April 25, 2007

On The Cover

We’re Losing America: A Fractured Country

By Frosty Troy

What is happening to America? Civil rights are fading as fast as George Bush can issue a “signing” letter. His administration has made war on the environment – we are paying a dear price for that.

What’s Inside

Frosty’s Notebook: My Brother

By Frosty Troy

My brother Johnny was an authentic American hero, the kind who never talked about his military service in detail.

Henry Says No To “Abortion” Bill

Gov. Brad Henry has vetoed Senate Bill 714, an abortion bill supported by the Legislature’s foremost political fundamentalists.

Dems Vote To Make Rapists Into Fathers

By Karen Webb

Oklahoma Democratic senators who hate poor women enough to force them to make their rapists fathers are Burrage, Corn, Easley, Garrison, Gumm [shame, shame on you, Jay Paul], Ivester, Laster and Paddack.

Anti-Gay Commissioner Is Toast

By James Nimmo

Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart from District 2, a practicing public homophobe, was formally arraigned earlier this month for serious Oklahoma capaign law violations.

The Lege Creating Rich & Poor Schools

By Bill Bentley

Did you ever wonder why some school districts in Oklahoma have beautiful structures where you would love to work, while other schools struggle to maintain their old buildings and have little or no ability to build new facilities?

State Sets Another Anti-Child Record

Oklahoma has the third highest infant-mortality rate in the nation, prompting two lawmakers to call on the Legislature to find new ways to provide prenatal care and education to poor mothers.

Playing Politics With Immigration ‘Reform’

With the Senate giving its blessing, the so-called immigration reform package could reach Gov. Brad Henry’s desk before month’s end. Two senators – Harry Coates, the lone Republican legislator to vote against HB 1804, and Demorat Jay Paul Gumm, who endorsed the measure – offer their perspectives:

By Harry Coates

If you are playing politics, then the smart thing to do is look at how the public feels about an issue, and then vote for a bill on that topic, even if you know the bill won’t really accomplish anything – even if you know the bill could make things worse. When it comes to Oklahoma businesses and legislation dealing with illegal immigration, or any topic for that matter, I refuse to play politics. That’s why I voted against House Bill 1804.

By Jay Paul Gumm

The Senate gave final approval to a bill to strengthen Oklahoma’s laws relating to illegal immigration. It is an important bill I am proud to have supported.

Public Forum

On Taxes, Roads And Drug Problems

By Mack Miller

The Oklahoma Legislature doesn’t understand economics. They have been cutting taxes for the last two sessions and now don’t understand why there is a revenue shortfall.

A ‘Conversation’ With A Republican

By Edwin E. Vineyard

Well, it wasn’t really a conversation, but better described as a series of short exclamations back and forth. Conservations with some Republicans about politics tend to be like that.

Coburn Sells Out To Contractors

By Tom Elmore

Some are bending over backwards to congratulate U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn for his “leadership” in opposing the “railroad to nowhere.” Remember this: “Doctor-Senator Coburn,” in the thrall of the downtown Oklahoma City developers and Association of General Contractors, “chooses not to” oppose earmarks already approved for the “New Crosstown” in Oklahoma City.

American Needs To Invest In Children

By Pat Piety

In America, most professions require some education, training and testing, but a glaring exception is parenting. To be entrusted with the most important job in the world, all one needs to do is have children.

Electoral College Fix: The Loaded Gun

By Danny Adkison

You thought New Hampshire and Iowa were first when it came to presidential elections. Not any more. Maryland is now first. It became the first state to adopt a proposal that would put a resounding halt to the Loaded Gun.

Vietnam and Iraq Are Both Tragedies

By Frank Silovsky

During 1968, I was right on the edge of resigning my commission and risking court martial as a protest over the war we made on the Vietnamese people.
The Vietnam War was founded on lies about the Gulf of Tonkin. More than 57,000 of our generation … bit the dust for absolutely no good reason. More than two million Vietnamese also died.
Bush is doing the same type of thing in Iraq. That country was never a threat to us and Bush knew it.

Observations

No Excuse

There is simply no excuse for the unhealthy state of Oklahoma, from obese children to poor pregnancy outcomes.

Hey, Bro

Imagine the media dust-up if Bill Clinton had let his brother take a chunk of educational software, a $2 billion-a-year industry that has become the darling of school systems across the country.

Dumb

We realize Oklahoma’s newspapers are handicapped because they read and believe what they read on the editorial page of the Daily Disappointment.

What A Priest!

As the parishioners filtered into Parnell’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in Newton, New Zealand, Father Peter Murname waited outside, showing images of deformed Iraqi children.

Tragic Rank

Wonder why more than 662,000 Oklahomans have no health insurance? Premiums for Oklahoma’s working families have rocketed nearly 60% since 2000.

NCLB Fails

Don’t say you didn’t know the truth – your Observer has been warning you about the No Child Left Behind Act since the beginning. We actually read the bill.