Cole Makes It Official
All five of Oklahoma’s incumbents in the U.S. House — as well as Sen. Jim Inhofe — are expected to file for reelection next week. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, officially announced today that he’ll seek a fourth term in the district that includes Norman, Lawton, Chickasha, Duncan, Ada, Ardmore and part of Midwest City.
Cole isn’t expected to face strong opposition in his district. His challenge has been up here in Washington, where he heads the campaign committee that’s supposed to get Republicans elected to Congress. He’s been under fire from some after three losses in special elections this year in districts that had been held by the GOP.
Republicans are expected to lose even more seats this fall.
The GOP controlled the House for 12 years before Democrats took over again in 2007. And for six of those years, from 2001 to 2007, they also controlled the White House (and the Senate for some of that time).
But in his reelection announcement, Cole blames Democrats for not doing anything on immigration, energy and other issues and says Washington is broken.
Though the deficit and earmarks ballooned under Republicans, and they added the Medicare prescription drug program to already high entitlement spending, Cole blames the Democrats, who have been in power less than two years, for the national debt and the spiraling costs of health care and entitlement spending.
Keep in mind too that no substantive immigration legislation made it to the president’s desk before Democrats took over and that a loud complaint around the country was that the Republican administration wasn’t enforcing the nation’s immigration laws.
Cole’s reelection announcement is somewhat interesting, not only because of its unique take on recent history, but because Cole has been among the Republicans who have conceded their problems stem in part from getting away from their conservative values — the ones Cole espouses in his statement today.
Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan had an hilarious line in a recent piece. She quoted the comments of Cole and others complaining that Republicans were losing to Democrats who were pretending to be conservatives. She wondered what was wrong with Democrats doing that since “Republicans pretend to be conservatives all the time.”
More Drilling and Price Controls
The House Republican leadership, which has been hammering Democrats for not doing enough to combat high gas prices, put out an e-mail alert this morning that a new Gallup poll shows a majority of Americans would support more drilling in federally protected areas. That is something the GOP is calling for in its energy plan.
But the same poll shows a majority of Americans would support price controls on gasoline — probably not an idea that Republicans are going to embrace.
McCain Leads in Sooner Dough
Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has now raised more money in Oklahoma than either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential contenders.
However, Clinton and Obama combined have raised far money than McCain in the state, and Democratic presidential candidates overall still have a slight edge over the GOP candidates in money raising in Oklahoma.
You can see a breakdown on the Federal Election Commission site.
McClellan’s Book
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan has joined the long list of ex-public officials who have written tell-all books. And his raises the usual question: Why not tell all when you’re in a position of public trust, being paid by American citizens and your honesty could actually have an impact on events?
According to news accounts of the book, McClellan says President Bush and the administration relied on “propaganda” to sell the war in Iraq. And who would know better than the person who served as the daily mouthpiece for the administration?
And what exactly is it that press secretaries in this town push anyway? Unvarnished truth?
There’s no question who’s paying a government press secretary. And there shouldn’t be any question about whom a government press secretary — or any public official — is working for.
But there seems to be some confusion about where loyalties lie. Is McClellan betraying Bush now? Or did he betray the American people when he was in their employ?
I’ve dealt with many, many government press secretaries. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a time when I thought one was lying outright. There are some press secretaries that I don’t think would be capable of that.
I am, though, convinced that I’m only told of a fraction of the things that might be useful for me and Oklahoma citizens to know about.
Maybe those will all come out in a book one day.
Fallin Honors Women in Military
Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, and other women in Congress honored women serving in the military and veterans at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery this week, just a few days before Memorial Day. The ceremony included the dedication of a memorial wreath for those women who died in service to the country.
Fallin is the co-chair of the Women in the Military Task Force in the House.
She said, “No one doubts the great contributions that women have made to our Armed Forces. Our nation owes these servicewomen a great debt. For those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, that debt is even greater and can never be repaid. Today’s ceremony served as a tribute to the enormous heroism, courage and patriotism displayed by all servicewomen and female veterans.”
Boren BBQ
For years, the annual barbeque in Muskogee hosted by the late Oklahoma Congressman Mike Synar was one of the state’s big political gatherings.
Next week, Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, will be holding his own political cook-out in the northeastern Oklahoma town.
Boren is hosting a barbeque on May 30 at the Muskogee Civic Center where House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, of Maryland, former Gov. George Nigh, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins and Okahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson will be guests.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is $10 per person. There’s live music to go with the food and speeches.
Boren Squeezed Off Panel
All of the success Democrats are having in special House races this year is causing some crowding on committees.
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, is having to make way for one of the three new Democrats, giving up his seat on the Financial Services Committee, which has been the lead panel on the housing foreclosure crisis. Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, also serves on the committee.
Boren got a waiver to serve as a temporary member on the committee in this Congress. He already serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, and that’s the limit for most members.
