Massive new car factory for Pryor

[tulsabug]

While I agree that these laws are not a good thing - we have got to stop acting like Oklahoma is the ONLY state acting ridiculous. Florida and Texas are putting us to shame in this regard (that's not a good thing either) and they are attracting companies left and right. Corporate America gives no sh**s about stuff like this. If the location saves them money and makes execs richer that's all they care about. There will be fake outrage and performative measures like what Amazon is doing but at the end of the day they do not care one bit about stuff like this. They could end stuff like this overnight if they wanted to but Republicans give them tax breaks. Toyota is back to funding the insurrections again along with most other major corporate donors. THEY DO NOT CARE.

The difference between Texas and Oklahoma is Texas actually taxes oil & gas and dedicated it to university funding which built up A&M and UT, etc. and they have a far better pipeline of educated professionals. If Oklahoma invested in OU and OSU the same way we'd be running circles around most states.

The only thing I foresee this damaging is something like Tulsa Remote, but when Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, etc. all have the same problems I just don't see it stopping economic development projects in every state. If Panasonic wanted to build their plant in say Washington or California none of those employees could afford to live there, that's far more damaging to recruiting then these backwards laws. People who have relocated here already for things like Tulsa Remote understand what they are getting into, same with people who move to Austin. You're in a Red State in a blue/purple bubble. When Dems and Independents don't vote and move away they are just enabling the crazies (far right). If you look at Oklahoma's voter registration if Dems and Independents showed up to vote our states would be split close to 50/50 and most districts would be in play, but NO ONE VOTES they just want to complain about what the far right does because that's far easier then to actually try to change anything. Oklahoma's demographics are really not that far off from places like North Carolina/Virginia but the middle and left don't vote here - for whatever reason and it's maddening.


_____

Side note: Google is announcing another major expansion of the Pryor data center facility today. 

Yep to everything you wrote. However since 70% of the country is in favor of women's rights, since that's ultimately what the abortion debate is about, businesses do listen. Getting tax breaks is one thing but in the end the customers are the important thing. People keep misunderstanding how a capitalist society works - it's all about the money. Dems keep forgetting that. You vote with your money. Stop shopping at places that support or even encourage these un-American ideals. I haven't shopped at Wal-Mart for literally 25 years. I haven't ate at Chick-fil-A in the same time period (mainly bc the food is crap but I maintained it due to their opposition to gay rights). I stopped going to Merritt's Bakery when they refused to do wedding cakes for gay marriages (still haven't found where that's at in the Bible). I would never buy a Toyota for a whole stack of reasons and their lack of a spine just adds to it. I won't deal with any a$$hat business that runs Trump stickers on their trucks. Won't touch Mullin plumbing. Absolutely don't go to Jimmy Johns since apparently hunting endangered animals is how their owner spends his money - what a twat. Honestly any business who advertises their politics in either direction confuses me - that's terrible business. My pennies may not sway any of these places by themselves but I've gotten most of my friends to do the same once I tell them my reasons. And let the businesses know.

Of course I also think the whole insurrection and everything else Republicans have done lately is just a dead cat bounce before they lose all power.

[heironymouspasparagus]

While I agree that these laws are not a good thing - we have got to stop acting like Oklahoma is the ONLY state acting ridiculous. Florida and Texas are putting us to shame in this regard (that's not a good thing either) and they are attracting companies left and right. Corporate America gives no sh**s about stuff like this. If the location saves them money and makes execs richer that's all they care about. There will be fake outrage and performative measures like what Amazon is doing but at the end of the day they do not care one bit about stuff like this. They could end stuff like this overnight if they wanted to but Republicans give them tax breaks. Toyota is back to funding the insurrections again along with most other major corporate donors. THEY DO NOT CARE.

The difference between Texas and Oklahoma is Texas actually taxes oil & gas and dedicated it to university funding which built up A&M and UT, etc. and they have a far better pipeline of educated professionals. If Oklahoma invested in OU and OSU the same way we'd be running circles around most states.

The only thing I foresee this damaging is something like Tulsa Remote, but when Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, etc. all have the same problems I just don't see it stopping economic development projects in every state. If Panasonic wanted to build their plant in say Washington or California none of those employees could afford to live there, that's far more damaging to recruiting then these backwards laws. People who have relocated here already for things like Tulsa Remote understand what they are getting into, same with people who move to Austin. You're in a Red State in a blue/purple bubble. When Dems and Independents don't vote and move away they are just enabling the crazies (far right). If you look at Oklahoma's voter registration if Dems and Independents showed up to vote our states would be split close to 50/50 and most districts would be in play, but NO ONE VOTES they just want to complain about what the far right does because that's far easier then to actually try to change anything. Oklahoma's demographics are really not that far off from places like North Carolina/Virginia but the middle and left don't vote here - for whatever reason and it's maddening.


_____

Side note: Google is announcing another major expansion of the Pryor data center facility today. 

Truth!


