Stitt: spending transparency can prevent future spending fiascos

Stitt: Put Oklahoma’s Checkbook Online to End Budget Crisis, Prevent Another Health Department Fiasco

Thanks to an audit, the $30 million once lost by the Oklahoma Department of Health is now found again. It is impossible to comprehend how agency heads could be this disconnected from their budget, but there is a simple, cost effective solution to help it not happen again. It’s time we put Oklahoma’s checkbook online. 

On Oklahoma’s current state website, it displays in big bold font that state government spent $30.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2017, yet the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report says Oklahoma spent $17 billion, a number nearly half the size. What are Oklahomans to believe? Who has the right story?

Oklahoma politicians have promised for years to bring transparency and accountability to the state budget, yet they have failed to give taxpayers even the simplest, most cost-efficient tool to deliver their promise – the Internet.

U.S. PIRG Education Fund released a report in April giving our state’s current website for the budget a “D+” in “online spending transparency.” Only nine states scored worse. PIRG notes that Oklahoma’s website has a search function that none of the researchers could get to work. This is not transparency; this is politics as usual.

The only way to clean up Oklahoma’s financial mess is to put Oklahoma’s checkbook online so taxpayers know where every dime is spent. Fixing Oklahoma’s budget nightmare starts with rooting out government waste through accountability and transparency.

Ohio’s and West Virginia’s online checkbooks scored an A+. With just a couple clicks, a person can view individual agencies’ small payments to office supply stores and large payments like utility bills.

Meanwhile on Oklahoma’s website, a homepage button titled “Where does the state spend its money?” takes the user first to a budget from Fiscal Year 2010.

As a business person, I know how important it is to hold agency heads accountable for every dollar they oversee. At my company, we have a saying that if a department’s expense costs more than a ham sandwich then that department leader must clearly justify it to the rest of the company.  I’ll bring this same common-sense practice to state government by first auditing and then applying performance metrics to every state agency. 

In government, Oklahomans deserve the same accountability, whether it is a $5 purchase at the Health Department or a $10 million project at the Transportation Department. Taxpayers should be able to see how their hard-earned dollars are being used today, not months or years later. It should be as simple as looking at a personal checkbook at home, while answering the big questions about the state’s finances.

Oklahomans are tired of coming in last place in the categories where it counts. I believe Oklahoma’s turnaround starts by making our state Top Ten in budget transparency and accountability. It’s the only way to prevent another crisis as seen at the Health Department, where nearly 200 Oklahomans were laid off and essential services were impacted. The fix is easy, affordable, and long overdue.

Kevin Stitt is a Republican candidate for Governor and CEO and founder of Gateway Mortgage Group, an Oklahoma business with 164 field offices nationwide.

Engle: A Cornett However...

A Cornett However...

By Richard Engle

I was at an event and got stuck talking to a musician. I am not musically inclined, so to make conversation, I asked him about the difference between a trumpet and a cornet. Knowing me he responded, “A Trump-ette is likely to be conservative, a Cornett however...”

I live in Oklahoma City and have during the entire tenure of Mick Cornett as Mayor. We have had occasion to visit before and during his terms in office. He is a nice guy. He is intelligent and he has strong communication skills. He is not a conservative by any definition.

Some will say he was a good manager of our city. Well, we have a city manager to do that. They can point to the recent MAPS projects, but should note that they are built with funds from a tax increase he supported, but the city is now faced with the costs of operation of those projects and little to nothing was done to prepare for those costs. In the waning days of his final term another tax increase was passed at his urging and those funds may well be used to plug the gap in his planning.

The most important project in the recent MAPS plan is the convention center. Any observant citizen of the city will know that it has been mired in problems and delays. He cannot be credited with a success in this matter.

His campaign seems to be taking credit for the Thunder. Nearly all of us are pleased to have a big league team, and more that they are finding success. As the team is a private business, and an expensive one, the credit should first go to the investors who bought a team in Seattle and then moved them to Oklahoma. Second, if a public entity is to be credited, the state legislature made a significant “investment” in the team. Finally, the person most directly involved in the city government’s role in getting the team here is former State Senator David Holt who has now succeeded Cornett at City Hall. Holt even wrote a popular book entitled, Big League City.

