Ronda’s Picks – Primary 2018

Around this time every election I have people reach out and ask me how to vote since I am active politically. I consider many resources when I choose the candidates I support. Some candidates are easier to choose than others and some I must rely on those that have been in this fight longer than I, to give me direction.

Remember, this is only the primary election, in many of these races there will be run-off elections in August and the general election in November. On Tuesday we begin narrowing the field for the general election in November.

After careful consideration I feel comfortable recommending the following candidates in the 2018 primary election held June 26th.

RONDA’S PICKS – REPUBLICAN PRIMARY 2018

Statewide

Governor                                                    Dan Fisher

Lt Governor                                                Matt Pinnell

State Auditor                                              Cindy Byrd

Attorney General                                       Mike Hunter

Superintendent of Education                   Linda Murphy

Labor Commissioner                                  Cathy Costello

Insurance Commissioner                           Donald Chasteen

Corporation Commissioner                       Bob Anthony

 

Federal

U.S. House CD-1                                         Nathan Dahm

 

County

District Attorney                                         Steve Kunzweiler

Assessor                                                      John Wright

County Commissioner Dist 1                    Tracey Wilson

County Commissioner Dist 3                    Donny Tiemann

Judges

District 14, Office 1                                    Caroline Wall

District 14, Office 3                                    Jim Caputo

District 14, Office 12                                  Rick Westcott

Associate District Judge                             Adam Weintraub

 

State Senate

State Senate 4:                                           Mark Dean Allen
State Senate 18:                                         Eric Tomlinson
State Senate 20:                                         Aiya Kelley
State Senate 22:                                         Leslie Nessmith
State Senate 36:                                         David Dambroso or Dana Prieto
State Senate 40:                                         NOT Erwin Yen

State House

State House 5:                                            NOT Josh West
State House 8:                                            Tom Gann
State House 10:                                          Travis Dunlap
State House 12:                                          NOT Kevin McDugle
State House 14:                                          George Faught
State House 20:                                          Bobby Cleveland
State House 36:                                          Sean Roberts
State House 61:                                          Colton Buckley
State House 63:                                          Jeff Coody
State House 66:                                          Emily DeLozier
State House 67:                                          Scott McEachin
State House 68:                                          Nicole Nixon
State House 69:                                          Chuck Strohm
State House 71:                                          Mark Kosinski
State House 74:                                          Bradley Peixotto
State House 76:                                          Shelley Brumbaugh
State House 79:                                          Dan Hicks
State House 80:                                          Mike Ritze
State House 83:                                          Jason Reese
State House 98:                                          Wesley Pratt
State House 101:                                        Tess Teague

State Question 788 – Medical Marijuana             Yes

 

Another trusted source: Michael Bates election picks – Batesline.com

Polls are open from 7am – 7 pm Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Call or text 5 friends to remind them to get out and vote on Tuesday, if they haven’t already.

 

 

OK GOP Commends Legislators on “NO” Vote to Raise Taxes

Saturday, November 11, 2017, the Oklahoma Republican State Committee meeting was held in Oklahoma City. The State GOP Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party in Oklahoma.

In a bold move, participants in the Oklahoma Republican State Committee meeting overwhelmingly passed a Resolution in the support of the 22 courageous state representatives that voted “NO” on raising taxes, demanding accountability through performance audits so we can find waste, fraud and abuse.

I was a participant. I carried the proxies of my state representatives (State Senator Nathan Dahm and State Representative Mike Ritze), which allowed me to participate in the committee meeting. At the end of the meeting I presented a Resolution for consideration, commending the 22 state representatives that held strong and voted “NO” on HB1054, the largest tax increase in Oklahoma history.

 After much discussion and compromise the Resolution passed overwhelmingly in favor of recognizing and commending the 22 who chose to stand for party principles of lower taxes, transparency and accountability, holding fast against fierce pressure to raise taxes. Thank goodness for this budget debacle or we would be none the wiser, still funding the shell games of many of these agencies.

I am proud of the members of the State GOP Committee for choosing to stand up for our platform as we work to strengthen party relevance through support and accountability of our party platform.

Press Release:

REPUBLICAN STATE COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LEGISLATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN STATE HISTORY.

11/15/2017 — On Saturday, November 11th, the State Committee of the Oklahoma Republican Party passed a Resolution commending the fortitude of the 22 Republican House of Representatives members who stood first for the people of Oklahoma and in accordance with our Party Platform in voting against excessive taxation.

