Okla Legislature 2nd Worse in Nation

[Townsend]

Arent we lucky to have a legislature caring enough to overturn the vote of the people to address the concerns of the lobyists?

And what are we going to do about it?

Bupkis

[guido911]

We are just doing what the people hired us to do!

(Excuse me sir, the people directly voted on that issue and disagree with you)

The people are dumb enough to have elected me, clearly they are too stupid to know what is best for them!

Oklahoma citizens voted on an anti-Sharia law as well, but the courts stepped in. Lots of laws get the approval of the voters but get tossed by the courts. You are okay with that, right? The legislature is just doing what our courts do.

[AquaMan]

So, legislators can take the duties of courts because courts do their duty. No, hypocrisy there. Only a lawyer could embrace that philosophy with a straight face. Why even separate the three branches? Just let the legislators do it all.

[guido911]

So, legislators can take the duties of courts because courts do their duty. No, hypocrisy there. Only a lawyer could embrace that philosophy with a straight face. Why even separate the three branches? Just let the legislators do it all.

The legislature's job is to make law. That's what they are doing by "undoing" whatever the voters passed in November. The court's job is to interpret law. That's what it did when they tossed the anti-Sharia nonsense. Governors (and presidents) enforce law. That's what Barry did when he decided not to enforce certain immigration statutes. Believe it or not, each branch of government has something to do with law. So there is your "Schoolhouse rock" lesson on the roles of government.

Not your best effort.

[AquaMan]

I've never found anything worth learning from you. Haven't missed your snark either.

[Townsend]

Measure That Would Curb Local LGBTQ Protections Fails

Just the fact that something like this progresses this far is cringe inducing. 

And another "i'm an A-hole and going to introduce this bill" bill was withdrawn after 694 failed.

The Oklahoma Senate killed a measure Thursday to stop cities from offering enhanced anti-discrimination protections.

Senate Bill 694 would limit employment, housing and public accommodations protections to those classes in state law: race, color, national origin, sex, religion, creed, age, disability or genetic information. Cities and other local governments would not be able to offer such protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The measure would also have eliminated any such rules on the books, such as Tulsa's 2015 fair housing ordinance that offers protections to the LGBTQ community.

Bill author Joshua Brecheen framed the matter as one of religious freedom.

"We are facing, as a culture this decision: Is the First Amendment going to be subordinate to sexual behavior?" Brecheen said.

Sen. Kevin Matthews of Tulsa didn't like what that suggested.

"It's very disappointing to me when discrimination is being mentioned in the same breath as choice," Matthews said. "I did not choose to be African-American. I was born that way, and whether people are nice to me when they discriminate ... does not matter."

In a committee hearing on SB694 last month, Brecheen said business owners want the ability to "object to something but do it in a loving manner and it not be categorized as discrimination."

Former Tuttle Mayor and Republican freshman Sen. Lonnie Paxton called the measure a bad bill for the Senate, for the state and for the future.

"For the last summer and fall, I spent that time knocking doors of thousands of Oklahoma citizens. I never had one person open the door and say, 'Pass a bill like this,'" Paxton said. "They said fix our economy. Fix our schools. Fix our state."

Brecheen and other supporters of the bill also said it would address business concerns presented by a patchwork of differing regulations.

SB694 failed 18–25 and will not be revisited this session, as a motion to reconsider it also failed.

[Townsend]

And...

The ACLU Condemns a Bill that would Allow the Resurrection of a Ten Commandments Monument at Capitol

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/aclu-condemns-bill-would-allow-resurrection-ten-commandments-monument-capitol

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma blasts a house bill, calling it a blatant attempt to resurrect a Ten Commandments Monument on public land...despite a clear ruling stating its' unconstitutionality. Allie Shinn is Director of External Affairs of the Oklahoma ACLU.

Shinn points out voters resoundingly defeated a state question in November that would have removed some barriers between church and state, allowing such a monument. She says any further attempt to put a religious monument on capitol grounds is 'a monumental waste of time and money'. She's urging citizens to contact senators to vote no on House Bill 2177.

Dad...gum

[heironymouspasparagus]

And...

The ACLU Condemns a Bill that would Allow the Resurrection of a Ten Commandments Monument at Capitol

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/aclu-condemns-bill-would-allow-resurrection-ten-commandments-monument-capitol

Dad...gum

Don't look at me... I never vote for any of these dipsticks!!   Wish more people would follow suit.

[Townsend]

House Committee Passes Controversial Science Education Bill

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/house-committee-passes-controversial-science-education-bill

A House committee advances a science education bill panned by critics as unnecessary and an opening for misinformation.

Rep. David Brumbaugh says the intent of Senate Bill 393 is to promote critical thinking by exposing students to a broader range of scientific data than what textbooks offer.

"Aristotle, even this far back, talked about that, that, you know, the mind that can entertain, uh, different thoughts without, you know, changing their mind but looking — reason obeys itself, OK?" Brumbaugh said.

The bill says teachers may help students evaluate controversial theories without state or local administrators interfering. It also offers teachers protection against being fired or sued, which critics say thwarts local control.

Beth Allan is a past or current member of several science teachers organizations and says none supports the bill.

"This bill will not prepare students to be competitive in a very competitive environment," Allan said. "Our STEM workforce must know accurate science that is verified."

Critics say the bill is aimed at climate change and evolution and is meant to infuse science with Biblical theories. The bill says it is not intended to favor a religion and deals only with scientific information.

Brumbaugh said critics are wrong to claim SB393 will damage Oklahoma schools' reputations.

"Doesn't promote anything wacko. Doesn't promote anything but free discussion in the classroom," Brumbaugh said.

Aysha Prather disagreed. Her sixth-grader recently learned about giants not for a lesson in skepticism but because the teacher thought they're interesting.

"So, here are some other things that people might find intriguing and might choose to share with their classes: Bigfoot, a flat Earth, Atlantis, the Bermuda Triangle, that the pyramids were built by aliens," Prather said.

SB393 passed the House government and general accountability committee rather than the education committee.

We're represented by GD nincompoops

[swake]

House Committee Passes Controversial Science Education Bill

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/house-committee-passes-controversial-science-education-bill

We're represented by GD nincompoops

What does it matter when there's no money for schools anyway and teacher pay is so low we can't hire teachers. 

[dbacksfan 2.0]

The bill says it is not intended to favor a religion science and deals only with scientific information religious fact.

FIFY

[Conan71]

House Committee Passes Controversial Science Education Bill


Rep. David Brumbaugh says the intent of Senate Bill 393 is to promote critical thinking by exposing students to a broader range of scientific data than what textbooks offer.

"Aristotle, even this far back, talked about that, that, you know, the mind that can entertain, uh, different thoughts without, you know, changing their mind but looking — reason obeys itself, OK?" Brumbaugh said.

"Where do they teach you people to talk like that?  Some Panama City sailor wanna hump-hump bar?"

[heironymouspasparagus]

"Where do they teach you people to talk like that?  Some Panama City sailor wanna hump-hump bar?"

And yet, someone keeps voting for these people.  I know it isn't me....

[AquaMan]

And yet, someone keeps voting for these people.  I know it isn't me....

Its because they can quote Aristotle (sort of) as though they are deliberate, philosophical scholars. They are considered intellectuals in their own districts. IOW, "in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king".

[rebound]

"in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king".

+1

That is probably the most accurate description of most of this state I have heard so far.