There may be little opportunity for a mayor to establish conservative credentials, but there are opportunities for the opposite. As Mayor, Mick Cornett wrote a letter to Congress to discourage any repeal of the “Affordable Care Act” also known as Obamacare. In his letter he says, “The effects of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be most heavily felt at the local level, so it is our responsibility to protect the citizens of our cities and metro areas. The new GOP plan is bad for cities, bad for people who live in cities and bad for people who provide healthcare in cities.” He continued by stating that “healthcare is not a privilege; it is a human right.”

It should be noted that this was not a simple note to a single member of Congress. This was a formal and public letter from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Cornett was the primary signatory and the head of the organization.

Does it need to be stated that conservatives do not favor Obamacare?

What of other issues of import to conservatives? Cornett has no record nor known stated opinions or policies that could be considered pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, or favoring smaller government. Regarding the final matter, he is quite proud of his expansion of government in Oklahoma City. His tenure as Mayor, the longest in city history, did not include a single significant improvement in efficiency or cost reduction in city services.

The other GOP candidates have variant levels of conservative credentials. Mick Cornett not only lacks the same, he has abundant evidence of the opposite.

No one who votes for Mick Cornett will have any cause to consider themselves to be a conservative, and if the OKGOP nominates him it abolishes the moniker “conservative” from its description.

Richard Engle is a longtime conservative Republican activist, a former city councilman, and businessman.

Rep. Calvey: conservatives were right about Health Department

Rep. Calvey Comments on Health Department’s Wrongdoing

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Kevin Calvey released the following response about today’s announced findings by the grand jury investigating the state Health Department scandal, which confirmed that wasteful spending is rampant in state government and that tax increases were unnecessary to boost important functions of government like raising teacher pay.

“The grand jury findings prove exactly what we conservatives in the Legislature have been saying all along: that the Health Department deliberately spent money on its own pet projects, what the grand jury called a ‘slush fund,’ rather than spending the money on core programs,” Calvey said.  “Under cross-examination before the House Special Investigative Committee, disgraced former state Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger admitted that he approved the Health Department’s annual budgets by reviewing the same documentation as that provided by other state agencies.  That means these sorts of ‘slush funds’ likely exist in perhaps dozens of other state agencies, not just in the Health Department.

“We conservatives opposed tax increases because not all of these ‘slush funds’ have yet been exposed.  There is plenty of waste in state government that can be rerouted for better uses like raising teacher pay.”

Calvey urged further investigation. “Given the grand jury’s findings, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of the officials we cross-examined in the House Special Investigative Committee hearings last fall was guilty of making false statements under oath.  I’m not referring to the whistleblowers. I urge the attorney general’s office to examine the record of those committee hearings to determine whether executive branch officials testified falsely to cover up gross misspending in state government.”

AG Hunter Releases Multicounty Grand Jury Report, Auditor’s Special Investigative Audit into Department of Health

Attorney General Mike Hunter gives remarks during a news conference releasing the multicounty grand jury report after the investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Health.

Attorney General Hunter Releases Multicounty Grand Jury Report, Auditor’s Special Investigative Audit into Department of Health 

Reports: No money missing, no indictments, comprehensive mismanagement to blame

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today released the multicounty grand jury report and the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s investigative performance audit, closing the state’s investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).

The overarching conclusions of both the grand jury report and the audit are widespread mismanagement, archaic practices and fiscal irresponsibility led to the issues facing the agency.

The seven month long review included dozens of interviews and testimony from current and former OSDH employees and a thorough review of agency records and accounting practices spanning the course of several years.

Both grand jurors, as well as auditors with State Auditor Gary Jones’ office determined the agency was never insolvent, there was ample cash to pay expenses, the $30 million emergency supplemental appropriation wasn’t needed and the reduction in force that eliminated the jobs of 198 individuals was unnecessary.

