MuskogeePolitico.com

Graphic shows 56 years of tornado tracks

2012-05-31T09:51:00.000-05:00

(click on the picture to view in a larger size)

Blogger John Nelson put together this graphic, featuring 56 years of tornado tracks, shaded by Fujita Scale intensity. Weather nuts like me will appreciate this!

Costello Endorses Howard Houchen in SD5

2012-05-30T20:40:00.001-05:00

Oklahoma City, OK – In what promises to be a key pickup for Senate Republicans in the “Little Dixie” region of the state, long known for entrenched Democrats, Howard Houchen (R-Hugo) is gaining notice early in the race by picking up the high profile endorsement of Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello.

”When I ran for Labor Commissioner in 2010, I campaigned on my commitment to bring sound business practices and constitutional principles to State Government. Howard Houchen shares these values and will be an invaluable asset to southeastern Oklahoma. He is unabashed in his love for his home region, and unashamed to stand strong for what is right for Oklahoma in general and right for SE Oklahoma in particular. I am proud to offer my endorsement of Howard Houchen as the right choice for State Senate, District 5,” Labor Commissioner Mark Costello stated.

Houchen will be facing Jerry Ellis (D-Valliant) on the November general election ballot. This race also has an unusual twist: Democrat incumbent Ellis, due to term limits, is only eligible to serve two years of the upcoming four year term. He will be forced to vacate the seat midway through the term if he is re-elected.

Houchen commented, “Commissioner Costello has a proven record of increasing government efficiency and accountability while controlling, and even decreasing, the costs to the hardworking taxpayers of Oklahoma. I share that vision and appreciate his leadership. I look forward to ensuring that the interests of the good folks in SE Oklahoma are heard loud and clear in Oklahoma City as we all work to achieve a more economically free and prosperous tomorrow.”

Houchen is a graduate of University of Oklahoma with a degree in Political Science, and boasts an MA in National Security Studies from the American Military University. With extensive international and small business expertise, he is extensively published in multiple conservative publications. He proudly raises his two sons alongside his wife Jeannie in the S.E. Oklahoma community of Hugo. He and his family are avid hunters and sportsmen, treasuring the bountiful natural resources that are plentiful in our beautiful state and rural communities.

You can visit Houchen's campaign website here.

I-40 Bridge Collapse: 10 Years

2012-05-26T07:48:00.000-05:00

10 years ago this morning, a barge traveling up the Arkansas River struck a bridge support on I-40, causing a 580-foot section of the span to collapse into the river, and plunging about 10 vehicles into the water. 14 people were killed in the accident.

I distinctly remember the event, and the aftermath. Before heading to church that morning, my parents had the news on, and I remember seeing the coverage. Around that time, the kids at the church we attended had a sort of news and comics "club" (weekly exchange of hand-written articles, trivia, or cartoons), and I wrote the following story, complete with a drawing of the scene.

(I suppose one could call this my first "blog" post...)

In the hours after the bridge was hit, rumors flew that the detour bridge upstream was also struck by a barge. That was not the case, but following the I-40 event, work was done along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigational System to strengthen and guard bridge supports from such an accident happening again.

I can recall driving down to Webbers Falls while the bridge was out, and seeing the temporary memorial there in town. The bridge was rebuilt in two months, a record for a project of that scope.

Just yesterday, I drove through Webbers Falls, and was thinking about the bridge disaster. It still doesn't seem like it's been ten years since it happened.

Although I was not affected by the event, now that I think about it, I do have a habit of checking the river when I drive over a bridge. Strange, how things can impact your behavior, even when you were far removed from the occurrence in the first place.

Faught Launches TV Ad

2012-05-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

Faught Launches First District Wide Television Ad
“When I go to Washington”

Muskogee, OK – The George Faught for Congress campaign launched their first television ad in the race for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. This is the second week in a row the candidate has made a major media buy, last week Faught started running district wide radio ads.

Titled “When I go to Washington”, the ad features former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Gov. Mike Huckabee endorsing George Faught for Congress. During the TV spot, Huckabee refers to Faught as a man of deep faith who is 100% pro-life and will protect conservative values and restore fiscal discipline in Washington.

View the ad below:

Book Review: Tom Coburn's 'The Debt Bomb'

2012-05-18T12:59:00.003-05:00

Senator Tom Coburn versus Everyone Else in Washington

by Dustin Siggins

In The Debt Bomb: A Bold Plan To Stop Washington From Bankrupting America, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) explains how Washington's career politicians, staffers, and lobbyists have set the nation up for fiscal failure. Pulling few punches, Coburn targets sacred cows of each party and explains that rather than being in gridlock (as the media claims is the case), Congress has spent the last several decades (and especially the last 15 years) working to expand influence and re-election capabilities regardless of party.

Opening with a story about how America's rising debt could cause first a financial, and then a military crisis by 2020, Coburn reminds readers that this country is only as powerful as its finances will allow it to be. In this fictional-but-likely future, foreign investors decide in 2014 that America is no longer a viable financial investment. Over a span of days, this new consensus works its way into the value of the dollar, sinking it by 50% and increasing inflation. Riots become widespread, the National Guard is deployed, and the G-20 meets to tell the U.S. that tax rates will double, retirement ages will leap precipitously, and means-testing will be the order of the day on benefits. Finally, in 2019 -- two years after employment finally drops from 24% -- China invades Taiwan and informs the U.S. that if we stop the invasion, the U.S. will lose both financially (as China dumps our debt) and militarily (as both nations perhaps engage in a nuclear exchange).

Unlike other authors, Coburn takes on the debt from a series of critical angles, not just partisan ones. This is done in a way that breaks through the fog of D.C.-speak and explains in plain terms the corruption all too present in Washington. The impacts of the debt on the unemployment rate, national security, retirement, social welfare, personal freedom, tax rates, energy reform, and morality each have portions of chapters (in some cases, whole chapters) dedicated to them. Additionally, Coburn aims to show just how much smaller government could be if we just eliminated fraud/waste/abuse/duplicity from the federal government...as much as one-third, or over $1 trillion per year (nearly $3,900 for every American every year). If nothing else, the disgust readers should have for their elected politicians is a victory in and of itself, and it should lead to a successive series of efforts by voters to term-limit members of Congress.

The most important reforms Coburn addresses are those related to duplication/oversight, military spending, taxes, and entitlements. With an envious lack of ego, Coburn looks at the problem from the perspective of an outsider involved in the process rather than as an elitist insider who knows all the answers. Does the senator have answers? Yes. Does he think his are the only ones? Absolutely not. While his own oversight reports and Back in Black solutions are regularly mentioned both in chapters and in an addendum, Coburn praises Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), among others, for truly working to find a way to defuse our debt bomb.

The inside baseball Coburn exposes should embarrass both members and their constituents. Earmarks, personal discussions, and careerism are all brought to the fore, but nothing is more "inside baseball" than the debate that took place leading up to the debt ceiling compromise last August. The utter dysfunction of Congress is laid bare in Coburn's descriptions of what happened. Meeting after meeting and discussion after discussion led to a deal that not only didn't cut spending, but actually grew spending by $2 trillion over ten years...and still left our nation's credit rating downgraded.

(click "read more" for the rest of this review)

In the final pages of the book, Coburn writes the about "the left's counterfeit compassion." Accurately, Coburn notes:

[W]e hear a lot of talk about caring for the poor but very little evidence that the policies they espouse are working. In fact, the evidence shows government is harming the poor more than helping. Imagine, for instance, if a conservative proposed a Medicaid reform that would result in 40 percent of doctors not seeing Medicaid patients, and 65 percent of specialists denying care to Medicaid patients. And then imagine if this same reform would cause Medicare patients to be rejected at a rate higher than that of private insurance. Finally, imagine if this reform idea would cause the bankruptcy of Medicare and the likely denial of benefits in five years.

These are all actual policy realities and are a direct result of the left's "compassion" for the poor. As Coburn has often pointed out in other mediums, it is better to dictate spending and other reforms internally rather than have drastic changes dictated by external forces, as is the case with Greece.

Like any book, this effort has its flaws. Impressively, only one sentence stands out as factually imprecise -- Coburn says on Page 211 that the payroll tax holiday now in its second year "is cannibalizing" Social Security. However, the holiday law is written so that the impact on the life of Social Security is canceled out with deficit transfer payments from the Treasury, so the size of the Social Security Trust Fund is left unaffected.

(Note: In a series of e-mail exchanges, The Debt Bomb co-author and Coburn Press Secretary John Hart disagreed with my assessment of the tax holiday's effect on the Social Security Trust Fund, though he did not dispute that general fund transfers are taking place. Hart pointed out that a number of economists, columnists, and others from across the political spectrum believe that the payroll tax holiday will change how Social Security's funding is both considered and applied in the future. While this is certainly a defensible contention, this is technically separate from how the funding for the payroll tax holiday law was applied in 2011 and will be applied in 2012.)

Additionally, while he rightly goes after inflation as theft and the Wall Street crisis as both a government policy failure and a failure of morality, Coburn spends too little time on the Federal Reserve's impact on our debt and no time on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), for which Coburn himself voted. (Note: In a phone conversation, Hart explained that Dr. Coburn did not want the book to be about him and his voting record, but instead about the debt problem the nation faces. Hart noted that Coburn is open to answering questions about his vote for TARP, something I noticed personally last year when the senator not only answered my question about his vote for TARP, but also said in a follow-up discussion that if he "couldn't defend" that vote, he didn't belong on Capitol Hill.)

Two other notable critiques: several chapters get lost in the myriad of examples of fake partisanship, fraud, and dishonesty in Congress. While these examples are important, and should disgust Americans, they also divert the reader's attention from the larger point of the chapters.

The other concern with this book is its language regarding how Coburn balances separating the person from the politician. On the one hand, he is blunt in denouncing corruption, careerism, and those who sustain the fiscal status quo; calls many politicians "double-minded"; and in fact targets a number of politicians and special interest leaders in both parties by name (such as ATR's Grover Norquist, FreedomWorks' Dick Armey, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D-NV]). However, Coburn also says, "Everyone in Washington wants to do the right thing." Coburn is a master of holding to principle while still working with members of all political stripes in a gentlemanly manner -- though he is also not one to mince words, especially in this book -- but it was difficult to discern how Coburn could hold any respect for those members of Congress who are being "double-minded" and are working purposely for re-election instead of for the benefit of the nation.

All in all, The Debt Bomb is an invaluable addition to the public debate. Doctor and Senator Tom Coburn is one of the few members of Congress who both knows the severity of the debt problem the nation faces and is willing to risk his reputation to fix it. Be it via highlighting fraudulent spending in Medicare, Defense Department corruption, or how Congress would rather add more costly programs for election reasons than make existing programs more efficient, nobody is safe in this book. This includes the voting electorate, which is often ignored in media portrayals of Beltway Bubble battles.

While Coburn largely praises voters for seeing through the Beltway Bubble in recent years when it comes to the Tea Party, earmarking, and entitlement reform, he also lays responsibility on our shoulders in the form of holding elected officials responsible for their actions, and for enacting term limits through the ballot box. After all, careerism -- which Coburn says is the core reason for Washington's unconstitutional expansions of power and influence -- can be truly defeated only by an educated electorate. Above all else, that is the goal of this book: to end careerism, bring the federal government back to within the limits of the Constitution, and slash spending. Unlike other politicians, Coburn's intent is not to hold onto power, but instead to see America avoid the fate of Rome, Napoleonic France, the USSR, and other great powers that collapsed not due to a lack of military might, but instead because of a failure of fiscal responsibility.

(Originally posted at American Thinker)

Faught Endorsed by David Barton, OK2A in 2nd District race

2012-05-18T12:32:00.001-05:00

In the last week, 2nd Congressional District candidate George Faught picked up two more major endorsements, adding to his already extensive list of supporters.

David Barton Endorses George Faught for Congress

Muskogee, OK – David Barton, historian and founder of Wallbuilders, today endorsed State Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee) in his bid for Congress in Oklahoma’s 2nd District.

