special interests and their agents in Congress will make the same old arguments, and use the same scare tactics that have stopped reform before because they profit from this relentless escalation in health care costs. And I know that once you’ve seen enough ads and heard enough people yelling on TV, you might begin to wonder whether there’s a grain of truth to what they’re saying. So let me take a moment to answer a few of their arguments.

First, the same folks who controlled the White House and Congress for the past eight years as we ran up record deficits will argue – believe it or not – that health reform will lead to record deficits. That’s simply not true. Our proposals cut hundreds of billions of dollars in unnecessary spending and unwarranted giveaways to insurance companies in Medicare and Medicaid. They change incentives so providers will give patients the best care, not just the most expensive care, which will mean big savings over time. And we have urged Congress to include a proposal for a standing commission of doctors and medical experts to oversee cost-saving measures.

I want to be very clear: I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade. And by helping improve quality and efficiency, the reforms we make will help bring our deficits under control in the long-term.

Those who oppose reform will also tell you that under our plan, you won’t get to choose your doctor – that some bureaucrat will choose for you. That’s also not true. Michelle and I don’t want anyone telling us who our family’s doctor should be – and no one should decide that for you either. Under our proposals, if you like your doctor, you keep your doctor. If you like your current insurance, you keep that insurance. Period, end of story.

Finally, opponents of health reform warn that this is all some big plot for socialized medicine or government-run health care with long lines and rationed care. That’s not true either. I don’t believe that government can or should run health care. But I also don’t think insurance companies should have free reign to do as they please.

That’s why any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans – including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest – and choose what’s best for your family. And that’s why we’ll put an end to the worst practices of the insurance industry: no more yearly caps or lifetime caps; no more denying people care because of pre-existing conditions; and no more dropping people from a plan when they get too sick. No longer will you be without health insurance, even if you lose your job or change jobs.

The good news is that people who know the system best are rallying to the cause of change. Just this past week, the American Nurses Association, representing millions of nurses across America, and the American Medical Association, representing doctors across our nation, announced their support because they’ve seen first-hand the need for health insurance reform.

They know we cannot continue to cling to health industry practices that are bankrupting families, and undermining American businesses, large and small. They know we cannot let special interests and partisan politics stand in the way of reform – not this time around.

The opponents of health insurance reform would have us do nothing. But think about what doing nothing, in the face of ever increasing costs, will do to you and your family.

So today, I am urging the House and the Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to seize this opportunity, and vote for reform that gives the American people the best care at the lowest cost; that reins in insurance companies, strengthens businesses and finally gives families the choices they need and the security they deserve.

Thanks.

***Editor’s Note: Joe Dorman is the Oklahoma House District 65 Representative  and ‘The Lawton Town Crier’ appreciates Mr. Dorman’s many contributions to our site, most notably his “Open Door Policy,” and his guest appearances on the “Lawton Town Crier podcast.”  His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lawton Town Crier, or other contributors.***

The session has finally concluded and the legislators are back in their districts waiting to see which bills Governor Henry will sign and which will be vetoed.  Oklahoma has a system similar to the federal government, but with some modification.  Any bill passed by the legislature prior to the final five days must be acted upon by the governor, or it will automatically become law through pocket passage.  Bills passed in the final five days switch to a system of pocket veto, which allows the governor fifteen days to act upon them or they will automatically be vetoed at the end of that period.

Garrett Jackson (L)

Greetings my fellow Lawtonians,

It is the start of a new week, and with the budget sessions behind us we are getting ready for an adventurous summer and fall.   Over the past few weeks, have been very educational for me in particular about how money is being spent by the City.  Of the many observations of our City Government that I could comment on, I would like to comment on some issues regarding the workings of the Lawton City Council.

Over the past couple of months, it seems that our city council, is divided.  What is most troubling is the suggestion that our City Council is discussing behind close doors what is going to happen on the open council floor.  On Sunday, May 24th, 2009, the Lawton Constitution editorial pointed out some facts about our city council and the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act.

