DESPERATE "SAPS" People

VOTE NO on THIS MAPS

Hat Tip to Mark Shannon

Who Makes Money Off MAPS?

So, who benefits from MAPS 3?

Let's look...
Congressman Tom Cole - His company Cole Hargraves Snodgrass is being paid to do polling for MAPS. Cole didn't reveal that when he endorsed MAPS. He also receives campaign funds from many of the principles involved in shoving MAPS 3 down the throat of voters. It's Tom Cole's company that is behind the annoying "robocalls" and the caller "Laurie" is an employee of his company, though you're supposed to be so stupid that you think it's some "regular" housewife. I'm not even sure LAURIE lives in Oklahoma City. FAKE.

Former Mayor Kirk Humphrey on the Oklahoma River that is/has been improved by MAPS 3. He bought it three years ago, but it remains undeveloped. Why do you suppose he's waiting? Hmm.

MAYOR Mick Cornett is directly paid by Ackerman McQueen, who is a MAPS supporter and who has produced commercials and public relations for MAPS 3. Cornett's salary is also being paid by clients of A-M such as THE OKLAHOMAN, OGE, The State Fair Board, The OKC Chamber of Commerce, Baptist Integris, and Chesapeake, among others. All who are pushing MAPS. The Mayor is ON THE TAKE, legally or otherwise, by MAPS 3 supporters.

Some of his clients do business with the city. Anyone see anything UNETHICAL about that? CORNETT'S CONFLICTS

Billionaire Aubrey McClendon/Chesapeake owns property along the OK River, which will directly benefit from MAPS 3.

OG&E reportedly might stand to gain "big time" depending on where the Convention Center is built. It has something to do with the "need" of a new power sub-station, though I'm unclear about the details.

State Fair Board, who receives money from the HOTEL MOTEL TAX, gets even more money. How much profit do they make? How much do they pay their members or employees? How much money does this so-called NON-PROFIT make off the State Fair and the shows there? Where does it go? Two members of Ackerman-McQueen are on their board, as is Clay Bennett and other YESMAPS money backers.

DEVON already received a special TIFF to subsidize the building of their 50 story office building. This TIFF draws off taxes that normally would go to the school district.

THE OKLAHOMAN has benefitted enormously from expensive FULL PAGE ads, already gets heavy money from the STATE FAIR, (to the point most people think the OKLAHOMAN owns the FAIR,) and the Oklahoman publisher is the head of the Chamber, and heading up the MAPS 3 tax increase.

The CITY GOVERNMENT will grow as a result of MAPS. That means more taxes, more salaries, more control. I guess Oklahomans only care about the size of government when it's Obama's government?

And, the only UNION that benefits is not the police or firefighters, but the UNION that represents State, City, and County municipal employees.

And that's just the connections I am aware of, without doing any serious digging. Too bad a certain newspaper, (which is in the MAPS TANKS) doesn't do some real journalism about the "corruption" in this city.

If You Vote - THIS MAPS is Over!

If I had any doubt about the numbers I've been receiving show THIS MAPS failing miserably, I no longer do.

The people of Oklahoma City have sent a loud and clear message to the pollsters, owned and operated by Congressman Tom Cole's CHS company, funded by a group of clients of Mick Cornett's employer, Ackerman-McQueen:

NOT THIS MAPS....NOT NOW....ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

The evidence that confirms what I'm saying? The MAPS campaign has gone negative! (As predicted in this column earlier this week.)

Their most recent TV commercials now call our Police and Firefighters BULLIES!

These people are desperate.

To refer to these overstretched and understaffed members of public safety as BULLIES is not only complete "B.S." - it's just unbelievable!

AND...its' all a SMOKE SCREEN.

The police and firefighters aren't the issue. The bad timing of many bad projects that will only grow the burden already felt by Oklahoma City taxpayers is the issue.

Swimming pools for seniors that are not needed and who will compete with privately-owned athletic facilities, not to mention the YM and YWCA's.

A whitewater rafting "fantasy" that does will not make break even. (And if it could should be built by private investment, not government.)