Although the grand jurors found the inept practices and processes at the department ‘reprehensible’, no state or federal money was embezzled or stolen and no evidence of anyone in management positions personally benefitted from the activities.

“While financial mismanagement, fictitious fiscal reporting and reckless overspending abounded at the department, no criminally prosecutable conduct provable by proof beyond a reasonable doubt was identified,” the report reads.

Attorney General Hunter said adopting the auditor’s and grand jurors’ recommendations are necessary for the department moving forward.

“The report from the multicounty grand jury and the audit from Auditor Jones’ office reveal a system of deceit, abuse, mismanagement and utter incompetence that are so egregious it is hard, if not impossible, to comprehend the rationale behind some of the decisions that were made,” Attorney General Hunter said. “The consequences were unnecessary layoffs and a disruption of essential services in communities across the state. Quite simply, this can never happen again.

“The recommendations by the grand jurors and Auditor Jones’ office should be acted upon immediately by the department of health, to avoid the same kind of abuse in the future and to ensure the public we are serious about earning their trust back.

“I am optimistic that the new leadership team at the Department of Health will be successful in affecting a complete systematic change that addresses the recommendations.

“I appreciate the work and diligence of Auditor Jones, his audit team, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, investigators, prosecutors and agents in the Attorney General’s Office and members of the multicounty grand jury for dedicating many hours to this investigation.”

Read the report form the multicounty grand jury and the special investigative audit, here: https://bit.ly/2rPu8Tz.

Dahm launches move to call special session to override Fallin vetoes

Sen. Nathan Dahm calls on legislature to correct years of veto decisions

‘Over the last eight years we have seen decisions from the governor that are out of step with the will of the people, with the Republican party platform, and with the Constitution.’—Sen. Nathan Dahm

Broken Arrow, OK – Sen. Nathan Dahm has started the process for legislators to call themselves back into session to pass legislation vetoed by Gov. Mary Fallin.

“Over the last eight years we have seen decisions from the governor that are out of step with the will of the people, with the Republican Party platform, and with the Constitution,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow. “We have seen Governor Fallin use her veto pen to kill bills that would have brought transparency and accountability to government, reined in out of control agency rules, get parents more involved in education, restore our Second Amendment rights, return local control back to communities, secure parental rights in healthcare decisions, streamline and modernize state government, restore private property rights, change the budgeting system for long term planning, and more. This would afford us the opportunity to correct those mistakes without having to wait another year to do so.”

In order to enter a special session, two-thirds of both the House and the Senate must agree to return.

“The Oklahoma Constitution allows for the Legislature to call itself back into session with two-thirds of both the House and the Senate. It appears likely we will return back to the Capitol for at least one more special session this summer or fall. If we will be returning for another session, it would seem an opportune time to simultaneously deal with these measures the Governor has vetoed,” Dahm said.

So far, the following members have already signed on to the resolution: Reps. Sean Roberts; Greg Babinec; Bobby Cleveland; Jeff Coody; Jon Echols; George Faught; Tom Gann; Lewis Moore; Zack Taylor; Kevin West; Rick West; Mark Lawson; and Sens. Nathan Dahm; Josh Brecheen; James Leewright; and Anthony Sykes.

Dahm has the first ever veto override of a Republican governor by a Republican legislature in state history. In 2014 Fallin vetoed HB2461, a pro-Second Amendment bill supported by the NRA, OK2A, and other gun rights groups when she included the bill in a group of vetoes in an attempt to force the legislature to focus on her preferred agenda items. The Legislature overrode the veto in a historic move and by doing so furthered Second Amendment protections that would have otherwise been stalled by Fallin.

Dahm represents Oklahoma’s 33rd district. He was first elected in 2012.

Dahm's Special Session Petition can be viewed here (.doc file)

Rep. George Faught Supports Veto-Override Special Session

Rep. George Faught Supports Veto-Override Special Session 

Petition for Special Session would give chance to stop US 69 Bypass

MUSKOGEE, OK –  State Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee) today announced his support of a legislative petition authored by State Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) that calls for a special session devoted to overriding vetoes issued by Gov. Mary Fallin.