But there are tiny little rays of hope...this guy - Trae Crowder - 'gets it'.  And talks about it here.  Caution;  rough edges!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu5znlyX9uY

[Jeff P]

If you look at Oklahoma's voter registration if Dems and Independents showed up to vote our states would be split close to 50/50 and most districts would be in play, but NO ONE VOTES they just want to complain about what the far right does because that's far easier then to actually try to change anything. Oklahoma's demographics are really not that far off from places like North Carolina/Virginia but the middle and left don't vote here - for whatever reason and it's maddening.

This is not an entirely fair criticism, IMO.

Republicans have a massive advantage state-wide, with 51% of all registered voters, while Democrats have 31%.

Independents and Libertarian make up another 17%, but even if 100% of them voted Democrat (a big stretch) Republicans would still have the advantage.

Furthermore, that is just looking at state-wide statistics. In the rural areas that advantage is much more pronounced with Republicans making up 70-80% of registered voters in many areas. These are the areas that are electing the same crazy lawmakers unopposed over and over again.

This is the same thing that happens in places you noted like Texas, Florida, North Carolina, etc.  The cities may be purple or even blue, but the state legislatures are massively over-represented by rural areas that vote solidly red.

It's a microcosm of the country as a whole in that regard, where "Land" very often gets more representation than actual people.

[LandArchPoke]

This is not an entirely fair criticism, IMO.

Republicans have a massive advantage state-wide, with 51% of all registered voters, while Democrats have 31%.

Independents and Libertarian make up another 17%, but even if 100% of them voted Democrat (a big stretch) Republicans would still have the advantage.

Furthermore, that is just looking at state-wide statistics. In the rural areas that advantage is much more pronounced with Republicans making up 70-80% of registered voters in many areas. These are the areas that are electing the same crazy lawmakers unopposed over and over again.

This is the same thing that happens in places you noted like Texas, Florida, North Carolina, etc.  The cities may be purple or even blue, but the state legislatures are massively over-represented by rural areas that vote solidly red.

It's a microcosm of the country as a whole in that regard, where "Land" very often gets more representation than actual people.

You're right for sure in that there is a big gap right now, but look at the eligible population of voters to registered voters as well. The Republican party is doing a great job at getting new voters to register here, Democrats that is non existent and more voters for the party are letting registrations end because they don't vote and are being removed. Brad Henry was about the last moment in time the state party was even remotely on it's game and has been in shambles since and I don't understand how they are so unorganized - part of it could be the national party has given up on states like Oklahoma and I largely blame them for many of the issues too because they've abandoned large swaths of the country.

Most Independents vote Democrat in Oklahoma, most Independents are former Republicans that can't stand the party and won't vote for them but it's a taboo thing in Oklahoma that a large majority of moderates just will never call themselves a Democrat, but they will vote for them and don't like how extreme the Republican party in the state has gotten. In that sense it reminds me a lot of New Mexico as well, they have a big Independent/Libertarian voter population and one of the few states that has had a none Dem/Rep Governor recently.

Unlike Texas and other red states/blue cities, in Oklahoma you don't see the suburban areas up in contested elections often and there's far more moderates in Broken Arrow, Jenks, etc. then people think especially given the legislatures that are being elected in those areas. The Republican party has done a great job at convincing people that no one stands a chance against them and then I've see so many friends in these areas who are registered Republicans not even go vote for the more moderate candidate because they don't think that candidate even has a chance in a Republican primary. So then we get stuck with a large portion of 'extreme' politicians even in suburban areas that has cause are legislature to become even more imbalanced towards the far right versus closer to the center. They've convinced Democrats to not vote and they've now gotten to the point they've even convinced the moderates in their own party to not vote. It's really bizarre.

Getting more Independents/Libertarians out to vote and getting Democrats to actually register and vote and you could flip just about every Republican district that is in the Tulsa & OKC suburban areas. Granted that would probably be countered to an extent with even more gerrymandering.

If you look at the voter turn out too, it's really not that great even for Republicans here... we have one of the lowest voter turnout percentages in the nation as a state. In most races, the total votes for Republicans are below the total number of Democrats registered to vote (excluding Independents, etc.) in whatever race/district, so I do blame Democrat voters for not turning out because if they could figure out a way to get people to the polls you'd be surprised at how close races would get in more populated area and frankly in most of eastern Oklahoma. Western Oklahoma the percentages are just too wide but there are many areas in the states that are uncompetitive now that shouldn't be if voter turnout was better and the Democratic party did a better job at getting people registered to vote and show up. The state wide party is a complete sh** show along with the Tulsa County party, etc. so until they can get some leadership and actual funding I don't see things changing and it's sad. It makes me angry at the national party for abandoning states like Oklahoma, but the national party isn't a big fan of 'moderates' so they would rather focus on California, NY, etc. but they so unbelievable short sighted they don't see how getting a few dozen moderates into national House of Rep seats and even 3-4 more moderate senators would make it a lot easier to get more progressive legislation through in higher majorities. But no, they'd rather shoot themselves in the foot by turning their back on areas they deem as unworthy. That's why it irritates me with liberals who live here that bash Oklahoma like we're some reject state - we're not worse than Texas, Florida, etc. we've just largely decided to give up on ourselves.

