Mary Fallin's Family Values Hurt Oklahoma Children

Merry Christmas Oklahoma!!  Just in time for celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior we've got a Governor showing her good Christian values by screwing children and families.  Well done, Mary.... well done.

Remember that one time Mary said that she was the most qualified candidate because she was a mother?  We always questioned her family values, and now as it turns out she's actually making choices that hurt newborns and those starting families.

"Governor Mary Fallin and Insurance Commissioner John Doak created and signed an emergency rule (365:10-1-15) eliminating birth as a "qualifying event" for individual healthcare coverage."  Says the Oklahoma Democratic Party in a press release.

"She claims to be pro-life and in one single moment she puts the life of every single newborn in danger and every family into potential bankruptcy...as a member of the clergy, I find her actions immoral," ODP Vice Chair Dana Orwig stated.

 While you're looking at your children or grandchildren opening presents on Sunday morning, think about how hard it would have been on your budget for insurance not to cover their birth, or your c-section, or if your children had complications.  Now insurance companies in Oklahoma don't have to worry about covering you and your family and children.  Hey... whatever brings in more business, right?

In Defense of Christina Fallin

Yesterday the Oklahoma Truth Council posted a video and a critique of a photo shoot done at the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion by the daughter of Governor Mary Fallin.  The video and likely the photos depict the First Daughter in a see through dress with under cloths visible, very alternative clothing, and prancing about the mansion for the shoot.

This was as part of Twenty Something Magazine's recognition of Christina Fallin as the woman of the month for the magazine.  Twenty Something seems to be an arts/fashion/style magazine that emphasizes "urban chic" women and stuff….. The video has since been removed - but not before someone grabbed their own copy and posted it back online.

Here's the thing about this photo-shoot:  Was it inappropriate to do it at the Governor's Mansion with the mansion as a backdrop?  Yes.  Absolutely.  But does Christina Fallin have the right to be as alternative and scantily clad as she wants?  Absolutely - in fact we encourage it.

Christina Fallin wasn't the one who ran for office under a "Faith, Family and Freedom" banner and we shouldn't hold her to the same standards as we would hold her mother's "hypothetical" offering of hotel room keys to people at conventions.  Christina didn't cheat on her husband with a state trooper hired to protect her.  She didn't molest or sexually harass a Congressional Page, nor did she try and get some man on man action from an undercover cop in a bathroom stall.  She put on some cloths that conservatives would have a problem with and took photos.  And if her mother didn't try to pretend like the good Christian wife and mother all the time, most people probably wouldn't have a problem with it other than it was done on "The People's" property…. 

Here's the thing that I've learned in watching Christine Fallin over the last few years.  She's either too politically stupid not to get in trouble - or she honestly doesn't give a shit.  Or I suppose she could be intentionally doing things to give her mother the finger.  Which… if I were Christina Fallin and my mother had cheated on my dad, destroyed our family, was too focused on her own political career to care about her family, and had a weird obsession with plastic surgery… I'd probably act out in efforts to get her back too.  So if she's doing that - I salute you, Christina, because you got totally screwed over in your life and your childhood.

While I'm sure liberals and comedians like to poke fun at Christina Fallin for her shocking taste, either in photo-shoot wardrobe options or wedding photography - she's not weird she's just different.  She's artistic, clearly fashion conscious and enjoys the creativity of being a fashionista, and neither of those characteristics really fit in well in Oklahoma's jeans and t-shirts world.  She's more downtown and we're more hometown.  There's nothing wrong with that - it's just different.

Where Christina will get in trouble is as she tries to make her own "political" career. As a lobbyist or "Huddelston's event planner" … we're not really sure what she does for him now… she's going to be held to a higher standard than if she were just a normal kid doing a normal non-political job. People in politics who speak out of both sides of their mouths generally get owned by the other side pretty quickly.   But because she's involved in the political world and her mother is the Governor she's going to catch much higher flack for anything she does that is outside of the norm.  

Christina Fallin is missing her potential.  She doesn't belong in politics she clearly belongs somewhere much more alternative and creative where her artistic talents can shine.  I continue to also encourage her to do a spread with the Suicide Girls. 

Last Week to File Bills: Fallin in the Bahamas and State House Working Part Time

Release from the OK Democratic Party - photo found on DemoOkie

While hardworking Oklahomans put in long hours to provide for their families, Governor Fallin is taking an exotic vacation to the Bahamas and GOP leaders in the House and Senate are vowing to take it easy.

According to the Tulsa World, Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz said the governor left Saturday afternoon for the Bahamas with her husband and three of their children. Meanwhile, the state of Oklahoma is burning and House Republicans are spiraling out of control.  Just this week, Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore) has been reprimanded by the House of Representatives for violently threatening to break the Speaker of the House’s leg and referring to him as a mentally handicapped person. Fallin is expected to return to the state Thursday afternoon or evening.

