Saturday, May 01, 2004

Listening to KFAQ

Michael DelGiorno of KFAQ radio in Tulsa is no fan of Tulsa Mayor Bob LaFortune. Anyone who listens to KFAQ for more than five minutes will know this. A couple of days ago while on a boring road trip I tuned in and caught the end of a discussion DelGiorno was having with Tulsa Councilman Medlock. Despite DelGiorno's repeated interruptions with angry cuts at LaFortune Medlock made sensible arguments regarding a budget dispute with LaFortune. A major theme of DelGiorno was his raving anger with alledged (and likely) backroom deals mayors and other leaders make and hide from the public. DelGiorno has some good points but the Limbaugh-sized self-importance detracts from his credibility.

Immediately following the interview with Medlock DelGiorno introduced his next guest, US Senate candidate Kirk Humphreys. DelGiorno's gushing intro extended to telling Humphreys he was handsome (and Humphreys agreed and said it was important to look like a leader). What DelGiorno didn't cover in the fawning interview with Humphreys is illuminating. DelGiorno failed to note that former OKC Mayor Humphreys history of backroom deals favoring OKC's business elites (sponsored by the Gaylords of the Daily Oklahoman) makes LaFortune look like a standard bearer for Common Cause. DelGiorno's righteous indignation doesn't spread evenly.

Monday, April 26, 2004

Going Too Far

There a new blog in town but if their blog on Senator Jim Williamson is indicative of their MO is doesn't bode well. OklahomaRealPolitics.com awards Senator Jim Williamson its "hypocrite of the week" award because he is supposedly a "deadbeat dad" because he was involved in a contentious divorce in the early 90s. At some point during the divorce he was ordered to make child support in arrearages. While OkiePundit believes Senator Williamson, with his anti-gay marriage efforts is guilty of trying to force his and the majority's religious beliefs on others - we think it outrageous to use the terrible contentiousness of a divorce to pin a deadbeat dad label on Williamson. We do not know the circumstances of Williamson's divorce but we do know people get crazy during a divorce and both sides make all sorts of unreliable and vicious assertions during such an emotional time. We just wonder why Senator Williamson doesn't want gay couples to share in the misery.

So Long CITGO

CITGO let the other shoe drop today and announced they have accepted Texas' multi-million dollar bribe to move its HQ to Houston. Not much of a surprise given trends in the industry but it's unknown whether the move could have been averted. While states can roll out all kinds of company-specific incentives to get a company to move into a state they can't very well pay companies to stay put. To do so would evolve into a spiral of corporate blackmail of cities and states. It is safe to say that Oklahoma and Tulsa could have done much more than they did. The Governor and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce leadership still have no plan for business retention - other than a half-hearted attempt at tort reform. The new state leadership has had plenty of time to establish a business retention SWAT team but have been mired in a muddle of inaction. Secretary of Commerce Kathy Taylor is spread too thin and has no experience in economic development. Governor Henry hasn't yet figured out he is governor and not a Legislator anymore.

For its part CITGO is now run by Venezuelan ex-military loyalists to President Chavez. Chavez fired all the professional managers when they revolted against his totalitarian tendancies and put soldiers in their places. CITGO is thus adrift and operated by novice executives. On the Oklahoma side - the new Henry Administration quickly replaced most of the state's economic development professionals with international experience with personal friends with marginal experience in economic development. When Henry came to office the Commerce Department had one expert on CITGO and she was let go.

On the Tulsa side the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce failed to develop a relationship with CITGO's Venezuelan leadership - in part because the Chamber has no international professionals on staff - not one.

Could this loss to Tulsa have been averted - only if the state and its cities get savvy and less political - because Texas has the money to buy all of our headquarters companies.
Off Track on Trade

President Bush and Senator Kerry took pot shots at each other today over trade and jobs. The President expressed optimism about the economy and downplayed some difficulties while the Senator played to the protectionist side of the spectrum with promises to come down hard on trade partners who don't play fair and to review the existing trade agreements. Nothing really wrong with either man's statements at face value but the underlying messages are troubling. I understand why Kerry is sounding tough on trade but I hope he plans to get realistic if he gets elected. International trade is a great thing for America and we have no future without it. It's a complex issue few understand and it is easy for politicians to play on the publics' lack of understanding rather than illuminate the subject. We can hope for more moderation and pragmatism on trade from the candidates.