Okla Legislature 2nd Worse in Nation

[Conan71]

No money for teachers but now a new mandate that they must post "In God We Trust" in classrooms.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/senate-panel-advances-bills-that-would-put-in-god-we/article_d13f655a-5873-5835-9b2d-db4de065170e.html

Teachers ask for a pay raise to keep their salary competitive with surrounding states.  The legislators want to give them posters.

Can I get an epic facepalm here?

[Red Arrow]

No money for teachers but now a new mandate that they must post "In God We Trust" in classrooms.

Those fools are forgetting that while "In God We Trust", all others pay cash.

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is the legislature we need.


https://okpolicy.org/oklahoma-has-many-good-options-to-resolve-the-teacher-walkout/


Best read while listening to some Vanilla Ice...well, sorta...what Ice shoulda been...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC3IxxYsIN8&index=6&list=RD6sQ8mUs0nHY

[Conan71]

Things won't change if no one is willing to run against the status quo.  Unreal.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/elections/three-quarters-of-oklahoma-house-members-are-running-for-re/article_c162c989-b314-59aa-bcb5-6f9300c858d7.html

[Hoss]

Things won't change if no one is willing to run against the status quo.  Unreal.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/elections/three-quarters-of-oklahoma-house-members-are-running-for-re/article_c162c989-b314-59aa-bcb5-6f9300c858d7.html

Strangely enough, both candidates have stopped by my house for a talk in recent weeks for my house district (77).  Both were very articulate, but one is a teacher who makes pretty good money from what I gather; the other is a late twenties mental health care worker who seems to have her smile together and knows she's the underdog in the district.  My district has been held by a Democrat for years (Eric Proctor who is term-limiting out) and likely will again, so it was both of the D primary runners who visited.  Both were impressive.  They stayed and talked to me for about 20 minutes and didn't once seem fidgety.  I like that they listened to me and asked what my biggest concerns are.  I hope that kind of inquisitiveness remains for either of them if they are elected to the State House.  At least I know how to contact them personally via their cell phones.

[RecycleMichael]

I know both of those candidates. Your district will be well served.

[Hoss]

I know both of those candidates. Your district will be well served.

Yeah, I think the woman (can't remember her name currently) seemed really salt of the earth.  Not sure who I'll pick but I have until June I guess to do some more research.

[Conan71]

Yeah, I think the woman (can't remember her name currently) seemed really salt of the earth.  Not sure who I'll pick but I have until June I guess to do some more research.

So there's one district with some choices.  I'm simply amazed that with as much negative sentiment as their seems to be against the current legislature no one is standing up to run against incumbents.  I don't recall there being any time-honored tradition in Oklahoma that you didn't run against an incumbent of the same party.  I'm curious to know if there is very little interest from registered Republicans or if the Oklahoma GOP is actively discouraging challengers to the incumbents.

[Hoss]

So there's one district with some choices.  I'm simply amazed that with as much negative sentiment as their seems to be against the current legislature no one is standing up to run against incumbents.  I don't recall there being any time-honored tradition in Oklahoma that you didn't run against an incumbent of the same party.  I'm curious to know if there is very little interest from registered Republicans or if the Oklahoma GOP is actively discouraging challengers to the incumbents.

In this case, Proctor was term limited.  So fresh slate.  I need to search and see if any Repubs are running and look at their stances too.

[patric]

Talked w/Ok Gov Mary Fallin about #oklahomateachersstrike. She mentioned "outside" groups w/teachers at Capitol. I said yes...NEA and WV teacher union leaders.
"And ANTIFA", she added.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/gov-mary-fallin-fallin-to-cbs-news-teachers-wanting-raise/article_55bb2b2c-e0a7-52e7-9aa2-be2ee4802d3f.html

[Townsend]

Talked w/Ok Gov Mary Fallin about #oklahomateachersstrike. She mentioned "outside" groups w/teachers at Capitol. I said yes...NEA and WV teacher union leaders.
"And ANTIFA", she added.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/gov-mary-fallin-fallin-to-cbs-news-teachers-wanting-raise/article_55bb2b2c-e0a7-52e7-9aa2-be2ee4802d3f.html

[heironymouspasparagus]

Nathan Dahm - OK Senate - who is also running to take Bridenstein's place this fall, so 1st district US House is gonna get to enjoy his particular kind of crazy.

I know a lot of people like the guy in his Broken Arrow district, but for those with a brain, here is his voting record at the link, with a few highlights on the way...

Every step of the way, he votes against our kids. 

Voted for continuing the automatic income tax cuts in this state - you know what those are...the ones that gave us our budget crisis for the last few years...

Voted to prohibit a public vote on beer and wine sales.  In other words is against people having a voice in their government.

Votes against raising gross production tax.

And voted FOR the slaughter of horses.   (Not that I really care about that one way or another since I don't have a horse in that race...!   Lol...I make myself laugh.)


https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/106666/nathan-dahm#.Ws9rVi7wbKk

[Conan71]

Nathan Dahm- A poster boy for troglodytes.

And I imagine Dahm has a whole league of ideologues who will elect him.  He's also one of the backers of the bill declaring Oklahoma wildlife the property of God not the state game wardens.  Tim Harris doesn't seem to be much of a better choice and I know little of Kevin Hern and the other candidates. 

I've known Tim Gilpin, one of the D candidates for years. He's a good guy, but he's pretty liberal on most all issues so I don't see him gaining much traction in this election and I really don't ever see D-1 ever sending another Dem to the US House.  He's been a Democratic Party operative for years, I figure he's just taking one for the team knowing he can't win.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Hoping 1st district isn't as monolithic as Broken Arrow...not run by Rhema and First Baptist as much....

[Conan71]

Hoping 1st district isn't as monolithic as Broken Arrow...not run by Rhema and First Baptist as much....

Inhofe, Sullivan, Bridenstine over 30 years.  Pretty monolithic. 

I believe the last D to win that district was James Jones in the mid 1980's.  Of course, that pre-dates our current climate of hyper-partisanism.  IIRC, JRJ was quite moderate and also from a time when being a Democrat in Oklahoma was really your only route to power.