This vacation is taking place during bill deadline week -- a time during legislative session where traditionally, all hands are on deck to get all bills filed. Instead, the state Senate has elected to adjourn Wednesday and the state house is choosing to meet from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday. In previous years, House and Senate members have worked until midnight during deadline week. House Floor Leader Daniel Sullivan (R-Tulsa) said, "I don't plan to stay late. If bills are not heard within the time allowed, they will not be heard”.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Todd Goodman was appalled by the Republican party’s behavior.  “While most Oklahomans rise early and work hard everyday to put a roof over their family’s heads and food on the table, the GOP leadership sees fit to kick up their heels and throw up their hands. These are not the values Oklahomans expect from their elected officials. We have a budget crisis to solve and all state agencies are having to make tough financial decisions.”

Goodman also added, “The Governor taking an exotic vacation, less than three months after she took the oath of office, during filing week and during a state of emergency is downright irresponsible.”

The Libya of the US could be Oklahoma

Are you tired of living under a dictatorship in the middle east?  Long for representative democracy or heck even a parliamentary government might even seem nice to Egyptians.  Then come to Oklahoma!!  Here we have the dictatorship you love to hate but it's masked with a Constitution and State House of Representatives.   So you'll feel right at home while still feeling like you're moving forward.

The Senate voted 25-19 on Monday to send to a vote of the people a proposal to make seven of the 11 statewide elected officials appointees of the governor. If approved, the governor would appoint all three corporation commissioners, the state treasurer, superintendent, labor commissioner and insurance commissioner. The Senate would have to confirm the appointees.

Sen. Cliff Aldridge, R-Choctaw, said the proposal was designed to "put some power behind the governor."

It is unclear if she would be prefer being made a Queen or a dictator.  We assume a Queen since she kinda acts like that already.  This is all part of the new Republican Plan to get folks to come to Oklahoma with the catchy motto:  Welcome to Oklahoma - F*ck You.

Hope she's having fun in the Bahamas!  Cant believe she didn't choose to vacation in state where we need the tourism dollars. 

Oklahoma's Economic Crisis Spurs Gov's VayKay

ala NewsOK

"Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb is serving as the state's chief executive. Gov. Mary Fallin and her family are taking a vacation. She will be back in the office Thursday, a spokesman said."

When the going gets tough... the tough go on vacation.  Stand strong, Governor Fallin, don't let Governor Todd feel too much at home.  We're hearing he's VERY ambitious and thinks you're unfit.

Fallin's Government Polices Itself

This morning's news has an interesting piece about the inability for Oklahoma to enforce it's sunshine laws to create a more open government, because its law enforcement (DA's etc..) are too busy trying to solve murders and drug trafficking and other such things.  The result is a corrupt government at all levels.

The best part comes from Governor Fallin's general counsel - emphasis mine:

Last year during her gubernatorial campaign, Gov. Mary Fallin addressed a gathering of open government advocates during Sunshine Week. She pledged to designate someone in her office to handle open records matters and to advise department heads to comply with open records and meeting laws.

Judy Copeland, Fallin’s general counsel, said she is filling that role. But Copeland’s authority is limited to executive agencies.

“When you start talking about city councils, I think that would be beyond what the governor would have any authority over if she wanted to,” Copeland said.

You've got to love it when your own government is policing itself... it seems to be so effective and efficient. But at least it's cheap, right?  It we're not holding our own employees accountable to the law then we don't have to pay for trials and lawyers and people to replace them... so just think of it as government transparency being cut for budget reasons.  Corruption is so much more economical.

Cuts Just Don't Cut It

If you're reading any sort of news lately then you've probably heard of the deep and serious cuts that Republicans not just Governor Mary Fallin, but everyone across the country wants.  Government is bad... we should cut it...

Despite Fallin's acceptance of lots and lots and lots of federal money she's still carrying the banner of cutting government.  Well - in a new Washington Post op-ed you can see that cuts.... just ain't gonna cut it.

"Independent economic analysts, including from the investment firm Goldman Sachs - hardly known for liberal or bleeding-heart tendencies - have concluded that the $61 billion in current-year budget cuts being demanded by House Republicans will shave up to two percentage points off the nation's growth rate and cause the loss of more than half a million jobs."

Hurm.... maybe it's time to start thinking about cutting something that makes a little more sense.  Just sayin...

According to the piece:

"After slamming Democrats for not focusing on "jobs, jobs, jobs," Republicans have decided to ignore their own winning message in favor of "cuts, cuts, cuts." This is bad economics - and bad politics. . ."