As detailed in the Rules of the Oklahoma Republican Party, “The State Committee is the supreme Republican Party authority of the State Republican Party...It is charged with the duty of promoting the welfare and direction, controlling the affairs of the Oklahoma Republican Party…”

Increasing concerns have been voiced that tax increases were sought as a first resort to fill budget gaps, without following the Republican Party’s clear platform guidelines to audit agencies’ performance and financial conditions.. With several news headlines detailing mismanagement and monies unaccounted for in state agencies, and agencies requesting more and more monies without fully accounting their expenses, it is apparent that government practices need immediate scrutiny.

The vast majority of media coverage highlighted the narrative of those who prefer to tax and spend versus representing the people by safeguarding their tax dollars for use only in legitimate government functions with maximum efficiencies. This Resolution thanked those that stood committed to transparency and to the principles that they were elected to follow. The governing body of the State Committee supported their efforts to  be the voice of the citizens of Oklahoma.

Quorum was achieved, and remained compliant throughout the meeting by Rule 19(b) Rules of the Republican Party. Upon the vote, the Resolution passed handily.

While the 22 Republican House members who voted were specifically highlighted in the Resolution, it should be noted that State Rep. John Bennett was also a firm advocate of defending Oklahoma taxpayers, but missed the vote due to a family emergency.

Five State Senators also voted previously in their Chamber against the tax increase. Those State Senators are: Josh Brecheen, Nathan Dahm, Julie Daniels, Dan Newberry, and Anthony Sykes. They should also be commended as having done the right thing in spite of extensive pressure to raise taxes.

Resolution:

Resolution Commending the Republican Minority Vote on HB 1054X

WHEREAS, Filling the Budget shortfalls without first auditing agencies’ performance and financial conditions covers up mismanagement and/or corruption, and avoids making the hard decisions on cutting inefficiencies that lead to cost savings;

WHEREAS, The prime example is the recently uncovered mismanagement and/or fraud at the Department of Health which would likely not have become known if this tax plan had already passed the House earlier in session;

WHEREAS, The Oklahoma Legislature should not increase tax burdens on Oklahomans while this lack of transparency in spending continues to exist in an undetermined number of the over 120 state agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Republican Party Platform is very clear that, “Revenues collected at all levels of government should be used only for well-defined, legitimate government functions, and should be carried out efficiently so that tax rates may be kept as low as possible”; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, The Oklahoma Republican Party State Committee hereby commends the fortitude of the 22 Republican Representatives: Kevin Calvey, Bobby Cleveland, Jeff Coody, Dale Derby, Tim Downing, Travis Dunlap, John Enns, George Faught, Tom Gann, Tommy Hardin, Mark McBride, Scott McEachin, Lewis Moore, Jason Murphey, Terry O’Donnell, Mike Ritze, Sean Roberts, Michael Rogers, Chuck Strohm, Tess Teague, Kevin West, and Rick West, who have put principle over politics, and held the line to not increase taxes again without a complete audit of all agencies; and

RESOLVED, The Oklahoma Republican Party State Committee encourages all legislators to proceed now with the leadership and courage to be accountable first to the people of Oklahoma, knowing that it is our tax dollars they are spending

Academic Freedom: The Oklahoma Science Education Act

Oklahoma Science Education Act

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, State Representative David Brumbaugh, two days before his death, presented before committee SB393, the Oklahoma Science Education Act. This bill promotes academic freedom by allowing students and teachers the opportunity to freely and openly discuss scientific theory.

Sixteen states have already adopted or have legislation promoting academic freedom. Academic freedom is not something we should fear, but instead embrace, as it allows the free exchange of ideas and questions thus promoting critical thinking skills which are important for our children to nurture and cultivate so that as adults they will be able to think for themselves.

After all, our goal for students is to teach them ‘how’ to think not just ‘what’ to think, right? Discussing who, what, where, how, and why of subjects allows for mental growth. To just accept something ‘as is’, without being allowed to question or discuss fosters a group think mentality allowing little room for growth. We should expect our educational institutions to promote critical thinking skills and allow objective, open discussion of scientific theory, as science is never ‘settled’.

There is no such thing as ‘settled science’. “Settled Science” is a term to normalize scientific laziness and discourage questioning and analysis of controversial issues. It is through the inquisitive nature of man and his never-ending quest for knowledge that we didn’t accept as ‘settled science’, that the earth is flat; that washing your hands before surgery isn’t necessary (it is one of the most important factors in the prevention of post-surgery infection); or the fact that it is not fat that leads to obesity, but the sugar in our diets. Settled Science today would have us believe that climate change is largely manmade, that GMO’s are safe, that vaccines don’t cause autism and that the earth will soon run out of oil, sinking humanity into an age of darkness without fossil fuels.

The Oklahoma Science Education Act, if passed, will create an environment that encourages student to explore scientific questions learn about scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about controversial issues.

The Oklahoma Science Education Act, if passed, shall endeavor to assist teachers to find effective ways to present the science curriculum as it addresses scientific controversies. Teachers shall be permitted to help students understand, analyze, critique and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught.