A downtown park, which might look good, but which will further burden city government that can barely keep up with what we have already, and that the city cannot provide security for due to the undermanned and overworked OKC Police Dept. (And absolutely no one can fail to see that it will be a gathering place for the homeless and criminal element that already fills that area of the city, and who have already made the nearby Myriad Gardens their home.)

Voting NO will not undue any of the progress this city has made.

It won't stop the building of the DEVON TOWER, it won't send the NBA back to Seattle, it won't hurt Bricktown at all, (in fact many in Bricktown oppose MAPS 3 because it will draw retail away from the still lacking retail business in that part of the city.)

Oklahoma City (the Mayor tells us) is already a BIG LEAGUE CITY, and yet in the middle of the worst recession most of us can remember, at a time when unemployment continues to grow in the city and revenues to the city are down, these disgusting politicians and millionaires want the taxpayers of the city to spend another 777 million dollars for projects the city DOES NOT NEED and in many cases will continue to cost taxpayers long after the 777 million dollars is spent.

Mick Cornett and his clients at A-M and his fellow politicians should be ashamed of themselves, asking taxpayers for more when they don't even know if they'll have a job next week. Not to mention referring to the heroes of April 19, 1995 and the tornados that have torn across this community as "BULLIES."

When your priorities as Mayor appear to be your advertising clients and not the voters who put you where you are, there are consequences.

Especially at election time.

And the first chance to send that message is TUESDAY. VOTE NO.

Election results for February 10, 2009

ATOKA COUNTY
Commissioner District 1: Marvin Dale 259 (54.1%); Chris Edgar 220 (45.9%)

BEAVER COUNTY
2 mill ad valorem property tax to fund and maintain the Beaver County Emergency Medical Service. Yes: 688 (83.5%); No: 136 (16.5%) Passed.
Beaver Schools
Proposition 1: $275,000 bond to replace bleachers and add a building for a concession stand, bathrooms and weight room to the school’s football/track area. Yes: 257 (82.4%); No: 55 (17.6%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $225,000 bond for two buses, one vocational agriculture pickup and two sports utility vehicles. Yes: 244 (80%); No: 61 (20%) Passed.

CADDO COUNTY
Hydro-Eakly Schools
$6.2 million for a new middle-high school with 19 to 21 classrooms. Yes: 507 (82.7%); No: 106 (17.3%) Passed.
Boone Apache Schools
Proposition 1: $2 million for a new middle school and renovations to the elementary school rest room. Yes: 274 (92.9%); No: 21 (7.1%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $170,000 for two buses. Yes: 270 (92.5%); No: 22 (7.5%) Passed.
Cyril Schools
Proposition 1: $585,000 for a new roof for the elementary school. Yes: 115 (92%); No: 10 (8%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $150,000 for two school buses. Yes: 112 (91.1%); No: 11 (8.9%) Passed.

CLEVELAND COUNTY
Moore Schools (13 or 16 precincts reporting)
Office 4: Jon Painter 281 (74.5%); Steve C. Adamo 96 (25.5%)
Norman Schools
Office 4: Kim Gaddie 364 (26.9%); Brooks Hull 781 (57.8%); Debra Stuart 205 (15.2%)

CREEK COUNTY
Town of Depew
Proposition 1: To increase the number of trustees on the municipal board from three members to five: Yes: 33 (66%); No: 17 (34%) Passed
Proposition 2: To change the status of the town clerk/treasurer from an elected official to an appointed position: Yes: 28 (60.9%); No: 18 (39.1%) Passed.

DELAWARE COUNTY
Kansas Schools
Proposition 1: $1.7 million bond to build seven or eight new classrooms in the district’s early childhood center. Yes: 332 (66.8%); No: 165 (33.2%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $1.1 million bond to build one large classroom for special services and two or three smaller classrooms. Yes: 324 (65.2%); No: 173 (34.8%) Passed.
Proposition 3: $1 million bond to build a field house. Yes: 280 (56.5%); No: 216 (43.5%) Failed.

