February 10, 2008
On The Cover
This New House: Cargill’s Demise Helps Dems
By Arnold Hamilton
Lance Cargill is out. Chris Benge is in. House Democrats are … where?
What’s Inside
Frosty’s Notebook: Political Parties
By Frosty Troy
You hear it all the time – people say they are sick of both political parties, claiming the parties are essentially the same and it doesn’t matter who is in power, because the Democrats and the Republicans are in the pocket of special interests and equally disengaged from the concerns and needs of average people.
New Rules Limit Big Money Influence
Let the cleanup begin. The Oklahoma Ethics Commission ignored powerful lobbyists and lawmakers when it recently approved new rules aimed at eliminating the corrosive influence of big money on state elections and lawmaking.
Oklahoma Lobbying Is A Big Business
By John Wood
Fact 1: Lobbyist expenditures have risen over recent years and expect to double this year. Lobbyist expenditures in Oklahoma: $125,000 in 2004; $175,780 in 2005; $161,652 in 2006; first six months of 2007, $137,369.40.
Plan Would Help College Attendance
State Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, has filed legislation to create Oklahoma’s “Second Century Promise,” targeting students who currently do not qualify for Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program, formerly known as OHLAP.
Rice Offers Vets Insurance Plan
Noting that about one of every eight veterans under age 65 are uninsured, state Sen. Andrew Rice, D-OKC, announced he is introducing legislation this year creating the Oklahoma Veterans’ Health Insurance Program.
House Is Covered But Schools Aren’t
A $1,500 life-saving device could be located in every Oklahoma school if a measure by state Rep. Wallace Collins can navigate the legislative process this year.
Oklahoma Disgrace: Childhood Obesity Is Out Of Control
Almost 40% of Oklahoma’s children and youth are either overweight or at risk of being overweight. This epidemic has dire health and economic consequences for children and the state of Oklahoma.
Alternative Ed Is Booming Success
Oklahoma has created a nationally recognized model for statewide alternative education that is saving taxpayers $156 million.
The NCLB Law Is Not Education
By Joseph Quigley
As with most anything else that has elected officials involved, whatever the original intent and potential benefit, No Child Left Behind, as it is now, has absolutely nothing to do with what its name implies, or its purpose was.
Public Forum
Despair Over The State Of Our Union
By Edwin E. Vineyard
Even though we should be glad that this is President Bush’s last State of the Union message, some of us are not feeling so well.
Our Leaders Are Slow Learners On Economy
By Larry D. Dobie
Three months ago no media or politician mentioned the “I” word [inflation] or the “R” word [recession]. Now they can’t say it enough.
Electoral College: A Way Around Elitism
By Del Patterson
What were the Founding Fathers thinking when they introduced the oblique concept of the Electoral College? To be sure, they weren’t too keen on the one-man-one-vote theory for the commoner.
America Puts Profit Over Health Care
By Ron du Bois
Our medical and medical insurance ethos sadly is that sick people are good for business.
Don’t Diminish Energy Efforts As A P.R. Ploy
By Melvin Moran
A few weeks ago The Observer ran an article written by a woman whose entire family has long been involved in the oil and gas industry. She described the cleaning up of old well sites for free as “mostly a P.R. project.” She complained about Oklahoma’s “deplorable infrastructure” with special emphasis on our terrible roadways and unsafe bridges.
Exploding Myths About ‘Real’ Polling
By Karen Webb
I worked during the 1994 governor’s election in Oklahoma at probably what was then the most used polling company – it was owned by Tom Cole, now a Republican congressman.
Dwelling In The Cellar Takes Its Toll
By Darla Reynolds-Sparks
Purging is exactly what needs to be done. I’m continually amazed at all the entities in state government that are set up, financed and run for years without one conscientious or honest person on the taxpayers’ payroll ever inquiring what the group does and why they exist.
Observations
Merit What?
Serial tax dodger Lance Cargill’s attack on public education takes form under the guise of “merit pay” – a few bucks for a few teachers in a few schools.
SMU Revolt
President Bush and his big-money backers are in the midst of an eye-popping half-billion-dollar drive to make Southern Methodist University [SMU] home for the Bush presidential library and policy think [?] tank.
Tell The Truth
Abortion has plummeted 25% thanks in large part to the wisdom of family planning. It would have been lower had it not been for the religious right push for abstinence-only sex education.
China Rising
While America’s industrial base shrinks and our unprecedented debt is purchased by foreign governments, we thought we would share a few facts with you about China which has loaned up $1.2 trillion.
Test, Test
As states such as Oklahoma grapple with the “simple” requirement of asking graduating seniors to pass exit exams in core subjects, the tests are proving increasingly controversial.
Look Homeward
The gaps in critical home conditions and experiences of young children mirror the achievement gaps that begin early in life and persist through high school, according to results from a new study conducted by the Education Testing Service.
