Blago’s antics
Too bad they don’t have live television cameras in the courtroom where former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is on trial for corruption. It sounds like some O.J. Simpson-like entertainment is going on. Jurors got an earful of Blago in December 2008, yelling at his campaign chief older brother, Robert, about the need for more campaign cash. What a pair! Robert can be heard yelling back that if Rod is so worried about funds he could nix sending out poinsettias and Christmas pictures. The Rod & Rob Show took another funny turn when the judge in the case told Rod to sit still and stop gesturing during the testimony of former chief of staff Alonzo “Lon” Monk. Blago sit still? Maybe if they put him in a straitjacket.
He’s up, he’s down
Just five months ago, Republican Robert McDonnell was the toast of his party. In swamping his Democratic opponent, the newly elected governor of Virginia flipped the commonwealth more than 20 points from the margin Barack Obama carried the state with in 2008. Soon, McDonnell was being mentioned for a spot on the GOP’s national ticket in 2012. Now, not so much. McDonnell was the victim of some bad staff work, bad politics, bad thinking or all of the above in declaring April “Confederate History Month” in Virginia — without a boilerplate-like denunciation of slavery. In fact, McDonnell’s proclamation didn’t mention slavery at all, and boy did he draw flak for that. Some critics declared him a tool of the neo-Confederate movement. McDonnell backpedaled and re-issued the proclamation with a strong condemnation of slavery. And he apologized. No matter. Talk of 2012 has quieted down, the episode proving that a day or a week in politics can be like a lifetime most other places.
Bob McDonnell, the other smart pick
Well, OK. The previous blog item on Scott Brown is non-operable now that Republicans have picked new Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to deliver the GOP response to next week’s State of the Union address. No biggie. McDonnell is the other good choice for the task after his runaway victory last fall in the Old Dominion — another state President Barack Obama won in 2008. McDonnell swamped his Democratic opponent with a solid conservative message that focused on jobs and the economy, which is the formula Republicans everywhere should copy this year. Like Brown in Massachusetts, McDonnell gobbled up independent voters (66 percent) on his way to a 17-point victory. He should do quite well as the GOP’s prime-time face/voice next week.
Tuition for illegal immigrants
New Jersey won’t be joining the short list of states allowing undocumented students to attend college at in-state tuition rates. The effect, supporters said, is that children will be punished for the actions of their illegal immigrant parents and likely won’t attend college at all. The measure’s failure is rightfully disappointing although the in-state tuition denial has become a politically popular choice in many states. While higher education is not a right, it’s an opportunity that ought to be as widely available as possible for those who want it. Banning students who were young and had no say when their family immigrated slams shut the door of opportunity for many of those students who simply cannot afford the much higher price tag of out-of-state tuition. What good comes from that?
Just the facts
Tensions are high over a school deregulation bill. Is it too much to expect top education officials to keep the debate in the adult realm? Last week, some members of the state education board weren’t shy in expressing their displeasure. One exchange had a board member saying supporters of Senate Bill 834 were drinking “Republican whiskey.” Really? That nonsense is on top of the fear tactics the Oklahoma Education Association and some other opponents are employing. All involved should just stick to the truth. Doing so would still leave plenty of room for sincere debate.
Relatively ‘rich’
A conservative group puts Oklahoma in the top 15 of states in terms of “economic competitiveness.” The American Legislative Exchange Council favors states that aren’t trying to tax their way back into solvency. Utah was tapped as the best in this regard; New York is the worst. Oklahoma did well because of growth in gross domestic product and personal income between 1997 and 2007. The “Rich States, Poor States” report also favors states with right-to-work laws and a minimum wage that doesn’t exceed the federal floor rate. By these measures, Oklahoma ranks low among those who favor higher taxes, closed union shops and a state minimum wage. People and business leaders looking for a place to prosper, though, are put off by states such as New York and California. An example is Arthur B. Laffer, one of the study’s authors, who’s famous (or infamous if you don’t like him) for his supply-side economics position. He moved from California (ranked 43rd in the study) to Tennessee (ranked 9th).
Our green speaker
It’s easy being green these days, but if you’re a conservative Republican it’s not so easy being known as being green. Yet the man taking the lead on alternative energy at the state level is Republican House Speaker Chris Benge of Tulsa. He wants to make it easier for vehicles to run on natural gas instead of gasoline or diesel. He wants to reward people for using solar power and wind power. Conservatives and Republicans are widely represented in the alternative fuel movement. Benge, R-Tulsa, is pushing House Bill 1952, which offers incentives for increasing the number of vehicles powered by compressed natural gas. The bill also addresses the problem of the paucity of CNG fueling stations. Benge is also pushing initiatives creating incentives for wind power and solar power. The state will be better off for his efforts.
Smile of cars
What’s it going to take to put you in the driver’s seat of that new car? This should put a smile on your face: Part of the federal stimulus package is a deduction on taxes paid when new cars are purchased. Congress considered, but rejected, another deduction for the interest paid on new car loans. Oklahoma doesn’t assess sales taxes on vehicles. Instead, it takes 3.25 percent of the purchase price on new cars (used cars also have an excise tax, but it’s figured differently). Motor vehicle excise tax collections led all categories in declines for January, compared to January of 2008. The vehicle tax decline was nearly 60 percent. Most car buyers will qualify for the new federal deduction. So in addition to those dealer incentives, Uncle Sam is offering one of his own. Of course all of us will ultimately pay for this deduction through the increase in the federal debt.
Wasting time
Tough budget times tend to leave lawmakers with too much time on their hands. We’re glad to see they didn’t waste much time on yet another unnecessary proposal that would infuse science classes with faith and morality discussions. Science teachers and their students already have sufficient freedom to explore scientific issues. Teachers must use their best judgment in guiding the discussion and keeping students on track. The proposed Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act, which was killed in a Senate committee this week, and similar bills would just further muddy the academic waters. Lawmakers should stick to problems that need fixing. Academic freedom in the science classroom isn’t one of them.
Meanwhile, in Illinois …
Zoinks! After nurturing the impression he was above the muck of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris now acknowledges he made some calls to try to raise funds for Blagojevich at the behest of the governor’s brother — while Burris was seeking appointment to the seat vacated by President Barack Obama. Burris, a Democrat, says he’s open to a Senate ethics investigation, which probably is the least he could do after making everyone believe he steadfastly rebuffed Blagojevich’s money grubbing. Illinois is a blue state, as blue as any in the country. But you’ve got to wonder if the stink of corruption isn’t going to linger with Illinois voters long enough for them to vote for change of their own next year, to the GOP.