“Our nation stands at a critical crossroads, and it is vital that we put proven conservatives in Congress who will respect and follow the Constitution. George Faught is a man of character and integrity, and will fight to protect the Judeo-Christian values that our nation was founded upon,” Barton said. “I strongly urge voters to support George Faught in Oklahoma’s 2nd District Republican primary.”

“I am honored to have the endorsement of David Barton. I have greatly admired his invaluable work over the years,” Faught said. “From attending Wallbuilders conferences, to utilizing his material in the homeschooling of my children, David’s wealth of information has had an impact on how I understand America’s tremendous heritage and how I approach my duties as a legislator. I am grateful for his support as I join with like-minded conservatives across the country in the common effort to get our nation back on track.”

Oklahoma Second Amendment Association Endorses Faught

Muskogee, OK – Today, State Rep. George Faught was awarded another statewide endorsement. The Oklahoma Second Amendment Association (OK2A) has announced their support of Mr. Faught in his 2nd Congressional District race for Congress. This endorsement comes in a highly contested field of Republicans and Faught expressed he is proud to have the backing of such a great organization.

Faught said, “OK2A is constantly involved in alerting citizens of our great state about issues and bills that can affect our Constitutionally held Second Amendment rights. Oklahoma is a fantastic state to partake of the positive aspects of gun ownership; hunting, competitive shooting, and in some cases personal protection. I am glad OK2A has decided to take a stand with who they believe will best represent them in Washington. I am honored that pick was me.”

Faught continued, “I attended their rally at the capitol this spring and it was great to see so many concerned citizens lobbying on behalf of gun owners across the state. People from the 2nd district agree, we need government out of our homes and out of our businesses.”

Oklahoma Second Amendment Association founder and director, Tim Gillespie, mentioned there was no question on which candidate they would pick to support.

“In the past Rep. Faught on the state level has been very supportive of protecting the rights of citizens to bear arms. As a life long gun owner and proponent of Oklahoma gun rights we are confident when he is representing the 2nd District and Oklahoma in Washington, D.C. he will continue to protect the freedoms of Americans and stand up for us. In 2011 we gave George the ‘Patriot of the 2nd Amendment’ award and we hope this endorsement for his congressional race will make people aware that he is the best candidate to protect our Oklahoma values and beliefs.”

Staunchly pro-life, pro-business, and pro-limited government, Faught has been endorsed by Gov. Mike Huckabee, Oklahoma State Auditor Gary Jones, the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, the Family Research Council's FRC Action PAC, Concerned Women PAC, Eagle Forum and Phyllis Schlafly, and many other conservative groups and individuals. In 2006, Faught became the first Republican ever elected to the state house in his Muskogee-based district.

Longtime owner and operator of a successful carpet cleaning business, Faught and his wife of almost 30 years, Becky, live in Muskogee, and are the parents of three grown children - all born and raised in Muskogee. You can learn more about George and his campaign by visiting his website, and by following him on Facebook and Twitter.

Are you Bona Fide?

2012-05-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

Oklahoma City -- The Oklahoma Republican Party today launched its latest web ad focused on the poor performance of President Obama in Oklahoma, and asks the question, "are you bona fide?"

Following Super Tuesday, The Oklahoma Democratic Party notified Democrat Presidential candidate Randall Terry, who campaigned as a pro life, pro-Keystone candidate, that he would not be allocated delegates to the party's national convention because his campaign failed to complete the proper paperwork and---much more revealing---that the national party (DNC) said he was not a "bona fide Democrat."

Barack Obama lost 15 counties in Oklahoma and 43% of registered Democrats voted for someone other than the incumbent Democrat president. With that, Terry qualified for four national convention delegates.

However, DNC rules define a "qualified candidate" as a "bona fide Democrat" who "affirmatively demonstrates that he or she is faithful to the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party."

When asked about Terry’s candidacy, ODP Chairman Collins said he thought Terry was simply a Republican who was trying to embarrass Obama. “He’s a Republican,” Collins said.

"Collins is right," said Chairman Pinnell, "if you are pro-life, believe in religious freedom, and support energy policies that promote projects like the Keystone Pipeline then I guess you aren't a bona fide Democrat but instead a bona fide Republican," said Chairman Pinnell.

Tackett: The OKGOP convention - both sides messed up.

2012-05-13T23:32:00.000-05:00

The following is a guest post from conservative activist David Tackett of Broken Arrow, giving what I consider to be the most fair and accurate assessment regarding the controversy from Saturday's Oklahoma Republican State Convention.

You know, conventional wisdom says I need to keep my mouth shut. I'm a candidate for State House and I don't need to upset anyone inside the party lest they won't help me.

But I just can't be quiet. And let me summarize it by saying this... Ron Paul people, you were right in principle, but wrong in execution.

First, let me try and say before the RPers completely ignore the rest of my diatribe... Remember, I was the one who stood with you at the 1st Congressional convention, not because I'm a RP supporter, but because I believe in the rule of law.

So let me start off with the 1st complaint... Credentials...
I was one of the volunteers who helped check in people. So I can answer exactly what the problem was.... new software, delegates who pre-registered incorrectly (we had several who registered as guests or typed their name differently than what was provided by their County Chair), and volunteers who entered in data wrong during the check-in (entering people as guests instead of delegates).

It was, frankly, insulting to hear people from the RP clan suggest fraud was committed by the credential volunteers. (I.e. badges weren't secured, etc.) I know each and every single one of the volunteers who helped with the process and not one has EVER done anything unethical.

Could the badges been designed where they couldn't be easily forged? Sure. But let me belabor this major point. ALL of the populous counties (Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cleveland) and the other 20 or so counties that had off numbers, verified their delegates registered against the master delegate list. And the two counties where the fraud could have been perpetuated the easiest because of their sheer size, Tulsa and Oklahoma, had each delegate verify, in person in the main hall, their status.

And don't forget the sheer size of this convention. This is by far a record-breaker in attendance. So were there problems? heck, yes? Was there fraud? No. Was their a conspiracy by the "establishment" to stack the delegates? No. In fact, I will argue that the delegates in question was about an even split between the 2 factions.