The Oklahoma Science Education Act, if passed, will not allow any educational authority to prohibit any teacher in a public school district in this state from helping students understand, analyze, critique and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught.

The Oklahoma Science Education Act, if passed, only protects the teaching of scientific information and shall not be construed to promote any religious or non-religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or non-beliefs or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.

The Oklahoma Science Education Act, if passed, shall provide a waiver of immunity from civil lawsuit, or termination of employment to a teacher as long as they are acting in compliance with this act.

I don’t understand why anyone would object to this bill, it doesn’t promote religion or religious doctrine; it encourages exploration and discussion of subject matter being taught. I guess the bottom line is, do we want our children to be robots? To be taught what to think instead of how to think? Are we so opposed to differing opinions that we won’t allow our children to explore opposing views and question scientific theories? Einstein said, “The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” When did teaching objectivity and critical thinking become a no-no?

If our children are not taught how to participate in a robust exchange of ideas through debate and discussion, how on earth will we prepare them for adulthood. We do a grave injustice to our children if we allow them to be taught only to pass a test and not how to think through problems and to call into question the politically correct, so-called, ‘settled science’.

In the words of one of our most popular founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, “Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.”

Representative David Brumbaugh, from Broken Arrow, passed away just two days after presenting this bill. It was his life’s work. It would be a shame to disregard his legacy out of fear of allowing our children to express their own thoughts and opinions on scientific theory. Let us instead uphold Brumbaugh’s legacy and his vision for honest and open discussion of Oklahoma’s students in the subject of Science.

This blog appeared first on Just Ronda – Academic Freedom: The Oklahoma Science Education Act

The Time for Repeal is NOW!

It’s no secret, Obamacare has been a disaster for Americans. Since the law’s passage in 2010, costs have gone up and access to care has continuously declined. Our experience here in the Sooner State is living proof of that: after years of double-digit premium increases there is only one insurer that still finds it economically viable to participate on the Oklahoma Obamacare exchange.

The failure of government mandated health care is one of the main reasons I became involved in the conservative movement. Since 2010, the Tulsa 9.12 Project has worked to achieve the full unconditional repeal of Obamacare and to send principled elected officials to Washington who will carry out this mission. We have waited and worked hard for seven long years. We must not retreat or accept less that what we were promised, the full repeal of Obamacare. Now is our time to act.

For the first time since the law was passed there is a President in the White House who has clearly stated that he is willing and eager to sign into law a full repeal of Obamacare. Congressional Leadership unfortunately, would rather tinker around the edges rather than rip the law up, root and branch. Now, more than ever, principled Conservatives are needed in Washington who will make a stand for full repeal.

The House Freedom Caucus is a membership group in the US House of Representatives. The Caucus, made up of conservative and libertarian members, is the living embodiment of the conservative movement in the House of Representatives. While most Republicans will go along with whatever Paul Ryan and the rest of the establishment Republicans want, the Freedom Caucus takes its Constitutional authority, oath of office and campaign promises more seriously.

Freedom Caucus members have been on the front lines of opposing Obamacare since the day it was proposed. They were instrumental in turning back Republican support of the first draft of the legislation. And in the face of the threats from Congressional leadership, the Freedom Caucus boldly exercised its authority to stand firm and say ‘no’ to bad policy.

That bad policy was Speaker Ryan’s flawed effort to repair rather than repeal Obamacare. This is not what the American people were promised on the campaign trail. After years of meaningless (show) votes supporting the repeal of socialized medicine, the practice should have paid off; Republicans should have been ready for prime time. And yet they weren’t.

What we received instead wasn’t a ‘repeal’ bill but a ‘repair’ bill that kept large parts of Obamacare intact. What we received was a huge broken promise. A promise the Freedom Caucus held dear and stood by. A promise for a ‘full repeal’ kept by the Freedom Caucus that compelled Speaker Ryan to withdraw his flawed and hastily rushed bill.

I have not mentioned, although most of you know, that Congressman Bridenstine is our own (and only) Oklahoma member of the Freedom Caucus. He has stood with the men and women of the Freedom Caucus to promote conservative values in Washington despite establishment attacks on Freedom Caucus efforts. We have seen across the country organized efforts by the left to infiltrate and disrupt town halls. Call Bridenstine’s office or send them a note and tell him these groups do not represent your values. Continue to encourage him. Continue to pray for him (Congressman Bridenstine). And encourage him, and his Freedom Caucus colleagues, to remember their promise to the American people and stand strong on a full repeal of Obamacare.

NO Excuses! Get ‘er done!

2016 is the year not just Oklahomans but American voters spoke loudly and clearly regarding the direction they want to see our state and country go. The 2016 election was a mandate to our elected officials that the time has come to get the job done. No more excuses!

