January 10, 2008

On The Cover

Oklahoma’s Ethics: Will 2008 Be Year Of Real Reform?

By Arnold Hamilton

Oklahoma’s long, sordid history of political corruption – everything from campaign finance violations to influence peddling – could add an important new chapter in 2008.

What’s Inside

Frosty’s Notebook: Helen

By Frosty Troy

I was back from Korea in the spring of 1952, attending a McAlester Rockets New York Yankee farm club game. I spotted a friend, Margaret Altman, and took a seat beside her. She introduced me to Helen Nix. Yes, as corny as it sounds, I was instantly smitten.

No Surprise: Prisons Need More Money – Federal Intervention?

By Arnold Hamilton

It took six months and $844,000 of the taxpayers’ money to tell us this? The long-awaited performance audit of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections simply reinforced the message that penal experts repeatedly delivered to lawmakers in recent years: The state’s prison system is lean, mostly well managed and grossly underfunded.

MAPS For Millionaires Anything But ‘Super’

By Wanda Jo Stapleton

When does corporate welfare go to far? In my opinion, when a few Oklahoma City millionaires want to pilfer the pockets of grannies existing on Social Security.

Warm Fuzzies Can’t Hide Big Oil’s Damage

By Darla Reynolds-Sparks

The fuzzy TV ad regarding cleaning up old well sites for free sponsored by the oil industry’s royalty group is mostly a PR project so you and I won’t notice their destruction of our infrastructure and their ownership of our corrupted politicians.

Appreciation: Doris Gunn’s Quest For Justice Never Wavered

By Rick Seifert

Doris Gunn’s smile often had a playful mischievousness about it. If she suspected you of being susceptible to her thinking, her grin took on a hint of sly conspiracy. She was about to weld you to what was on her mind.

Mirror, Mirror: Cristina And Hillary

By Danny M. Adkison

There was a woman. She wanted to be president of her country. She was ready to assume the role and lead the nation. The question was, was the nation ready for her?

High Tech Comes To Asher Public School

By Whitney Allen

As I sit down to write this “press release” I am surrounded by conditions slightly similar to those experienced 66 years ago by the men who visited our school today.

Books

Happiness: Presidency In A Rearview Mirror

By Alvena Bieri

Barbara Walters asked Jimmy Carter a few years ago what he considered to be the very best years of his life. He didn’t hesitate to answer, “By far the best years are those I’m enjoying with Rosalyn since we left the White House.”

Public Forum

Divided Oklahoma

Ugly Anti-Immigrant History Repeated

By John E. Orr

My grandparents moved to Indian Territory as immigrants. They were hired to do work the Indians did not wish to do. They couldn’t own land and their customs were strange to the Indians. They came to Indian Territory desperately seeking a better life. Sound familiar?

So Only Bigots Oppose Illegal Immigration?

By A.M. Schnitzer

I am an American who believes our laws should be followed and enforced. If that makes me a bigot, then I am a bigot.

New Law Turns Doctors Into Detectives

By J. Michael Pontious

House Bill 1804 went into effect two months ago. I really think that the Oklahoma Legislature is on to something with this wonderful piece of legislation.

Observations

Greetings!

As we embark on our 40th year together, we welcome hundreds of new readers – many joining us through the generosity of loyal subscribers who help keep this journal of free voices alive.

Top Ten

We know you’re up to here with Top 10 stories of the past year, yet we would like to add to the list: Top 10 reasons why you should fork over the money for a gift subscription to keep The Observer going.

A GOP Dream

It’s a Republican dream come true. Next year’s state budget is so bad, less than $32 million in new dollars will be available. That means either standstill budgets or drastic cuts.

Lagging Pay

American public school teachers earned an average of $46,752 last year, a slight raise that did not keep pace with inflation.

Dump It

Henry Bellmon fought for it when he was in the U.S. Senate – a constitutional change that would wipe out the Electoral College. He had no luck.

Wrong!

Would even waterboarding get the truth out of state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, the immigration spin doctor whose fame is not unlike that of Pinocchio?