Article V, Section 27A of the Oklahoma Constitution allows for the legislature to call themselves into special session and set the guidelines for it without the Governor’s input. Dahm’s petition would allow for the special session to take up overrides of Gov. Fallin’s vetoes from this current legislative term (2017-2018) and allow for the legislature to re-author and pass any legislation that Fallin has vetoed during her term, going back all the way to the 2011 legislative session.

“This would give us the opportunity to fix all the mistakes Mary Fallin has made and messed us up over the last eight years,” Sen. Dahm said in his announcement of the petition.

One measure important to the Muskogee area that would be eligible to be heard in a veto-override special session would be SB86, the bill that would stop the proposed U.S. 69 Bypass of Muskogee. SB86 required ODOT to perform an economic impact study before any planned bypass around a community is placed on the Transportation 8 year Plan, and required ODOT to present the study to the municipality and get them to approve it before beginning a bypass construction project. Authored by State Sen. Kim David (R-Porter) and Rep. George Faught and co-authored by other area legislators, SB86 passed the House by a vote of 62 to 27 and the Senate by a vote of 32 to 11.

“A veto override special session would give Muskogee another chance at stopping the U.S. 69 Bypass, and give input and protections to communities in the U.S. 69 corridor and across the state from future bypass projects,” said Rep. George Faught.

Another bill that could be brought up for a veto override is HB1552, an important government transparency and accountability measure authored by Rep. George Faught. HB1552 would have brought much-needed reforms to the state’s regulatory process. It would reform the administrative rules process by restoring legislative control over government regulations, thus strengthening transparency and accountability and reining in unelected bureaucrats. HB1552 passed the House by a vote of 71 to 23 and the Senate by a vote of 43 to 0.

“Gov. Fallin has failed Oklahoma citizens by vetoing legislation that is important to the Muskogee area and the state as a whole. This veto-override special session would give us a chance to correct those problems, advance Oklahoma in a positive direction, and protect citizens from government overreach,” said Rep. Faught.

Other potential measures that could be voted on would be overrides of pro-life, pro-gun, and government reform bills vetoed by Gov. Fallin.

“Citizens can go to OKLegislature.gov to find out who their legislator is and how to contact them. I urge Muskogee area residents to call their legislators and ask them to sign Sen. Dahm’s veto-override special session petition, and give us another chance at stopping the U.S. 69 bypass, as well as pass other important policy measures that would affect Oklahoma citizens and businesses,” said Rep. Faught.

Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee) represents House District 14, which covers portions of eastern Muskogee and western Cherokee counties, including the communities of Muskogee, Fort Gibson, Braggs, and Webbers Falls. He chairs the General Government Oversight and Accountability committee.

1Q Campaign Finance Reports for other Statewide races

Continuing through the 1st Quarter campaign finance reports, we'll now look at some of the remaining down-ballot statewide races. As in previous posts on this topic, the totals are campaign-to-date. Some candidates filed for these offices, but did not announce their candidacy in time to collect 1st Quarter contributions.

STATE AUDITOR & INSPECTOR

Charlie Prater (R)
Total raised: $106,150.00 (includes $73,000.00 loan)
Total spent: $32,165.22
Total cash-on-hand: $73,984.78
Burn rate: 30.3%

Cindy Byrd (R)
Total raised: $32,248.97
Total spent: $12,712.38
Total cash-on-hand: $14,762.62
Burn rate: 46.27%

John Yeutter (L)

Total raised: $1,806.56
Total spent: $584.80
Total cash-on-hand: $1,221.76
Burn rate: 32.37%

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Mike Hunter (R)
Total raised: $690,698.39
Total spent: $272,477.06
Total cash-on-hand: $408,902.94
Burn rate: 39.99%

STATE TREASURER 

Randy McDaniel (R)
Total raised: $280,904.92
Total spent: $28,017.71
Total cash-on-hand: $251,456.66
Burn rate: 10.03%