Oklahoma has super majorities in the House and Senate as well as hold every elected statewide position, the people have spoken, “Get ‘er done!”

As submitted to The Tulsa Beacon:

2016 gave us one helluva ride! Between the Presidential election and all that entailed, and the state with the Education lobby trying to take over the Oklahoma legislature, citizens from across our state and country sent a message very loud and very clear on November 8^th … “Get ‘er done!” No more whining and excuses from our federal delegation – we have given you the House, the Senate and the White House, now… get ‘er done! ObamaCare repealed and replaced during the 115^th Congress – NO excuses! Overreaching federal regulations, unconstitutional executive orders, reducing the size of government, easing Americans tax burdens … just Get ‘er done!!!

The people of Oklahoma want our state legislators to “Get ‘er done!” here, as well. The education groups were unsuccessful in bullying their way into the legislature as planned last year, and Oklahoma voters soundly defeated the one percent sales tax initiative, not because they believe teachers don’t deserve a raise but because it would have been bad overall for Oklahoma.

Parental choice in education and vaccination is a MUST! Education reform, including teacher pay raises is necessary to restore confidence in our education and relieve some of the burden on teachers. Asset forfeiture and justice reform need to be addressed, protecting our First Amendment by protecting donor laws, rejecting Medicaid expansion, as well as pension and tax code reform are what Oklahoma citizens elected (re-elected), our state legislature to take care of. So, just as at the federal level, the citizens of Oklahoma have sent the message to the Oklahoma House, Senate and Governor’s office to… GET ‘ER DONE! Republicans have super majorities in the House and Senate and we hold the Governor’s office – NO excuses!  Get ‘er Done!!

Here’s hoping that at this time next year we can declare, “2017 the year We Got ‘er Done!”

Ronda Vuillemont-Smith

Founder and President, Tulsa 9.12 Project

FreedomWorks Advisory Council Member

Heritage Action for America, Sentinel Wall of Honor Award Recipient 2016

Because You Asked…a voting guide for 2016

Many have asked me how I will be voting and if I have recommendations, so I’m sharing with you the organizations and people I value for their research and explanation of state questions as well as how I plan to vote November 8th.

Let me preface this by saying, we need to think long and hard before we start adding stuff to our state constitution, which is what will happen with each ballot measure that passes, other than SQ790, which removes Article II, Section 5 of our state constitution.

We elect men and women to represent us in the legislature – let’s make them do the job we elected them to do, present and vote on legislation to make the positive changes we need in Oklahoma and not cement these changes in our constitution, making correction or change near impossible. Just a little food for thought.

Here we go! A few of the people/organizations I trust when looking for answers on the State Questions…

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), is a wonderful resource.  http://www.ocpathink.org/article/voters-guide-to-ballot-measures

As is, Oklahoma Conservative PAC www.oklahomacpac.org

I also trust Michael Bates at www.Batesline.com

I differ with these guys a little. On the State Questions, here’s how I will be voting…

SQ776 – Death Penalty – NO – we already have the death penalty in Oklahoma and just last session the legislature passed HB1879 which took care of this concern

SQ777 – Right to Farm – NO – it would supposedly provide protection to one industry, it is vaguely worded, the verbiage “compelling state interest” is not defined and the ballot measure is confusing.

SQ779 – Education TAX – NO! NO! NO! – Taxes Suck! Especially when the tax will do more harm to the state than it will do good for the teachers. Everyone agrees, teachers need a raise, but there are better ways to make it happen. Less than half of the money of the projected revenues will go to teachers while almost 20% of it goes to higher education, which according to our state constitution has no responsibility for accountability or transparency on how the money is spent as they are not required to report it.

 

SQ780 – Justice Reform – NO – while I agree that we need justice reform in our state that is the role of our legislators and should not be placed in our constitution. Just last session our legislature passed 3 bills that dealt with Justice Reform. Let’s allow our legislators do their job. While I support the lessening of some charges from felonies to misdemeanors, this is not the answer. The consequence, should this pass will be an immediate overcrowding of county jails as those former felons will be pushed out of state prisons, but will still have to be locked up in already overcrowded county jails based on their newly reduced charges to misdemeanors.

SQ781 – Funding for County Programs – NO– contingent upon SQ780 passing – once again, we don’t need this in our constitution.

SQ790 – Religious Liberty – YES – this state question actually repeals the Blaine Amendment in our constitution. Last year the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments from the capitol grounds, citing a portion of the Oklahoma Constitution which prohibits the government from using public property for the benefit of any religious institution (Blaine Amendment). This will also allow for more parental choice in education.

