| Conservative government is under attack at the Oklahoma capitol, this Spring. Many of the same politicians who secured our election votes just a few years ago, are abandoning our values en-mass. The group of over two dozen who joined Rep. George Faught's letter of opposition to Gov. Fallin's tax proposal, demonstrate that a fiscal conservative caucus does already exist. They just haven't actually filed with the legislative leadership to be officially recognized. There is a race going on between liberal Republicans and the more liberal Democrats over who gets to grow the government more and by how much. The Republican Party risks losing much of it's core because supporting the lesser of two evils still results in empowering evil. |  |
We must focus on what really matters for our long term future, and for generations who will come after us.
Who speaks for the Conservative, at the capitol? Most Republican politicians will claim they do, but the voting records sometimes do not support them.
A real conservative supports things like:
A real conservative supports things like:
- Local solutions and accountability for addressing local problems.
- Constitutional limits on the role and mandate of government.
- Economic freedom for individuals through limited taxation to modestly fund constitutional functions of government.
- Personal freedom and personal responsibility. An end to government telling us what's best for us. And and end of government bailing out every type of irresponsibility.
- A respect for private sector and local solutions to the challenges of our people.
- Protecting our state from threats to our sovereignty, in whatever form it manifests.
- Rich Diversity as it reflects our state's makeup; but not as government social engineers want to mold it into.
The genuine conservative lawmakers found the capitol to be enemy territory, again this week, as the Oklahoma Chamber, the Governor's Office, and the leadership in both chambers are hell-bent to institute a far bigger tax base and drive up the state budget by unprecedented rates.
The move to massively raise taxes, cap exclusions, and broaden definitions of "taxable" were being sold broadly to masses of the Republican 'moderates'. Even new state agency boards & authorities were rammed through this week, with more fees and surcharges being imposed upon consumers.
The move to massively raise taxes, cap exclusions, and broaden definitions of "taxable" were being sold broadly to masses of the Republican 'moderates'. Even new state agency boards & authorities were rammed through this week, with more fees and surcharges being imposed upon consumers.
Last year, a small band of small-government conservatives began to find their own allies in the midst of this scurried string of late night sessions. But had it not been for a disciplined group of liberal Democrats trying to 'double down' for socialized medicine, we would be looking at a significantly different future for our state. We want a Texas-style economic renaissance, but our confused state elected leaders somehow think an Ohio roadmap will get us there.
The Democrats refused any tax increases until and unless the majority first adopted an Obamacare state exchange, and the explosive expansion of medicaid eligibility to people who already get up to 98% of their health policies paid for under a federal benefit. The Democrats gambled and lost. And they lost several battles. They unwittingly aided the Tea Party ranks of fiscal conservatives who still believe is cutting the size of our state government.
The Democrats refused any tax increases until and unless the majority first adopted an Obamacare state exchange, and the explosive expansion of medicaid eligibility to people who already get up to 98% of their health policies paid for under a federal benefit. The Democrats gambled and lost. And they lost several battles. They unwittingly aided the Tea Party ranks of fiscal conservatives who still believe is cutting the size of our state government.
The conservative lawmakers are the real winners of the 2016 session. They prevailed in most of the substantive matters surrounding the size & scope of our state funding base. As the Friday House agenda wrapped up, the leadership decided to throw in the towel and begin the process of tabulating a way to live within our state's means. The front man for the House budget process is Earl Sears of Bartlesville. He emerged Friday afternoon to tell media outlets that the state may see cuts in some departments.
The next few weeks are all about who gets what. In recent years all of this was done behind closed doors. They may try to do that again, but I doubt it will be as secretive this time.
The next few weeks are all about who gets what. In recent years all of this was done behind closed doors. They may try to do that again, but I doubt it will be as secretive this time.