The Lawton Constitution correctly asserts that it would be wise for our city council to be educated on the Oklahoma Open Meetings and Open Records Act.  It is an important law that keeps our government and those who serve in it honest. Further the Oklahoma Open Meetings and Open Records Act helps to spur educated debate among the Citizens of our community.

The appearance or even the suggestion of collaboration among some of the City Council is scary.  Though, it may be within the letter of the law, it is certainly not in good keeping with the intent of the law.  The appearance of impropriety wither or not is true, is sure to damage the reputation of the elected body as a whole, and place those members at risk of a lawsuit or jail time should allegations be proven true.   While it is lawful for our elected officials to discuss among themselves some aspects of pending ordinances, an abundance of caution must and should be observed.

I would encourage each and every city councilman to review the Oklahoma Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act and spend some of the $5000 a year they make on purchasing a copy of the Open Meetings/Open Records Book published by the Oklahoma Press Service, Inc.  The Cost is $15 plus tax and shipping.    This is a valuable tool for understanding how the law affects you.    You can visit the link to buy your own copy http://www.okpress.com/open-meetings-open-records

One last point I would like to make.  The City Charter was also mentioned in the Editorial from the Lawton Constitution.  I would like to point out that our Mayor has some power within the City of Lawton. The one that seems to always be left off any list is the Veto Power.  The Mayor alone has the power stop any ordinance and force the council to override the veto, which takes more than a simple majority.   So please do not think of the mayor a simple figurehead, for he is not.

Corey Thompson (R)

By: Corey Thompson, “The Thirsty Quill”

Last week I had a teachable moment in my classroom that stood head and shoulders above all the rest. A “teachable moment,” by definition, is an opportunity to teach or impart some level of wisdom outside of the standard curriculum, prescribed text, or traditional course of study. Most educators agree that these brief moments are far more important than anything we can teach in preparation for a standardized test, as they typically have the potential to leave a lasting impact that will be remembered much longer than traditional “dates and facts.”

After giving a quick review for an upcoming test, a student commented to another about how “unfair” it was that “we have to come to school on Memorial Day this year.” Due to several “inclement weather” days back in January and February, the Memorial Day holiday was removed from the “days off” list in order to accommodate the state’s requirement for a 180-day school year.

Overhearing the conversation, I smiled and quietly walked back to my desk, listening intently to their banter and their bickering about how Memorial Day was such a “big deal” to them personally. I thought it appropriate, at that moment, to give way to my nosy curiosity and inquire about the significance about Memorial Day in their personal lives.

“What do you normally do to celebrate Memorial Day?” I asked.

One of the students, a senior, responded rather quickly, “I usually sleep in, head to the pool for a couple of hours, and then go hang out at the mall with my friends.”

“That’s nice,” I replied.

“I usually just hang out around my house and play video games,” answered the other.

I decided to take my shot. “Hey, do you guys know why we celebrate Memorial Day?” I asked in a serious, but non-condescending, tone.

Their answers deflated me.

One stated that he “really didn’t know,” while the other said something along the lines of “to pay tribute to our grandparents and deceased ancestors.”

Enter the “teachable moment.”

I spent the final few minutes before the bell explaining the significance of Memorial Day to a group of teenagers who seemed very eager to learn more about their stolen “day off.”

They asked questions, and I had the distinct pleasure of answering them. As I spoke, a few seemed to remember having been taught the meaning of Memorial Day by their parents or teachers at some point in the past, but admitted that over time, the significance had eroded away into nothing more than a day for sleeping in, barbeques, and lazy afternoons by the pool. I wonder how many adults would admit the same?

I’m no fool (despite what some of you may believe). I don’t expect the average American teenager to devote his or her entire Memorial Day to attending military dress parades and reenactments of Revolutionary War battles that they care little about. To be honest, I don’t necessarily expect most adults to do so either.

