Senate Leader Comments on Senate Republican’s “Vision for a Better Oklahoma” Agenda
Statement by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan
“I am encouraged by the agenda unveiled today by Senate Republicans. It appears to be void of the partisan rhetoric we have seen from them in the past. I am confident we can find common ground upon which to build a brighter future for all Oklahomans.
“Senate Democrats believe we need to do more to make healthcare more affordable for Oklahoma families struggling to make ends meet, that our high school students deserve greater access to a college education if they work hard and play by the rules and the middle class deserves a seat at the table in policies that affect their daily lives.
“In the coming weeks, we intend to unveil an aggressive, specific legislative agenda tackling these issues head on. We will certainly encourage Republicans to join us in our effort to move Oklahoma into greatness.
“In this Centennial year, when pride in our state is shining from every corner, I truly believe we have an opportunity to make history by working together for the greater good of all Oklahomans.”
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
John Edwards' Response to the SOTU
Like many of you, I watched the State of the Union last night and heard more of the same at a time when we need fundamental change.
Rather than honest assessments and a vision for the future, we got rationalizations for the failed policies of the past -- and small ideas that won't make a difference in the lives of working Americans.
But if Washington can't face reality and go big, then it's up to us to show the way. The next president must do more than simply undo this president's mistakes - the next president must offer a vision to transform America in the 21st century. The American people are ready for something fundamentally new.
We should be talking about the great things we can do for our nation and our world if we put our minds to it. And I want to start tonight.
Please join me tonight for a live online video discussion tonight at 9:30 ET at JohnEdwards.com
We'll talk about our ideas for changing America and take questions from you about the big challenges we face -- from ending the war in Iraq to rebuilding America's Gulf Coast. How are we going to end the scourge of poverty in 30 years? What role do we all have to play in stopping global warming? How do we ensure that every American gets the top quality health care we deserve? And a topic the president did not even mention last night -- what can we do to ensure that there will be good jobs and job security for Americans in the decades to come?
This campaign is about more than the presidency, and it's certainly about more than me. It's about a whole generation of Americans who are ready to take personal responsibility for ensuring our nation's greatness.
Join me tonight, and let's get started.
Sincerely,
John
P.S. - Thanks to your support, we've got a full page ad in today's edition of the D.C. newspaper Roll Call showing Congress that -- despite what Bush says -- their constituents know they have the power to stop the proposed escalation in Iraq, and we expect them to do so.
OFF THE MARK
Pictures from the State of the Union Watch Party
(Yellow Dog Event)
Rep. Wallace Collins 
Ryan Mc Mullen
Eight Words
Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time
From Senator Chuck Schumer
"In his speech last night we heard the President talking the bipartisan talk, but the substance of the speech shows he has yet to walk the bipartisan walk. He has learned very little. But we have to get beyond the President's disingenuousness and failures to address the question that Democrats must answer if we want to win in 2008: "What do Democrats really stand for?"
My new book Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time defines a new Democratic vision for victory in 2008 and beyond.
The first part includes war stories and colorful anecdotes -- from my improbable Senate election in 1998 to the nearly impossible take-over of the Senate this past fall -- and describes the eight words that carried Bush to reelection in 2004: war in Iraq, cut taxes, no gay marriage. What are our eight words?
That question is answered in the second part of Positively American - "The 50% Solution" - where I present eleven ambitious but concrete goals, to be achieved within ten years. For each goal, I offer a novel solution and explain its importance for our party and our country.
As we respond to the President's speech and begin to think about 2008, let's try to move past our frustration at what he has presented. Instead, let's focus on our own positive agenda and platform; that, more than anything, is what our country desperately needs."
Dean Responds To President Bush’s State Of The Union Address
Washington, DC – Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement in response to President Bush’s State of the Union address this evening:
“Democrats welcome President Bush’s call to achieve ‘big things’ for the American people, but he should remember that the American people know actions speak louder than words. For too long, the words from this President have not matched the action required to solve the problems that hard working Americans face. From the escalation of the war in Iraq to his new health care tax to the energy crisis, once again tonight, we heard more hollow promises and empty proposals that just won’t fix the problems.
“Last November, the American people spoke loud and clear. Democrats heard what they had to say and are focused on continuing to deliver on the promises we made as we pass an increase in the minimum wage, improve our homeland security, help more kids go to college and promote life saving stem cell research. We hope the President will make good on his rhetoric this time and truly work with the bipartisan Congress to get things done for the American people.”
Washington, DC – Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement in response to President Bush’s State of the Union address this evening:
“Democrats welcome President Bush’s call to achieve ‘big things’ for the American people, but he should remember that the American people know actions speak louder than words. For too long, the words from this President have not matched the action required to solve the problems that hard working Americans face. From the escalation of the war in Iraq to his new health care tax to the energy crisis, once again tonight, we heard more hollow promises and empty proposals that just won’t fix the problems.
“Last November, the American people spoke loud and clear. Democrats heard what they had to say and are focused on continuing to deliver on the promises we made as we pass an increase in the minimum wage, improve our homeland security, help more kids go to college and promote life saving stem cell research. We hope the President will make good on his rhetoric this time and truly work with the bipartisan Congress to get things done for the American people.”