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Joy Hofmeister (R)
Total raised: $185,725.33
Total spent: $57,913.86
Total cash-on-hand: $126,969.67
Burn rate: 31.32%

John Cox (D)
Total raised: $8,250.00
Total spent: $0
Total cash-on-hand: $8,250.00
Burn rate: 0%

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

Glen Mulready (R)
Total raised: $571,863.64
Total spent: $175,512.47
Total cash-on-hand: $386,757.69
Burn rate: 31.21%

CORPORATION COMMISSIONER

Bob Anthony (R)
Total raised: $454,200.00 (includes $360,000.00 loan)
Total spent: $1,040.86
Total cash-on-hand: $453,159.14
Burn rate: 0.23%

Brian Bingman (R)
Total raised: $388,179.22 (includes $100,000.00 loan)
Total spent: $26,398.51
Total cash-on-hand: $361,780.71
Burn rate: 6.8%

OCPA column: The Slippery Three

The Slippery Three

by Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA)

Since 2015, annual taxes and other revenue taken from Oklahomans have increased by $1.1 billion. Oklahomans’ personal income taxes are up at least $185 million annually just since 2016.

Some important reforms passed this session, including enrollment audits and work requirements for Oklahoma’s expensive Medicaid program. Yet other programs proved just how slippery is the status quo when it comes to avoiding common-sense cost savings.

Oklahoma’s film industry handout is one example. The program is an actual welfare payment to cover costs for a favored business. Some of these films are never released. Others paint Oklahoma in a bad light. Perhaps the most prominent subsidized film, August: Osage County, was made by disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Because of this program, Oklahomans gave Weinstein’s company $4.6 million.

Oklahoma’s Incentive Evaluation Commission found “no evidence that the Oklahoma film industry has strengthened during the time period when the rebate has been available.” The current rebate each year is $4 million, which could pay for nursing home care for 213 elderly Oklahomans or for mental health services for 1,402 Oklahomans.

A far more expensive outpost of cronyism is Oklahoma’s rebates to the wind industry. We actually pay the wind industry to come to Oklahoma and export energy generated right out of the state. Oklahoma paid out more than $70 million to Big Wind in fiscal year 2017.

The subsidies are such a sweetheart deal that the wind industry will do anything and everything to keep them–like paying for more than 40 lobbyists to lay siege on the state Capitol or apparently stalking lawmakers who oppose them. Eliminating wind subsidies would save, by conservative estimates, $70 million annually.

Finally, Oklahoma’s Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) offers the perfect example of mission creep. TSET grows by about $50 million every year and spends around $30 million to $40 million in earnings from its billion-dollar endowment. Its largesse has grown to the point that, in addition to some important objectives, TSET has spent $1.1 million promoting smoke-free bars and nightclubs and more than $700,000 on billboards for “water recipes.” Just capping TSET’s current endowment would give the state about $53 million in new revenues every year.

Common-sense changes to these three slippery programs could have freed up more than $125 million annually for higher priorities. But they slipped away.

Perhaps next year, legislators will finally reform these wasteful programs. Every dollar spent wastefully by these programs is a dollar that could be better used on health care for our most vulnerable and public education, including teacher pay and classroom supplies.

Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Music Monday: Handful of Weeds

This week's Music Monday is Handful of Weeds, sung by Southern Gospel singer Sheri Easter.



Enjoy!
See below for all previous Music Monday posts. Do you have a song you'd like to suggest for a future Music Monday? Email me at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com.

