Saturday, April 03, 2004

Tom Coburn on Jeff Johnson

I don't even live in Senate District 18 but I received a mailer from the Jeff Johnson campaign that featured a letter from former Congressman Tom Coburn endorsing Jeff because he "is a life long resident of the district, has been a Sunday school teacher, a little league coach, and he supports the right to life, second amendment rights and traditional marriages." While I agree with the right to life part I find it and all of of the other "reasons" not crucial for the job of being a State Senator. By the way, the second amendment is the one that provides for the right of the old militias to bear arms but has been usurped by the gun industry and gun lovers who claim it relates to present day individuals who want to shoot things and people up.

What gets me are the code words these politicians use. "Second amendment Rights" means I'll make sure you get to buy as many lethal weapons as you want and shoot stuff. "Sunday school teacher" means I'm a Christian and I'll push the infidels to the margins of society and let them know this here is a CHRISTIAN nation by God. "Life long resident" means I ain't never gone nowhere and I'll fight to keep our district jus like it tiss. "Traditional marriage" means I hate gays as much as you do and we ain't lettin those perverts do their fornicatin round Oklahoma, by God.

Friday, April 02, 2004

Tough Choices in Senate District in East Tulsa

A relative showed me the campaign literature he had received from Mary Easley (D) and Jeff Johnson (R) - the candidates for the Senate seat being vacated by Mary Easley's son, Kevin Easley. Residents in the area report a flood of direct mail and automated phone calls from the candidates. A scan of the campaign literature shows it's a tough call for moderates.

Mary Easley's brochures promise everything from lowering taxes to punishing companies that move jobs overseas. Johnson's mailings focus on proving he's a Christian conservative - he'll get prayer in our schools and ban gay marriage (which is already not allowed in Oklahoma). Mary Easley has been in the Legislature as a State Representative for several years. She is known to be a nice person but not one that has taken tough stands. She talks out of both sides of her mouth to try to please everyone. You never know exactly where she stands. And promising she will make sure companies that move jobs overseas is something she has little to do with. The state's investment incentives already provide for cancellation of incentives if the promised jobs don't happen.

But worse than having a milquetoast in the Senate would be having another far right religious extremist with a social agenda such as that espoused by Jeff Johnson. An agenda such as his accentuates divisions along cultural and social lines and does little but divert the Legislature from the mundane but important business they need to focus on - like economic development and education. I'd have to go with Mary Easley on this one and hope she gets a stronger backbone.

Thursday, April 01, 2004

Eclectic Eats in Tulsa

Tulsa is welcoming more unique eateries to its dining scene every month. Two worth mentioning are "Nothing but Noodles" at 96th and Riverside and "Pei Wei Asian Diner" at 61st and Yale. Pei Wei is the newest of the two and is owned by P.F. Chang's. Pei Wei's is of the casual fast food variety and features fresh ingredients and contemporary dishes. "Nothing But Noodles" has every type of noodle from Japanese udon to Italian farfalle. It too is casual fast food. Both restaurants help bridge the gap between McDonalds and the Warren Duck Club.
Carroll Fisher in a China Shop

On Tuesday the State House of Representatives passed a measure that could lead to the impeachment of State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. Fisher has, almost from the day of his election a few years ago, been in some sort of self-inflicted trouble with allegations of misconduct in office. We've heard about the charity, the gifts from insurance companies, etc - but no one has asked Fisher why he traveled to China in 2002 at state expense. What possible reason could our state insurance director have for travelling to the Great Wall at our expense?

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

"OFFICIAL DOCUMENT ENCLOSED"

I received a thick envelope in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Over the glassine address window it alerted me that it was no ordinary junk mail, this was an "official document". The return address was a PO Box number in Oklahoma City. Could I be in trouble with the state tax commission? The Ethics Commission? I better open it. It was from the Humphreys for Senate campaign. I suppose Humphreys and Gaylord THINK their campaign is as good as "official" so why not try to fool people into thinking their junk mail is worthy of official status? After all, they (and Senator Inhofe) seem to expect their self-anointedness to cast a spell over the citizenry and for us to carry out those orders.

In real life I realize such mailings are handled by direct mail companies and Humphreys probably never even saw the mailing envelope. But don't you get tired of this direct mail falsehood? Telling us an "official document" is enclosed when all it is is an appeal for money. That's lying. Politicians should be held accountable for their campaign ethics.