House Democrats Take Stand for Good Government and Leadership
At last night's State of the Union Watch Party at the ODP HQ our State House Democrats took a strong stand for good government and leadership. The participating representatives were met with enthusiastic applause as they outlined the contrasts between being a noisemaker and being a newsmaker.
The Republicans are good at grabbing headlines and stealing elections but they are hopeless at governing seemed to be one theme of the night -- during the pre-party and throughout the president's speech. Speaking to the room full of Yellow Dog Democrats were Rep. Terry Harrison, Rep. David Braddock, Rep. Glen Bud Smithson, Rep. Eric Proctor, Rep. Neil Brannon, Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, Rep. Al McAffrey, Rep. Scott Inman, Rep. James Covey, Rep. Ryan McMullen, Rep. Mike Shelton, Rep. Anastasia Pittman, Rep. Wallace Collins, Rep. Richard Morrissette. Rep. Ryan Kiesel also attended. Democratic Congressional District 5 Nominee Dr. David Hunter also addressed the group.
"We are the thin red line that stand courageously against the enemy," Rep. Rebecca Hamilton said referring to an Army unit that stood in the breach against the assault of the enemy in the Pacific islands. "We are standing in the breach for you, for Democrats, for the people of this state," Hamilton said.
"The enemy is standing outside the gate and we Democrats must shine a light on their Republican BS," Rep. Morrissette quipped.
"Our job will be easier if you help us recruit solid Democrats with a fire in the belly for good government," said Rep. Ryan McMullen. "We need your support, the support of the grassroots Democrats, the Yellow Dogs, our candidates need your support, and so do we," he said.
"These Republicans, they rule like an authoritarian parent," Rep. Al McAffrey said. "We Democrats, we nurture the people and look for smart efficient ways for government to serve the people."
Rep. James Covey encouraged the group to "work together for a single outcome, unity. Look for common ground and then go get it, together."
Rep. Terry Harrison made an impassioned plea on behalf of Oklahoma's working families. Many of his constituents have been without electricity for days following the devastating ice storm in SE Oklahoma. "It's the Democrats who care about working families, it's the Democrats who will make a difference for them, for us."
"Democrats must not back away from challenging a Republican incumbent," Rep. Eric Proctor said. He recently defeated Mark Liotta in a very red district in Tulsa County. "We cannot be afraid of them, we must go after them because the people are ready for real leadership not rhetoric."
Rep. Scott Inman said that "this is our opportunity to stand up and make a difference for our state, for the people of Oklahoma." He challenged Democrats, and his colleagues to create a new wave of Democrats that harkens back to the leadership, compassion and problem solving of FDR. He concluded by saying that "it is a sin that Oklahoma children do not have access to health care. Democrats can make health care our New Deal."
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Senator Jim Webb Got It Right:
(from the Democratic response to the SOTU, in talking about former Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower)
"These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way."
(from the Democratic response to the SOTU, in talking about former Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower)
"These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way."
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes fight for possession of Fort Reno lands
Senators Coburn and Inhofe Favor Oil Interests over Justice
January 22, 2007
by: Brian Daffron, Indian Country Today
OKLAHOMA CITY - In Oklahoma's centennial year, the federal government's attempts to take and keep land from Oklahoma's Native tribes is still a reality to which the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma can attest.
In 1881, an executive order was issued from the White House that would borrow 10,000 acres from the Cheyenne-Arapaho to use as a part of Fort Reno, near present-day El Reno, Okla. When the military was through with this property, the land was supposed to revert back to the tribes for their use. In 1948, the U.S. military finished using the lands but instead, the U.S. Department of Agriculture took over the land for its Grazinglands Research Laboratory.
Recently, the Cheyenne-Arapaho have made an effort to re-obtain approximately 7,000 acres of these lands from the federal government to use in its future plans for economic development, which include a potential industrial park and an Indian World Trade Center.
''They're taking land that truthfully belongs to us,'' Cheyenne-Arapaho Gov. Darrell Flyingman said during a recent interview. ''They are blatantly stealing our land in 2006 and 2007. One thing that we need to keep in mind, too, is that the Anadarko Basin runs right through Fort Reno. There's a lot of oil and gas underneath. The large oil companies have a lot of say-so in trying to keep this land and keep it out of our hands.''
This past year, at least three different attempts were made in the U.S. Senate to authorize the secretary of Agriculture to lease the mineral rights to the oil and gas industry. Senate Bill 1832, which would have authorized this had it passed, was co-written by Sens. James Inhofe and Tom Coburn, both R-Okla. By Flyingman's estimation, half a billion barrels of oil lie beneath Fort Reno's surface, and the land is currently surrounded by oil wells.
''What's so disturbing about this bill is that they knew that we had a large interest in Fort Reno, and yet what they tried to do was sneak it through as a 'midnight rider,''' Flyingman said. ''We contacted them and asked why we weren't notified or why they did not have a consultation with us. They wouldn't respond to us.''
