OCPAC MEETING - SEPTEMBER 10, 2003

Members and friends of OCPAC

Our luncheon for Wednesday, September 10th, will be very busy. The meeting will be a tribute to Ronald Reagan. State Rep. Bill Graves will be speaking as an acquaintance of former President Reagan and we will show a video of his most famous speech, A TIME FOR CHOOSING. The Golden Corral has agreed to purchase a new big screen TV. Also speaking will be Mr. Eric Dondero. Eric is a senior aid to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and was a founder of the Republican Liberty Caucus in Texas. This will be a great meeting. In my opinion, Ron Paul may be America's finest U.S. Rep..

This past Wednesday's meeting was a lot of fun and we want to thank Rep. John Wright from Tulsa for coming down to give a very substantive tribute to Hopper Smith. Rep. Fred Morgan of OKC did a masterfully funny job of roasting Rep. Smith. We found out Hopper is an excellent speaker and true patriot with a great sense of humor. Thanks also to Rep. Mike Reynolds and all who came to make it such a fine meeting.

After our luncheon this past Wednesday I had to go to Purcell to finish up my work there. By happenstance I ended up in the middle U.S. Senator Bob Graham's (D- Fla) campaign efforts. As he came out of the newspaper office he approached me and I assured him that to convince me to vote for him would make him the most persuasive person in the world. He said let me try and made the mistake of asking me what I wanted to see out of the federal government. His state Chairman is my liberal friend Ben Odom. I thought Ben was going to pull Senator Graham's arm out of socket trying to get him away from me. Ben used to do the liberal radio program which followed my conservative show on KREF 1400 AM.

This past Thursday Channel 9 morning news anchor Ed Murray did a live interview with Emoly West and me about the World View Weekend conference coming up this Friday evening and all day Saturday. Emoly is an excellent example of how intelligent young people with high moral standards and a quality homeschool education can function in our society. For those who may have seen the interview, we didn't know what questions Ed was going to ask and Emoly handled her questions with poise and intelligence. I have mentioned this seminar many times because I know how informative and enjoyable the seminars are. If you haven't registered as yet, call 680-LIFE and ask for Marcie for slightly discounted admission. I understand they are almost sold out.

Residents of Tulsa County are getting ready to vote this Tuesday on a massive 13 year tax increase which includes a combination of community projects and corporate welfare. The proposal has a tricky structure and lacks solid controls on spending. Other than road projects, there are not many of the proposals that are a proper function of government in a free market society. The proposals are a dream-come-true for elitist central planners.

The federal government has been subsidizing and giving special privileges to certain businesses for decades. Oklahoma's Quality Jobs Act (paying 5% of payroll for selected businesses) has been in place for 10 years, and now cities and county governments are also getting into the act. If these socialist and fascist ideas really worked, if they actually produced more WEALTH than they COST, then the federal government wouldn't be running up massive deficits, and state and local governments would not always have to be increasing taxes, now would they???

This past week OKC Mayor Kirk Humphreys came out in support of the tax increases for Tulsa County. Mayor Humphreys, wanting to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Don Nickles, couldn't pass up the opportunity to promote a tax increase for his fellow big government Mayor, Tulsa's Bill LaFortune. At this year's Oklahoma State Republican Party Convention, Rules Chairman Tim Green told a hilarious story about how much noise they would allow in our political process. The most humorous part of the convention, however, was Mayor LaFortune functioning as convention Chairman of what is supposed to be the party of limited government and Mayor Humphreys' speech depicting himself as a fiscal conservative.

Both of these officials present themselves as high profile Christians. What I am about to say may be hard for many to swallow, but an accurate and charitable label for both would be "Christian Socialists." Unfortunately they are either unaware, unable or unwilling to understand that the re-distribution of wealth, outside of a proper function of government, is a violation of the 8th commandment, THOU SHALL NOT STEAL!

OCPAC has received its share of criticism recently as being divisive for standing by conservative principles rather than putting "the party first" and going along to get along. Genuine conservatives all over America, however, are repulsed by the liberalism now pulling the Republican Party. After a lengthy and careful interview with the new Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, The New Hampshire Union Leader wrote an editorial entitled, "GOP-MIA" explaining the party is no longer the party of limited government.

Alabama recently elected a "Christian Right" Republican for Governor who has now shocked conservatives and Christians as he is pushing for a $1.2 billion dollar tax increase. It must be approved by voters and polls show 2 to 1 against. We can be hopeful that this will be an issue that will retire him.

Nevada just elected a Republican Governor who is pushing for a massive tax increase. Conservative Republicans in Nevada are now circulating a petition to re-call their own Governor.

Even the September issue of the "neo-con" publication, "National Review," (which has become the flag-ship of "big-government conservatism") features as its cover story, America's number one Senate RINO (Republican in Name Only), Arlan Specter (R - Penn). The story is about the need to boot him out in favor of the more conservative Pat Toomy.

I predict conservatives in California will not unite behind the very liberal Arnold and we will either see Democrats repulsed by the racist Bustamante or vote to keep Grey Davis or hold their noses enough to elect Bustamante over a split Republican Party. Many have suggested that McClintock withdraw and throw his support to Arnold. I suggest Arnold withdraw and throw his support to McClintock.

It was PAY INCREASE time for Congressmen this past week. These annual pay increases are automatic unless Congress votes not to take them. With Rep. Jim Matheson, (D-Utah) leading the way for a direct vote to stop the increase, his efforts failed being voted down 240-173. Voting against the direct vote to stop the pay increase were Oklahoma REPUBLICAN Congressmen Frank Lucas, Ernest Istook and, no big surprise, Tom Cole. Voting for the direct vote to stop the pay increase were Republican John Sullivan and Democrat Brad Carson. Ask yourself: Do you want your taxes raised to pay these guys more money for the sorry job they are doing? Do you want the government to borrow more money so they can make $158,000 per year rather than the $154,000 they make now? The next time you hear Reps. Lucas, Istook or Cole express concern about run-away spending, deficits or high national debt, realize you are listening to WORLD CLASS hypocrites.

If you miss this Wednesday's luncheon you are going to miss a great one.

Charlie Meadows
charlie/meadows (charlie/meadows@qns.com)  ¶ 10:01 PM