May 7th, 2018: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
April 30th, 2018: Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 ("Heroic")
April 23rd, 2018: Blow Ye The Trumpet
April 16th, 2018: Asturias (Leyenda)
April 9th, 2018: Old Mountain Dew
April 2nd, 2018: His Life For Mine
March 19th, 2018: See, the Conqu'ring Hero Comes!
March 12th, 2018: Choctaw Nation
March 5th, 2018: Hark, I Hear The Harps Eternal
February 19th, 2018: The Olympic Spirit
February 12th, 2018: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
January 29th, 2018: Hail to the Chief
January 23rd, 2018: Waltz in A-Flat Major, Op. 39 No. 15
January 15th, 2018: Bleed The Same
January 8th, 2018: Saint-Saëns' Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Maestoso)
December 25th, 2017: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
December 18th, 2017: I Saw Three Ships (The Piano Guys)
December 11th, 2017:Who Is He In Yonder Stall
December 4th, 2017: Carol of the Bells (Mannheim Steamroller)
November 27th, 2017: Joy to the World!
November 20th, 2017: We Gather Together
November 13th, 2017: Mansions of the Lord
November 6th, 2017: Träumerei
October 30th: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
October 23rd, 2017: In Christ Alone
October 16th, 2017: When I'm Knee Deep In Bluegrass
October 9th, 2017: I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb
October 2nd, 2017: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major (Brahms)
September 25th, 2017: Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in C minor ('Pathétique')
September 11th, 2017: Have You Forgotten?
September 4th, 2017: Bach's Double Violin Concerto
August 28th, 2017: Noah Found Grace In The Eyes Of The Lord
August 21st, 2017: The Heavens Are Telling The Glory of God
August 14th, 2017: Beethoven's 5th Symphony
August 7th, 2017: 'Lift High The Name Of Jesus' medley
July 31st, 2017: Fanfare for the Common Man
July 24th, 2017: Variations on 'Happy Birthday'
July 10th, 2017: Summer (Presto) from Vivaldi's Four Seasons
July 3rd, 2017: Freelance Fireworks Hall of Fame
June 26th, 2017: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
June 19th, 2017: A Christian Home
June 12th, 2017: Ol' Man River
June 5th, 2017: Choctaw Cowboy
May 29th, 2017: Armed Forces Salute
May 22nd, 2017: Double Bass Concerto No.2 in B minor
May 15th, 2017: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D major
May 8th, 2017: The Army Goes Rolling Along
April 17th, 2017: He Is Alive
April 10th, 2017: Surely He Hath Borne/And With His Stripes/All We Like Sheep
April 3rd, 2017: Here Comes Carolina
March 27th, 2017: 'Spring' from Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'
March 20th, 2017: Symphony No. 5 ("Reformation") Finale
March 13th, 2017: The Pigeon on the Gate
March 6th, 2017: Finlandia
February 27th, 2017: When I Can Read My Title Clear
February 20th, 2017: William Tell Overture - Finale
February 13th, 2017: 'Romance' from 'The Gadfly'
February 6th, 2017: White Winter Hymnal
January 30th, 2017: Hail, Columbia
January 23rd, 2017: Hail to the Chief
January 16th, 2017: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
January 2nd, 2017: Auld Lang Syne
December 26th, 2016: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
December 19th, 2016: I Wonder as I Wander
December 12th, 2016: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
December 5th, 2016: A Christmas Festival
November 28th, 2016: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
November 21st: Beethoven's 'Hymn of Thanksgiving'
November 14th: Hymn to the Fallen
November 7th: This World Is Not My Home
October 31st, 2016: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
October 24th, 2016: 'Mars', from 'The Planets'
October 17th, 2016: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
October 10th, 2016: Spain
October 3rd, 2016: International Harvester
September 26th, 2016: 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars
September 19th, 2016: Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound
September 12th, 2016: Before the Throne of God Above
September 5th, 2016: The Hunt
August 29th, 2016: Liberty
August 22nd, 2016: Summon the Heroes
August 15th, 2016: Bugler's Dream
August 8th, 2016: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
August 1st, 2016: 'Prelude' and 'Parade of the Charioteers' from Ben-Hur
July 25th, 2016: How The West Was Won
July 18th, 2016: Six Studies in English Folk Song
July 11th, 2016: From Everlasting To Everlasting
July 4th, 2016: The Stars and Stripes Forever
June 27th, 2016: Rule, Britannia!
June 20st, 2016: Bugler's Holiday
June 13th, 2016: Ride of the Valkyries
June 6th, 2016: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, Allegro Vivace
May 30th, 2016: Armed Forces Salute
May 23rd, 2016: Paid in Full (Through Jesus, Amen)
May 16th, 2016: Overture from 'Carmen'
May 9th, 2016: L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1 - Prelude
May 2nd, 2016: My God Is a Rock
April 25th, 2016: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
April 18th, 2016: Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A Minor
April 11th, 2016: Fantasia on a 17th Century Tune
April 4th, 2016: Hark The Sound/I'm a Tarheel Born
March 28th, 2016: Rustle of Spring
March 21st, 2016: 'Ode to Joy' sung by a 10,000-voice choir
March 14th, 2016: Hard Times Come Again No More
March 7th, 2016: 'The Suite' from Downton Abbey
February 29th, 2016: Moonlight Sonata
February 22nd, 2016: Liebestraum No. 3
February 15th, 2016: Help Is On The Way
February 8th, 2016: God of Grace and God of Glory
February 1st, 2016: 'My Story'
January 25th, 2016: Israeli Concertino
January 18th, 2016: What Grace is Mine
January 11th, 2016: "Meditation" from Thaïs
January 4th, 2016: Praeludium and Allegro
December 28th, 2015: Appalachian Carol
December 21st, 2015: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
December 14th, 2015: O Holy Night
December 7th, 2015: Christmas Fantasy
November 23rd, 2015: Simple Gifts
November 16th, 2015: Preacher Tell Me Like It Is
November 9th, 2015: Armed Forces Salute
November 2nd, 2015: Amazing Grace
October 26th, 2015: The Harmonious Blacksmith
October 19th, 2015: Liberty Fanfare
October 12th, 2015: The Majesty and Glory of Your Name
October 5th, 2015: Elgar's 'Enigma' Finale
September 28th, 2015: Stayed on Jesus
September 21st, 2015: Great Gate of Kiev
September 14th, 2015: Nearer, My God, To Thee