A hearing on this bill was scheduled to be held in March 2006, of which the tribes were not notified. The Cheyenne-Arapaho actually found out about the hearing over the Internet, according to Flyingman. He said that there was also no response to the letters he sent to the Department of the Interior on this issue. During the Senate's most recent lame-duck session, Flyingman said that another ''midnight rider'' was attempted and worded as authorization for Interior funding. Through meetings with key officials, the tribes found a way to halt the bill.
Over the past year, many U.S. congressmen, senators and National Congress of American Indians representatives have met with the Cheyenne-Arapaho and shown support. The majority of Oklahoma's congressional delegation has met with the Cheyenne-Arapaho and offered support as well. According to a Nov. 16 statement issued by the Cheyenne-Arapaho, they had received attention from Coburn, saying that he would review all of their documentation. Flyingman said out of the Oklahoma delegation, Inhofe was the only person who would not meet with the Cheyenne-Arapaho.
When asked specific questions regarding the Cheyenne -Arapaho and Fort Reno, Coburn's office issued a one-paragraph statement: ''It would be premature to comment on the future of the Fort Reno lands pending the outcome of litigation. I will continue to monitor this situation closely and have instructed my staff to maintain the close contact they've had with the Cheyenne-Arapaho leaders and the pertinent federal agencies. I will give this issue my full attention just as I do with all constituent concerns.''
Inhofe's office did not respond by press time.
Currently, Flyingman said that a lot of the money the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes have has come from gaming. However, Flyingman and others in the tribes are working hard to diversify their revenues, and the tribes see Fort Reno as a way to not only reinvest in themselves, but also to partner with cities and towns within their tribal jurisdiction.
''Right now, our casinos are more or less supporting our tribe,'' Flyingman said. ''Casinos aren't going to be around forever, so we're going to have to diversify, go out and create businesses, and bring businesses into our tribe, so we can prepare the future for our children. I think that everyone that lives in our area should benefit from what we benefit from.''
When the history of Oklahoma is told, there is not always a focus on forced allotment, when reservations were split up into 160-acre plots with the excess going toward land runs for white settlement. Through the allotment of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation, the tribes lost 4.6 million acres of land. Although the tribes were awarded $15 million for that loss of land in 1965, they have the documentation to show they were never paid for the Fort Reno land. But Flyingman believes that the land will return to them by the end of this year. He is currently working to enlist, among others, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry to help the Cheyenne-Arapaho re-obtain Fort Reno during Oklahoma's centennial year.
''I'm a very optimistic person, and I think 2007 will be a very good year for the Cheyenne-Arapaho,'' Flyingman said. ''What better gift for the state of Oklahoma to give back to the Cheyenne-Arapaho 7,000 acres for the 4.6 million acres we gave away years ago.''
Senators Coburn and Inhofe Favor Oil Interests over Justice
January 22, 2007
by: Brian Daffron, Indian Country Today
OKLAHOMA CITY - In Oklahoma's centennial year, the federal government's attempts to take and keep land from Oklahoma's Native tribes is still a reality to which the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma can attest.
In 1881, an executive order was issued from the White House that would borrow 10,000 acres from the Cheyenne-Arapaho to use as a part of Fort Reno, near present-day El Reno, Okla. When the military was through with this property, the land was supposed to revert back to the tribes for their use. In 1948, the U.S. military finished using the lands but instead, the U.S. Department of Agriculture took over the land for its Grazinglands Research Laboratory.
Recently, the Cheyenne-Arapaho have made an effort to re-obtain approximately 7,000 acres of these lands from the federal government to use in its future plans for economic development, which include a potential industrial park and an Indian World Trade Center.
''They're taking land that truthfully belongs to us,'' Cheyenne-Arapaho Gov. Darrell Flyingman said during a recent interview. ''They are blatantly stealing our land in 2006 and 2007. One thing that we need to keep in mind, too, is that the Anadarko Basin runs right through Fort Reno. There's a lot of oil and gas underneath. The large oil companies have a lot of say-so in trying to keep this land and keep it out of our hands.''
This past year, at least three different attempts were made in the U.S. Senate to authorize the secretary of Agriculture to lease the mineral rights to the oil and gas industry. Senate Bill 1832, which would have authorized this had it passed, was co-written by Sens. James Inhofe and Tom Coburn, both R-Okla. By Flyingman's estimation, half a billion barrels of oil lie beneath Fort Reno's surface, and the land is currently surrounded by oil wells.
''What's so disturbing about this bill is that they knew that we had a large interest in Fort Reno, and yet what they tried to do was sneak it through as a 'midnight rider,''' Flyingman said. ''We contacted them and asked why we weren't notified or why they did not have a consultation with us. They wouldn't respond to us.''
A hearing on this bill was scheduled to be held in March 2006, of which the tribes were not notified. The Cheyenne-Arapaho actually found out about the hearing over the Internet, according to Flyingman. He said that there was also no response to the letters he sent to the Department of the Interior on this issue. During the Senate's most recent lame-duck session, Flyingman said that another ''midnight rider'' was attempted and worded as authorization for Interior funding. Through meetings with key officials, the tribes found a way to halt the bill.
