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Friday, October 22, 2010

Vaughan and Luttrell contrast

Last post before election. This is long.
First an essay by Steve on his thoughts about government. Second Ken Luttrell's votes and stands...

Steve Vaughan on Accountability

When I decided to run for office, I made my theme "accountability".

Nobody knows the future. These last few years have been tough for Kay and Osage. But if we are accountable to each other, we can make it work. Oklahoma has done it before. We were the center of the dust bowl. The federal government wanted us to abandon the land and become dependent. But we know we belong to the land. We taught each other to farm with less tilllage, and the dust stopped blowing. Now the land we belong to is grand.

The purpose of government is to ensure your freedom so you can dream and do. I know you have dreams that are bigger than government. The Dream is not just riches. You dream of being the kind of person God wants you to be. You dream of being successful in your own eyes. You dream of making family and friends from those you have. Government is not a lifestyle, it's a lender of last resort. DHS can't make your family. DOT can't fix your car. But government can be a safety net-- just not a nest. And we are all accountable for this American Dream.

Legislators don't bring businesses to town. If they did, that would just mean some other town lost a business. Instead, they should make sure the environment for business is good. Hold me accountable for that after this election. Government controls kill jobs. Sly mandates destroy business. Taxes take away success. Count on me to cut your taxes where possible and oppose the mandates of Obamacare wherever I can. The future of medical services and small business in Osage and Kay depends on it. Some of the executive orders set to come from Washington are absolutely loony. Dust emission fines, pasture burning moratoriums, and drilling restrictions will kill our local economy. It's time for you to vote. Stand up and be counted and accountable.

Our schools keep suffering. Isn't it time for some wise and selective de-regulation? Put the money in classrooms. Stop forcing local districts into government planning. State deficits and state worker pension plans are in trouble. I've spent 26 years helping people plan safe stable retirements and live within their means. This makes me angry. Our governor can't seem to estimate revenue within 20%. Isn't it time for an economist or two to be on the Tax Equalization Board? I've got an idea. Let's make these people accountable.

We have a lot of challenges, but I have faith in you. I want to be accountable to you and be your representative. If we are accountable to each other, we can make it work.

....Ken Luttrell's votes and stances...
Sources--votes found at ok.gov Designated as (V-year)
Other--voteok.org,votesmart.com, okprosperity.com (W)
Jobs and Economic Development
-Research Institute for Economic Development (RIED) is non-profit, non-partisan, non-lobbying group that reates legislators by issues that relate to better job and business growth probizok.com Passing grade is 70. All but 6 of 149 legislators score greater than 30. Senator David Myers=100, Rep. Ken Luttrell=45
--voted NO on income tax cuts (V-07,W), eliminating franchise tax (V-07), against tax credit for stay-at-home parents(v-07), agaionst state sales tax holiday (V-07), against letting voters decide spending-level amendment (V-09)
--wants to mandate employers to provide child care and health care(W)
--wants to increase minimum wage(W)
--voted NO on workers comp reforms (V-07,09)
--voted YES to automatically recognize foreign court rulings against Oklahomans (V-08)
--voted NO on plaintiff-attorney contingency fee caps (V-09)
--believes in widely empowered eminent domain like the New London decision (W)
Health Care
--wants to mandate employers to provide health care, wants state to guarantee health care(W)
--voted NO on study of reducing health care premiums (V-09)
--walked the vote to improve autism provider network (V-09)
--voted for the Opt-Out of Obamacare referendum question after he voted against it. (V-10)
--voted NO to strike abortion coverage from federal insurance plans (V-10)
--Is pro-choice in the first 3 mopnths of pregnancy (W)
Education
--dislikes school choice, wants no vouchers, no new charter schools (W)
--voted NO on performance pay for teachers (V-08)
--voted NO for charter school opportunities for students of underperforming schools(V-07)
--voted NO on school spending transparency(V-10)
--voted NO to allow deregulation of well-performing schools (V-09)
--disapproves 3rd party oversight of standards testing (v-09)
--wants to raise college tuition, but increase financial aid to parents despit budget shortfall(W)
Immigration
--voted NO on letting voters decide Official English amendment (V-09)
--voted NO on requiring accounting of illegal's use of school resources (V-10)
--doesn't think public officials should report undocumented immigrants (W)
--voted NO on voter ID (V-10)
Tort Reform
--voted NO to reduce frivolous lawsuits, malpractice tort (V-09) to reduce med costs and doc shortages
--voted NO on workers comp reform (V-07,09)
--favors no atty. fee or punitive damagelimits (W)

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Inhofe endorsement

Big day! Senator Inhofe came to visit Steve today. He and his staff study folks running and lend support to a few critical races around OK. Steve's is one of 'em. So we had lunch at Enrique's and Sen. Inhofe had many kind words for Steve in his endorsement. Then we were off to a radio interview at Team Radio with Bill and again Jim Inhofe repeated his strong endorsement. Finally he and Steve went out to the Buffalo Waller Ranch together.

But we weren't about to let such a big story go to waste. I took several snapshots of the gathering at Enriques and another photo at the studio. Rushed to get the pictures developed (yes, I know I am in the stone age with a 35mm camera) and took them to the PC News. Louise Abercrombe, News reporter had been there for eats but she was declining to write any story since it was about politics. With that disclaimer, it was up to us to put out an ad copy for pay. So Steve and I colloborated, checked our quotes of Sen. Inhofe on his website and that is what will appear in the Sunday paper(I hope). Picture of Steve and Jim at the microphones. Headline is "Inhofe endorses Vaughan." Here is the text...

Senator James Inhofe made an unannounced visit to Ponca City, Wednesday to endorse Steve Vaughan for the Oklahoma House. "I was first elected to the Oklahoma House when it was 7 Republicans and 94 Democrats," he recalled. "And we need a guy like Steve Vaughan who is true to his conservative ideals, who can help House Republicans override a veto of a potential Democrat Governor, and who thinks like I do." Inhofe and Vaughan did a joint radio interview and had lunch with supporters. Inhofe touted several agenda items on the national level which mesh with Vaughan's platform for the House. The EPA threatens Oklahoma jobs by stringent requirements on agricultural practices like a moratorium on pasture burning and atmospheric dust from farm roads. Cap and trade legislation would seriously harm Oklahoma's Oil and Gas industry. The Obama administration's extreme taxation is in the works which is a threat to small businesses. In each case, the need for Oklahoma representatives to stand in the gap against excessive federal controls and work with the US Senate for oversight was stressed. Vaughan pledged to support both Oklahoma Senators in their diligent defense of the state's economy.