Voting
Now this is a point that frankly is the main issue. Did the chair wrongly decide that the standing vote was OK for the slate vote? Absolutely yes. But the RPers had a recourse, and that was to appeal the decision of the chair. They did and they lost by a vote of the delegates. At that point, the body in essence had rewritten the rule. In roberts rules, you have no recourse from this issue. You have a recourse in the RNC rules, and the chair advised of that process.

And let me step back for a moment here. Just because you can call a point of order, doesn't mean you have to keep doing it. It's called dilatory motions, when the only issue is to call motions just to impede the process. And I would wager $1000 that if the RPers didn't try to stall the process with all of the points of order, we would have had time for a secret ballot... or even more important, if there had not been the hundred point of orders before the egregious error NOT to have the slate voted on I'm sure the delegates would have been on your side.

And aside from the dilatory motions, one thing I have learned in my short tenure in convention politics - It don't matter how right you are... if you keep pressing a point, the majority of people will shut you down. If you think I'm just spouting off without any experience, then you weren't at the 2011 state convention.

Now let's hit another issue... It was clear from the first test vote that the voting came down 60/40 (about a 500 delegate difference) each and every vote... be it voice vote (hey, let me give the RP people credit for having some MASSIVE lungs!), standing vote, or secret ballot.

It wasn't close, the RP faction was in the minority. And so whether it was standing vote or ballot, the state committee's slate would have been approved. But, I know why all these motions and point of orders were happening... because I was told by several of the RP delegates that this was their plan... to drag out the process until everyone else left then they could redo the vote and get their slate in.

I'm sorry, but I get red faced in anger when I keep thinking about that above statement. That is NOT the way to win the hearts and minds of those conservatives who aren't yet with you yet. And the only way Ron Paul, Rand Paul, or any libertarian leaning Republican is going to win the nomination in the future is by getting more conservatives to join with you. You may have had 40% of the delegates, but you only had 9.6% of the popular vote in Oklahoma. And in Oklahoma it's the popular vote that matters so that is what you all need to be focusing on.

Oh and on that point, you will lose me and thousands of Oklahoman Republicans who sympathize with your movement if pledged RP delegates try to vote for someone else besides the candidate they were assigned to on the 1st ballot. It's not about what's legal (jurisdiction, etc.) it's about what's the right thing to do.

The last point - Adjournment and the Rump convention

It stated on the agenda, we had to be out by 5pm. Clear as day. No, the walls didn't go up because Matt told the facilities people to, the Embassy Suites people did it on their own. How do I know? They did it to us in the credentials room, they literally unplugged our computers in order to prep one side for another rental. (That explains for about 30 minutes of the delay in the credentials report, btw!)

I know there was other business to attend to, but if we have to leave, we have to leave. The party rules clearly gives the option for the state committee to convene and consider any issues that the convention couldn't address.

So then the RP crowd did what they did at the 1st CD, they held an rump convention, not an extension of the current convention. That convention adjourned. You can't appeal the decision of the chair to adjourn. When the gavel falls for adjournment, it's done.

And I was at a place in the hall to see both sides, (you could still see both sides from the stage as well at that point) and yes, it was the same 60/40 split. But the Ron Paul people screamed and hollered and made a mockery by holding a parking lot rump convention.

Yes, I said it... A mockery. Even if, and I say a MAJOR if... I accept that the parking lot convention was an extension of the first convention, you didn't have a quorum... not even close... Remember those precious rules that you said were being violated by the convention chair? Nothing you did mattered unless you had a quorum of the delegates present at the signed credentials report. Even with the first reported number, that would mean you had to have over 600 in your "parking lot" convention. I think the number you claimed was under 400.

So what does it look like from the outside? If the establishment breaks the rules, it's a travesty, but if the RP faction breaks the rules, it's OK.

Please hear me what I am trying to say. Thuggery can only get you so far. But the RP people MUST change the way they approach these conventions if you TRULY want people to change their minds and support your cause.

I will continue to come to the defense of anyone who is being wronged during a GOP event that I am at. But in order to succeed in the future, the tactics of the RPers must be revamped.

I say this last point. One way to earn the respect of the rest of the delegation, and frankly to increase your influence, is to keep being a part of the party apparatus throughout the year, every year. This is what the Christian Coalition did in the 90's throughout the country. And by doing this, the RPers (And yes, I know ALOT of RP supporters are already actively working in the party) will not be seen as an outside faction, but an important wing of GOP working to advance their cause in the party.

David Tackett is a conservative activist from Broken Arrow, and is the Republican nominee for State House District 12 against Rep. Wade Rousselot (D-Wagoner). His campaign website is DavidTackett.com.

The 2012 OKGOP State Convention has arrived!

2012-05-11T18:00:00.000-05:00

The Oklahoma Republican State Convention commences Saturday morning at 9:00am in Norman, and is sure to be a crowded, eventful affair. I'll be in attendance - if you want to say 'hello', give me a shout on Twitter at @JamisonFaught and I'll try to connect.

Speaking of, if you are on Twitter, the official hashtag for the convention will be #OKGOP, so post your convention-related tweets to that hashtag.

I encourage delegates to vote for Steve Fair for National Committeeman, Carolyn McLarty for National Committeewoman, and to approve the Executive Committee-nominated RNC Delegate slate.

Steve Fair for OKGOP National Committeeman

2012-05-11T10:13:00.000-05:00

The delegates at the 2012 Oklahoma Republican State Convention tomorrow will be picking one of two men to serve as National Committeeman for Oklahoma, replacing retiring NCM James Dunn. The National Committeeman serves as one of three representatives for each state and territory on the Republican National Committee; the state Chairman and National Committeewoman are the other two members.

The two candidates are Richard Engle and Steve Fair. I know and respect both men, and they have both been very active and involved in their respective political circles. They are to be commended for their involvement, drive to advance conservatism, and willingness to offer their services on behalf of the state party for this office.

I am honored to endorse my friend, Steve Fair.

Steve currently serves as the 4th Congressional District Chairman and as Stephens County Chairman, and has an extensive background as a conservative party activist. He has been tremendously successful in building the party at the grassroots level in his area of the state, and has been helpful in developing and implementing strategies for other counties to use to grow their organization. He is also a very good writer, authoring weekly columns in numerous newspapers, and maintains a well-written blog.