However, I do expect all of us, young and old alike, to at least understand the significance of the day, and to pause (even briefly), and reflect upon what this day represents. In spite of the opportunity to sleep in, indulge in a cold beer and a few hotdogs, and to let the sun cook our winterized skin to its first shades of pink for the season, let us never forget what it’s truly all about.

In America, we’ve done a damn good job in minimizing important things to little more than annual one-day vigils. We’ve allowed the term “holiday” to excuse us from paying honor and tribute (where they are due) the other 364 days a year, and we feel as though we’ve done “the right thing” when we salute a flag or thank a veteran on a lone Monday in late-May.

We actually believe that doing so once in May, a second time in July, and perhaps even a third time in November, affords us the opportunity to feel “patriotic.” Truth be told, those days should serve as mile-markers along the way, not just red, white, and blue exits lining the roadside of our lives.

My students taught me something last week. You see, the “teachable moment” wasn’t necessarily just for them. I discovered that I had allowed these students to sit under my guidance for a full year, and that I had merely assumed that they, as seniors, were about to enter “the real world” with a full grasp and appreciation of what days like today truly represent. I assumed that they had been taught, either at home or in a previous classroom, that Memorial Day was about a whole heck of a lot more than burgers, beer, and sunburns.

They had no idea…and neither did I.

I didn’t realize that my teaching, with all of the complexities of lesson plans, lectures, and tests, had left out some of the most basic of American principles that cannot be overlooked…and must be celebrated and cherished all year long.

Just as we owe our veterans the full measure of our gratitude, we also owe each generation that walks behind us the knowledge and understanding of the significance of days like today. Not doing so would be just as irresponsible as forgetting the brave souls who keep us safe, even on the days and nights that we so often forget to say “thanks.”

"It's Worth So Much More Than A Once-A-Year Salute. Take The Time To Remember And To Say 'Thanks,' Even On Days Not Like Today."

]]> http://www.lawtontowncrier.com/archives/290/feed http://www.lawtontowncrier.com/archives/290 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LawtonTownCrier/~3/NVjMlQ8ym1k/288 http://www.lawtontowncrier.com/archives/288#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 15:41:44 +0000 Garrett Jackson http://www.lawtontowncrier.com/?p=288 ***Editor’s Note: Garrett Jackson is the Editor and Chief Contributor to The Lawton Town Crier. His views reflect the official views of the Lawton Town Crier. You may contact Mr. Jackson via his email address at garrett@lawtontowncrier.com***

Garrett Jackson (L)

Greetings everyone, it is Friday.  The most exciting day of any week. For many of us it is the last workday of the week, and we are looking forward to the two days of rest and relaxation (or at least the time to get on to those projects that we have been looking at since last weekend.)

Over the course of the last week, our City Council has finished up with the budget workshops.  If you have read the Lawton Constitution, you will have no doubt seen a Letter to the Editor by former councilman Randy Warren. If you have not, his blog has the post and the link to it is http://www.randysblog.com the direct link to the post is http://randysblog.com/2009/05/22/sadly-lawton-city-council-jumps-the-shark.aspx The rest of Mr. Warren’s blog post are also worth reading.  Especially the post about making egg salad.

The City’s budget for FY 2009-2010 will be less than $90 Million dollars.  I am afraid that that number is sure to rise over the next fiscal year, and that next year’s budget will be closer to the $90 million mark or more.  The cost of doing business is certainly going to rise as we have inflation to deal with as well as the difficult economic times that we are in.  It is my hope that City does not get short sighted and is able to look at the big picture when it comes to the expenditure of tax payer dollars.  We as a community will have to wait and see.

Many of you, like myself are on the social networking site Facebook.  I want to let everyone know that the Lawton Town Crier, has a Facebook group.  You may do a search for the group, or click this link http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54672116105&ref=share in order to join.

