Senate Committee Rejects Amendment to Require Drug Tests for Legislators

Oklahoma Politics, Politics , 1 Comment

This press release is from the office of Rep. Mike Shelton:

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 27, 2012) Some lawmakers have no qualms subjecting to drug tests citizens who receive taxpayer dollars, but they are apparently unwilling to submit themselves to the same indignity.

HB2388 by Senator David Holt, and Rep. Guy Liebmann, both Republicans from Oklahoma City, would require drug testing for recipients under the program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

TANF is funded by a block grant from the federal government. Recipients of aid must work at least 30 hours per week to continue to receive assistance.

Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, filed an amendment to the bill on the House floor which would have required legislators to take a similar drug test to run for office. The bill, with the amendment, passed the House 82-6. The House author of the measure, Rep. Liebmann, also supported this language.

However, yesterday in the Senate Health and Human Services committee, Sen. Holt removed the language requiring legislators to take drug tests before moving the bill to a vote.

The bill passed along partisan lines by 5-3, and now awaits a hearing by the full Senate.

“This is a disappointing development,” said Rep. Shelton. “If citizens are required to undergo drug tests, then so should potential legislators who are entrusted with decisions critical to the welfare of our state.”

According to news sources, when the bill arrived in the Senate, Sen. Holt dropped the amendment from the legislation, describing it as a “stunt.”

Of interest, in the 2010 legislative session, the Senate passed by a 44-0 vote SB1392, by Senator Anthony Sykes, R-Newcastle. That bill contained an amendment to require all state elected officials to undergo the same standards of drug testing.

“Sen. Holt claimed that the amendment to HB2388 was a ‘stunt,’’ said Rep. Shelton. “If this is such a stunt, then why did 44 members of the Senate vote to approve the same thing back in 2010?”

SB1392 bill was never granted a hearing in the House, and subsequently stalled for the session.

“It is hypocritical of us as lawmakers to take state pay, and conduct the state’s business, but ask those who receive benefits to take a drug test, but then refuse to take the same drug test ourselves,” said Rep. Shelton. “I plan to re-submit this amendment when the bill comes back to the House for final consideration.”

Obama & Keystone XL

Community Voices, Culture, Opinion, Politics, Science & Technology, Uncategorized , , , , , , , No Comments

By Earl Hatley

I was [s]orry I could not be in Cushing [on Thursday] as I had planned…

I don’t hate our President. In fact I defended him by chastising the fact that our Governor and other elected officials choose not to meet his plane. Last time Air Force 1 landed a tinker was for Kennedy and Nixon if my memory serves well. I think our officials met those arrivals. I am Chair of the Craig County Democrats, I will fight for Obama’s second term without hesitation.

That said, the pipeline project being debated is bad for our country and does not serve the Nation’s best interest. I have written extensively why this is on more posts than I can remember, so I won’t do that now unless you want me too.

Thing is, I stand for the First Nations in Canada who’s traditional lands are being destroyed to dig up the sand layer below. A precious boreal forest, the Amazon of the northern hemisphere, is being destroyed, people are dying from cancer and other diseases they never had there before and don’t exist other communities, or at the same rate of population. Several tribes in the lower 48 are also formally against it, and are being ignored by TransCanada.

Three tribes along the route here in Oklahoma have resolutions against this pipeline and all say they stand with their relatives in Canada who are suffering so much. As a member of Cherokee Nation I would think you could understand why I am doing all I can to stop the destruction by stopping the pipeline that will enable BP, Shell, Exxon/Mobile and more who are digging up the forests, and shipping shipping the tar to their own refineries in Houston. Much of the oil will either be sold directly to China (their largest customer) or will be exported as products.

The US is a net exporter of oil products, contrary to what we are told on the news. We export more oil products, amountiing to more oil than we import. Is it worth crimes in Canada, in order to have a pipeline here, to sell products elsewhere? Do you support taking the tops off of mountains in southeast, Alabama to Virginia?? Tars sands extraction is even worse. Making more people sick.

So, I like Obama and support him, I just disagree with the pipeline. By the way, I don’t hate anyone, nor do the people I organize with. They are also Obama supporters against the pipeline. No one hates him except the Tea Party crowed, who , unlike us were allowed to line the sidewalks of the motocade . Democrats who support Obama but not the pipeline and the Indian peoples that came there to speak were put in a park in a cage 6 miles away from our President. By doing this, you, he, whomever, saw hate from the Republican Tea Party not from our people, Most of whom are on my Facebook for you to read. You won’t find hatred here, you find frustration, determination and organization.

Earl Hatley, M.A. is a tribal consultant, Grand Riverkeeper and President of Local Environmental Action Demanded.  He resides at Vinita, Oklahoma.

Note:  No part of this was written by Fannie Bates.  If you see the name Fannie Bates anywhere on this article, it is a clerical error.

To learn more about Earl Hatley:  http://www.leadagency.org/EHBio.pdf

 

 

Democratic Party Chairman Condems State GOP Leadership for Snubbing President During His Recent Visit

Politics , , No Comments

Wallace Collins, Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, just sent this out.

Republicans Snub President Obama

I could not believe it when I read and heard the news about the Republican leadership of Oklahoma snubbing President Obama during his recent visit to our state! As a native Oklahoman, I am usually proud to hear comments from travelers or visitors about how friendly Oklahoma is, how we welcome strangers and make them feel right at home here. Thank you to OKC Mayor, Mick Cornett for doing his part.