Over the past year, many U.S. congressmen, senators and National Congress of American Indians representatives have met with the Cheyenne-Arapaho and shown support. The majority of Oklahoma's congressional delegation has met with the Cheyenne-Arapaho and offered support as well. According to a Nov. 16 statement issued by the Cheyenne-Arapaho, they had received attention from Coburn, saying that he would review all of their documentation. Flyingman said out of the Oklahoma delegation, Inhofe was the only person who would not meet with the Cheyenne-Arapaho.
When asked specific questions regarding the Cheyenne -Arapaho and Fort Reno, Coburn's office issued a one-paragraph statement: ''It would be premature to comment on the future of the Fort Reno lands pending the outcome of litigation. I will continue to monitor this situation closely and have instructed my staff to maintain the close contact they've had with the Cheyenne-Arapaho leaders and the pertinent federal agencies. I will give this issue my full attention just as I do with all constituent concerns.''
Inhofe's office did not respond by press time.
Currently, Flyingman said that a lot of the money the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes have has come from gaming. However, Flyingman and others in the tribes are working hard to diversify their revenues, and the tribes see Fort Reno as a way to not only reinvest in themselves, but also to partner with cities and towns within their tribal jurisdiction.
''Right now, our casinos are more or less supporting our tribe,'' Flyingman said. ''Casinos aren't going to be around forever, so we're going to have to diversify, go out and create businesses, and bring businesses into our tribe, so we can prepare the future for our children. I think that everyone that lives in our area should benefit from what we benefit from.''
When the history of Oklahoma is told, there is not always a focus on forced allotment, when reservations were split up into 160-acre plots with the excess going toward land runs for white settlement. Through the allotment of the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation, the tribes lost 4.6 million acres of land. Although the tribes were awarded $15 million for that loss of land in 1965, they have the documentation to show they were never paid for the Fort Reno land. But Flyingman believes that the land will return to them by the end of this year. He is currently working to enlist, among others, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry to help the Cheyenne-Arapaho re-obtain Fort Reno during Oklahoma's centennial year.
''I'm a very optimistic person, and I think 2007 will be a very good year for the Cheyenne-Arapaho,'' Flyingman said. ''What better gift for the state of Oklahoma to give back to the Cheyenne-Arapaho 7,000 acres for the 4.6 million acres we gave away years ago.''
John Edwards: On Issues of Race, War and Poverty in America, Silence is Betrayal – And Dreaming is Not Enough
Sunday, I was honored to stand in the very space where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “Beyond Vietnam” speech 40 years ago at the Riverside Church in New York. With the full force of his conscience, his principles and his love of peace, King denounced the war in Vietnam, calling it a tragedy that threatened to drag our nation down to dust.
Today, the forces of war and poverty threaten the fabric of our nation again, and, as Dr. King put it then, there comes a time when silence is a betrayal -- not only of one’s convictions or country, but also of our deeper obligations to one another and to the brotherhood of man.
Dr. King’s call to service and to action couldn’t be more appropriate today. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast a little more than a year ago, we were all confronted with stark and vivid reminders of the enduring poverty that exists throughout America. I will never forget the faces and stories of the people I met when I toured evacuation shelters in Baton Rouge shortly after Katrina hit.
We saw Americans, largely divided by race, abandoned by their own government; a vivid depiction of the need for serious change to improve the lives of people living in poverty in this country.
And still, today, the situation is terrible. We must continue to demand accountability and press government leaders to do what's necessary to get hurricane-ravaged areas back on their feet. We should all continue to work together to ensure that America fully responds to the wake-up call delivered on Katrina's winds over a year ago.
But rebuilding from Katrina is only the beginning of what must be a national commitment to end poverty in America. The statistics are grave: African-American children are twice as likely to live in poverty as white children. Thirty-seven million Americans live in poverty, and 46 million live without health insurance -- many of them children. Lifting children up from poverty should have been our priority before Katrina; continuing to overlook it is our shame.
I often talk about the existence of two Americas -- one for the haves and one for the have-nots -- and Katrina exposed that for all the world to see. But that’s not the only lesson to come from the storm. There is an inspiring lesson that comes out of New Orleans as well, and it is this: The real power of America is in the people of America. Millions of Americans responded to Katrina with time, money, donations of food and shelter, and lots of hard work. In stepping up to take rebuilding into their own hands, they showed that we don’t have to wait for tomorrow to bring about the changes we believe in. We can start changing America today.
That’s what we did over the last year when, joined by thousands of others, we raised the minimum wage in six states because the federal government failed to act. And you know what? When people across the country take responsibility and take action, the government just might pay attention.
This week, the House of Representatives finally voted to raise the federal minimum from $5.15 per hour to $7.25, pulling millions of Americans closer to a living wage. Much more needs to be done. We need to guarantee universal health care, make housing more affordable and help people go to college. We must press on so that all Americans can share in the prosperity of our great country.
We see where we failed our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast and across this country, and we hope to do better. But hope alone is not enough.
We see the country we dream America to be. But dreaming is not enough.
We wait for things to change. But waiting is certainly not enough.
To solve these problems we’ve all got to be willing to go out and get our own hands dirty. To solve these problems, we’ve got to act.
In the end, it comes down to what Dr. King once called “life’s most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?” What are we doing to strengthen this great nation of ours? What are we doing to give every American a chance to share in the great blessings of America? What are we doing to build a more secure and livable world?
