July 10, 2007

On The Cover

McMahan Besieged – Auditor’s Political Education

By Arnold Hamilton

In his first 4½ years as state auditor, Democrat Jeff McMahan mostly garnered headlines for all the wrong reasons.

What’s Inside

Frosty’s Notebook: What Fairness?

By Frosty Troy

Was it your misfortune to dial in on Oklahoma City’s CBS affiliate’s slanted report on the Fairness Doctrine?

Term Limits Hamper Oklahoma’s Progress

By Edwin E. Vineyard

The state has been fortunate to progress as favorably as it has when the voters constantly put amateurs in charge of affairs. But Oklahoma is now suffering the disturbing consequences of having ideologue amateurs in positions of dominant leadership within our government, particularly in the Legislature.

Subsidies Hurt Sooner Farmers, World’s Poor

By Jim French

What do the African nations of Mali, Chad, Benin, and Burkina Faso share with Jackson, Tillman, and Cimarron counties in Oklahoma? They all have experienced the unintended consequences stemming from U.S. farm policy.

The Unification Of Church And State: New Baptist Altar Call

By Don Wilkey

Old Testament King Saul imposed himself upon the office of the priesthood in violation of his calling to be a secular king. His attempt to blend the offices and override distinctly different administrations brought about the judgment of God. It is sad that many modern believers don’t heed the lesson of Saul. They insist in blending the political with the sacred.
Gambling Addiction Impacting Oklahoma

An official estimates 35,000 to 70,000 Oklahomans – 1% to 2% of the state’s population – have gambling problems.

NEA Honors INDN’s List Founder Free

INDN’s List founder Kalyn Free was honored recently with the National Education Association’s prestigious Leo Reano Memorial Award for her commitment and efforts to ensure American Indians have a seat – and a voice – at the nation’s political table.

Bush Court Blind To Gender Discrimination

By Danny M. Adkison

It is a new Supreme Court. Not only is the new Supreme Court hearing fewer cases and cases of less significance [which may not be a bad thing], but the Roberts-Alito Court is clearly signaling a new era. Justice Ginsburg took extreme steps to make this point recently [doing something she had never done before during her tenure on the court].

Books

America Self-Absorbed And Imperialistic

By Alvena Bieri

We need more political writers like Saul Landau. In his brand new book, A Bush & Botox World: Travels Through Bush’s America, he lays out in stark language and startling detail just how both our politics and our culture have deteriorated.

Not Enough Grapes, Plenty Of Wrath

By Norm Rourke

Harpsong. The title sings as does the story. Sometimes disturbing as good people struggled during the Depression, Harpsong is an anthem to the human spirit.

Public Forum

How To Deal With Journalists’ Opinions

By Pat Piety

Back in the 1980s, I attended a luncheon for journalists at which the featured speaker was Mike Lacey, then co-owner of the Phoenix New Times, one of those free, no-holds-barred, tabloid-style newsweeklies.

The Methods Behind My ‘Lunacy’

By Karen Webb

I actually have my picture on a webpage called Fringefolk and I am very proud of it. It has been there since about April 2001. Bush said we were a “tiny lunatic fringe,” but we got bigger. I was there protesting Bush, and all things Republican that I have a problem with, before 9/11. I have done it in a lot of free speech zones and several time zones.

Observations

Democrats?

If you read our Editor Arnold Hamilton’s interview [June 25 issue] with new Democratic Party Chairman Ivan Holmes, you know the party is at a critical crossroads.

No Vacation

Summer has arrived, but many Americans are not thinking about vacation plans. Unfortunately, only one in four Americans receives paid vacation or holiday time.

True Drew

Looking for a case of true grit? Look no further than Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson’s long fight to protect the Illinois River watershed.

Okies Speak

Oklahoma’s prison system will grow by 900 inmates at a cost of $16 million in the next fiscal year beginning July 1 thanks to a do-nothing Legislature and a governor scared to death to sign paroles.

Deadly China

How many Americans know that some of those cheap Chinese products are filthy, even potentially dangerous?

Bush Support?

The Congress passed a comprehensive $646 billion defense spending bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote.