Archive for: December, 2009

State Senator John Sparks: Panderer Extraordinaire

Dec 30 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Budget and taxes, Good government, Oklahoma Politics, State Legislature

It looks like State Senator John Sparks, Democrat out of Norman and my senator, has just made the December 31st deadline for the Most Worthless Idea of 2009 Contest.  Yesterday it was announced Sparks will be filing legislation to enact the Second Amendment Weekend Tax Holiday, which would make all purchases of firearms tax free for a weekend yet to be determined.  We’re beginning to think Sparks’s policy adviser is an ouija board. Otherwise, where does this guy get his ideas?

Look, we’re big fans of the Second Amendment (we even have its jersey) and we support legislative actions that strengthen every citizen’s right to bear arms. We’re also big believers in tax cuts that enhance economic growth and promote a fairer tax system.  But let’s be honest: Senator Sparks’s bill does not do one thing to strengthen our rights or promote a better, fairer tax system.  Instead, this bill is clearly designed for political expediency rather than good public policy.  Perhaps liberal Sparks sees a threat to his re-election this year and wants to beef up his moderate credentials.  Democrats aren’t very popular right now and Sparks’s senate district is relatively conservative, though Democratic.  Or perhaps Sparks is planning a run for higher office in the near future and needed to buttress his rural bona fides.  Who knows?  What we do know is that this borders on embarrassing pandering and takes valuable time away from addressing more pressing matters.

We also know that Oklahoma is in a severe budget crunch and is struggling to decide what services to cut and where to squeeze more efficiency out of the government machine.  The proposed tax holiday won’t do one thing to fortify our economy, bring relief to struggling families, or solve the budget crisis.

What is most mind-boggling is trying to divine Sparks’s thinking and decision-making process.  Did he look at his list of ‘Most Pressing Problems Facing Oklahoma’ and see taxes on firearms in the Top 10?  If so, perhaps residents of Senate District 16 need to look for a senator who has his priorities in order.

If we’re serious about protecting Second Amendment rights, let’s continue supporting measures such as those that prevent government authorities from unlawfully confiscating legally-owned firearms or further intruding on your right to carry a concealed weapon for protection.  And if we’re serious about creating a better tax system, let’s do it in a way that treats every citizen fairly, brings new businesses and investment to the state, promotes our economic well-being, and gets rid absurd tax giveaways to corporations and special interest groups.

In other words, let’s not waste our time on silly ideas meant only to further a single politician’s future political career.

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OKC Thunder Win Fourth Straight

Dec 30 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Oklahoma, Sports

Oklahoma City seems to be on the up and up these days.  MAPS 3, the Devon Tower, and, of course, the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Thunder won their fourth straight game last night against the Washington Wizards, improving to 17-14.  Last season, we got our 17th victory in March.  Durant scored a game-high 35 points one night after scoring 40 points against the Nets.  He is the league’s second highest scorer in points per game, just behind Kobe Bryant. Our two rookies, James Harden and Eric Maynor, are also showing some impressive progress, giving us a deeper bench.

After being one of the worst teams in the league last year, dare I utter the word… playoffs?  If I was a betting man–and I am– I would put money on the Thunder being the 7th or 8th seed, especially if we keep progressing defensively.  Keep in mind we barely–BARELY– lost to the defending champions twice.  Last year, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers entire starting lineup would have been resting on the bench at the end of the 1st quarter.  This year, we twice took them to the very last second of the game and frustrated Bryant and Ron Artest to no end on defensive side of the game.  Not bad for team that only had 23 wins all of last season. Not bad at all.

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Janet Barresi’s Questionable Donations

Dec 29 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Education, Oklahoma Politics

A couple weeks ago I received a fundraising letter from Janet Barresi, a Republican candidate for State Superintendent.  She is seeking to replace retiring Superintendent Sandy Garrett, a Democrat who has done virtually nothing positive for our education system during her long tenure.  I had previously heard good things about Dr. Barresi (she’s a dentist), so I decided to read the letter rather than throw it away as I do with 95% of fundraising letters I receive.  The letter was nothing special, but I didn’t expect much from it in the first place.  It was the typical, run-of-the-mill fundraising letter we all receive at one point or another in our lives.