In the end, we know these are the only questions worth asking -- and answering them is the only work worth doing. The world needs to see us doing it. And we’re going to do it, together, with our whole hearts.
Sunday, I was honored to stand in the very space where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “Beyond Vietnam” speech 40 years ago at the Riverside Church in New York. With the full force of his conscience, his principles and his love of peace, King denounced the war in Vietnam, calling it a tragedy that threatened to drag our nation down to dust.
Today, the forces of war and poverty threaten the fabric of our nation again, and, as Dr. King put it then, there comes a time when silence is a betrayal -- not only of one’s convictions or country, but also of our deeper obligations to one another and to the brotherhood of man.
Dr. King’s call to service and to action couldn’t be more appropriate today. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast a little more than a year ago, we were all confronted with stark and vivid reminders of the enduring poverty that exists throughout America. I will never forget the faces and stories of the people I met when I toured evacuation shelters in Baton Rouge shortly after Katrina hit.
We saw Americans, largely divided by race, abandoned by their own government; a vivid depiction of the need for serious change to improve the lives of people living in poverty in this country.
And still, today, the situation is terrible. We must continue to demand accountability and press government leaders to do what's necessary to get hurricane-ravaged areas back on their feet. We should all continue to work together to ensure that America fully responds to the wake-up call delivered on Katrina's winds over a year ago.
But rebuilding from Katrina is only the beginning of what must be a national commitment to end poverty in America. The statistics are grave: African-American children are twice as likely to live in poverty as white children. Thirty-seven million Americans live in poverty, and 46 million live without health insurance -- many of them children. Lifting children up from poverty should have been our priority before Katrina; continuing to overlook it is our shame.
I often talk about the existence of two Americas -- one for the haves and one for the have-nots -- and Katrina exposed that for all the world to see. But that’s not the only lesson to come from the storm. There is an inspiring lesson that comes out of New Orleans as well, and it is this: The real power of America is in the people of America. Millions of Americans responded to Katrina with time, money, donations of food and shelter, and lots of hard work. In stepping up to take rebuilding into their own hands, they showed that we don’t have to wait for tomorrow to bring about the changes we believe in. We can start changing America today.
That’s what we did over the last year when, joined by thousands of others, we raised the minimum wage in six states because the federal government failed to act. And you know what? When people across the country take responsibility and take action, the government just might pay attention.
This week, the House of Representatives finally voted to raise the federal minimum from $5.15 per hour to $7.25, pulling millions of Americans closer to a living wage. Much more needs to be done. We need to guarantee universal health care, make housing more affordable and help people go to college. We must press on so that all Americans can share in the prosperity of our great country.
We see where we failed our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast and across this country, and we hope to do better. But hope alone is not enough.
We see the country we dream America to be. But dreaming is not enough.
We wait for things to change. But waiting is certainly not enough.
To solve these problems we’ve all got to be willing to go out and get our own hands dirty. To solve these problems, we’ve got to act.
In the end, it comes down to what Dr. King once called “life’s most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?” What are we doing to strengthen this great nation of ours? What are we doing to give every American a chance to share in the great blessings of America? What are we doing to build a more secure and livable world?
In the end, we know these are the only questions worth asking -- and answering them is the only work worth doing. The world needs to see us doing it. And we’re going to do it, together, with our whole hearts.
Democrat Leader Danny Morgan Responds to Speaker Cargill's Business Platform“I was excited to see that Speaker Cargill is beginning to focus on small businesses in Oklahoma. As a small businessman, I have been advocating throughout my legislative career for the issues that affect the bottom line, the biggest of which is affordable healthcare premiums. In the coming days House Democrats will start to unveil our legislative platforms and our objectives will become clear. I look forward to working with Speaker Cargill in a bi-partisan way to help businesses succeed and expand Oklahoma’s economic infrastructure.”
Rabon Files Measure to Provide Pay Increases for School Support Personnel
State Sen. Jeff Rabon has authored legislation calling for a salary increase of $1 per hour for state-funded school support personnel.
Rabon said the increase that would be provided through SB 770 is needed to keep pace with the increasing costs of supporting a family.
“As the father of three elementary school children, I know how hard support personnel work to keep everything running smoothly in our schools,” said Rabon, D-Hugo. “This proposal is really the least we can do to ensure the compensation is fair for the hard work done by our support personnel.”
Last session, the legislature approved a raise of 50 cents per hour for support personnel - an amount Rabon said was insufficient.
“The amount of last year’s salary increase simply wasn’t commensurate with the value of the work they provide,” Rabon said. “With a budget surplus, we have the means to ensure we provide a proper increase this year – we just need to have the will to approve the funding. The amount was not fair to our support personnel in light of the $3,000 increase provided last year to our teachers.”
Under the provisions of the bill, the salary increase would apply to both full-time and part-time state-funded support personnel, taking into account any increase or reduction in duties that may affect the rate.
Rabon’s bill will be considered when the formal 2007 session begins, starting on Monday, February 5.
State Sen. Jeff Rabon has authored legislation calling for a salary increase of $1 per hour for state-funded school support personnel.
