Okie Pundit

Last week a Senate committee defeated Senate Joint Resolution 62, which would have allowed voters to decide if grocery stores in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties could sell wine and high-point beer.  The measure was defeated 5 to 4. State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Randy Brogdon voted against SJR 62.

The Tulsa World writes, “Brogdon said he thought the measure was discriminatory because it was limited to Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Regardless, he said, he would have voted against it because he favors the current system.”

Despite campaigning as a candidate that will protect our liberty, Brogdon favors a system in which the state government forbids some businesses from selling wine and beer, but allows others to do so. And he voted to maintain this system on the basis of opposing discrimination.

His weak attempt to defend this anti-liberty position is further complicated by a glaring hypocrisy. In 2007, Brogdon voted for Senate Bill 661, which “would allow cities with more than 300,000 residents to sponsor charter schools.” Furthermore, “A law that’s already in effect allows a local school board to sponsor a charter school in counties where there are more than 500,000 people.”

Randy Brogdon voted to allow only Oklahoma City and Tulsa to sponsor charter schools, but voted against allowing only Oklahoma and Tulsa counties from having wine sold in grocery stores because to do so would be discriminatory.

This raises a number of questions we would like Randy Brogdon to answer for Oklahomans.

1. How does he claim to favor limited government, yet support the government using the force of law to limit businesses from competing in the wine market?

2. How does he claim to favor liberty, yet support the government limiting the personal liberty of those that would like to purchase wine or high-point beer with the rest of their groceries?

3. Does he think the laws regarding charter schools – the original 1999 act allowing charter schools in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, and the bill he voted for in 2007  – are discriminatory?

3a. If yes, why did he vote for a “discriminatory” law in one case, but not the other? Does Brogdon oppose the existence of the current charter schools?

3b. If no, then how can SJR 62 be discriminatory when it is nearly identical?

Let’s see if Brogdon will answer these questions and tell Oklahomans the truth about his views on liberty and limited government.