GREER COUNTY
Granite Schools
$300,000 bond to build a new roof on the school building that houses upper elementary, middle school and high school classes. Also would pay for remodeling bathrooms and updating electrical wiring and plumbing. Yes: 147 (63.9%); No: 59 (36.1%) Passed.

HUGHES COUNTY
Calvin Schools
$590,000 bond for new buses. Yes: 78 (64.5%); No: 43 (35.5%) Passed.

JACKSON COUNTY
Duke Schools
$200,000 bond for new buses. Yes: 116 (83.5%); No: 23 (16.5%) Passed.

KINGFISHER COUNTY
Proposition 1: Property tax increase of three mills on the dollar of the assessed value of all taxable property to establish an emergency medical service district for the Kingfisher, Dover, Lomega and Okarche school districts. Yes: 533 (55.9%); No: 421 (44.1%) Passed.
Cashion Schools
Proposition 1: $3.1 million bond to make general repairs and renovations at the district’s old high school, elementary school and gymnasium, including work on roofs, foundations, rest rooms, windows and gymnasium seating. Some money also will be used to buy band equipment and uniforms. Yes: 149 (78.8%); No: 40 (21.2%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $185,000 to buy an activity bus and school vehicle. Yes: 146 (76.8%); No: 44 (23.2%) Passed.

LATIMER COUNTY
Wilburton Schools
$1.5 million bond to build and equip a new high school gymnasium. Yes: 278 (73%); No: 103 (27%) Passed.

LOGAN COUNTY
Mulhall-Orlando Schools
$495,000 bond for anew band room, a new gym roof, renovation of the current band room into an above-ground safe room and new gym lockers. Yes: 172 (89.6%); No: 20 (10.4%) Passed.

MURRAY COUNTY
District 3 Commissioner, Democrats: Darrell Hudson 608 (82.1%); Bobby J. Lee 33 (4.5%); Gary D. Fullerton 78 (10.5%) Curtis Jones 22 (2.9%)

OKLAHOMA COUNTY
Oklahoma County results unavailable due to storm-related power outages. Doug and his team will count the votes today.

OSAGE COUNTY
Pawhuska
Proposition 1: Three-quarter cent sales tax for the construction and repair of roads, curbs and sidewalks and repairing/replacing water works system and sewer system. Yes: 357 (75.2%); No: 118 (24.8%) Passed.
Proposition 2: One-quarter cent sales tax for an economic development program. Yes: 318 (66.8%); No: 158 (33.2%) Passed.

PAYNE COUNTY
Cushing special election
Proposition 1: Would make permanent eight-tenths of a cent sales tax, set to expire on June 30, to provide money for capital expenditures. The first project would be building a new police/fire headquarters. Yes: 455 (79.4%); No: 118 (20.6%) Passed.
Proposition 2: Authorizes a city hotel/motel sales tax of 4 percent to finance economic development and other projects. Revenue could pay for installing utilities in 240-acre city-owned property on east edge of town. Yes: 424 (73.6%); No: 152 (26.4%) Passed.

PONTOTOC COUNTY
Pickett Center Schools
$300,000 bond for updating rest rooms and to build one classroom, two dressing rooms, and a concession area. Yes: 50 (90.9%); No: 5 (9.1%) Passed.

PUSHMATAHA COUNTY
Rattan Schools
$1.5 million bond to build a multi-function gymnasium designed to hold up to 1,000 people. Yes: 267 (33.7%) No: 525 (66.3%) Failed.

ROGERS COUNTY
Oologah-Talala Emergency Medical Services
Proposition 1: $1 million bond issue for the Oologah-Talala Emergency Medical Services to purchase emergency vehicles and equipment by collecting a special annual tax. Yes: 592 (62.3%) No: 359 (37.7%) Passed.

TULSA COUNTY
Union Schools
$20 million bond issue for remodeling Grove Elementary School and updating the Union Performing Arts Center; roof replacements at Clark Elementary, Eighth-Grade Center gym, Intermediate High School’s north classrooms and media center and Union High School’s Performing Arts Center, stage and gym; the second phase of the softball/baseball complex remodel, including reconfiguring playing fields; upgrading the eighth-grade gym and outside basketball courts; purchase of books and interactive white boards; upgrading computers and replacement of lighting. Yes: 1,829 (83.9%); No: 252 (16.1%) Passed.