Rabon said the increase that would be provided through SB 770 is needed to keep pace with the increasing costs of supporting a family.
“As the father of three elementary school children, I know how hard support personnel work to keep everything running smoothly in our schools,” said Rabon, D-Hugo. “This proposal is really the least we can do to ensure the compensation is fair for the hard work done by our support personnel.”
Last session, the legislature approved a raise of 50 cents per hour for support personnel - an amount Rabon said was insufficient.
“The amount of last year’s salary increase simply wasn’t commensurate with the value of the work they provide,” Rabon said. “With a budget surplus, we have the means to ensure we provide a proper increase this year – we just need to have the will to approve the funding. The amount was not fair to our support personnel in light of the $3,000 increase provided last year to our teachers.”
Under the provisions of the bill, the salary increase would apply to both full-time and part-time state-funded support personnel, taking into account any increase or reduction in duties that may affect the rate.
Rabon’s bill will be considered when the formal 2007 session begins, starting on Monday, February 5.
Talking Points 1/23/07
Last November, the American people demanded a change at home and abroad. Now in the majority, Democrats in Congress are providing that change, reaching out to Republicans and delivering results on the priorities of the American people.With his State of the Union Address tonight, President Bush can demonstrate that he has listened to the American people and is ready to work with Congress on these priorities. On critical issues from Iraq to energy independence, it is time to take America in a new direction.
State of the Union
President Bush has made promises in all of his State of the Union Addresses. Unfortunately, he hasn’t kept them. Identifying problems is no longer enough. It is long past time to start solving them.
Last November, the American people demanded real results to improve their everyday lives, strengthen middle-class families, and ensure their national security.
Democrats are already working in a bipartisan fashion to deliver results for the American people. Tonight, President Bush has the opportunity to change course and join Congress in working on behalf of America’s families. Democrats, and the American people, will be listening.
Sen. Webb Delivers the Democratic Response
Senator Webb is a voice for the millions of Americans who demanded real change last November.
The American people want leaders who will put aside gridlock, work in the spirit of bipartisanship, and take America in a new direction.
As the former Navy Secretary under President Reagan, Senator Webb understands personally that we need to work in a bipartisan fashion to find a new direction in Iraq and to deliver a new direction for working families here at home.
Security and Iraq
President Bush’s policies have made the world more dangerous and America less safe. Now he wants to escalate the war in Iraq over the overwhelming opposition of the American people and many of his own generals.
President Bush’s plan to escalate the war in Iraq will not bring success in Iraq or make America more secure, and it faces significant bipartisan opposition in both chambers of Congress.
Congress will always put our troops first, and that means holding the President accountable for a change of course and giving his plan an up-or-down vote.
Democrats have a plan for success in Iraq that will make America safer and bring our troops home sooner:
Shifting the principal mission of our forces from combat to training, logistics, force protection, and activities to counter terrorism;
Beginning the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months; Implementing an aggressive diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, to help the Iraqis achieve a sustainable political settlement, including amending their constitution.
Health Care
President Bush wants to raise taxes on middle class families to fund a proposal that will provide little assistance to the 47 million uninsured.
In the same year the President intends to make permanent tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans, he is proposing to shift more of the cost of health care onto working Americans.
The President's proposal would jeopardize good health insurance for those lucky enough to have it, and it would shift Americans into insurance where they'll be at risk of losing their coverage just for getting sick.
Under President Bush’s leadership, the nation’s health insurance crisis has worsened: costs are up and the number of uninsured Americans has grown. This latest proposal is another step in the wrong direction.
Economic Security
President Bush has the opportunity to change course and work in a bipartisan on behalf of America’s families. Democrats are already hard at work delivering results.
In its first 100 Hours, the House of Representatives succeeded in passing legislation to raise the minimum wage, expand federal funding for stem cell research, implement the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, require negotiation for lower prescription drug costs, make college more affordable and end subsidies for Big Oil to invest in clean renewable energy.
These 100 hours bills are just the beginning. The new Congress will do more to take America in a new direction. The state of our union is strong. Democrats believe that with the hopes and aspirations of our children as our compass, and our future is bright.
Energy Independence
Our national security and our economic security depend on making America energy independent.
Last year, President Bush declared America “addicted to oil” in his State of the Union. One week later, in his annual budget, he shortchanged the development of the alternative fuels and technologies needed to make America energy independent.
Democrats are already putting America on the path to energy independence by cutting huge subsidies to Big Oil and investing in the alternative fuels and technologies needed to protect our national security, our economy, and the future of our planet. We want to work with President Bush in a bipartisan fashion on energy and global warming, but he needs to put science before special interests.
Last November, the American people demanded a change at home and abroad. Now in the majority, Democrats in Congress are providing that change, reaching out to Republicans and delivering results on the priorities of the American people.With his State of the Union Address tonight, President Bush can demonstrate that he has listened to the American people and is ready to work with Congress on these priorities. On critical issues from Iraq to energy independence, it is time to take America in a new direction.
State of the Union
President Bush has made promises in all of his State of the Union Addresses. Unfortunately, he hasn’t kept them. Identifying problems is no longer enough. It is long past time to start solving them.
