Muskogee City Council sets August vote on $78M bond issue, sales tax renewal

County Assessor Ron Dean during public comment at the Muskogee City Council meeting Monday

Brace for impact, Muskogee: our city council has set an election for a bond and sales tax proposal totaling over $78,000,000 on August 27th.

I dropped in for my first city council meeting in years yesterday when I heard that a special meeting had been called to vote on sending the mega-million dollar package to the ballot. You can view the agenda here; scroll down to items 14, 15, 16, and 17.

His last hurrah: Inhofe stuffs omnibus bill with $498M in earmarks

Earmarks: political self-bribery. Vote and influence buying. "The gateway drug to runaway spending," as the late Dr. Tom Coburn used to say.

Earlier, I posted that U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe was the only Oklahoman to vote for the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill passed by Congress. Why was he in favor of the mega-spending bill?

That's easy. Inhofe stuffed almost half a billion dollars worth of earmarks in the bill -- second most of all senators and representatives. If anything was made evident by his time in Washington, it's that Jim Inhofe looooved him some earmarks and pork spending. 

House Dems react to committee approval of pandemic stimulus projects

Democrats React to ARPA Allocations

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 20th) – House Democrats sitting on the Oklahoma Legislature’s American Rescue Plan Act Committee released the following statements today after several projects were approved.

President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the latest federal stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 11, 2021. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures website, the plan included $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, known as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

Joint committee advances dozens of ARPA proposals to Legislature

Joint committee advances dozens of ARPA proposals to Legislature

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 20th) – The Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding on Tuesday advanced a comprehensive slate of projects to the full Legislature for consideration in an upcoming special session.

The committee's approvals, combined with previously approved projects, resulted in recommendation of over 60 projects totaling nearly all of Oklahoma state government's $1.87 billion share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Lankford brings government waste report to the Senate floor

Lankford Brings Government Waste Report to the Senate Floor

Lankford: “At some point this body will be serious about dealing with debt and deficit, but apparently we're not yet.” 

WASHINGTON, DC (April 27th) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today brought this week’s release of volume 6 of his government waste report, Federal Fumbles: Ways the government dropped the ball, to those who need to hear about it most: the US Senate. Lankford spoke about specific examples of waste from the report and about his frustration that some in Congress talk about debt and some of the big decisions we face for long-term solvency of several major federal programs, but most are not willing to actually address it.

Sen. Lankford releases newest government waste report

Continuing the late Dr. Tom Coburn's Wastebook legacy, U.S. Senator James Lankford is out with his sixth edition of Federal Fumbles, chronicling wasteful government spending.

Lankford Releases Government Waste Report

Click here to download a copy of Federal Fumbles, Vol. 6.

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced the sixth volume of his federal waste book, Federal Fumbles: Ways the government dropped the ball. The report highlights waste and inefficiency in the federal government and offers solutions and recommendations for long-term changes that need to begin immediately.

Coburn warns against renewed call for earmarking

Porky's II: The Earmarkers Strike Back

Restoring earmarks in today's Congress would be like opening a bar tab 

for a bunch of recovering alcoholics.

By TOM COBURN

Remember the $223 million in federal funds earmarked in 2005 for the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska? The project stalled but the public outrage it sparked led to a 2011 decision by Congress to end earmarking. Well, it looks like the bridge-to-nowhere crowd is ready to get the scaffolding out again, with lobbyists and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle calling for a return to earmarks and pork-barrel politics.

The powerful House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R., Ky.) has called the ban a "bad idea." Two Republican candidates in Mississippi—Sen. Thad Cochran and House candidate Gene Taylor —are making a return to pork part of their platform. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) recently tried to dismiss the bipartisan ban as a fringe, right-wing idea that has led to gridlock. "It was a tea party reform," Sen. Durbin told reporters in Springfield, Ill., on April 14 after a speech to Teamsters. "They came in and eliminated it and what they did is take the glue out of a federal transportation bill. That was the glue that held everybody together."

Mr. Durbin said he longs for the day "when we get back to the point where members of Congress are sitting down with a common goal—let's pass this bill, let's make sure there is enough money in this bill, let's find the sources of revenue necessary for this bill—you know, it creates a much better and more positive feeling."

The "glue" is pork and the "positive feeling" that Mr. Durbin is referring to is the joy of spending other people's money. For politicians, this sensation is highly addictive. It's why I called earmarks the gateway drug to Washington's spending addiction after fighting my own party's earmarks in the 1990s.