Cornett releases new TV commercial

Cornett Campaign Launches New Commercial

“Get Started” highlights results over rhetoric

OKLAHOMA CITY – Mick Cornett’s campaign for governor on Monday released a new campaign advertisement titled “Get Started” highlighting the results of Mick Cornett’s leadership in Oklahoma City contrasted with the politics-as-usual rhetoric of state government.

“In our next governor, Oklahomans are looking for leadership to get things done,” Cornett said. “Year after year at the State Capitol, politicians say plenty of the right things, but the results are never as great as the rhetoric. In Oklahoma City, our leadership has led to the proliferation of the city and a rising quality of life in the entire area. It’s time to end the rhetoric and Get Started.”



The language in the commercial reads:
Has our state government ever been more of a mess? Enough talk.  Let’s start doing something. Put our conservative principles to work. As a mayor, we balanced 14 straight budgets, creating 100,000 new jobs, 10,000 new businesses. We can fund a teacher pay raise, balance our budget, and fix the mess at the Capitol. Let’s solve our problems and grow our economy. Results.  Not Rhetoric.  Let’s get started.

Dahm slams 'Liberal Governor' Fallin's veto of Constitutional Carry bill

Nathan Dahm Denounces Liberal Governor Mary Fallin's VETO of Constitutional Carry

"As a proven conservative, this veto will not deter me in my fight to defend the 2nd Amendment." 

Broken Arrow, OK -- Conservative Republican candidate for Congress Nathan Dahm today decried Governor Mary Fallin's veto of Senate Bill 1212, known as Constitutional Carry.

"It is disappointing but not surprising that Governor Fallin, like so many other RINO “campaign conservatives” would willingly violate her campaign promises and her oath to the Constitution when it furthers her liberal agenda," said Dahm, R - Broken Arrow. "The Constitution clearly reads that "the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Nathan Dahm, a long time champion of 2nd Amendment rights, sponsored the measure which would have made Oklahoma the 14th Constitutional Carry state.

"Every law-abiding Oklahoman should be afforded the right to defend themselves without having to pay the government to do so. As a proven conservative, this veto will not deter me in my fight to defend the 2nd Amendment."