When Article II, Section 5, was placed in the Oklahoma Constitution, and similar “Blaine Amendment”-type provisions were added to other state constitutions, the framers wanted to encourage children to be indoctrinated in the state religion of the day (generic protestantism) and make it harder for families who wanted to educate their children in their own religion. The motivation for those who want to keep it today hasn’t changed, but the state religion has been changed (by the U. S. Supreme Court in the 1960s) to atheism and materialism.                Credit: Michel Bates

SQ792 – Alcohol Modernization – YES – NO – YES – NO – it’s your choice. I understand the desire to bring our liquor laws up to date and more in line with the times, and I agree. In fact, I just spoke in favor of this state question at the Wagoner County GOP meeting and after listening to the discussion tonight and reading Michael Bates’ commentary, I believe I may reconsider. YES we need to update our liquor laws but if it won’t go into effect until 2018, we have time to allow our legislature to work on it, making the legislation and changes more concise and less confusing. Might I suggest flipping a coin on this one?

Judges and Justices (taken directly from OklahomaCPAC.org)

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justices:  Vote NO on Justices James Winchester and Donald Combs.  They are not just.  Overall, our State Supreme Court is progressive and activist.  It sometimes disregards our state constitution, and its opinions are inconsistent.  These two justices voted incorrectly on five out of six key votes, yielding a score of only 16.5%.

In the last few years, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has banned the Ten Commandments (Prescott v. Okla. Capitol Preservation Committee, 2015 OK 54), protected child rapists (Burns v. Cline, 2016 OK 99), protected abortionists (Burns v. Cline, 2014 OK 90), and protected sex offenders (Hendricks v. Jones ex rel. State ex rel. Okla. Dept. of Corr., 2013 OK 71).  Download this Judging Justices Flyer and give a copy to everybody at church.

Charlie Meadows provides the following recommendations on appellate judges based on his off the record discussions with attorneys, prosecutors, and lower court judges.

Judge Clancy Smith (State Court of Criminal Appeals):  Vote NO – Sources tell us that this Brad Henry appointee is very smart, but ideologically progressive to her core and way too nit-picky with jury decisions.

Judge Robert Hudson (State Court of Criminal Appeals):  Vote YES – Hudson is fairly new on the court.  He was appointed Payne county District Attorney by Frank Keating, replacing a corrupt DA.  Eventually he became chief of staff for Scott Pruitt.  He was recently appointed by Gov. Fallin to the Criminal Court of Appeals.  Hudson appears to be a serious Christian, and everyone consulted gave him very high marks.

Judge Thomas Thornbrugh (State Court of Civil Appeals):  YOUR CHOICE – The Court of Civil Appeals is the most difficult to evaluate because they do not settle many high profile cases.  Thornbrugh was the only judge on the court with whom some sources were not fully satisfied.

Judge John Fischer (State Court of Civil Appeals): Vote YES.

Judge Larry Joplin (State Court of Civil Appeals): Vote YES.

 As for the rest, I think you know how I will be voting. I will be voting my conscience, aligning myself with the candidate that best represents my principles and values. I must admit, the Supreme Court and the thought of Hillary Clinton as President are a YUGE part of my motivation.

 My recommendations in down ticket races (Tulsa area)…

 U.S. Senator

James Lankford

 

Oklahoma State Senate

Dist 25            Joe Newhouse

Dist 33            Nathan Dahm          

Dist 35            Gary Stanislawski

Dist 37            Dan Newberry

 

Oklahoma House of Representatives

Dist 12            Kevin McDugle

Dist 66            Jadine Nollan

Dist 67            Scott McEachin

Dist 74            Mr. Derby (David Derby’s dad)

Dist 76            David Brumbaugh

Dist 69            Chuck Strohm

Dist 78            Molly McKay

Dist 79            Weldon Watson

Dist 80            Dr. Mike Ritze

 

Tulsa County

County Commissioner Dist 2         Josh Turley

Tulsa County Court Clerk              Don Newberry

 

City of Tulsa

City Council Dist 9                           Eric McCray

 

 Hope this helps!  Happy Voting!

PSO’s Deception

 

PSO vs The People:  Who’s Lying Now?

PSO has claimed: Smart Meters Don’t Collect Personal Data

And yet, on August 15, 2016, the Attorney General’s office sent a letter to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission instructing them to adopt rules protecting our personal privacy in the Electric Utility Rules (Chapter 35 of Title 165).  These rules were intended to protect our personal data other than usage collected and transmitted by the smart meters.

In the fall of 2015 Assistant Attorney General Jerry Sanger said the he understood the “Utilities have the potential to profit MORE from the customer data sold than the consumption of electricity” (Forbes and Politico).  The Oklahoma Corporation Commission was to promulgate the rules more than five years ago to protect our privacy.

