Conservatives Team Up With Democrats to protect Against Runaway Tax Increases

  Some say Oklahoma's political struggles aren't so much left vs right; but little guy vs big.  That axiom was never so poignant than in Thursday's massive ideological battle to  resist a recall of the constitutional protections that taxpayers rely on.

  House republican Leadership sought out a freshman rural member to push forward the recall. Scott Fetgatter filed the bill and even sought to amend it on the floor. The House Speaker Pro Tem desperately wanted this battle, but when floor debate was organized, all the House Republican leadership headed for the doors, leaving Fetgatter alne as the only one arguing for the bill.

​Conservatives and Democrats found themselves serving as the 'amen corner' for each other, But all Fetgatter could muster up was a claim that they were all hypocrites. The debate so frustrated Fetgatter that his voice was trembling. He realized the cowardice of the leaders who put him up to the dirty work. Not one of them would even so much as come & stand by him as he struggled through his allotted 10 minutes.

Former House Budget Chair, Earl Sears, finally got his wish for a chance to kill the Taxpayer's right to vote on tax increases. But his colleagues may deeply regret making this attempt.

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Areas on the map colored red are represented by conservatives who voted against the recall of taxpayers constitutional rights.

 As Fetgatter's time came to a close, suddenly a rush of legislators reentered the chamber and couldn't wait to vote.
  The tally stalled at 45 of the 51 needed to pass. Then leaders swept the hallways and offices, attempting to find those who were having cold feet.  Their efforts got them up to 49.  the leadership had the gavel and they were willing to hold open the vote as long as they needed to, even though they had enforced a 2 minute roll call for any other measure.

  Finally the leaders resorted to 'arm-twisting'.  After a few more minutes they found a couple easy targets. Ryan Martinez of Edmond switched his 'No' vote to a 'Yes'. Then Michael Rogers of Broken Arrow was pressured into a 'needed 51st 'Yes' vote. 

  Immediately the gavel struck before any other movement could transpire.

  The stress in the room was thick. the Republican Speaker, who had just convinced his rank & file to give him another term as the leader, had just ambushed more than a third of his own. He called for an immediate suspension of the business and called his Republican caucus for a closed door meeting. Hours later the house reconvened on the floor, but the joy and comradery was noticeably gone. 
24 Republicans now felt more mutual respect with the 29 Democrats. together they make up a slim majority of the legislative body. that's a fact that the speaker will do well to ponder as he attempts to salvage the 2018 session.

These are the 41 Republicans & Democrats who joined forces to fight for a taxpayer's Constitutional Rights.
​They are getting card's calls & other expressions of appreciations from voters of all parties.

Click on the Member's Photo to display that Member's information.   Bennett, John  (R) District 2 Calvey, Kevin  (R) District 82 Cleveland, Bobby  (R) District 20 Coody, Jeff  (R) District 63 Derby, Dale  (R) District 74 Downing, Tim  (R) District 42 Dunlap, Travis  (R) District 10 Faught, George  (R) District 14 Fourkiller, William  (D) District 86 Gaddis, Karen  (D) District 75 Gann, Tom  (R) District 8 Goodwin, Regina  (D) District 73 Griffith, Claudia  (D) District 45 Hardin, Tommy  (R) District 49 Humphrey, Justin  (R) District 19 Inman, Scott  (D) District 94 Kouplen, Steve  (D) District 24 Lepak, Mark  (R) District 9 Loring, Ben  (D) District 7 Lowe, Jason  (D) District 97 McEachin, Scott  (R) District 67 Meredith, Matt  (D) District 4 Moore, Lewis  (R) District 96 Murphey, Jason  (R) District 31 Nichols, Monroe  (D) District 72 Park, Scooter  (R) District 65 Perryman, David  (D) District 56 Proctor, Eric  (D) District 77 Ritze, Mike  (R) District 80 Roberts, Sean  (R) District 36 Russ, Todd  (R) District 55 Sanders, Mike  (R) District 59 Stone, Shane  (D) District 89 Strohm, Chuck  (R) District 69 Tadlock, Johnny  (D) District 1 Teague, Tess  (R) District 101 Virgin, Emily  (D) District 44 West, Kevin  (R) District 54 West, Rick  (R) District 3 Williams, Cory  (D) District 34 Young, George  (D) District 99