OFRG: SQ744 First In A Line Of Dominoes

From http://blog.ofrg.org ~ Supporters of State Question 744 like to tout the fact that the measure does not raise taxes or mandate that other agencies get their budgets cut. And they are right. In fact, there are no provisions at all in SQ 744 about how to pay for the billion dollar price tag.

That makes SQ 744 the first in a line of dominoes that will result in budget problems for lawmakers and, eventually, taxpayers. You can’t argue that since you only knocked over the first domino, you’re not responsible for the others falling as well. There are consequences to SQ 744 that supporters are trying to pretend don’t exist.

Read all of this post on the Oklahomans For Responsible Government blog at http://blog.ofrg.org.

New Mexico Deploys National Guard To Border

By The Associated Press ~ New Mexico has deployed 82 National Guard troops to help secure the border with Mexico after they completed training.

President Barack Obama in May ordered 1,200 National Guard troops to boost security along the border.

Both California and Arizona announced deployments last week.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says violence along the border has been a major concern.

Mexican Drug Cartels Control Parts Of Arizona

From The Washington Times ~ The federal government has posted signs along a major interstate highway in Arizona, more than 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, warning travelers the area is unsafe because of drug and alien smugglers, and a local sheriff says Mexican drug cartels now control some parts of the state.

Costello Beats Fields In TMRO Poll

Republican Mark Costello took 71 percent of the 435 votes cast in The McCarville Report Online"s poll of candidates in the race for labor commissioner.

Incumbent Democrat Lloyd Fields had 27 percent and 2 percent were undecided.

Romney's PAC Endorses Oklahoma Candidates

Mitt Romney's Free And Strong America Political Action Committee has endorsed numerous Oklahoma Republicans.

The PAC is backing Mary Fallin, Todd Lamb, James Lankford, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and John Sullivan and has donated to their campaigns.

Burrage Withholds Broken Arrow Audit

For a complete series of reports on what's happening with Auditor & Inspector Steve Burrage and the controversial audit of Broken Arrow schools, go to CapitolBeatOK for Pat McGuigan's three stories.

Jones Talks Broken Arrow Audit On KFAQ

http://podcast.1170kfaq.com/PatCampbellShow/tabid/1852/Default.aspx.

Lankford Sets September 9th Fundraiser

Republican congressional nominee James Lankford will hold his first fundraiser of the general election next Thursday (September 9th) at the Red Prime Steak Restaurant in Oklahoma City.

The invitations to the 5th District reception were sent by The Families for James Lankford Leadership Committee.

Donations requested include "Leader," $2,400; "Host," $1,000; "Sponsor," $500; and "Friend," $250.

For more information, contact Kaila St. George at (405) 521-0900 or email kaila@sacaconline.com.

AP Poll: Ominous Sign For Obama, Democrats

By The Associated Press ~ Americans with the strongest opinions about the country's most divisive issues are largely unhappy with how President Barack Obama is handling them, an ominous sign for Democrats hoping to retain control of Congress in the fall elections.

In nine of 15 issues examined in an Associated Press-GfK Poll this month, more Americans who expressed intense interest in a problem voiced strong opposition to Obama's work on it, including the economy, unemployment, federal deficits and terrorism. They were about evenly split over the president's efforts on five issues and strongly approved of his direction on just one: U.S. relationships with other countries.

In another danger sign for Democrats, most Americans extremely concerned about 10 of the issues say they will vote for the Republican candidate in their local House race. Only those highly interested in the environment lean toward the Democrats.

The findings are troubling for Democrats struggling to protect their House and Senate majorities on Election Day. They suggest that many of the most involved voters — those with the deepest feelings about issues high on the nation's agenda — are furious with the party in power and will take out their wrath at the polls.

Morgan: State Chamber Gears Up For Campaigns

The State Chamber of Oklahoma is loading up for this year's elections, doubling its political action committee and summoning candidates for a two-day "interview" with the state's business-related PACs.

"We're getting involved in the entire legislative process," State Chamber President Fred Morgan said at a Tulsa Press Club Page One luncheon Tuesday.

"Historic elections are coming up in November. For the first time ... we will be electing a new governor, a new lieutenant governor, a new treasurer, a new attorney general and new leadership in the House and Senate."

The insurance and labor commissioners and the state auditor and inspector also face strong challenges in November.

With all of that change, Morgan said, business has to be involved in politics. The State Chamber employs 10 lobbyists at the Capitol, Morgan said, adding, "Someone said, 'If you're not at the table, you may be on the menu.' "

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20100901_16_A10_CUTLIN424447.

Palin-backed Tea Partier Wins In Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska – Senator Lisa Murkowski was booted from office in the Republican primary Tuesday by a little-known conservative lawyer in arguably the biggest political upset of the year.

Joe Miller, backed by Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express, became the latest newcomer to the national political stage to take down an incumbent in 2010 amid deep dissatisfaction with the Washington establishment.

Murkowski trailed Miller, a Fairbanks attorney, by 1,668 votes after the August 24th primary. Election officials began counting absentee and outstanding ballots Tuesday, and Murkowski made slight gains. But after more than 15,000 ballots were counted, she remained 1,630 votes behind and she conceded to Miller.