[Red Arrow]

When our family moved to OK from PA in 1971, OK frequently voted Republican for President but a Republican couldn't get elected as a dog catcher in anything local.

What happened?  I didn't like Jim Jones, Mike Synar..... but I don't like much of the current Republican wackos either.  If the Democrats could put up someone more moderate than left-wing wacko, they could get a foothold again. I'd still vote moderate Republican over moderate Democrat but I will vote moderate Democrat over wacko right wing religious zealot Republican.  I try to vote against anyone whose primary qualification for office is their religious views.

Edit: grammar correction.

[tulsabug]

When our family moved to OK from PA in 1971, OK frequently voted Republican for President but a Republican couldn't get elected as a dog catcher in anything local.

What happened?  I didn't like Jim Jones, Mike Synar..... but I don't like much of the current Republican wackos either.  If the Democrats could put up someone more moderate than left-wing wacko, they could get a foothold again. I'd still vote moderate Republican over moderate Democrat but I will vote moderate Democrat over wacko right wing religious zealot Republican.  I try to vote against anyone whose primary qualification for office is their religious views.

Edit: grammar correction.

Dems do need to learn to put up candidates that are appropriate for the area even if that person isn't really in lock-step with the national platforms. With Oklahoma and some other states I'm not sure what to do however - religion used to be something personal and the majority of Okies didn't wear it on their sleeves or define themselves by it but Christian Nationalism has completely taken over the right now. I'm not really seeing any Republicans that isn't a wacko right wing religious zealot, or at least who acts like they are to get votes and grift in general.

Also - the last time Oklahoma voted Democrat for President was Johnson and that was really only because Kennedy got assassinated. Before that it was Truman. All quite ironic since OK seriously benefited from the WPA programs of the Dems.

[Jeff P]

When our family moved to OK from PA in 1971, OK frequently voted Republican for President but a Republican couldn't get elected as a dog catcher in anything local.

What happened?  

The same thing that happened in every Southern state. The old Southern Dixicrats essentially became Republican after the Civil Right act. It just took a while for the party to fully and officially turn over so got a lot of leftover conservative Southern Democrats getting elected in the south in the 70s and 80s before Newt's "revolution" in the 90s and the rise of talk radio and Fox News, which created "litmus tests" for conservative candidates and one of them was "must be Republican."

[heironymouspasparagus]

When our family moved to OK from PA in 1971, OK frequently voted Republican for President but a Republican couldn't get elected as a dog catcher in anything local.

What happened?  I didn't like Jim Jones, Mike Synar..... but I don't like much of the current Republican wackos either.  If the Democrats could put up someone more moderate than left-wing wacko, they could get a foothold again. I'd still vote moderate Republican over moderate Democrat but I will vote moderate Democrat over wacko right wing religious zealot Republican.  I try to vote against anyone whose primary qualification for office is their religious views.

Edit: grammar correction.

Dem's have pretty much lost their ever-loving minds!   For the most part, they are still more about personal rights and Constitutional type privileges - WAY more than the Republicontins - but 2nd Amendment... Really??   That is one particular kook-aid that they need to get smart about!   Gun control in this country has always, at least since the beginning, about keeping Black people unarmed.  Now they want to expand that to everyone.  They REALLY need to pull their heads out on that.  It's the 2nd one - it was known at that time to be THAT important to take the place right behind the 1st one!!

[D-TownTulsan]

Lol what happened to this thread

[SXSW]

Anyone know what Panasonic's timeline for announcing their battery plant project?

[tulsabug]

Lol what happened to this thread

We've been drinking. Don't judge us! 

[heironymouspasparagus]

Lol what happened to this thread

I thought the connection would be obvious....we, as Okies can't concentrate clearly to do the best job capable of when worried about taking away our most treasured privileges!   Own and bear arms...  so the plant can't possibly be a success when this is hovering over us!


There.  Connected!

[buffalodan]

https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/10/23065974/canoo-ev-startup-earnings-q1-2022-cash-net-loss

I assume they just declare bankruptcy, reorganize, and offload a bunch of debt? I'm glad they did an SPAC for this.

[tulsabug]

https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/10/23065974/canoo-ev-startup-earnings-q1-2022-cash-net-loss

I assume they just declare bankruptcy, reorganize, and offload a bunch of debt? I'm glad they did an SPAC for this.

Oh man - running out of money! If only someone had seen this coming! Wait - I did on page 2 of this thread in June of 2021.

[Laramie]

This is not looking good:

                         

Canoo CEO warns company could go out business before a single car is made in Pryor:  https://news.yahoo.com/canoo-ceo-warns-company-could-155946217.html