Now, usually before I donate to a political candidate, I have to be really sure I will like him or her.  I need to know I can count on them to agree with me on most (but not all) of the issues I care about, be convinced they will run a competent campaign and, if elected, run their office with competence and good ethics.  Thus, it should be no surprise that I’ve only donated to a few politicians in my life.  Dr. Barresi, however, seems to be willing to donate to just about anyone.  Briefly glancing over her donor records for the past two years, we see that she donated $10,000 to McCain-Palin Victory 2008, $500 to Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign committee, 2,000 to Fallin for Congress, and a $250 to the National Republican Trust PAC.  She’s contributed to Rep. Lisa Billy, Sen. Clark Jolley, and former Speaker Lance Cargill. None of those are surprising, though some are encouraging.

But when you go back more than two years, that’s where you find some slightly disturbing donations, at least from the viewpoint of a Republican.  In 2006, she donated to $4,000 Sandy Garrett’s re-election campaign, $750 to State Treasurer Scott Meacham, a Democrat, and $250 to Jeff McMahan, a Democrat and convicted felon who is is now serving time in prison for accepting bribes and committing other crimes.  McMahan defeated current GOP State Chairman Gary Jones in 2006 by the thinnest of margins.  Barresi even donated $500 to Sandy Garrett’s re-election campaign for 2010–of course before Garrett decided to retire.

I’d be interested to hear Dr. Barresi’s explanation for why she donated to these individuals.  Let me be clear: there is nothing wrong with these donations on their face, and Okie Pundit isn’t accusing her of anything sinister.  These donations can be explained away pretty easily, in fact (e.g., “Meacham and Garrett are personal, long-time friends of mine” or “They aren’t who I thought they would be”).  I’m certainly not advocating any purity test when it comes to political donations. That would be silly and counterproductive.  Still, we would like to know what Dr. Barresi saw in Jeff McMahan that made her think he would be the best candidate for the job in 2006, long after some of the more serious allegations about his conduct had come to light.  Why did Barresi donate to Sandy Garrett if she thought Garrett was overseeing and prolonging “failed big government policies” in state education?

Does Dr. Barresi have some intellectual or political rubric for deciding who gets her cash?  If so, what is it?

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Senate Passes Health Care Bill: Arrogant, Corrupt, Stupid

Dec 24 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Congress, Good government, Health Care

Senator Coburn released this statement following the party-line vote in the Senate to pass Harry Reid’s health care bill:

This vote is indeed historic. This Congress will be remembered for its arrogance, corruption and stupidity. In the year of 2009, a Congress ignored the coming economic storm and impending bankruptcy of our entitlement programs and embarked on an ideological crusade to bring our nation as close to single-payer, government-run health care as possible. If this bill becomes law, future generations will rue this day and I will do everything in my power to work toward its repeal. This bill will ration care, cut Medicare, increase premiums, fund abortion and bury our children in debt.

This process was not compromise. This process was corruption. This bill passed because votes were bought and sold using the issue of abortion as a bargaining chip. The abortion provision alone makes this bill the most arrogant piece of legislation I have seen in Congress. Only the most condescending politician can believe it is appropriate to force Americans to pay for other people’s abortions and to coerce medical professional to take the lives of unborn children.

Read the rest here.

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Report: 60% of Health Care Controlled By Government

Dec 23 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Budget and taxes, Congress, Health Care

The Congressional Research Service, the non-partisan research arm of Congress, recently released a report showing government already controls approximately 60% of all health care spending.  It was also revealed that Medicare, the government-run health insurance program for seniors, is the most frequent denier of medical claims, denying up to twice as many claims as private insurers.  Also, due to their low reimbursement rate compared to private plans, nearly 30% of Medicare beneficiaries had trouble finding a primary care physician (PCP) to treat them.  These facts call into question Democrat claims that government needs a greater role in the health care industry to reduce costs.  In fact, one of the primary reasons health care spending and costs have risen so rapidly is because of sweeping government control that prevents competition and consumer choice.