The porkers' core argument—that Congress needs earmarks to pass good bills that wouldn't pass otherwise—is ludicrous. Pork crowds out higher priority needs. On transportation bills, for instance, the Transportation Department's Inspector General told us in 2007 that the presence of earmarks meant members' pet projects were funded ahead of more important projects such as repairing structurally deficient bridges, which now number 63,000 or 10% of our nation's bridges. There is a higher chance the bridge you cross today on your way to work could collapse thanks in part to Congress's legacy of perverse priorities.
Members like to say they know their district's needs best but they are most skilled at putting their political needs first. Plus, we already have an institution dedicated to local projects. It is called local government. Transportation pork, in particular, proved that the good congressman or congresswoman isn't the one who sends money back to the state but the one who keeps money from leaving the state in the first place.

Read the rest of Coburn's op-ed here.

Senator Coburn and Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) are circulating a letter on Capitol Hill in support of the current earmark ban, and asking members of the House and Senate to sign on. You can read that letter here. Congressman James Lankford was one of the first to sign the letter.

Muskogee Politico Roundup

Absurd: Some in the media and blogosphere have attacked Gov. Mary Fallin for allegedly plagiarizing a KOSU story about Pearl Harbor survivor Ed Vezey in her inaugural address. First of all, if that was plagiarizing (which it wasn't), that was an awfully poor job. Second, Ed Vezey has told his story to countless people, and I'd assume that it's pretty much the same every time. Same people, same places, same history, same storyteller. Third, I shot video this past summer at the unveiling of the mast from the U.S.S. Oklahoma here at Muskogee's War Memorial Park, where both Vezey and then-Congresswoman Fallin spoke. They both mentioned a ceremony at Pearl Harbor where they both attended, spoke, and talked with other U.S.S. Oklahoma veterans. Fallin most likely heard Vezey's story there in Hawaii, as I'm sure she did again at Muskogee. Most of the same people are also attacking Fallin for flubbing up her swearing-in oath. Again, ridiculous.

Porker: The taxpayer watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste has nominated Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Tulsa) as a finalist for their 2010 Porker of the Year contest, for his very public and adamant defense of earmarking. Congratulations, Senator, on joining a prestigious club. Good luck in the voting...

Unbelievable: Far-left Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is suing the U.S. House cafeteria for biting into an olive pit in his sandwich - in 2008. The twice-failed presidential candidate is suing for $150,00, and believes he "is entitled to damages for future dental and medical expenses and to compensate him for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment." I'm at a loss for words......

Confession: I did not watch the President's State of the Union address, nor did I see anything but snippets of Paul Ryan or Michele Bachmann's response. And frankly, I don't really see what the uproar over the "mixed" seating was about. Everyone knows that the party in power applauds every other line of a State of the Union speech, and members of the party not in the White House sit on their hands. Sitting next to Chuck Schumer for one hour-long speech does not make you a Schumer clone, or affect how you vote the next day.

Senate Earmark Ban: GOP Hall of Shame

This is old news now, since it happened while I was on vacation, but it deserves a post all the same. On Tuesday, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) brought a ban on earmarks to the floor of the United States Senate; the proposal failed 39-56, with 8 Republicans voting against it (with the majority of Democrats) and 7 Democrats voting for it (with the majority of Republicans).

Republicans in the House have already pledged to ban earmarks, and the Senate GOP has adopted a "voluntary" ban on earmarks within the caucus, and yet, in spite of the tremendous public outcry over earmarks and the need for Republicans to finally "get it", eight GOP senators decided to thwart the will of the people, and voted with the liberals.

Here is the Senate Republicans Hall of Shame from this vote:

Bob Bennett (R-UT)

Lost re-election this year

 Dick Lugar (R-IN)

Up for re-election in 2012

 George Voinovich (R-OH)

Did not run for re-election

 Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

Up for re-election in 2014

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Lost re-election in 2010 primary, presumed general election victor as write-in

 Richard Shelby (R-AL)

Won re-election this year

 Susan Collins (R-ME)

Up for re-election in 2014

Thad Cochran (R-MS)

Up for re-election in 2014

The following Democrats supported Coburn's earmark ban: Evan Bayh (D-IN), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bill Belson (D-FL), Mark Udall (D-CO) and Mark Warner (D-VA). Bayh did not run for re-election, and Feingold lost his re-election bid.

Senators Kit Bond (R-MO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) missed the vote.

Inhofe on Earmarks: 2008 and 2010

2008: U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe cosponsors U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint’s one-year earmark moratorium. (note: Inhofe was running for re-election in 2008)

2010:  U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is one of the most vehement and public opponents to U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's two-year earmark moratorium that is identical to the moratorium that House Republicans will put in place once the new GOP majority is sworn in.

Which one is it, Senator? You can't have it both ways.

While we're on the earmarks topic, OUDaily.com had the following graphic on a story today:

Inhofe: McCain's a Liberal, Gets Elected Because of Earmark Opposition

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) spoke at a Tulsa Metro Chamber breakfast this morning, and labeled U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as a closet liberal who gets elected merely because he opposes earmarks. No word if he said the same thing about U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who is even more rabidly anti-earmark/pork-spending than McCain.

Ironically, both Inhofe and and McCain's opponent - former Congressman J.D. Hayworth - are both well known for being earmark defenders.

Don't come between a Senator or Congressman and his earmarks...

Endorsement: Tom Coburn for Senate

My first endorsement of this cycle is for reelecting U.S. Senator Tom Coburn.

I have known "Dr. Tom" for my entire life, and there are few elected officials that I trust as much as Dr. Coburn.

Coburn is a true citizen legislator. He still sees medical patients when he is home in Muskogee every week, even though (due to Senate ethics rules) he can't charge for his services, and lost money last year because of that. As in his time in the U.S. House, Dr. Tom has pledged to term-limit himself - he will only serve two terms in the Senate. Coburn was one of the few House members elected in the 1990's to keep his term limits pledge.

In his term in the Senate, Coburn has worked to make government more transparent and accountable, and to eliminate duplicative government agencies and programs. He was one of the most prominent opponents of President Obama's health care bill, putting forward a conservative alternative that would not have increased government's role in health care, and would have improved health care for all Americans.

Coburn is most well known for his vehement opposition to earmarks, and pork-barrel spending. He has earned the nickname of "Dr. No", and has angered many on both sides of the aisle through his principled stand against uncontrolled spending that is indebting future generations.

He has also thrown the brake on the run-away train known as "Unanimous Consent". More than 90% of Senate legislation is passed without a vote, unless a Senator places a "hold" on the bill. Dr. Coburn has placed an unprecedented amount of holds on legislation that increases spending. This has halted billions of dollars in wasteful spending, and forced the Senate to debate the merits of legislation.

When it comes to the 2nd Amendment, the U.S. Senate has few members who have been as stalwart a defender as Dr. Coburn has been. On pro-life issues, no one has been more faithful.

No candidate or elected official is perfect, and Dr. Coburn is no exception. However, a man of Dr. Coburn's character and conservatism is a rare commodity in the U.S. Senate, or any other elected body.

I wholeheartedly endorse Dr. Tom Coburn for reelection.

You can learn more about Dr. Coburn by visiting his campaign website at www.CoburnForSenate.com. He is also on Twitter, both with his campaign (@CoburnForSenate) and his official Senate office (@TomCoburn). His Facebook page is here.

Absurdity: Lewis Spring's Statements About Tom Coburn

Lewis Spring is running against U.S. Senator Tom Coburn. Obviously, hasn't got a clue about Tom Coburn's record.

Spring says this on his campaign website: "[Coburn] is also one of the biggest pork barrel spenders in the United States Senate."

Uh, excuse me? Coburn is one of the most prominent crusaders against pork-barrel spending.

He also states that "[Coburn] continues running for office even after promising to abide by his own self proclaimed term limits." Again, wrong. Coburn pledged to run for no more than three terms when he was in the U.S. House. He served three terms, from 1994-2000. When he ran for Senate in 2004, he pledged to run for no more than two terms. He is finishing up his first term in the Senate; if elected (as he will be, barring major health issues on his part), he will serve a second and final term in the Senate.

Spring doesn't quit while he's way behind, though. He rails against Israel and the "Zionist movement in America". He also states that while he won't be taking campaign donations, he will be selling copies of his country music CD for $12, which will be funding his run.

While I do encourage people to get involved in politics, and run for office, sometimes it can be... embarrassing...

The Conservative View: Horses and Sore Lips

This week's Conservative View, by Adair County Commissioner Russell Turner (R-Stilwell).