That certainly was not the case when President Barack Obama visited on Wednesday and Thursday! I don’t doubt that Governor Fallin had planned her family vacation in the Caribbean, leaving Lt. Governor Lamb in charge. When he left the State, allegedly on State business, he left someone else in charge. There is protocol to cover such instances, because any state or government always has to have someone in charge to make decisions during an absence by the elected leader (governor or president). It is my understanding that the burden fell to Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman, (R) Sapulpa. Senator Bingman had to know that he was the designated “governor” while the other two were out of state, so why did he fail to meet the President at some point in the visit? It was reported that the senator said the president did not contact his office. I say it was not the president’s duty to contact someone he is not even aware of, it is the duty and obligation of Governor Fallin, then Lt. Governor Todd Lamb to make sure that the “baton” has been passed to the appropriate “governor” in their absence. “Bingman’s boner” is inexcusable!

In addition to this obvious snub, I think the remarks attributed to Governor Fallin were completely out of line. She did not even extend a “Welcome to Oklahoma” to the visiting dignitary, President Barack Obama! She simply launched into a critique of him and his policies which turned into a very partisan political rant. It reminded me to be very proud of our recent Democratic Governor, Brad Henry. Governor Henry was just the opposite of the Republican Governor in his treatment of President George W. Bush on any of his visits to Oklahoma. Governor Henry did not criticize any of President Bush’s policies, nor did he accuse Bush of lying our country into an unnecessary war in the Middle East. He simply acted with dignity and respect toward a visiting president, even if that president was of a different party. What a shame that the Republican leaders in Oklahoma could not have acted with dignity toward President Barack Obama and been pleased enough that he cared to come to Oklahoma!

-Wallace Collins, Chairman
Oklahoma Democratic Party

Cushing’s Little White Lie

Community Voices, Culture, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized , , , , , 12 Comments

Cushing, Oklahoma looks like a lovely little town with an affluent past.  It is, some would say, one of the key oil centers of the United States.  The people of Cushing have thrived for generations due to the wealth brought in by oil.  But have all of the people of Cushing thrived, or just the Caucasian ones?

If you go to Cushing to see President Obama Thursday morning, be sure to ride through the old Black community and see how it looks.  It is a symbol of what Cushing did to the Blacks who lived there.  Many of the Black folks have died of cancer and the ones still living there seem to be plagued with mysterious illnesses.
 
The Caucasians forced all the Blacks to live in the Northwest area next the refinery.  They released the chemicals through the creek that ran right down the middle of the Black community.  The chemicals turned the houses brown. Eventually, all the houses were torn down and the land was taken, piece by piece. Somebody seems to have worked diligently to hide the evidence of the crime against humanity that happened in Cushing.
 
There are two superfund sites in the town of 8,000.
 
 When you come into Cushing,  look to your North. You will see an empty field.  That is where the refinery was located and the Black communty was right next to it. They have all those piplelines there.  I wonder how many Blacks you will find working at the refineries…
 
They have taken the land from most of the Blacks.  If someone dies, they watch the house.  If the grass doesn’t get cut,  the city cuts it, puts a lien on the land, goes in and tears the house down and charges the family $8,000 and $10,000 for tearing it down.  If the family doesn’t pay, they take the land. Then they turn around and sell it to Caucasians for little or nothing.
 
 The Black folks in Cushing have called the White House and asked for an investigation. No reponse, to date.  They wonder if their story will ever be told.  Or maybe it has been told.  Have you seen “The Lorax”?

Letter to County Commissioners re: Keystone XL

Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Dear Commissioner,

Scattered out across Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, there are dozens of huge lime green TransCanada trucks, headed our way.   Loaded with pipe and heavy equipment, they weigh over 200,000 pounds each.  They are taking their time as they meander across the country, cutting through Indian reservations and county roads in order to avoid costly weigh stations.  Some are heading for the six Oklahoma counties where the most toxic and dangerous pipeline on earth will be installed.  Some will go straight through to Texas.

TransCanada has gone to great lengths to avoid any potential liability for the havoc they intend to wreak on our counties, our state and our region.

Why didn’t they just run their pipeline across their on country?  Because the people of Canada understood how toxic this tarsand oil really is, and they knew TransCanada’s poor safety record.  The Canadian people said “No”, so they decided to bring their pipeline right down through the middle of Indian country.

You’ve probably been told that TransCanada is going to pay a lot of ad valorem taxes.  The amount of taxes they will pay will be small in comparison to the damage they will do to our roads and bridges,  not to mention our underground water.

You have probably been told that this is just another pipeline.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Tarsand oil is too sluggish to move smoothly through the pipe on it own, so it will be heated.  There has never, in the history of our planet, been a pipeline that big carrying hot oil laced with benzine and arsenic.

I urge you to look at the easements TransCanada pressured your friends and neighbors into signing.  Unless your friends are very wealthy and spent a great deal of money on attorneys, the easements leave TransCanada blame free.  When that pipeline leaks (and it will leak sooner or later) your county, your state and your constituents will be left holding the bag.

Perhaps you think you are off the hook because the pipeline does not come through your county.  That doesn’t mean that TransCanada’s Trojan trucks won’t cut through your county, tearing up your roads and bridges.

I urge you to strictly enforce all existing weight limits on county roads and bridges, and to decrease those limits where appropriate to keep TransCanada’s truck from doing permanent and irreparable damage to our roads and bridges.

I am attaching a link to a brief video where three Texas landowners talk about how TransCanada trespassed on their land and pressured them into signing easements they didn’t want to sign:

Click on the title:  “Texas Landowners Fight Keystone XL Pipeline”

The third speaker on this video is a pipefitter/mechanic/welder named Mike Hawthorne.  Mike explains:

It’s a dangerous pipeline.  This is a tarsand under high pressure and high temperatures, and I know what sandblasting does to metal.  It’s gonna eat is up, and it’s gonna eat it up pretty fast.

This pipeline can leak 1.7 million gallons of tarsand oil per day without triggering any alert system.  Eventually, it will leak into our Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

(Your name goes here)

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