Right now we do not have much up in the way of news or discussion, but I am hopeful that if a few more people will join that will change.  Facebook, will be able to offer us a place to discuss the local happenings.  It will also allow me to communicate directly with people in a forum type setting.  So if you do not have a Facebook account, I would encourage you to look at getting one.  They are free.

I am working on updating the podcasts, and working on other aspects of the website, and I hope to see you all log in here, and on Facebook.

Garrett

Rep. Joe Dorman (D)

The House proceeded to vote until around 9:30 pm on Friday and passed several bills which dealt with the budget.  The House of Representatives then recessed to the call of the presiding officer should there be a need to reconvene to deal with business from the Senate.  The Senate reconvened on Tuesday morning and took up the final bills of the session.  There is little chance of a special session this summer, but there is always the chance should Governor Henry feel an issue is important enough for us to address.  Otherwise, I will soon be back home for a while and looking forward to seeing everyone and getting back to the normal routine at the coffee shops.  This week I am a delegate to my church’s annual conference and next week I am a participant in the State Firefighter’s Convention.

It was an interesting session this year as the Republicans controlled both bodies of the legislature for the first time in state history.  It was also a tough year in that we had to cut several hundred million dollars out of the state budget.

The stimulus funds provided by the federal government helped meet shortfalls in education, transportation, public safety and health care, along with assistance in areas of commerce.  The Governor designated State Auditor and Inspector Steve Burrage to oversee the use of the funds in order to provide accountability.  I have worked with Auditor Burrage on several issues this year and he is an excellent elected official in this capacity and I have confidence he will monitor all uses of these funds and provide accurate oversight.  The Republican and Democratic members worked well together on the process to cut many agencies, yet hold harmless some which provide vital services.

I had two excellent students work for me at the Capitol over this past week.  Nicole Barton of Lawton served as a page for the entire week and Steven Doyle of Elgin worked for two days as an office aide.  Both students were a great help and I want to wish them the best over the summer and into the next school year.  I will be opening up opportunities for pages and office aides for next session, so if you are a high school student and are interested, please contact my office.

Nicole Barton of Lawton working for Rep. Joe Dorman at the State Capitol.

Steven Doyle of Elgin working for Rep. Joe Dorman.

Interim study requests are due this week, so I will be working on issues over the summer.  Two which I have turned in are to look at a permanent funding source for emergency management costs related to disasters and to provide municipalities the opportunity to upgrade stoplights within their jurisdiction on highways to allow for pressure plates to activate stoplights and to find ways for this to qualify for federal transportation assistance.  Should you have an idea for bills for the legislature, please contact my office or drop me an email with the suggestion.  We will begin reviewing these studies sometime in August and each representative has the opportunity to submit ten ideas to approval or rejection by Speaker Chris Benge.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. My e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Rep. Joe Dorman (D)

***Editor’s Note: Joe Dorman is the Oklahoma House District 65 Representative  and ‘The Lawton Town Crier’ appreciates Mr. Dorman’s many contributions to our site, most notably his “Open Door Policy,” and his guest appearances on the “Lawton Town Crier podcast.”  His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lawton Town Crier, or other contributors.***

It has been an interesting two weeks at the Capitol as we have been reviewing the final rounds of legislation for this session.  The legislature determined a date for adjournment of May 22, which is one week earlier than the Constitutional deadline.  We discussed bills regarding the lowering of penalties for persons engaging in teeth floating for horses, limitations on human cloning and a tax check-off for YMCA Youth & Government programs to allow for donations to be given by those with refunds.  There was an agreement reached on the state budget for the year earlier last week, but it eliminated Rural Economic Action Plan funding.  The amount given for these development grants to rural communities is about $15 million each year, but it was taken to zero over the weekend.  Efforts by several of the legislators to replace those funds resulted in a penalty for late payment of car tags to be increased and redirected to cover the shortfall in REAP.  These funds are vital for communities outside of Oklahoma City and Tulsa and it allows for tax dollars spent in our to metropolitan areas to be allocated back to the home areas of rural citizens.  There is also talk about use of about $11 million in stimulus funds which were allocated to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, so I’m hoping this will be used to help offset many of the losses we would see for very worthy economic development programs in rural areas.