Responding to this finding by CRS, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn said, “Defenders of the Reid bill say we need ‘reform’ to keep insurance companies honest.  A better question should be: ‘Who’s going to keep the government honest?’”

In government there is no competition and there is no incentive to lower costs, hence the rapidly rising Medicare spending and the program’s impending bankruptcy within the decade.  Congress could increase competition and immediately lower health care costs for the American people by doing two simple things, none of which require spending a single taxpayer dime: 1) allow consumers to purchase a health insurance plan across state lines, from anywhere in the United States; and 2) require medical care providers (e.g., hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctors, surgical centers, etc.) to post their prices online.

As it stands now, many health insurance companies benefit from a state-sponsored monopoly or oligopoly in several states.  This limits competition among the insurers and limits consumer choice.  Furthermore, and perhaps most detrimentally of all, patients have no idea what the cost of their medical treatment is until they receive the bill.  It’s like going to Best Buy and purchasing a flat panel HD television without knowing the price, only to receive a bill from Best Buy two months later for $12,000. No market can work efficiently in such a manner. If health providers are forced to post their prices like almost every other industry does, health consumers can shop around and choose the cheapest, highest quality option available to them.  This competition will serve to lower prices and enhance affordability, thereby allowing more low income Americans to obtain the medical care they need.

Of course those two measures won’t solve everything wrong with our health system, such as our perverse fee-for-service payment structure.  It will, however, go a long way in lowering costs.  But if government keeps intruding into the market, after already gaining a 60% market share with wasteful programs, the problems of health spending and inflationary costs will only worsen as consumer choice is sacrificed on the altar of political survival.

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Councilman Hal Ezzell Announces Run for Norman Mayor

Dec 22 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Oklahoma Politics

The Transcript reports:

Local businessman and Ward 3 city councilman Hal Ezzell recently announced his candidacy for mayor of Norman.

Mayor Cindy Rosenthal announced that she would run earlier in the month.

Ezzell said the city is failing miserably at taking care of the resources and infrastructure that already exists in Norman, adding there are $8 million in capital maintenance. He also said the city relies too heavily on costly outside consultants as they make decisions and undertake costly and ambitious projects.

“I want to restore fiscal responsibility and transparency to Norman city government,” Ezzell said. “While searching for solutions to difficult and far-reaching issues, we must be mindful of the unprecedented economic circumstances that confront the city, state and nation.”

Cindy Rosenthal has certainly turned out to be one major disappointment.  Not only has she squandered millions for her pet projects, but she’s currently being investigated by the OSBI for violations of the Open Meetings Act.  Her ethics are not in question: everyone knows they’re horrible.  For the sake of Oklahoma’s third largest city, let’s hope Ezzell can defeat her and be a better steward of Norman’s resources.

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Democrat Congressman Switching to GOP

Dec 22 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Congress, Health Care

Politico is reporting that Alabama Congressman Parker Griffith will announce today that he is switching parties from Democrat to Republican.  Given the size of the Democrats’ majority in the House, this won’t be a monumental shift on its own, but it does portend disaster for Democrats in the midterm elections.  This was a conservative Democrat who was going to face a very tough re-election battle and who felt the Democratic Party was abandoning the more moderate members of the caucus in favor of far left policies.  Griffith’s move may facilitate the switch or retirement of other endangered Democrats, thus making it more difficult for them to retain control of the House. It will also make passing health care reform just a bit more difficult for the Democrats, especially if they cannot come up with a way to pacify pro-life Democrats.

And so the Democrat tide begins to recede…

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WSJ: A Reckless Health Care Bill That Nobody Believes In

Dec 22 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Health Care

A bill so reckless it has to be rammed through on a Christmas Eve vote:

“The rushed, secretive way that a bill this destructive and unpopular is being forced on the country shows that “reform” has devolved into the raw exercise of political power for the single purpose of permanently expanding the American entitlement state. An increasing roll of leaders in health care and business are looking on aghast at a bill that is so large and convoluted that no one can truly understand it, as Finance Chairman Max Baucus admitted on the floor last week. The only goal is to ram it into law while the political window is still open, and clean up the mess later.”