There can be no doubt as to Steve's conservative credentials. His views on the issues place him with the most conservative of conservatives, and he is unafraid to espouse those views, no matter the controversy that may accompany it. He is a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third, and that is as it should be.

Steve posted a summary of his campaign goals in a recent post on his blog: "The real issue is what will Steve Fair do if elected? First, I will be a conservative voice on the RNC. Second, I will work to build our county GOP organizations. Third, I will help educate the public on issues, and fourth, I will make building the foundation fun. Those that know me know I don't take myself very seriously, but I take the cause very seriously."

I could go on, but suffice it to say, for this position, I believe that Steve can be the most effective, productive and uniting. He is very serious and dedicated about growing the party and advancing conservatism, but does so in a way that is entertaining and fun. There is never a dull moment around Steve!

I encourage delegates to the State Convention to join me in supporting Steve Fair for National Committeeman.

(Fellow blogger Michael Bates has a great post endorsing Steve Fair - read it here)

State Auditor Gary Jones endorses Faught

2012-05-08T11:26:00.000-05:00

State Auditor Gary Jones Endorses Faught for Congress

Muskogee, OK – State Rep. George Faught announced another endorsement today in his race for Congress in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. Current State Auditor & Inspector Gary Jones has been added to the list of state and national individuals who have openly come out in support of Faught’s campaign.

Jones, a former longtime Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman, hopes his endorsement of George Faught, along with endorsements from Gov. Mike Huckabee, Phyllis Schlafly and others, will help propel Faught to victory in the June 26th primary.

“As a proud Oklahoma Republican, I am honored to endorse George Faught for Congress. George is the trusted and proven conservative in the 2nd District race. He has personally invested in growing the Republican Party throughout District 2, working at the grassroots level. When George goes to Washington he'll continue to fight for our country the way he's fought for Oklahoma at the State Capitol,” said Jones. “George has the backbone to stand and proudly represent Oklahoma values in Congress. He is truly a principled conservative. I urge Oklahomans from all across our state to support George. Let's send a good man to be Oklahoma's newest Republican Congressman to Washington this November!”

With his endorsement, Jones becomes the first statewide elected official to make a pick in the crowded 2nd Congressional District GOP primary.

Faught responded to the news by saying, “I am honored to have State Auditor Jones join my growing team of supporters. Gary understands how critical this election will be, and that we need to send a true conservative to Washington. I have a proven and public record of conservatism, and am the only candidate in this race who has shown he can win in a 70% Democrat district. With the critical issues facing our nation, our next Congressman must be ready from day one to tackle the challenges, and I can do that.”

“I will fight to repeal ObamaCare, defend pro-life values, and cut spending and balance the budget. We need to break the chains of government regulations so America can create energy sector jobs again,” said Faught.

For more information about George Faught and his campaign for Congress, visit GeorgeFaught.com.

OKGOP posts National Delegate slate for State Convention

2012-05-01T18:49:00.000-05:00

The Oklahoma Republican Party today released the National Convention Delegate slate, which will be voted on at the Oklahoma Republican State Convention on May 12th in Norman. Twenty five individuals were selected to serve as at-large delegates for the Republican National Convention (August 27th-30th), with an additional twenty five people chosen to serve as alternates. Over two hundred people applied to be delegates and/or alternates.

On Saturday, pursuant to the Oklahoma Republican Party Rules, the State Executive Committee met to whittle down two hundred plus applicants into a slate of twenty five delegate nominees and twenty five alternate-delegate nominees. The committee also chose two at-large electors and two elector-alternates out of about another dozen applicants.

Almost the entire State Executive Committee was present, either in person or via proxy. As a committee member, I had the privilege to participate in the process. The committee gathered around 8:30am, and interviewed hopefuls almost non-stop from 9am until 5pm. We were able to question around 165 applicants; about sixty people did not show up. The vast majority of interviews were done in person, although we did conduct a few over the phone.

All of the applicants were asked a series of questions, which included their personal views on abortion/right-to-life and the 2nd Amendment, as well as past political involvement, and questions regarding voting at the national convention (all delegates are bound by the rules to vote for the candidate they are assigned to, unless that candidate releases his delegates).

Once interviews ended at 5pm, the committee took some time to go over notes, review application forms, and discuss with fellow members about the different applicants. We cast the first ballot for delegate around 5:30pm. Cutting down the list was by no means an easy task, as many enthusiastic and qualified Republicans had applied for the positions.

Tallying was conducted by four individuals: Wayne Watts counted the individual ballots to ensure the proper amount of votes had been cast, Richard Engle (carrying a proxy for National Committeeman James Dunn) read the votes, Gary Jones recorded the votes, and I served as the observer. Occasionally, all four of us had to deliberate over "voter intent" - i.e. votes that were scribbled out, or on the line between two candidates, etcetera. Counting all of the votes, on each successive ballot, was a tedious process, but we worked out a good system.

Voting went three rounds to reach twenty five delegates, another couple rounds for the twenty five alternates, and one round for elector/elector-alternate. We were able to finish by 8:30pm, a full twelve hours after we had begun.

A great amount of time and work went into forming this slate of nominees, and all Oklahoma Republicans can be proud of the result. The individuals selected by the committee represent a wide array of experience, geography, age, presidential candidate preference, and are a solid group of conservatives who will represent the state well at the National Convention in Tampa.

See below the break for the list of nominees.