There was a healthy discussion in regards to the placement of a Ten Commandments monument somewhere on the State Capitol Complex.  This is a monument similar to other erections placed around the United States by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, through a project in conjunction with Cecil B. DeMille and the premiere of The Ten Commandments.  Some groups opposed mass distribution in the public arena as early as 1958, but then agreed to the distribution because of the usage of several symbols along with the Ten Commandments and because of the universal acceptance among religious leaders of various faiths.  I actually had the chance to see one during a visit to the Mayor’s office in Youngstown, Ohio and it is a very moving monument.  The Governor signed this into law just this week, so we will likely see this monument in the near future.

We have heard the arguments from many in regards to the separation of Church and State and the use of tax dollars for this monument.  Legislators made certain that all funds used for this display would be raised through private donations, and if the necessary funds are not raised, the author of the bill promised to pay for the remainder out of his own pocket.  We have several other displays which tie to religious symbolism at the State Capitol, including an angel on the painting above the grand staircase, a Franciscan monk on one of the historical paintings and even the crosses seen on our state flag.  If nothing else, I certainly hope it serves as a reminder to the persons who work at the state capitol to live as decent people, follow the Ten Commandments in their daily lives and to vote for policies as would be expected to benefit the citizens of our state, whatever faith they might be.  I would also hope that tolerance would be extended to the various denominations and faiths and respect be paid to each that had a part in our state history in the ways they have benefitted (sic) our state.  Those of us who have faith in a higher power cannot separate our beliefs from the actions we take and the votes we often cast as this guides us through our lives.  We have to remember that we represent many citizens with different perspectives and try to do the best to not trample on their views.

Along those lines, I will be serving as the delegate to the annual United Methodist Conference in Oklahoma City next week on behalf of my home church, so I will have an additional week in Oklahoma City.  I look forward to making it back home to enjoy time with friends and family this summer and plan out my legislation for the next year.  I also will be submitting interim studies for the summer, so please feel free to send me ideas on subjects which you feel would be good for the legislature to consider.  The deadline for those is at the end of this month.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. My e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Garrett Jackson (L)

***Editor’s Note: Garrett Jackson is the Editor and Chief Contributor to The Lawton Town Crier. His views reflect the official views of the Lawton Town Crier. You may contact Mr. Jackson via his email address at garrett@lawtontowncrier.com***

School is out, and Summer Vacation is here in Lawton. I know that many of you who follow my blog, have been waiting for some podcasts, and I am working on some.

To bring you up to speed, I have just finished teaching my third year at Lawton High School.  This past year was my best year yet and I hope to have many more. With the end of the school year,  I will have some time to devote to the site.  I hope to make many improvements to the site over the coming months, and provide you with a great resource to learn about our government, and our community.

One of the best things about running this blog, is that I am able to organize a lot of information and post it for free for everyone to have access too.  If you are looking for something and cannot find it, let me know so I can try to include it here on the site.

On a final note, if you happen to have a blog, please consider putting a link to the Lawton Town Crier.  The more links we have the better the site does in the rankings on search engines.

Please stay safe over the summer, I will be pod casting again soon…

Garrett

Rep. Joe Dorman (D)

***(Editor’s Note: Joe Dorman is the Oklahoma House District 65 Representative  and ‘The Lawton Town Crier’ appreciates Mr. Dorman’s many contributions to our site, most notably his “Open Door Policy,” and his guest appearances on the “Lawton Town Crier” podcast.  His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lawton Town Crier, or other contributors.***

We had some great news as the end of session approaches for Oklahoma.  An agreement on tort reform has been reached.  Details of the bill include realistic caps of $400,000 on non-economic caps with exceptions for severe and permanent injuries which would allow the cap to be lifted.  This was the situation my father faced years ago and was a major point of contention on my views.  There is also an agreement on class action lawsuits which would not hurt our mineral owners from around Oklahoma from the dangerous opt-in portion in the original bill.  I am pleased with all the legislators, both Democrat and Republican alike, along with Governor Henry’s liaisons that helped craft this with members of the industries involved.