…

“From the outset, the White House’s core claim was that reform would reduce health costs for individuals and businesses, and they’re sticking to that story. “Anyone who says otherwise simply hasn’t read the bills,” Mr. Obama said over the weekend. This is so utterly disingenuous that we doubt the President really believes it.”The best and most rigorous cost analysis was recently released by the insurer WellPoint, which mined its actuarial data in various regional markets to model the Senate bill. WellPoint found that a healthy 25-year-old in Milwaukee buying coverage on the individual market will see his costs rise by 178%. A small business based in Richmond with eight employees in average health will see a 23% increase. Insurance costs for a 40-year-old family with two kids living in Indianapolis will pay 106% more. And on and on.

“These increases are solely the result of ObamaCare…”

We’re in the very best of hands.  Hope and change, my friends. Hope and change.

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Creating or Saving Oklahoma Jobs… and Tax Revenue

Dec 21 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Budget and taxes, Congress, Oklahoma, State Legislature

Today we got the news that state revenue is expected to be approximately 20% less in 2010 than it was last year.  That will amount to a $729 million total shortfall in the state’s budget.  State agencies have already cut 5% from their budgets each month since August, bringing the budget deficit down to $530 million. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Oklahoma faces the largest deficit of any state in the country.  That’s somewhat misleading, however.  Oklahoma has the largest deficit percentage-wise at 18.5%, but in absolute terms is nowhere near as bad off as California or New York, where high tax rates, mind-blowing reckless spending, and sky-high unemployment have sent people and businesses fleeing.

It’s times like these we can thank God Obama’s stimulus package worked, right?  Well, no.  Remember, friends, we were promised the stimulus would keep unemployment below 8%.  We’re now at 10% and it’s likely to get worse.  The longer unemployment remains that high, the worse the economic situation will become as workers begin to lose their skills, get discouraged and give up looking for work, and become dependent on government aid.  That means more foreclosures, tighter credit markets, and a greater fiscal burden on state governments.  Instead of the 5% cuts Oklahoma state agencies have been making due with, we’re now cutting 10% a month, and that could lead to disaster.  A disaster for those on Medicaid, children in state custody, public safety, and common education (too bad the great emancipating lottery didn’t save education).  We’ve been told by the administration spin doctors that we’re now out of the recession and into a recovery, but it doesn’t seem that way to the American people who can’t find jobs or stay in their homes.  Now, Democrats are exploring a second stimulus, which seems to be an implicit admission that the first one was an expensive failure.

Oklahoma, thankfully, has enough cash in the Rainy Day Fund and saved about $600 million in stimulus funds that can be used to plug the revenue shortfall (and you thought all that borrowed money was out there creating jobs instead of sitting in savings accounts).  If energy prices rebound, we may get a bit of relief, but probably not enough to erase our woes.  State leaders have some tough choices on their hands.  Let’s hope they make the right ones, because our leaders in Washington sure aren’t.

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Coburn: Health Care Bill is Corruption

Dec 21 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Congress, Health Care

So it’s come to this.  In order to secure their 60th vote, Senate Democrats have resorted to buying votes and holding 1 am roll calls.  The latest senator to betray his people and his pro-life credentials is Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).  In return for Nelson’s vote, Harry Reid (D-NV) attached an amendment to the bill that will make the taxpayers of other states pay for Nebraska’s portion of the costs. That’s right: While the taxpayers will have to spend billions to pay for the Democrats’ Medicaid expansion in their own states, they also get to pay for Nebraska’s free ride because Ben Nelson is an unprincipled cheap date.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) also got a nice $100 million gift, courtesy of the taxpayer, but that’s no surprise since we already knew he was one of the most corrupt senators in Washington. And, of course, to secure the Louisiana senator’s vote, Mary Landrieu (D-LA) got $300 million in the infamous “Louisiana Purchase.”  In total, there appears to be at least $1.5 billion in money spent by Harry Reid to buy the votes of his fellow Democrats.