Most people don’t realize that every device in a home has an identifiable frequency signature allowing real time display of intimate details of daily life, when you bathe, cook, do laundry and when you are home or away.

Who is PSO sharing our private information with? California Utilities have reported sharing the information with the Federal Government, civil and criminal courts and law enforcement without notice to the customer. This violates our 4th Amendment Rights.

Real-time data collection is a hot commodity, the selling of which can provide a very healthy revenue stream, not accountable and not reported. Considering the fact that utilities can actually make MORE profit from the selling of their customers data than by consumption of utilities, why does PSO continue to request rate increases to make up for the savings you incurred by conserving electricity? But that’s another story for another day.

Remember, through real-time data collection PSO (and hackers) will know your life style patterns and habits, and once the data is seized and transmitted, your data is no longer protected. 

 

Ronda’s Recommendations for 2016 Primary Elections

Around election time I receive many requests on either how to vote or who to vote for. Following are the candidates I support. These are my views only and are not necessarily the views of Tulsa 9.12 Project leadership or members.

Feel free to carry this into the voting booth with you, share it with your friends and family – one of the best things you can do as Election Day draws near is to remind people to get out and vote. These are typically low voter turnout elections so EVERY vote counts!

Congress CD1 – Jim Bridenstine

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Bridenstine. He is a man of his word. A man of courage, conviction and boldness, with the heart a servant. He is a true representative of the people and our Constitution. We sent Bridenstine to Washington, DC, to make a difference and to be a voice for conservative principles and values; he has done all that and more! Bridenstine has earned my support and my vote! I trust Jim Bridenstine.

Oklahoma State Senate

SD25 – Joe Newhouse

SD25 is currently held by term limited state senator Mike Mazzei. In fact, I ran for this seat 4 years ago. I am encouraging my friends and neighbors in SD25 to cast their vote for Joe Newhouse. I first got to know Newhouse when he worked in Congressman Bridenstine’s office as a Field Representative, and is currently one of the youngest men to have achieved the status of Commander in the Navy Reserve, serving as a military advisor to NATO. Newhouse will bring to the state senate the same qualities of courage, boldness and discipline Representative Bridenstine brings to his congressional office. His loyalties will lie with the Constitution and the citizens of SD25, not to special interests and lobbyists.

SD33 – Nathan Dahm

Nathan Dahm is currently running for re-election in SD33, which just so happens to be my senate district. Dahm has proven to be a man of his word through his tireless fight to protect and advance our liberties. He too is a man of courage and boldness, taking on the issues that fight to protect life and liberty. Nathan stands for what I stand for, the Second Amendment, balanced budget, lower taxes, pro-life and smaller government and he fights for these for all Oklahoma citizens in the state senate. I proudly stand with Nathan Dahm and encourage others to also.

SD37 – Dan Newberry

Dan Newberry is currently running for re-election in SD37. Over the past year I have had the opportunity to work with Newberry on issues related to budget, life, Medicaid expansion, tax credits, etc.. I believe Newberry has a heart to do what’s right for Oklahoma and though we have had more than one occasion to disagree, we put aside our differences to work together when and where we can. If you live in SD37 I would encourage you to support Dan Newberry for state senate.

SD39 – Amanda Teegarden

Amanda Teegarden is running for the open seat left vacant by term limited state senator Brian Crain. There is no candidate more qualified to serve as state senator than Amanda Teegarden.  Amanda is my friend and my mentor; she taught me and hundreds of others how to read and understand the language of a bill, how to effectively call and write our legislators and how to be a citizen activist/lobbyist. Because of her hard work and dedication as a citizen activist and executive director of a non-profit organization we were able to convince Governor Fallin to return $54 million in an Early Innovator Grant tied to the Affordable Care Act and because of Teegarden’s determination and diligence we were able to keep ObamaCare Exchanges out of Oklahoma. She believes strongly in an open and transparent government, she understands the issues and is committed to conservative solutions. Teegarden is a constitutional conservative, she will fight to protect our privacy and our property.  If elected, Teegarden will read the bills before casting a vote, will determine if we can afford to enact legislation based on needs, not wants, and will work towards the best interests of her constituents, not special interests or lobbyists. Amanda Teegarden was recognized by her peers at the first Defenders of Liberty Grassroots Activism Awards, as the recipient of the Samuel Adams Statesman of the Year Award for her leadership, research, activism and willingness to teach others.

Oklahoma State House

HD67 – Scott McEachin

Scott McEachin is running for term limited representative Pam Peterson’s open seat. Scott has been a friend for a number of years and participated on Tulsa 9.12 Project board until he announced he was running for office. I have supported McEachin since he first decided to run for office because I have witnessed firsthand his dedication and support of our founding principles in the way he lives and speaks. He will advocate for policies that restore the proper balance between Washington DC and the citizens of Oklahoma. McEachin is active in his community through involvement with his church and conservative organizations. He and his wife Debbie have a heart for our community and our state and they live that dedication through their hard work and support. Scott McEachin is a constitutional conservative.