Last November, the American people demanded real results to improve their everyday lives, strengthen middle-class families, and ensure their national security.
Democrats are already working in a bipartisan fashion to deliver results for the American people. Tonight, President Bush has the opportunity to change course and join Congress in working on behalf of America’s families. Democrats, and the American people, will be listening.
Sen. Webb Delivers the Democratic Response
Senator Webb is a voice for the millions of Americans who demanded real change last November.
The American people want leaders who will put aside gridlock, work in the spirit of bipartisanship, and take America in a new direction.
As the former Navy Secretary under President Reagan, Senator Webb understands personally that we need to work in a bipartisan fashion to find a new direction in Iraq and to deliver a new direction for working families here at home.
Security and Iraq
President Bush’s policies have made the world more dangerous and America less safe. Now he wants to escalate the war in Iraq over the overwhelming opposition of the American people and many of his own generals.
President Bush’s plan to escalate the war in Iraq will not bring success in Iraq or make America more secure, and it faces significant bipartisan opposition in both chambers of Congress.
Congress will always put our troops first, and that means holding the President accountable for a change of course and giving his plan an up-or-down vote.
Democrats have a plan for success in Iraq that will make America safer and bring our troops home sooner:
Shifting the principal mission of our forces from combat to training, logistics, force protection, and activities to counter terrorism;
Beginning the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months; Implementing an aggressive diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, to help the Iraqis achieve a sustainable political settlement, including amending their constitution.
Health Care
President Bush wants to raise taxes on middle class families to fund a proposal that will provide little assistance to the 47 million uninsured.
In the same year the President intends to make permanent tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans, he is proposing to shift more of the cost of health care onto working Americans.
The President's proposal would jeopardize good health insurance for those lucky enough to have it, and it would shift Americans into insurance where they'll be at risk of losing their coverage just for getting sick.
Under President Bush’s leadership, the nation’s health insurance crisis has worsened: costs are up and the number of uninsured Americans has grown. This latest proposal is another step in the wrong direction.
Economic Security
President Bush has the opportunity to change course and work in a bipartisan on behalf of America’s families. Democrats are already hard at work delivering results.
In its first 100 Hours, the House of Representatives succeeded in passing legislation to raise the minimum wage, expand federal funding for stem cell research, implement the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, require negotiation for lower prescription drug costs, make college more affordable and end subsidies for Big Oil to invest in clean renewable energy.
These 100 hours bills are just the beginning. The new Congress will do more to take America in a new direction. The state of our union is strong. Democrats believe that with the hopes and aspirations of our children as our compass, and our future is bright.
Energy Independence
Our national security and our economic security depend on making America energy independent.
Last year, President Bush declared America “addicted to oil” in his State of the Union. One week later, in his annual budget, he shortchanged the development of the alternative fuels and technologies needed to make America energy independent.
Democrats are already putting America on the path to energy independence by cutting huge subsidies to Big Oil and investing in the alternative fuels and technologies needed to protect our national security, our economy, and the future of our planet. We want to work with President Bush in a bipartisan fashion on energy and global warming, but he needs to put science before special interests.
As President Prepares to Address a Doubtful Nation, Many Blacks Keep Expectations Low
In black communities across America, the war in Iraq, continued racial discrimination and violence in the streets weigh heavy on the minds of its average citizens, according to a recent BlackAmericaWeb.com survey. As President George W. Bush addresses the nation tonight in his seventh State of the Union message, black America and the nation will look to him for vision in addressing domestic issues in his speech, set for 9 p.m. EST.
“African-Americans are really looking for a domestic response from Bush,” Robert A. Brown, a political scientist and assistant dean of undergraduate education at Emory University in Atlanta, told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “There are still a number of African Americans who are feeling some great measure of economic insecurity whether they have jobs or not."
Bush is expected to strike a conciliatory tone on some domestic issues where he believes he can work with the first Democratic Congress in 12 years. Though there’s only a narrow Democratic majority in Congress, Brown believes it will be interesting to watch the president’s reception as he moves through his address.
“In year’s past, he’s had the crowd,” Brown said, referring to the makeup of Congress following November’s sweeping success of Democratic candidates.
“This is an opportunity for the president to reach across the aisle,” Melanie Campbell of the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “The shift in power that took place in November requires that the president build bridges in a tangible way and bring bipartisanship into legislative process. It has been too polarized.”
Blacks are also concerned about the atrocities in Darfur.
“The president has said he believes it was genocide, but we’re not seeing that in his policies,” Campbell said. “There is not enough humanitarian aid going to that region, and what about the peace-keeping force?” The nationally televised State of the Union speech typically offers great political theater. This year, however, it comes just 13 days after President Bush's prime-time announcement of his decision to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq.
Since then, Capitol Hill -- the forum for the State of the Union address -- has grown more hostile.
Democratic support is building around a nonbinding resolution opposing Bush's plan for more troops. Some Republicans already critical of the White House's Iraq policy have embraced the idea, and others are looking for ways to sign on.
"President Bush will discuss his determination to defeat the terrorists who are part of a broader extremist movement that is now doing everything it can to defeat us in Iraq," White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. "If the extremists prevail in Iraq, the American people will be less safe, and our enemies will be emboldened and more lethal," Perino said.