Thankfully, Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn was willing to call this what it is: corruption. Plain and simple corruption.  This is, apparently, the hope and change President Obama and his Democrats have brought us.  They couldn’t secure the votes for this horrifically unpopular bill in an open and honest manner, so they used our money as their personal bribe fund. The culture of corruption survives stronger than ever.   Democrats and liberals across the country should be ashamed and embarrassed.

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At Least An Oil Change Accomplishes Something

Dec 19 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Culture

ATT00010

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Tulsa school bureaucrats receiving pay raises despite budget cuts

Dec 17 2009 Published by Bill the Butcher under Education

Interesting news today from KRMG News Talk Radio in Tulsa:

Tulsa Public Schools is considering pay raises for administrators. Superintendent Keith Ballard says, even with a $3.5 million budget deficit, pay raises of up to 30-percent were already promised and it would not be right to take it back. Ballard issued this warning last month. He said, “If this budget plays out the way I have forecast it today, there absolutely will be loss of jobs, there absolutely will be layoffs.”

What kind of fantasy world are these bureaucrats living in? Facing a deficit and layoffs, a responsible Superintendent would ensure their resources were spent in the classroom, on teachers, students and supplies. And any administrator that genuinely cared about the students would accept a deferred pay raise.

Even worse, it was Tulsa Public Schools that used taxpayer dollars last year to file a lawsuit to stop charter schools because, “Officials say it would divert money from public schools.” By which, we assume, they meant their promised pay raise.

Unfortunately, seeing this kind of leadership makes it no surprise that Tulsa Public Schools graduates only 58% of students in four years, compared to 88% in nearby Jenks.

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OKC School Board Passes Protection for Gay Students

Dec 15 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Education

Today the Oklahoma City School Board voted to amend official policy to protect gay and lesbian students from bullying or harassment.  This is the right decision, in our opinion.  Any type of bullying or harassment should not be tolerated in school, no matter if the student is black, white, gay, straight, disabled, or otherwise. School is place Oklahoma’s youth should go to learn and be educated, and they should be able to do that without any fear whatsoever for their safety or social well-being.  Otherwise, what we end up with is entire groups of students who feel ostracized and unwelcome, thereby dramatically decreasing the value of their education. As a result, these students suffer later in life partly because they lack the proper education to succeed in an increasingly competitive world.

Some of our fellow conservatives have voiced concern over the new policy.  They fear this amounts to an endorsement of the gay lifestyle. To us, that’s patently absurd.  As conservatives, we should be naturally skeptical of the role public schools, and thereby government, serve in social engineering and carrying out politically-charged social agendas.  It is important to note that this policy addition does not add any extra or special protection not enjoyed by other students.  This is a simple, common-sense policy that will ensure gay and lesbian students are afforded the exact same protection other students receive.

On the other hand, we understand the criticism voiced by Board member Lyn Watson.  Watson worries that by adding a separate classification of protection for gays and lesbians, we will end up having to create several other classifications for other groups of students.  By further separating and classifying students, Watson argues, we divide the school community and deny them an all-inclusive learning environment.  We agree with Watson on this point, but we also must acknowledge that bullying of gay students is a dangerous reality.  Current policy has done little to stop it, and if explicitly adding in a protection helps end or decrease these acts, then we believe it to be the correct decision.  The inclusive environment Watson wishes for is admirable and just, but will not exist until every student feels welcome to learn without repercussions.  It is our hope this policy will ultimately lead to that inclusive educational environment in which the need to add these specific classifications is unnecessary.

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LeBron James is a Fry Thief!

Dec 14 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Sports

Last night at the Oklahoma City Thunder game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Forward LeBron James stole a young Thunder fan’s french fries, engulfing himself in what is likely to become the NBA controversy of the century.  Well, not really. It’s pretty clear the kid didn’t mind handing over a few fries and getting a high five from James that probably made his night.  I wouldn’t mind giving James one of my french fries, but I would hope the grease it leaves on his hands makes him miss some shots.

