Garrison say Henry need to grows a backbone and Demo will be Infighting this Session

Hat Tip to The Musings of a Muskogee Politico

Dem legislator hopes governor
will veto GOP reforms
By Liz McMahan
Assistant City Editor

Republicans have control of the state House and Senate for the next two years — what is uncertain is whether Democratic Governor Brad Henry will stand up to them, Sen. Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee, said Friday.

Garrison was one of several speakers addressing the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce’s Paul Revere Committee’s legislative breakfast.

“Republicans have enough votes to pass any workers’ compensation or tort reform you want,” Garrison said. “We have a governor and if he grows a backbone, we will have some vetoes. Miracles happen everyday.

Changes in the legislature for next session can already be seen in the reassignment of staff and office space, Garrison said as he joked about where his new office would be.

The Democrats may be found in the west parking lot, he said, adding that he will be in his red pickup and hopefully will have enough money to pay for the diesel to keep warm.

Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, first brought up the Republican majority in the legislature as he talked about his hopes for “some very conservative dynamics” in the House during the coming session.

He also brought up that he will have an assistant this session instead of having to share one with another legislator.

The House and Senate vote essentially the same 90 percent of the time, Garrison said.

Workers’ compensation reform, tort reform and health care reform are usually what separates Democrats and Republicans, Garrison said. Democrats are criticized for being against workers’ compensation and tort reform because they receive most of their large campaign contributions from attorneys. Republicans get their biggest campaign contributions from health care special interests, he said.

Both legislators encouraged the chamber and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame to take their case for more funding for the museum to the state capitol this year.

The bulk of funding for such projects go to Tulsa and Oklahoma City, said Sue Harris, Hall of Fame president.

The Music Hall of Fame is not just a Muskogee museum, but one for all of the state and should be funded as such, Harris said.

The chamber is joining with 10 or 12 other cities of similar size to form a lobby group to campaign for more equitable funding to cities of more than 25,000 population but not as large as Tulsa and Oklahoma City.