Bush probably will try to link the war to the threat to America since the Sept. 11 attacks because fighting terrorism has such widespread appeal, said Bruce Riedel, a former official at the National Security Council and analyst at the liberal Brookings Institution.
"Fear is a commodity that the administration has sold before, and right now they're not having much success with the public or the Congress with the arguments they've trotted out on the (troop) surge," said Ridel.
The costs of the war and the deficit are expected to preclude Bush from announcing expensive new programs.
On the domestic side, the president will propose a tax deduction of $7,500 for individuals and $15,000 for families regardless of whether they buy their own health insurance or receive medical coverage at work.
If passed by Congress, the proposal would be the first time that workers could get a tax break if they bought their own insurance. But it also would be the first time that some employer-provided health care benefits could be taxed. The first $15,000 in health benefits for a family would continue to be tax exempt for the employee, but any amount in excess of $15,000 would be subject to tax.
Health care benefits provided by companies are currently exempt from personal income and payroll taxes, no matter the amount.
Faye Anderson, a political blogger who, for about 10 years, was the face of black activism in the Republican Party, said there isn’t much Bush can say that will appeal to blacks.
“What he is doing in Iraq is not working,” Anderson told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “A poll released just today shows that the war in Iraq is the number-one issue for Americans of all races. They want to get the hell out of the hell hole.”
A total of 72 percent of those surveyed in the BlackAmericaWeb poll said they never believed the Bush administration made the case for war, so they were against it from the beginning. Another 15 percent in the same survey said they were against all war.
Anderson left the Republican Party in 2000 and now is an independent.
“Bush ran as a different kind of Republican, but I knew he was no different from Tom Delay or Trent Lott,” she said. “Bush has had an estranged relationship with black Americans since day one. So he has not surprised me.”
By: Sherrel Wheeler Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com, and Associated Press
Tom Cole is Strong Arming Democrats
Republican fundraising tactics have hit a new low. AJ Rexroat called us today to tell us the story of a phone call he received today from Tom Cole's office. If you do not know AJ is the Alfalfa County Chair. Cole's office wanted to solicit $700 from a devoted Democrat! When AJ politely declined they then asked if they could print his name in an arcticle saying he was supporting Tom Cole. Again, AJ politely declined. Cole's office would not take no for an answer! They then wanted $500, and when he declined again guess what they did? They asked him for $100!! Cole cannot get support from his cohorts anymore and now he is calling strong Democrats. Thanks for the call AJ...if any of you hear from Cole's office asking for money be sure to let us know!
Republican fundraising tactics have hit a new low. AJ Rexroat called us today to tell us the story of a phone call he received today from Tom Cole's office. If you do not know AJ is the Alfalfa County Chair. Cole's office wanted to solicit $700 from a devoted Democrat! When AJ politely declined they then asked if they could print his name in an arcticle saying he was supporting Tom Cole. Again, AJ politely declined. Cole's office would not take no for an answer! They then wanted $500, and when he declined again guess what they did? They asked him for $100!! Cole cannot get support from his cohorts anymore and now he is calling strong Democrats. Thanks for the call AJ...if any of you hear from Cole's office asking for money be sure to let us know!
Peace Rally
Oklahomans are invited to participate in a Rally for Peace at noon Saturday, January 27 on the south steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol. The Oklahoma rally will coincide with a rally in Washington, D.C. scheduled for 11 a.m to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Dr. Robin Meyers, Mayflower Congregational Church, will be the keynote speaker.
Participants are encouraged to bring signs, banners, friends and family.
A Peace Walk from the Capitol will follow the speaking at 1 p.m.
The event is being sponsored by The Peace House, Spiritual Walk For Peace, Veterans For Peace, CodePink, Dept.of Peace Campaign, OCCO, DFA, and the Anti-War Fair Coalition
For more information email Nathaniel Batchelder at batchokc@aol.com.
100 Oklahoma Democrats
As we celebrate our state's Centennial this year let's take some time to identify 100 Oklahoma Democrats who have made important contributions to their community, our state and our party. The party already recognizes activists and party stalwarts through our Activist Hall of Fame and the prestigious Carl Albert award. These folks would obviously be part of our list, but there are many others who should be recognized in our Centennial year. Take a look at Wikipedia's listing of prominent Oklahoma Democrats here. You can add content to this site directly or better yet you can
send me your "nominations" for our virtual Centennial Hall of Fame, provide a short statement, no more than 100 words, that describes the contribution of the individual and I'll start a new blog to support our own virtual biographical encyclopedia of Democrats. So, who's your favorite Democrat?
SoTU Preview
Pres. Bush will face a skeptical Congress and nation tonight when he delivers his State of The Union address at 8 p.m. CST. Read a preview here.
The ODP is hosting a watch party for the speech and Democratic response at our HQ tonight beginning at 7 p.m. All Democrats are invited. For details call our office at 405.427.3366.
The Oklahoma Young Democrats are also hosting a watch party event in OKC. For more information email YD President Mandy Winton at youngdemocrats@cox.net.
Monday, January 22, 2007
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