“Rather than losing my seniority on the Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees, I have chosen to step aside during the remainder of this Congress,” Boren said “I fully expect there will be more openings after the November elections and at that time I will seek to return to the Financial Services Committee.”
BTW: I did a video interview with Lucas here in the DC office this week about what Congress should about the foreclosure crisis. It should be posted on the web site in the next few days. My interview with Lucas about the farm bill is already up on the site.
Coburn Blasts Farm Bill
Sen. Tom Coburn, the fiscal hawk Republican from Muskogee, might have surprised a few people in December when he voted for a farm bill that was heavily criticized by his natural allies in the Senate and groups like Citizens Against Government Waste that have long supported him.
Well, today he’s back “in character.” Coburn was one of 15 senators to vote against the bill and he didn’t mince words about it. Here’s his statement:
“As food and gas prices reach record highs and families are feeling the strain on their budgets, this bill does nothing to help improve the quality of life for farmers and hard-working families. Rather, this bill gives billions to huge conglomerates, special interest groups and inefficient nutrition programs. Congress has put their elections and parochial interests ahead of traditional farmers and middle class families,” Dr. Coburn said.
You can read more at Coburn’s website.
Meanwhile, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, supported the farm bill. Here’s what he said:
“Oklahoma’s agricultural community spoke loud and clear about their support of this legislation,” Senator Inhofe said. “This Farm Bill maintains the commodity support safety net for America’s farmers and ranchers who provide us with the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. It ensures that Oklahoma will continue to be a national leader in agriculture production, as our cotton and wheat farmers will continue to enjoy the support and certainty these programs provide.”
The Conference Report for the 2007 Farm Bill, which passed today by a vote of 81-15, includes a bioenergy crop amendment championed by Senator Inhofe. The provision, which Senator Inhofe worked with Congressman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) to develop and enact, provides transitional assistance to farmers who produce bioenergy crops, like switchgrass and sorghum.
“While Oklahoma has long been a leader in oil and natural gas production, our state is quickly emerging as a leader in the field of cellulosic biofuels,” Inhofe said. “Today, world-class scientists at Oklahoma State University and the Noble Foundation are working with farmers across Oklahoma to develop cellulosic bioenergy crops, like switchgrass, that don’t compete with feed for livestock.” Senator Inhofe has pushed to address corn-starch ethanol mandates which contribute to driving up food and fuel prices, something this provision addresses.
The 2007 Farm Bill also authorizes rural development programs, provides a boost to conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP), and over $1 billion to fund programs that help the renewable energy industry invest in technologies that use a variety of sources beyond feed grains. The bill also reduces the corn ethanol tax, redirecting it to incentives for cellulosic ethanol production, expands renewable energy programs and increases funding for bioenergy research.
Language similar to Senator Inhofe’s amendment to the Senate passed Farm Bill giving priority consideration to grant proposals to find innovative ways to make use of animal waste, specifically that of poultry waste, was also included in the bill. During a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Oklahoma State University Professor Mike Dicks testified about the need to harness the potential of this resource, rather than treating it simply as a waste. Inhofe said, “There is great promise in creating energy from animal waste, and my amendment will ensure we pursue all options for utilizing this by-product.
Senator Inhofe was pleased that the conferees rejected several harmful provisions in the final bill, such as a ban on packer ownership that would have been detrimental to the operations of cattlemen in Oklahoma and across the country, as well as a $4 billion tax increase on businesses. “These provisions threatened the viability of this important bill, and I am glad they were removed from the final legislation.”
Boren Gets NRA Post
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, has been named to the National Rifle Association’s board of directors.
Boren, who represents much of eastern Oklahoma south of Muskogee, is actually the second Oklahoma congressman in recent years to sit on the NRA board. Former Rep. Bill Brewster, a Democrat who hailed from Marietta, also served on the board while he was in office.
Brewster was in Congress at a time when guns were a big issue. The Brady bill and a ban on some semiautomatic weapons were passed in the early years of Bill Clinton’s presidency. Moreover, after the Oklahoma City bombing, the NRA came under some criticism for its harsh language about federal agents who carry out the nation’s gun laws.
After Republicans took over Congress in 1995, gun control legislation essentially went away. And since taking over Congress last year, Democratic leaders haven’t shown any interest in revisiting those fights _ probably because they have members like Boren and others who are from conservative districts and would fight against them.
Boren said in a statement this week:
“I harvested my first buck at age 9, and have taken one every season since. I can still remember having to calm my buck fever that morning on my first hunt many years ago.
“I grew up watching the NRA defend our Second Amendment rights, just like I grew up learning gun safety and marksmanship.
“I look forward to working closely with NRA Leadership, my fellow board members, and the millions of NRA members across the nation to promote our right to keep and bear arms.”
Obama Wooing Church-goers in Kentucky
Battered for weeks by his association with his pastor, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is making an appeal to church-going Democratic primary voters in Kentucky.
You can see a copy of an Obama campaign brochure here.