HD70 – Ken Walker

Ken Walker is currently running for his third term in HD70. Walker works to modernize government through consolidation of dozens of Authorities, Boards, Trusts and Commissions, saving tax payers Hundreds of Thousands of dollars. He Co-Authored HB3218 which ends the current end of the year tests for high-school students and drastically reduces the number of tests for grades 3-8, and he Co-Authored HB2957 which puts the power back in the hands of the local school districts of how they evaluate their teachers. If you live in HD70, I recommend Ken Walker.

Tulsa County Sheriff – Luke Sherman

 I voted for and supported Luke Sherman during the special election earlier this year to replace Sheriff Stanley Glanz. I support Luke again as he is running for the full four year term and has the support and endorsement of most of his opponents from the special election. As a Tulsa Police Officer, Sherman has served our community with honor and integrity. He has the personality and demeanor to lead the Sheriff’s Department, restoring pride, confidence and honor to the office of Tulsa County Sheriff. As Sheriff, Sherman has stated that should the need arise, he will take a Constitutional stand against the overreach of the federal government. He will have our back. He has my vote!

 Tulsa County Clerk – Michael Willis

Tulsa County Clerk is an open seat because our current County Clerk is not running for re-election. I will be casting my vote for Michael Willis. Michael currently serves as the Chief Deputy County Commissioner and Public Information Officer at Tulsa County. Having observed Willis in a variety of settings and speaking with him on a number of issues, I believe he will do a great job as our County Clerk – he has a heart for our community and a desire to serve.

Tulsa County Court Clerk – Don Newberry

 Tulsa County Assessor, Ken Yazel said it best, “Don is the most qualified candidate for Tulsa County Court Clerk. He has worked in the Tulsa Assessor’s office for the past six years, serving Tulsa County citizens with loyalty and professionalism. Don currently manages our Title Research Department and his professionalism has been nothing but exemplary. His ingenuity and business mind combined with his management skills and education is exactly what this County needs in an elected official.” I will be casting my vote for Don Newberry for Tulsa County Court Clerk.

Tulsa County Commissioner – Toss up

I am undecided on this race and may just flip a coin to determine who to vote for. I believe either one will serve us well bringing new ideas and vision for Tulsa county. One the one hand, Turley has worked in county government and is familiar with procedure and protocol while having an understanding of the needs of Tulsa County. On the other hand I have known Grable for a number of years and have spent time listening to his thoughts and ideas and I believe he has a future in politics. His experience in having worked at the state capitol would be beneficial to the office of County Commissioner.  Full disclosure: I have donated to Grable’s campaign.

City of Tulsa Mayor – Dewey Bartlett

I stand in support of Dewey Bartlett for mayor. While we may not always agree, we respect one another’s opinions and are willing to have an open dialogue regarding ideas and differences. Bartlett assumed the financial and organizational disarray of Kathy Taylor’s time in office and has done a good job of moving Tulsa in the right direction. Democrats are lining up behind Bartlett’s opponent, GT Bynum – Kathy Taylor, Karen Keith and former Congressman John Sullivan – okay, so Sullivan is registered as a Republican but he did endorse GT Bynum and then there’s his voting record. Yes, there are other candidates in the race but the reality is, this is a two man race and I am supporting the more conservative candidate of the two. Bynum will continue to push his progressive agenda, has stated that he supports the Boren 1% sales tax, and will behave like a college kid with daddy’s checkbook, spending our tax dollars faster than they generate. We don’t need a lobbyist indebted to special interests, willing to grow the size and scope of government on the backs of our children and grandchildren. We need an adult in the office of mayor, willing to make the tough decisions while working to make Tulsa a better place to live, raise a family and eventually retire. Let’s keep a good thing going – Vote Dewey Bartlett for Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Summary of LWV SD 39 Forum

Thursday evening, June 9, the League of Women Voters held a public forum for Senate District 39 candidates at the OU Tulsa campus. Senate District 39 is currently held by term limited Brian Crain, which makes SD39 an open seat.

Three candidates participated in the forum – Dave Rader, Amanda Teegarden and Alan Staab, approximately 40-45 people attended the forum. The questions came from the audience, read by the moderator and the time keeper kept everything running smoothly. The League of Women Voters did a great job and a great service to our community by hosting this event.