The Conservative View
by Russell Turner

Horses and Sore Lips

Having being raised on a farm in rural Oklahoma I have had many experiences that are alien to most people. Very few people today have ever watched a person put horse shoes on a horse. Many times a young horse is reluctant to stand still for the person to put the shoes on. To solve the problem, I have seen the person putting on the shoes take a short piece of cord and twist it around the horse’s lip. The old timers call this procedure putting a twitch on the horse’s lip. While this may seem cruel, it causes the horse to think about something else instead of being shod. The key goal is to get the horse’s attention away from the person doing the work, without the little piece of cord the worker would run the risk of being kicked or injured. This little analogy reminds me of the events that are taking place in our nation’s capital.

The president and the leaders of the US house and Senate are, for the lack of a better term, ‘hell bent for leather’ to push the health care bill through congress and have the president sign it into law. From the polling data that I have seen, the American people are not supporting this legislation. The tactics being used to get the necessary voters for passage range from strong arming to bribery. To distract the American people from the danger that this legislation would cause our nation, money is promised to congressmen that they can take back to their home district and use on pet projects. Sadly many American people cannot distinguish the difference between something free and freedom. We humans have a tendency to lose all common sense when we think that we are going to get something for nothing. ObamaCare will not make health care more affordable and accessible to all Americans. It will only increase the size and scope of government. Government will have more power over our lives and we will have less and less freedom.

Maybe the leaders in congress and the president feel that they are doing this for our own good and we average people need to take the bitter medicine like the horse being shod. I believe that there is a huge difference in a human and a horse. A horse is a dumb animal that is bred to serve humans, we humans on the other hand are meant to be free and not to serve other men or some government. Our elected leaders are acting like an uncooperative horse, maybe it is time for a twitch on their lip.

If you wish to contact Russell Turner, or want to subscribe to his email loop, email him at rdrepublican@windstream.net.

Sen. Coburn Releases Stimulus Oversight Report

From U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK):

Dr. Coburn Releases Stimulus Oversight Report
Report Highlights 100 Examples of Stimulus Waste

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D., today released an oversight report 100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion that discloses 100 of the worst examples of waste in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or stimulus bill. The projects included in the report – worth $5.5 billion – range from Maine to California, and even two from the state of Oklahoma. Click here to read the entire report.

"The American people have a right to know how their stimulus dollars are being spent. In too many cases stimulus projects are wasting money we don’t have on things we don’t need," Dr. Coburn said.

"Rather than growing our economy, the overall impact of stimulus spending may prove to be harmful to our economy. For example, Washington’s efforts to 'stimulate' the economy are increasing utility costs, repairing bridges nobody uses, building tunnels for turtles, and renovating extravagant train stations in remote areas while widely-used bridges and roads in poor shape are passed over," Dr. Coburn said.

Click here for the rest of the report.

Muskogee Tea Party Pictures, Part 1

Here is the first handful of pictures from the Muskogee Tea Party that took place on Wednesday, with around 225-250 attendees. I'll post some more later, as well as video.

Here's a link to the Muskogee Phoenix front-page above-the-fold article. They also posted video on their website here.

People beforehand, lining up to sign in.

Yours truly, kicking things off.

Dave Amis, Americans for Prosperity.

3 year old Sarah Lemmons of Checotah holds a wonderful sign.

The crowd of nearly 250.

Our third speaker, local businessman Greg Gaither.

Jim Conroy, FairTax.

Charlie Williams, with a good quote.

The wonderful crowd again.

Final speaker, local businessman Rob Raasch.

Muskogee Tea Party TODAY!

I will be uploading pictures and video sometime today or tomorrow from the Tea Party. Come join us!

Muskogee Tea Party on Wednesday

Muskogee Tea Party

Are you tired of the bailouts and other wasteful spending coming out of Washington, D.C.? It's time to say, "Enough is enough!"

To that end, I am organizing a Tea Party in Muskogee, on April 15th.

I launched TeaPartyMuskogee.com this week, and will be posting details about the 'Tax Day Tea Party' there whenever I can nail them down (I will try to post here as well).

I have folks coming from Claremore, Ft. Smith-area, and Southeast Oklahoma, in addition to Muskogee; wherever you live, come and join us on April 15th!

I have created a Facebook group and event for the Tea Party, in addition to TeaPartyMuskogee.com. Invite your friends, and let's throw a big Tea Party in Muskogee on April 15th, coinciding with over 300 similar events across the nation!

Tax Day Tea Party in Muskogee

Anyone up for a Tea Party in Muskogee on April 15th? Join the Facebook group and RSVP for the event, organized by your humble servant.

Check the soon-to-be-unveiled TeaPartyMuskogee.com for more details in the coming week or two.