WASHITA COUNTY
A five-year, five-eighths of a cent sales tax increase to provide $118,190 for Washita County Cooperative Service and 4-H; $21,510 for Washita County Free Fair and Junior Livestock Show; $31,185 for Washita County Health Services; $32,265 for Washita County Senior Citizens and $35,850 for Washita County maintenance for county jail, legal county documents, county fair facilities and courthouse. The sales tax would be limited to five years. Yes: 920 (81.4%); No: 210 (18.6%) Passed.

WOODS COUNTY
Alva Schools
Proposition 1: $2.8 million bond issue for renovation of Alva High School track, replacement of air-conditioning units at several sites, replacement of high school auditorium seats, installing new windows at Lincoln Elementary School, buying intercom system and surveillance equipment for high school. Yes: 470 (79.3%); No: 123 (20.7%) Passed.
Proposition 2: $150,000 for buses. Yes: 465 (78.3%); No: 129 (21.7%) Passed.

Lawmaker questions school board appointment

A state lawmaker from Oklahoma City is questioning whether former Mayor Kirk Humphreys can immediately take over as the chairman of the city's school board.

Democratic Rep. Al Lindley has requested an opinion from Attorney General Drew Edmondson's office to clarify the timing of Humphrey's appointment.

Gov. Brad Henry recently signed a bill that would remove the waiting period before a school board chairman can serve in that role. However, the bill doesn't take effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

The Legislature adjourned its session late Friday night.

Tom Cole 'TRASH' Club for Growth or is it just Sour Grapes ?

In Defense of RINO Hunting
By PAT TOOMEY
May 8, 2008; Page A13

The Club for Growth Political Action Committee has long been attacked for intervening in Republican primaries and targeting the party's most economically liberal incumbents.

In 2000, Pennsylvania Rep. Jim Greenwood called the Club "cannibals." When the Club ran ads against Ohio Sen. George Voinovich and Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe for resisting President Bush's 2003 tax cut, Karl Rove deemed the ads "counterproductive."

And Newt Gingrich, the man who ushered in a conservative Republican majority in 1994, once denounced the Club. "Their strategy is explicitly wrong," he said. "The key is to elect more Republicans and have a bigger majority and be more inclusive."

Now comes Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, the man charged with rebuilding the GOP majority in the House. In a New York Times Magazine article, he denounced the Club for Growth's involvement in a special election in Ohio's fifth congressional district.

"The problem I have with the Club is I think they're stupid," Mr. Cole said. "They spend more money beating Republicans than Democrats."

Republicans would be better off, the argument goes, if the Club PAC spent its money targeting Democrats instead of liberal Republicans. This is the argument of politicians who care more about maintaining power than using that power to implement conservative policies.

Thus comes the demand for an uncompromising obeisance to the bottom line: Elect as many Republicans as possible, regardless of how they will vote once in office.

It is for this reason that challenges to incumbents are deemed sacrilegious, no matter how far the incumbent has strayed from conservative principles. And it is for this reason that party leaders defend some of the most liberal incumbents, also known as RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), and assail the Club PAC for helping to elect true conservatives.

In 2000, Rep. Tom Davis, then the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, denounced the Club for supporting Scott Garrett's challenge to New Jersey Rep. Marge Roukema. Mr. Cole and the entire Oklahoma establishment backed Tom Coburn's primary opponent in the 2004 Senate race, Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys, viewing Mr. Coburn as too conservative to be electable. Led by President Bush, the GOP cavalry rallied behind liberal Arlen Specter in 2004, and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Joe Schwarz of Michigan in 2006.

Mr. Chafee, you may recall, is the same senator who refused to vote for the president in 2004, and voted against the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and Justice Sam Alito's nomination.

This year, Mr. Gingrich and conservative favorite former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele stumped for liberal incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest against conservative state Sen. Andy Harris in a primary. Mr. Gilchrest was also defended by the Service Employees International Union. He lost by 10 points.