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Non-Race of the Day: Tom Cole vs. RJ Harris

Dec 12 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Congress, Oklahoma Politics, Predictions

Our non-race for today is Congressman Tom Cole vs. Law Student R.J. Harris.  Cole is a well-respected conservative Republican Congressman from Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District.  He won the seat after one of Oklahoma’s most beloved congressmen, J.C. Watts, retired.  Harris is challenging Cole for the GOP nomination.  He is a law student at the University of Oklahoma and a member of the Oklahoma National Guard.   He’s running as a “Constitutional Conservative” who was inspired to run by Ron Paul’s presidential campaign.

Here’s just one of the many reasons why it’s a non-race:

Tom Cole:

  • Net Contributions: $302,600
  • Cash on Hand: $540,918

R.J. Harris:

  • Net Contributions: $24,007 (includes a personal loan)
  • Cash on Hand: $290

Note that Cash on Hand figure: $290.  Harris has attempted to use the “money bomb” concept that worked well for Ron Paul, but has failed.  Many of his expenditures are to his own campaign staff members for “contract services” and for ineffective advertising techniques (e.g., Google Adwords, Facebook ads).   His campaign manager is known to be rude and angry, the campaign schedules Robo-Calls at 6 a.m., and they peddle falsified polling data from Persistence Polling, an unknown and questionable polling outfit. His donors should start wondering if they are getting any bang for their buck.  And this is all too bad because Harris is a relatively normal person who decided to get involved in politics because he saw something going on he didn’t like, something that is quite admirable and courageous.

Cole enjoys a massive money advantage not only because he’s an incumbent, but also because he’s earned the respect of the people during his time in Congress, his campaign is professionally run by an intelligent, personable young individual, and he meets the conservative ideological profile of his district.

This game was over before it began.

Primary Prediction: Cole 84%, Harris 16%.

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A True Story of Canadian Health Care, with Oklahoma Saving the Day

Dec 09 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Health Care, Oklahoma

Reason TV’s “A True Story of Canadian Health Care” tells the story of Cheryl Baxter, a Canadian woman who was put on waiting list after waiting list to get a simple hip-replacement surgery.  After years of waiting and being put on numerous drugs to deal with the pain and adverse effects of a bad hip, Ms. Baxter’s daughter found her an alternative: fly to the United States and get the surgery at a private surgery center.  Where did she go to have her surgery, you ask?  Our Great State of Oklahoma, of course.  Ms. Baxter and her daughter flew to Oklahoma City and, within two weeks, she got a new hip and was back home.

Dr. Keith Smith, an Oklahoma City surgeon, was interviewed by Reason TV and spoke about his Surgery Center of Oklahoma. The notable feature of his surgery center is something that is absent from most hospitals and medical providers: he posts his prices online.  That spurs competition among providers, something that is woefully absent from the vast majority of our health industry. That lack of competition causes higher prices and greater inefficiencies than would be present in a competitive market.  Watch the short video below and see Oklahoma’s connection to the debate.

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Congress Tries to Force College Football Playoffs

Dec 09 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Congress, Sports

If you have ever had any fears that the United States Congress was wasting its time poking around in places it didn’t belong, you can now lay those fears to rest once and for all.  As proof Congress is focusing fully on the most pressing issues facing the nation, from health care reform and economic recovery to the threats posed by terrorists organizations, today comes the news that a House subcommittee approved legislation that would try to force the NCAA to adopt a college football playoff system to determine the national champion.  Next week, we hear the Senate will begin debating whether or not future Star Trek movies should be forced to give a fairer treatment to the Romulan side of the story.

Regardless of your feelings about the BCS or a playoff system, I would hope we could all agree that the U.S. Congress should be focusing on other matters right now…and forever.  Can’t we just let the NCAA, the various colleges, coaches, and fans figure this one out?  Apparently, a very large portion of people don’t think so, if the online poll in the NewsOK is to be believed.