It's Burrage By A Vote In TMRO Poll

Incumbent Auditor & Inspector Steve Burrage, Democrat, edged Republican challenger Gary Jones by a single vote in Tuesday's poll of the race on The McCarville Report Online.

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Oklahoma's trusted source for political news and insight

Burrage had 49 percent (155 votes) to 49 percent (154 votes) for Jones. Two percent of the 315 voters said they are undecided.

It's the third straight TMRO poll in which Democrats have made strong showings. Earlier, Kenneth Corn topped Todd Lamb in the lieutenant governor's race and Jim Priest topped Scott Pruitt in the attorney general's race.

There's nothing scientific about TMRO's polls, nor is there any pretext that they predict the outcome of elections. They do reflect the opinions of those who vote in the polls.

Fox 25's Speno Profiles Kern-Novotny Race

KOKH FOX 25 :: You Decide - You Decide: Kern, Novotny

Justice Hargrave Announces December Retirement

From newsok.com ~ The state's most senior judge on the Oklahoma State Supreme Court will retire by year's end.

In a letter Tuesday to Gov. Brad Henry, Justice Rudolph Hargrave announced he would step down from the state's highest court. His last day will be Dec. 31. The process to appoint a new justice could begin immediately, said Henry's spokesman Paul Sund.

Hargrave, 85, was appointed by Gov. David Boren in 1978. Hargrave said he's ready to spend time traveling with his wife of 61 years and visiting his grandchildren.

Read more: http://www.newsok.com/oklahomas-most-senior-supreme-court-judge-to-retire/article/3490759?custom_click=headlines_widget#ixzz0yGWlR7kT.

OERB Kicks Off New Public Outreach Program

The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB) has kicked off a new outreach program that spotlights the oil and natural gas industry's tremendous impact on Oklahoma and the nation.

The campaign is designed to increase awarenesss of the contributions the industry makes to the state's economy and heritage.

Pete Brown, chairman of the OERB's Public Education Committee, said, "It's important for the citizens of our state to understand that our industry reaches far beyond the prices of gasoline at the pump. With every bit of oil and natural gas that is produced in this state, it provides jobs and tax revenue. It's the only industry that can promise to substantially support its citizens both ways."

The campaign includes advertising on television, radio, in publications and on Internet websites such as The McCarville Report Online.

The ads direct citizens to a new OERB website, www.oerb.com/AdvancingEnergy.

Implosion Of Tulsa's Image Continues

From The Tulsa World ~ City councilors agreed Tuesday to stop discussing an idea that would allow the mayor's spouse or any other relative of a city employee to have city business cards.

"This is a really silly and a dead issue. Let it go. Move on," said Councilor Maria Barnes.

Councilor John Eagleton was the only councilor who liked the idea.

He said he disagreed with the other councilors and thinks the mayor's wife, Victoria Bartlett, does a lot of volunteering, "so let the girl have her cards."

Or for that matter, any city volunteer who wants them should be able to have them, Eagleton said.

Consideration of the change comes in the wake of an anonymous ethics complaint filed against Mayor Dewey Bartlett over city business cards that were provided to his wife, Victoria.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100831_11_0_Cityco26636.

Noted Quote: Government Accusation 'Outrageous'

One does not need to support the Arizona law in order to conclude that the State Department's reference to the law is absurd, offensive, and contrary to common practice in the American legal system, in which we generally accept the judgment of a duly constituted court, not executive branch bureaucrats, as to what is legal and constitutionally appropriate.

Even if one supports the administration's position in regard to the Arizona law, its challenge to the law is based not on questions of human rights but on questions of federal vs. state sovereignty on questions of immigration law. For the State Department to accuse an American state of a human rights violation, and to do so in an international forum, is truly outrageous, even if one sides with the administration's position and opposes the Arizona law. ~ Former Republican Congressman Mickey Edwards, writing on www.politico.com.

Both Sides Take Questions On Question 744

Packed into a sweltering outdoor patio Monday at an Oklahoma City restaurant, nearly 50 people quizzed advocates on both sides of a ballot measure aimed at getting more money to the state's public education system.

In a forum sponsored by public radio station KOSU-FM 91.7, proponents and opponents of State Question 744 debated the constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November.

Read more: http://www.newsok.com/feed/oklahoma-state-question-744-explored-in-forum/article/3490299?custom_click=pod_headline_news#ixzz0yBBBHnPB.

Much Ado About Nothing...

The Office of Congressional Ethics has dismissed a complaint against Congressman Frank Lucas that may have alleged a link between campaign donations and his opposition to financial reform legislation.

Lucas cooperated fully with OCE officials.

The allegations apparently concerned the timing of donations to eight members of Congress.

Priest Tops Pruitt In TMRO Poll In AG Race

Democrat Jim Priest topped Republican Scott Pruitt in Monday's poll of the attorney general's race on The McCarville Report Online.

Priest had 61 percent to Pruitt's 38 percent. One percent said they are undecided.

There's nothing scientific about our polls and there's no attempt to predict an eventual winner. The goal is simply to measure sentiment at a given time in a specific audience.