We are getting closer to a budget agreement and the Appropriations Chair has told me several provisions will be included in the compromise which I have worked to get included, especially fire protection funding and bonding money for local schools affected by BRAC growth.  The target date for adjournment is still May 22, so I hope the meetings will continue uninterrupted and we will have something workable.  I also hope members will be able to hold harmless some agencies which need funding to continue their services, while we are able to make cuts in others where we see duplication and ineffective programs.

Seniors from Lawton Christian tour the State Capitol with Senator Randy Bass Principal Tom Lewis and Representative Joe Dorman

Congratulations are to be extended to all the local FFA students for their scholarship awards and their graduation.  Galen Glover of Elgin graduated from OSU, along with my former intern, Austin Linton.  Three other interns, Jessica Speegle graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Rolla Abdeljawad graduated from Oklahoma State University and Lindsey Allen received her diploma from Oklahoma City University.

Congratulations also need to be given to Gil and Sarah Ambrose, as they were married on Saturday night.  I attended and it was a great evening at the Ambrose home in Elgin.  Gil’s father, Kevin did not even complain about having to wear a tuxedo.  Kevin owns Ambrose Style Shop and he and Debbie did a great job making sure the day was special for Gil and Sarah.

The Elgin firefighters pulled off another great Crawds ‘n Rods on Saturday.  It was well attended and they raised quite a bit for relief efforts.  Even though we fund departments through annual grants at the state level, no permanent funding is guaranteed by state law.  Most local departments survive on funding gathered through efforts such as this.  I would like to see a permanent funding stream granted to departments similar to what we see in other states.  Also on that note, I want to extend an invitation on June 20 to the home of Roy Dorman east of Rush Springs for a trail ride starting at 10 am.  Entertainment and lunch will be provided and all proceeds go to the Rush Springs Fire Department.  For more information, contact Lori Dorman at First National Bank & Trust at (580) 476-3255.

We are starting the process for requesting interim studies for the summer.  We have been limited to ten studies by the leadership, so if you have something which the legislature should review, please contact me and give me suggestions.  I will submit ten ideas, mostly from bills which I filed and did not receive a hearing, but I am open to replacing some of those with ideas which might make good laws.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. My e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Unlike House Joint Resolution 1003, House Concurrent Resolution 1028 does not need the governor’s approval.

The House passed the measure 73-22. It now goes to the Senate.

“We’re going to get it done one way or the other,” said the resolutions’ author, Rep. Charles Key, R-Oklahoma City.

“I think our governor is out of step.”

House Democrats objected, saying the issue already had been taken up and had been vetoed, but House Speaker Pro Tempore Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, ruled the veto is not final action.

Key said he expects HCR 1028 will pass in the Senate. HJR 1003 earlier passed the House 83-18 and won approval in the Senate 29-18.

Henry vetoed HJR 1003 because he said it suggested, among other things, that Oklahoma should return federal tax dollars.

Key said HCR 1028, which, if passed, would be sent to Democratic President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress, would not jeopardize federal funds but would tell Congress to “get back into their proper constitutional role.” The resolution states the federal government should “cease and desist” mandates that are beyond the scope of its powers.

Key said many federal laws violate the 10th Amendment, which says powers not delegated to the U.S. government “are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.” The Constitution lists about 20 duties required of the U.S. government, he said.

Congress should not be providing bailouts to financial institutions and automakers, he said.

“We give all this money to all these different entities, including automakers, and now they’re talking about, ‘Well maybe it’s better to let them go bankrupt,’” Key said. “Well, maybe we should have let them go bankrupt before we gave them the money.”