This is precisely why government has grown so big.  We expect it to fix any and all grievances we have, no matter how minor or justified.  I know, I know: some of you will point out how much money is involved and that there’s an issue of interstate commerce at hand.  Yeah, right.  Even if you believe that’s truly sufficient justification for Congress to intervene, do you really want people like Nancy Pelosi and Orrin Hatch determining the future of one of our most beloved sports institutions?  What you then get is a sporting system that’s more inundated with politics and corrupting influence by the powerful, rather than by merit and ability, than it already is.  And just like the “Economic Stimulus Package” that was riddled with waste and corruption, we know how well that will work out.

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MAPS 3 Voting Update… (Updated)

Dec 08 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under MAPS 3

[UPDATE 2: Well, the finally tally is in and while it wasn't the 58% we were hearing, it was still a very solid victory for MAPS 3.  With 54.3% of the vote, MAPS 3 the people of OKC chose to keep their city moving forward.  Congratulations to the Yes for MAPS campaign and their ability to put up with some extremely disappointing negative campaigning from the opposition.]

[UPDATE: We have another source telling us another exit poll has the "Yes" vote at 59%. It appears the 58% figure we reported earlier is looking more likely.  Victory, we hope, is imminent.]

From what we are hearing, it’s looking like MAPS 3 will win this election running away (with ~58%). We believe it will win, but for now we’ll remain skeptical about the predictions of a blow out. Nothing is less helpful in election analysis than saying it all depends on turnout, but we’ll go ahead and say it all depends on turnout. If turnout is heavy in south OKC, then it should be a close one. We hear the unions are turning their members out, but that could just be talk, especially given the fact that many union members and their families don’t live in OKC and can’t vote there.

We’ll let you know any additional information we receive, but right now we’re confident in victory. It’s just a matter of margin right now.

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Mark Shannon May Have Lost It

Dec 07 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under MAPS 3

Mark Shannon may have lost it. We’re not completely sure, but if his rants against MAPS 3 and Mayor Cornett are any indication, it doesn’t look good.  We used to be fans of Shannon (we link to him in the sidebar, after all).  We appreciate his status as a conservative voice on local radio, especially in his role as a tea party advocate earlier this year.  But recently he has become increasingly shrill and illogical.  At points he has even devolved into making absurd threats of bodily harm to those with whom he disagrees.  According to one listener we know, he stated he wished to “pistol whip” Mayor Cornett and burn down his house.  Usually we would have dismissed such allegations out of hand, but we’ve been following his website and other published materials on MAPS 3 and, unfortunately, these allegations don’t seem to be so out of the ordinary any more.

Just take a look at his homepage. The subtitle is “Daily Dispatches to the Resistance.”  Clearly he sees himself as a political insurgent.  But against what? Well, the most recent post about MAPS 3 gives you an idea and shows you how far he must stretch his imagination to define his enemies.  He attacks everyone, from Congressman Tom Cole to Kirk Humphreys to former Governor George Nigh, attempting to tie them to…President Obama and illegal aliens.  If that weren’t enough, apparently the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (all caps are needed to really press home the point) is directing this diabolical plan to… increase economic development and property values downtown. How ghastly.  We’re supposed to dismiss the new economic development because Kirk Humphreys has some property that will benefit (oh no!), Mayor Cornett works for an advertising firm that’s supporting MAPS (oh NO!), and Jabba the Hutt is in league with Aubrey McClendon (OH NO!).

But here’s the best part of Shannon’s post, where he attacks Frank Keating for supporting MAPS because he doesn’t live in OKC:

“[Frank Keating] didn’t even have a real residence in Oklahoma City. When Cathy ran for Congress, where did she run? In TULSA, where Frank Keating did keep his residency. Why on EARTH would we take advice on MAPS from FRANK KEATING a resident of Washington DC and TULSA?”

Yes, why would we listen to someone who doesn’t even live in Oklahoma City, Mark?  Oh wait, that’s right: Mark Shannon lives in Edmond.  Oops.