Nominated for At-Large National Delegate:

Thad Balkman
Janet Barresi
Rick Brinkley
Allie Burgin
Cason Carter
Mary Ann Cosner
Peggy Dau
Elayne Dennis
Jim Flaska
Pollyanne Hawkes
Carol Hefner
Jane Horton
Howard Houchen
Debbie House
Donna Hughes
Stuart Jolly
MaryJane Jones
Sally Kern
Jay Mandraccia
Wanda Martin
Mike Sanders
Trent Shores
Andrew Silvestri
Greg Treat
Deann Williams

Nominated for At-Large Alternate:

Brenda Jones
Monte Bradford
Marjorie Brown
Jerry Buchanan
Clem Burdick
Toni Calvey
Heather Cline
Debra Cook
Melinda Daugherty
Ken Feagins
Sharon Freeny
Larry Gallo
Matt Jackson
Maureen Kinney
Joe Lord
Kyle Loveless
Dewayne McAnally
Evelyn McCoy
Rick Nagel
Toby Pedford
Bill Price
Kimberly Richey
Daron Rudy
Nate Webb
Megan Winburn

A list of the delegates and alternates elected at the Congressional District Conventions can be viewed here. More information about the Oklahoma Republican State Convention can be found at this link.

Muskogee County GOP awards scholarships

2012-05-01T16:52:00.000-05:00

Local Students Receive Scholarships from County GOP

Congratulations are in order to three area students who were recently awarded $500 scholarships by the Muskogee County Republican Party.

"The scholarship recipients were chosen based on their involvement in the community and local schools", said Ken Doke, one of the scholarship committee members. "We also took into consideration their GPA, future plans, and their knowledge of the current political climate," said Doke.

Scholarships were awarded to the following students, and can be used at the college or university of their choice.

Ashley Curran - Hilldale High School
John Trey Bennan - Muskogee High School
John Cody Kilgore - Fort Gibson High School

The Muskogee County Republican Party annually awards scholarships to high school seniors within Muskogee County.

Newt announces he will announce campaign suspension tomorrow

2012-05-01T12:04:00.003-05:00

Newt Gingrich released this video today, announcing that he will be announcing the suspension of his presidential campaign on Wednesday.

I find the announcement-of-an-announcement to be a little odd, but it fits with how his campaign began.

On to November, and the Romney vs. Obama battle.

NRO on "People's Rights Amendment"

2012-04-23T18:16:00.000-05:00

Keep the First Amendment

(from the editors at National Review Online)

The phrase “stunning development” is used far too often in our politics, but here is an item that can be described in no other way: Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats, frustrated by the fact that the Bill of Rights interferes with their desire to muzzle their political opponents, have proposed to repeal the First Amendment.

That is precisely what the so-called People’s Rights Amendment would do. If this amendment were to be enacted, the cardinal rights protected by the First Amendment — free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances — would be redefined and reduced to the point of unrecognizability. The amendment would hold that the rights protected by the Constitution are enjoyed only by individuals acting individually; individuals acting in collaboration with others would be stripped of those rights.

The Supreme Court and U.S. law have long held that Americans do not surrender the rights they enjoy individually when they act in association with one another. This has been a fundamental feature of U.S. law since the very beginning, and even before that, inasmuch as the notion that collective action does not deprive us of our rights goes back into the Common Law as well. U.S. court cases going back to the 18th century recognize that fact, as does federal statute: 1 U.S.C. §1 reads in part: “the words ‘person’ and ‘whoever’ include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals.”

Strange things give the Left the heebie-jeebies, and “corporate personhood” seems like a strange thing. But “corporate personhood” is simply the notion that incorporated groups — businesses, political parties, unions, nonprofits, etc. — are single entities under the law. One would think that the Left would find this convenient: If Monsanto is not a “person” under the law, it cannot be regulated, taxed, sued, or fined, because for the purposes of the law it does not exist. Without the ability to treat enterprises as a single legal entity, there would be no redress for damages caused by a defective GM vehicle except to file claims against each individual owner of the 1.57 billion shares of GM stock outstanding.

But if GM and Monsanto can be sued, then they can defend themselves from suits. If they can be taxed on their property, then they can own property. If they have liabilities under contracts, then they have rights under contracts, too. If they have liabilities under the law, then they have rights under the law.

But the Occupy Left and the Democrats who sympathize with those ignorant misfits resent the fact that some business enterprises oppose their political agenda and support their opponents. (And some don’t: Wall Street gave generously to the Democratic party, and to Barack Obama particularly, in the 2008 election cycle.) The Left controls the unions, the government bureaucracies, most of the media, and the educational establishments, but its dreams of taxation and regulation do not sit particularly well with many who have to pay those taxes and suffer the regulation. The answer, in the mind of Pelosi et al., is to strip those opponents of their political rights.

The so-called People’s Rights Amendment would have some strange consequences: Newspapers, television networks, magazines, and online journalism operations typically are incorporated. So are political parties and campaign committees, to say nothing of nonprofits, business associations, and the like. Under the People’s Rights Amendment, Thomas Friedman would still enjoy putative First Amendment protection, but it would not do him much good inasmuch as the New York Times Company, being a corporation, would no longer be protected by the First Amendment. In short, any political speech more complex than standing on a soapbox at an intersection would be subject to the whims of Nancy Pelosi.

Representative Donna Edwards, a Maryland Democrat, nonchalantly concluded that the amendment would of course strip even political campaigns of the First Amendment rights: “All of the speech which, whether it’s corporations of campaign committees and others engage in, would be able to be fully regulated under the authority of the Congress.” The entire point of having a Bill of Rights is that there are some things Congress may not do. “Congress shall make no law” is a phrase that Democrats cannot abide, apparently.

One of the great dangers of such efforts to regulate political speech is that it puts incumbents in charge of setting the rules of the game under which their power and their position may be challenged. That is a recipe for abuse and corruption, and for smothering those critics who would draw attention to abuse and corruption.

Nancy Pelosi proposes to amend the Constitution the way the iceberg amended the Titanic. The First Amendment has served us well. Nancy Pelosi has not, but she has led her Democrats to a disturbing place in their quest to secure power, even at the cost of cashing in the Bill of Rights.

(for the text of the proposed amendment, click here)

Mike Huckabee endorses George Faught

2012-04-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

In a huge development in the 2nd Congressional District GOP primary, Mike Huckabee has endorsed George Faught. Press release from the Faught campaign:

Gov. Mike Huckabee Endorses George Faught for Congress

Huckabee becomes 50th major national or state endorsement
for Faught in the 2nd Congressional District race

Muskogee, OK – Republican congressional candidate George Faught today announced that a big name is supporting his campaign to replace retiring Congressman Dan Boren in Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. This morning, former presidential candidate and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee went public with his decision to back George Faught in the 2nd District race.