The questions asked were very thoughtful and the answers provided insight into the differences between the candidates. The first question was “were the candidates familiar with the legislative process and if not, who would they look to for guidance?”  Staab answered first, stating that he would rely on friends and other legislators to educate him in the legislative process. Rader said he will find like-minded individuals within the legislature to teach and mentor him, while Teegarden reminded the audience that through her work as a citizen activist she has already spent most of the last ten years learning Oklahoma policy and procedures for herself.

On education and budget issues, all agreed that these are the top issues affecting our state.  Rader is in favor of allowing school boards to raise the debt bonding limit from 10% to 15%. Teegarden explained that currently 51% of the state budget goes to education, appearing as a single line item on the budget; she would like to carve out a dedicated funding stream for classroom instructors and require transparency about all sources of revenue and education expenditures, which currently appear to be top heavy in administrative costs. Staab was in favor of increasing the general budget item for education and was fully supportive of the cigarette tax as well.

Of course, the Boren 1% sales tax was brought up. Both Staab and Teegarden were opposed to the regressive tax. Rader’s response was non-committal in that he said it didn’t matter how he votes and would not answer with his opinion on the matter.

When asked about mental health in Oklahoma, Rader didn’t give a clear, straight answer. He did say that maybe Insure Oklahoma was the way to go but that all options must be considered. Staab was in favor of expanding Medicaid for the purpose of receiving more federal funding and as stated earlier, he favors the cigarette tax. Teegarden is opposed to Medicaid expansion due to the current national debt and the fact that there is no money to fund expansion, and that she supports more health care freedom of choice in Oklahoma.

One question was regarding their opinion as to what was the most significant piece of legislation from this last legislative session. Teegarden stated that SB1552 was probably the most significant bill of the session and that it was unfortunate that Gov. Fallin had vetoed it.  Rader was in agreement with Teegarden in regard to SB1552. Staab voiced his support of the cigarette tax and touted it as the most important bill (it was defeated).

When asked how each candidate would build consensus with their fellow legislators, Staab mentioned his ability to build relationships, and stated that if he wins the election, he and his wife will move to OKC and purchase season tickets to the Thunder games to represent the people of Tulsa. Rader cited his experience as a player and coach to begin consensus building. Teegarden stated that finding consensus is not the goal of a legislator, that there is usually a right and wrong and that, “legislation is either good or bad.  The job of a state senator is to uphold the oath of office, and defend and support both the US and state constitutions.”

It was a good evening with engaged citizens. The evening offered insight on the candidates of SD39, some similar, some vastly different.

Smart Meters – Take them or else!

NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op appears to be in a race to complete the installation of Smart Meters before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), votes on the cost for customers to opt out of receiving a Smart Meter. This has resulted in three different occurrences between NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op customers who have expressed opposition to the new meters.

Monday, October 5, NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op jumped a locked gate and replaced the analog meter with a Smart Meter at Mr. Chuck Clawson’s home. Mr. Clawson had expressed to the electric co-op that he did not want his meter replaced on more than one occasion. Knowing Mr. Clawson’s objection to the installation of a Smart Meter, the electric co-op waited until Mr. Clawson was not home, jumped his locked gate and changed out his meter.

Tuesday, October 6, NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op forced the installation of a Smart Meter on another customer who had rejected the new meters, Ms. Marlene McClelland. Ms. McClelland made her objections known to the electric co-op regarding the new Smart Meters through phone conversations, face-to-face conversations as well as a sign on the meter clearly stating that she wanted to retain her current meter and not receive a Smart Meter. Once again, with full knowledge of Ms. McClelland’s objection, the NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op forced her to receive a new meter by changing the meter when Ms. McClelland was not home.

Also, on Tuesday, October 6, Mr. Randy Love’s electrical service was terminated due to his refusal of receiving a Smart Meter. NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op went to Mr. Love’s home on Monday to replace his meter, Mr. Love declined the installation to which he was then informed that if he did not allow for the meter to be replaced they would come the next day to retrieve their property (meter) and leave Mr. Love and his family without electrical services. NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op returned on Tuesday, stated they were operating under Oklahoma Corporation Commission guidelines (though they couldn’t state specific guidelines), that no opt out option is available and they were removing their property (electric meter), leaving the Love’s with no electricity.

NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op is regulated by the OCC.  The Opt out case at the OCC has received the administrative judges’ opinion and awaits the Commissioners approval which is expected within a few weeks.  It would appear that NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op is trying to deploy their Smart Meters before the OCC decision.  Will the Opt out fees be too punitive to have a meter removed once installed by NE Co-op.   Considering that NE Oklahoma Electric Co-op has a monopoly on electrical services in that area should they be allowed to force customers to receive a Smart Meter that the customer believes will threaten their health, safety and privacy within their home?  Since when, does a Corporation or a Co-op have the right to put a non- grounded, telecom device which collects and transmits personal  data on private property without any due process? No federal or State law mandates the deployment of these problematic meters.