Shannon is increasingly representing a shrill portion of the electorate.  This group refuses to argue the details of policy, instead choosing to rely solely on platitudes, personal attacks, and conspiracy.  That’s a sign of intellectual weakness.  And it’s unfortunate, because we’re sure we would probably agree with them far more often than not. Maybe Shannon will come back to his senses after the vote.  We’ll see.

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OP Endorsement: YES on MAPS 3

Dec 07 2009 Published by Dr. Havel under Endorsements, MAPS 3

On Tuesday, residents of Oklahoma City will have the opportunity to vote for a truly monumental change in the city’s economic and social well-being.  The MAPS 3 proposal comes at precisely the right time in the city’s history.  The last two decades have been generous for city’s development and, as a result, a boon for the entire state. By redeveloping one of the most blighted areas of downtown and vastly improving the city’s public infrastructure, MAPS 3 will continue the momentum that has brought us a revitalized Bricktown, an NBA team, the Bricktown Ballpark, the renewal of the Oklahoma River, lower crime rates, newer and better schools, and much more.  For these reasons, we urge residents to vote “Yes.”

There are many things to be excited about in MAPS 3.  At OkiePundit, we especially like the idea of the downtown streetcar and a first-class central park.  The cost and lengthy development of the proposed convention center gives us some pause, but not enough to stop us from realizing we badly need something to replace the Cox Convention center if the city is to become a primary destination for future conventions and large events.

The socio-economic impact alone justifies the proposal.  If you don’t believe this, simply take a quick drive through the portion of downtown directly south of the I-40 Crosstown.  This area generates sparse economic activity due to the blight, and as consequence generates higher crime and little tax revenue.  MAPS 3 will change this.  With renewed development coinciding with the relocation of I-40 southward, economists are unanimous in their prediction that the economic impact will be enormous.  In this case, MAPS 3 means new business and new, permanent jobs. The renewed streetscapes and beautified Oklahoma River won’t hurt either.

There are a few valid points in opposition to the proposal.  It is legitimate, in our view, to question whether city tax dollars should be used to fund projects such as an artificial white water rapids recreational area or senior centers that will be utilized by only one demographic of the city.  These projects, though possessing some individual merit, seem to be included in the MAPS proposal more as an appeasement to targeted voter populations than as necessary to the future of the city.  In our mind, some of these projects could be funded through private fund or other alternate means.  But these concerns aren’t strong enough to merit throwing out the entire proposal, which, as a whole, is overwhelming positive and fiscally responsible.

The opponents of MAPS 3 would have been better off making arguments such as these against the proposal.  Instead, they resorted to intellectually lame reasoning and outright false statements (e.g., police and firefighters will lose their jobs).  When these failed to resonate with the public, they started spreading conspiracy theories of a diabolical, interconnected web of special interests that want to steal the tax money to line their pockets.  The proof they offer was that Devon Energy CEO Larry Nichols donated money to the pro-MAPS campaign and that The Oklahoman received advertising revenue from pro-MAPS ads, while editorializing in favor of the issue.  Lame, to say the least.  Usually, the first sign that one side in an election is desperate is the resort to the ad hominem.  Instead of considering the possibility that local business entities and wealthy individuals can act in good faith with legitimate concern for the future of their city, they launch personal attacks and question their motives.  It’s a tactic based on emotion and weakness rather than logic.

The Police and Firefighter unions have the most to be ashamed of, however. We are usually supportive of these organizations, but in this instance, they made fools out of themselves and came off as self-serving incompetents in their ill-conceived bid to increase their political clout.  We understand they need more money, but that isn’t a valid reason to obstruct this proposal.  In fact, considering the increased tax revenue that will likely result from MAPS 3, a large portion of which will go into their budget, their opposition amounts to self-destructive stupidity.

We’re confident the citizens of Oklahoma City will see through the scare tactics and conspiracies propagated by the opposition.  We’re so confident, we’re willing to bet that ten years from now, when we can witness the vast improvements first-hand, today’s opponents will pretend to have supported MAPS all along, extolling the vibrancy of the city while taking a ride on our streetcars to a first-class downtown park.

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