Nathan Dahm is a current Oklahoma State Senator and conservative Republican candidate for Congress in Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District. To learn more about Nathan, visit www.NathanDahm.com.

Blogger's note: yes, Mary Fallin can no longer lay claim to the 'conservative' title. Her record in the last few years has been one of vetoing major pro-life and pro-gun bills, vetoing government reform measures, and pushing for the most massive tax hikes ever proposed in Oklahoma history. She's no conservative, at least any more.

Fallin vetoes 'Constitutional Carry', signs adoption bill

Governor Fallin announced her action on two controversial measures passed in the final week of the legislative session. The first was SB 1212, the "Constitutional Carry" bill that would have removed the requirement to pay for a license and take a class in order to exercise your constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Fallin vetoed the measure. SB 1212 passed the House by a vote of 59 to 28, and the Senate by a vote of 33 to 9.

The second was SB 1140, a measure that would protect the religious freedom of non-profit groups to facilitate adoptions consistent with their faith. LGBT extremists had been pressuring the Governor to veto the bill, but she [surprisingly to me] actually came through and signed it. SB 1140 passed the House by a vote of 56 to 21, and the Senate by a vote of 33 to 7.

Here are her press releases announced the actions she took:

Governor May Fallin Vetoes Senate Bill 1212

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today vetoed Senate Bill 1212, which would have eliminated the requirement to complete a short firearms safety and training course from a certified instructor and demonstrate competency with a pistol before carrying a gun in public. The governor issued the following statement:

“Oklahoma is a state that respects the Second Amendment. As governor, I have signed both concealed-carry and open-carry legislation. I support the right to bear arms and own a pistol, a rifle, and a shotgun.

“Oklahomans believe that law-abiding individuals should be able to defend themselves. I believe the firearms requirement we current have in state law are few and reasonable. Senate Bill 1212 eliminates the training requirements for persons carrying a firearms in Oklahoma. It reduces the level of the background check necessary to carry a gun.

“SB 1212 eliminates the current ability of Oklahoma law enforcement to distinguish between those carrying guns who have been trained and vetted, and those who have not.

“Again, I believe the firearms laws we currently have in place are effective, appropriate and minimal, and serve to reassure our citizens that people who are carrying handguns in this state are qualified to do so.”

Governor Mary Fallin Signs Senate Bill 1140

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today signed Senate Bill 1140, which to the extent allowed by federal law, no private child-placing agency shall be required to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies. The governor issued the following statement:

“After many hours of consideration and investigation of Oklahoma’s current practice, I note the aggressive efforts that have been made since I have been governor and the substantial progress made in finding more temporary and permanent placements for deserving children, reducing by 21 percent the number of children in state custody. This improvement is due in large part to the successful public-private partnership of more than 50 agencies, some of which are faith-based.

“Under Senate Bill 1140, the state will not be in any way restricting current practice allowing LGBTQ individuals and couples fostering or adopting. It does not ban same-sex adoption or foster care in Oklahoma. Instead, the bill will help continue Oklahoma’s successful placement of children with a broad array of loving families and basically maintain the status quo by setting forth in statute practices which have successfully worked for the best interest of Oklahoma children. I also note that the bill mirrors very similar legislation in Virginia, which has been on the books since 2012 without any court challenges. Since then, five additional states have passed similar legislation. Kansas also has a similar bill before its governor.

“SB 1140 allows faith-based agencies that contract with Oklahoma to continue to operate in accordance with their beliefs. In a day and time when diversity is becoming a core value to society because it will lead to more options, we should recognize its value for serving Oklahoma also because it leads to more options for loving homes to serve Oklahoma children. Other states that have declined the protection to faith-based agencies have seen these agencies close their doors, leaving less options for successful placement of children who need loving parents.

“Finally, I remain committed to preserving the rights of all Oklahomans who are eligible and want to be considered for parenting. Therefore, I plan to direct the Department of Human Services, by executive order, to immediately publish a list of Oklahoma adoption and foster agencies on its website who are willing to serve everyone who meets the Department of Human Services criteria for being a foster or adoptive parent.”