Huckabee stated, “I’m proud to endorse George Faught for Congress because he is a man of honesty and integrity, a man of deep Christian faith who we can trust to do what is right. He led the successful fight to defeat the first wave of ObamaCare right here in Oklahoma: the $54 million dollar health insurance exchange. In Congress, George Faught will fight to repeal ObamCare, balance the budget, and cut EPA regulations to help Oklahoma create new energy sector jobs. Join me in supporting a true conservative leader – George Faught for Congress!”

Mike Huckabee served as Governor of Arkansas from 1996-2007, and was recognized nationally for his leadership. After an early career in broadcasting and advertising, he spent 12 years as a pastor, and became the youngest president ever of the Arkansas Southern Baptist State Convention, the largest denomination in Arkansas. Mike is the host of the number one rated weekend hit HUCKABEE on the Fox News Channel and Cumulus Media Networks’ syndicated radio program, The Mike Huckabee Show, heard on more than 175 stations. He’s also heard three times daily across the nation on The Huckabee Report syndicated on almost 600 stations, and has authored 9 books. After his campaign for the Republican nomination for President in 2008, in which he finished second to John McCain, he formed HuckPAC to assist Conservative Republicans running for office nationwide and has amassed a volunteer team with thousands of activists in all 50 states.

"I am honored to be endorsed by Governor Mike Huckabee. It speaks volumes for such a strong national figure to get involved in a crowed primary, and this is just another sign that my campaign continues to build momentum as we enter the final months of the primary," Faught said. "Gov. Huckabee knows that I am a trusted, proven conservative who will fight to protect our values, repeal ObamaCare, cut spending and balance the budget, and cut red tape so Oklahoma can create new energy sector jobs to get our economy rolling again."

Along with his endorsement, Faught has already garnered endorsements from leading figures such as conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly, Dr. Michael Farris, Colin Hanna, Mike Jestes, Bunny Chambers, thirty-eight state legislators, and numerous other individuals. Organizations publicly supporting Faught include the political arms of the Family Research Council and of Concerned Women for America, Eagle Forum, the American Medical Association and three other major medical groups, Can-Do Conservatives of America, among others. The Huckabee endorsement marks the 50th major state or national endorsement received by Faught.

Owner and operator of a successful carpet cleaning business for nearly 25 years, Faught and his wife of 29 years, Becky, live in Muskogee, and are the parents of three grown children - all born and raised in Muskogee. In 2006, Faught became the first Republican since statehood to represent District 14 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. You can learn more about George and his campaign by visiting his website, and by following him on Twitter and Facebook.

Jason Carini for House District 23

2012-04-15T21:02:00.000-05:00

Jason Carini files for Oklahoma House District 23

Catoosa resident and small businessman wants to promote smaller and more transparent government.

Catoosa, OK -- Jason Carini, small business owner and Vice Chair of Rogers County Republican Party, has announced his campaign for Oklahoma State House District 23 [note: this is the late Rep. Sue Tibbs' district]. House District 23 includes portions of Wagoner, Tulsa and Rogers counties, and incorporates the cities of Tulsa, Catoosa, and Verdigris. A big believer in smaller government, Carini said, “I believe that government should create an environment that encourages business growth. I also support the current legislature’s effort to end the state income tax and let citizens keep their own money.”

Carini was home educated through high school and graduated in 2006 from Patrick Henry College in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy. He and his brother co-own Green Country Mowing, founded in 2009. Carini has previously worked and volunteered for numerous conservative organizations and campaigns, getting his start with Dr. Tom Coburn’s 2004 Senate race. Jason and his wife Jessica live in Catoosa and are expecting their first child in June.

To learn more, please visit www.JasonCarini.com.

I have known Jason for many years, and can personally vouch for his character and conservatism. In a time when practically all Republican candidates and elected officials claim the title 'conservative', fewer actually deserve it. Jason has been dedicated to the conservative cause since before he could vote, and has proven that commitment through his involvement with grassroots organizations and campaigns over the years. His hard work has been evident not only in his political involvement, but also in building his business.

The residents of House District 23 won't find a better man for the job, and the state will benefit if Carini is successful in his bid. With the GOP in complete control of state government, we must elect principled statesmen who will work to cut the size of government, protect individual liberty, and defend our Judeo-Christian values. Conservatives across the state would do well to support Jason's efforts.

BREAKING: Santorum Drops Out

2012-04-10T13:45:00.000-05:00

At a press conference minutes ago in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum announced that he is suspending his presidential campaign, all but guaranteeing Mitt Romney the GOP nomination. Santorum said that he and his family made the decision to enter the race around their kitchen table, and made the decision to exit the race over the weekend around their kitchen table.

Santorum, presumed "dead" for much of the campaign, had a stunning victory by a mere handful of votes in Iowa, launching him to become the number one challenger to frontrunner Mitt Romney. He went on to win, with a shoestring budget, 11 states, over three million votes, and more counties than the rest of the field combined.

With his exit, Mitt Romney will become the GOP nominee. The focus over the coming months will now move to speculation on Romney's vice presidential pick.

To Rick Santorum, his family, and his campaign staff, congratulations on a hard-fought campaign. You surpassed every expectation, and should be proud of your efforts.

Empty Holster Week

2012-04-06T23:19:00.000-05:00

This past week was the annual nationwide Empty Holster Protest, during which college students across the country donned empty handgun holsters to draw attention to harmful gun restrictions on college campuses.

Here is the press release from Students for Concealed Carry:

Students nationwide are once again strapping on empty holsters in support of the right to pack heat. The nonviolent protest, organized by Students for Concealed Carry, runs April 2-6 and is designed to highlight the ineffectiveness of campus gun bans.

“Gun-free zones are defense-free zones,” said David Burnett, the group’s spokesman. “Announcing your campus is gun-free is a reckless invitation to psychopaths. We’re trying to show we have to put an end to such dangerous and irresponsible mandates.”