Let us take a moment to consider how these liberal Republicans are serving the GOP today. Mr. Specter, just in the past year, joined Democrats in voting for "card check" (which allows unions to organize without holding a secret ballot election), for increasing the minimum wage, for expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and for the bloated farm bill.

Mr. Chafee, who was defeated, switched his party affiliation to Independent and has endorsed Barack Obama for president. Following his loss to conservative Tim Walberg in the 2006 primary, Rep. Schwarz of Michigan backed a state-level tax hike, and threatened to run against Mr. Walberg as a Democrat. Mr. Gilchrest has hinted recently that he will endorse the Democratic nominee for his seat. All four of these pols were heralded by the Republican establishment as genuine conservatives who would go to bat for the party when it mattered.

Conversely, many of the Republican candidates the Club for Growth's members have supported over the years are now leaders in the conservative movement and favorites among the party's grass roots. Sens. Coburn and Jim DeMint and Reps. Scott Garrett, Jeff Flake, John Campbell, Jeb Hensarling, Tim Walberg and Mike Pence are just some of the brave leaders who have led the fight for limited government and greater economic freedom.

Winning for the sake of winning is an excellent short-term tactic, but a lousy long-term strategy. Just look at the consequences of the 2006 congressional elections, when the GOP lost control of both houses of Congress.

A Republican majority is only as useful as the policies that majority produces. When those policies look a lot like Democratic ones, the base rightly questions why it should keep Republicans in power. As the party gears up for elections in the fall, it ought to look closely at the losses suffered under a political strategy devoid of principle. Otherwise, it can look forward to a bad case of déjà vu.

Mr. Toomey, a former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, is president of the Club for Growth.

Flash Point - March 30, 2008 - Randy Terrill

The Flash Point gang talk with Representative Randy Terrell and State Senator Harry "Cry Baby" Coates about Terrell's initiative to make English the official language in Oklahoma.

Flash Point - March 23, 2008 - Sally Kern

Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern created Internet controversy when she said that homosexuality was "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam."

MIKE HUCKABEE TO VISIT OKLAHOMA

MIKE HUCKABEE
TO VISIT OKLAHOMA

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, will be campaigning in Oklahoma City and Tulsa this Friday.

Managing general partner of the Oklahoma RedHawks and former state senator, Scott Pruitt, who Chairs Oklahomans for Huckabee said there will be two public rallies for Oklahomans to get a chance to meet Gov. Huckabee.

“I can unequivocally say that Gov. Huckabee is the only candidate running for president who has a unwavering track record on sanctity of life issues, traditional values and conservative tax and fiscal policy. I encourage all Oklahomans to attend one of these two events, meet Mike Huckabee and hear what he has to say first-hand,” said Pruitt.

Former Oklahoma City mayor Kirk Humphreys, who is Huckabee’s state finance chairman said, “As governor, Huckabee cut taxes where he could and made good use of the revenues he had to improve roads and education in Arkansas. That is the kind of common sense leadership the country needs right now.”

Huckabee’s Friday, Feb. 1 schedule is as follows:
· 8:45 am to 9:45 am – Public rally at Coaches Restaurant, Bricktown
· 9:45 am to 10:15 am – Media availability, 2nd Floor West Lobby to Suites – AT&T

Bricktown Ballpark
· 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm – Tulsa rally – Tulsa International Airport
· 1:15 pm to 1:45 pm – Media Availability – Tulsa International Airport

Parking for the Oklahoma City event will be available at the RedHawks East parking lot across from Coca-Cola Event Center on Joe Carter.

Huckabee supporters will also have an opportunity to gather Huckabee campaign materials and literature for distribution prior to Tuesday’s primary election.

For more information about Mike Huckabee’s candidacy, visit www.MikeHuckabee.com

RINO KIRK to FUNDRAISE for HUCKABEE...

X-OKC Mayor Kirk Humphreys has signed on as Oklahoma finance chairman for Republican Mike Huckabee's presidential run.

Humphreys, who served as mayor from 1998 until resigning to seek the GOP nomination for the U. S. Senate, in 2004, is an investor and businessman.