Vote NO on State Question 725

I do hope that you go out and vote tomorrow, come rain or shine. Right now the forecast is for good weather.

When you pick up your ballot upon checking in at your precinct, you will be overwhelmed by the number of things to vote on both on the front and back of the ballot. Don't forget to turn the ballot over and vote on the State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges. I concur with Michael Bates to vote no on every one of them perhaps with the exception of Marian Opala. For years they have been out of touch with the average Oklahoma voter and citizen. What a system we have when we are asked to vote on people we know nothing about! There should be a better way to inform the public about these judges.

But that is not my real reason for blogging today. Vote NO on question 725. (Vote YES on all the others). A yes vote on 725 means you a) trust our state officials and b) you don't have a problem with what is termed "corporate welfare".

There is increasing evidence of corruption at all levels of Oklahoma government, especially at the State level. The latest exposed example would be of the former state insurance commissioner. Citizens feel their elected officials are out of touch and in the pocket of various special interests. Graft and corruption go hand in hand and at least their judgment can be questioned by taking significant sums of money from PACs and industry associations. Influence peddling is alive and thriving in the Sooner State. At this stage, why would we care to give the state legislature a bigger slush fund to spend to pet companies in a pathetic attempt to induce them to stay here?

I detest the idea of corporate welfare. Why reward a failing company? In a free market economy they should be allowed to fail. They must feel the consequences of previous bad decisions. When Citgo relocated to Houston awhile back, the politicians came out of the woodwork. We had Senators, Congressmen, Mayors, and the Governor involved. Of course, it was to no avail. How pathetic they all looked! Grovelling at the feet of an arrogant Board of Directors. They still have egg on their faces and appear powerless in the face of the exodus. Now they think if they just had a pot of money to throw at the problem.....It is bad fiscal policy to use rainy day funds to influence a company to stay in Oklahoma!