Hundreds of colleges have taken part in the protest in recent years, and the group expects this year to be no different. Enthusiastic students from dozens of major universities have already signed up for the protest via the group’s website, eager to raise awareness about self-defense restrictions on their campus.

Students for Concealed Carry was founded after the Virginia Tech massacre by students who noted the college’s gun ban failed to stop the shooter. More than 20 other college shootings have taken place on “gun-free” campuses since 2001, including six victims at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center shooting in March.

Colorado’s Supreme Court recently sided with the group, in a ruling that struck down a college gun ban. In 2011, five more states extended greater freedom to college gun owners, and over 200 campuses now allow some form of carry.

Despite their progress, Burnett says the group’s goals are often misunderstood. “We’re not out to arm everyone. We’re just saying if you have the legal permit and can legally carry virtually everywhere else, why is your right to self-defense suspended on campus? Guns in the hands of the right people can save lives, and universities are stopping the right people from protecting themselves. “

The group points to Utah and Colorado as proof that campus carry works. “These schools have allowed campus carry for years without incident,” says Burnett. “If anything, the crime rate drops.”

“It’s all about protection,” says Daniel Crocker, the group’s president. “Signs on the doors are just a government guarantee that criminals won’t encounter armed resistance. They won’t protect anyone, but a permitted handgun might. Until colleges can guarantee our safety, they shouldn’t criminalize self-defense.”

On Monday, a former nursing student walked into a Christian college in Oakland, California, and began a shooting rampage that left seven people dead and three wounded. His killing spree went unchecked, and he was able to leave the scene before police arrived. Authorities believe he had ample time during the attack to reload his firearm.

“This is a poignant and ironic example of the very thing we’re protesting,” said David Burnett, SCC’s spokesman. “Colleges invite these shootings by guaranteeing criminals their victims will be disarmed. It takes more than signs to fend off killers. Gun-free zones are defense-free zones. Since our colleges can’t guarantee our safety, it’s time for them to allow us a fighting chance and decriminalize self-defense.”

Burnett and Crocker are exactly right. As with most other school shootings you hear about, "gun-free zones" enable criminals to perpetrate their crime unhindered. Banning guns only means that law abiding citizens will be disarmed and defenseless, while criminals will continue doing what they have always done - break the law. Concealed Carry has been tremendously effective and successful everywhere it has been implemented. It's time that college campuses no longer be easy targets for would-be killers.

Muskogee City Council Runoff Today

2012-04-03T15:52:00.000-05:00

Muskogee's February 14th municipal elections resulted in three of the four city council seats going to a runoff. That vote is taking place today. If you reside in Muskogee, and are a registered voter, don't forget to vote. Because 'ward-voting' has not taken effect yet, voters in all four city wards can vote in all three races.

Personally, I voted for Gary Cooper in Ward I (my ward), Shawn Raper in Ward II, and D. Boots in Ward III. All three gentlemen are fine individuals, and would serve Muskogee well as city councilors. While municipal offices are non-partisan in Muskogee, these three men are facing union-backed candidates in the runoff. Cooper, in particular, is running against a very liberal candidate.

If you live in Muskogee, and have not voted yet, I encourage you to vote for Gary Cooper, Shawn Raper, and D. Boots.

A Little Perspective...

2012-03-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

Supreme Court to hear ObamaCare beginning today

2012-03-26T09:28:00.000-05:00

The United States Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments on ObamaCare today through Wednesday, in a longer-than-usual time allotment. Below is the agenda for the hearings.

Thanks to the George Faught for Congress campaign for the above graphic

Faught Comments on ObamaCare Anniversary

2012-03-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

George Faught, Republican candidate for Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District, commented today on the anniversary of the signing into law of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also called 'ObamaCare').

"Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the signing of ObamaCare -- one of the biggest intrusions into personal liberty ever perpetrated by the federal government."

"This job-killing mandate for socialized medicine strikes at the very heart of our freedoms, by stripping healthcare choice from individual citizens and giving it to government bureaucrats. ObamaCare will change the face of this nation forever. It takes away individual liberty, it is too expensive, it gives government too much power, and it is unconstitutional. It must be repealed as soon as possible."

"I successfully fought to stop the first wave of ObamaCare implementation in Oklahoma, and as the next Congressman from Oklahoma's 2nd District, I will fight to repeal ObamaCare and other unconstitutional programs, and work to allow free-market choices to flourish."

OKGOP: ObamaCare Two Years Later

2012-03-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

The OKGOP delivered a cake to Oklahoma Democratic Party headquarters to celebrate the momentous occasion.

ObamaCare Two Years Later

Oklahoma City -- Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Matt Pinnell today released the following statement on the second anniversary of ObamaCare:

"Two years ago today, President Obama signed his massive government takeover of health care into law.

"Despite the president’s promises, ObamaCare has left Oklahomans undeniably worse off. Health care costs will continue to skyrocket into the foreseeable future, and Americans have less freedom to make their own health care decisions.

"Under ObamaCare, Oklahoma families will pay more for health care, and taxpayers will foot the bill for increased government spending. Unaccountable government bureaucrats will make decisions once left to patients and their doctors. Millions could lose the insurance they receive from their employers, even though President Obama promised that would never happen.

"We cannot afford ObamaCare. Its mandates and regulations are bad for small business and economically destructive. Oklahomans needs market-based solutions to rising health care costs, not a budget-busting one-size-fits-all Big Government law.

"Because of these failures, Democrats across Oklahoma are ignoring Obamacare instead of proudly campaigning on the Obama Administrations top legislative achievement. President Obama himself is pretending the anniversary is not happening today. So we’re going to make sure voters remember that during a recession the Democrats decided to pass a bill that has increased the debt, hurt small businesses, and made health care more expensive for families."

Obama debt passes Bush debt in 40% of the time

2012-03-19T10:04:00.000-05:00

It's official: President Obama has now added more debt in his 38-months in the White House than President Bush did in 8 years.

Steve Eggleston of HotAir.com:

The $4,937,931,842,854.91 in new total debt added under Obama’s watch, in a mere 1,150 days, is more than the $4,899,100,310,608.44 in new total debt added under Bush’s watch in 2,922 days.

That's a lot of "change"...