This is because it turns out that

"When asked whether government, in general, is trying to do too much or not doing enough, 51 percent said government should do more. That's not exactly a mandate for slashing federal, state and municipal programs and trying to turn public employees into a caste of untouchables. . .

"A pretty impressive 40 percent said that "the deficit and government spending" should be considered the federal government's No. 1 or No. 2 task. But a far more impressive 56 percent said that "job creation and economic growth" should be given first or second priority. "

But leaders like Governor Mary Fallin aren't listening to the people whether Americans or Oklahomans, she's listening to a small subset of her party that just happens to be the loudest.  Instead Mary talks about "creating jobs" and then in the same breath talks about consolidation (which cuts jobs), cutting spending (more jobs), cutting the income tax which cuts funding for... you guessed it... people's jobs, and bringing more business to Oklahoma (bringing more out of state workers for Oklahoma jobs).  You go girl!  Create those jobs!  How many net jobs has Governor Mary Fallin created so far?  Anyone got a tally?

While normal everyday Oklahomans who are lucky enough to go to work each morning, drive on pathetic roads, pay for overpriced gasoline while subsidizing oil companies, scrimp for food grown in other countries, and pay for pathetic systems of education while their children are squeezed into classrooms like sardines in a can.

When you cross that state line imagine hearing our new motto coming from the Oklahoma Capitol with every vote that is passed:  Welcome to Oklahoma.... F*ck You.

Obscenely High Salaries Paid by Oklahoma Tax Payers

Bryn wrote on our facebook page but the emphasis is ours:

"1) The Governor of Oklahoma makes a salary of $140,000 annually.  While that's $25,000 a year lower than her congressional salary, it still ranks as the 16th highest salary of a governor in the U.S.  For a state with a population under four million people, that is consistently ranked in the bottom 10 of everything including education, why are we paying more for governors who haven't done a damn thing to put Oklahoma on the map for something GOOD except sports teams?!

2) Secondly, the OU Daily ran an article earlier this month about David Boren's salary and compensation as president of OU.  It tops the national average for college presidents.   

OU Daily (February 25, 2011) has an article "President David Boren’s total pay much higher than reported" to cover addition compensation Boren receives from serving on corporate boards, etc.  

Being the cost of education is out of control, and pursuing a college degree can mean years of debt to pay off loans, how do you justify such a salary?  Boren makes almost as much money as Harvard's president.  Harvard is a private university that has been at the top of everybody's 'best list' for about as long as it's been in existence.

Why does a man with no children, a free home and lots of money need to have his ego continually stroked by the hard earned dollars of Oklahoma's hoi polloi?

3) OU Football Coach Bob Stoops is the highest paid college football coach in America according to Education in Review.  After his 10 year anniversary as coach in 2008, he received a $3 million one-time payment.  

•Bob Stoops – University of Oklahoma $4,303,000
•Urban Meyer – University of Florida $4,000,000
•Nick Saban – University of Alabama $3,900,000
•Les Miles – Louisiana State University $3,751,000
•Jim Tressel – Ohio State University $3,722,000
•Mark Richt – University of Georgia $3,096,576
•Mack Brown – University of Texas $3,060,500
•Kirk Ferentz – University of Iowa $3,024,500
•Bobby Petrino – University of Arkansas $2,858,000
•Jeff Tedford – University of California $2,807,500

I rest my case.  There's a lot of fat in the Oklahoma budget that can be cut.  But we can't afford to take care of infrastructure, have quality schools, or provide healthcare while these people live like princes and princesses in a state with one of the Nation's lowest costs of living?"

Bryn makes a good point.  I love OU and I love football but everyone needs to make sacrifices in this troubling economy right?  Why is it we only ask the middle class to make "sacrifices" and not the rich.  I love David Boren - a hell of a lot more than Dan Boren by the way, but this is excessive.  Similarly Bob Stoops is Oklahoma's rock star but my tax dollars pay his salary and as long as I'm having to make sacrifices ... so can he.

Letter to Fallin from an Oklahoma

Posted on our Facebook Page:
An open letter to Gov. fallin:

To the Honorable Gov. Mary Fallin,

I read with interest your remarks regarding the move-up date for state healthcare plans. I would like to know what efforts you have made to ensure 'Oklahoma remains on the front edge when it comes to health care?'

What exactly is 'front edge' health policy for Oklahomans who rank highest in negative health behaviors according to the CDC?

Gov. Fallin with a shorter deadline to provide a plan that covers as many Oklahomans 'as affordability and comprehensively as the Affordable Care Act does, without increasing the deficit' and your vote of confidence that your efforts are front edge, could you please share your plan with me and my fellow Oklahomans?

Sincerely,
Denise Ashley

Posters: Do your civic duty and write a letter to the governor or contact her through her e mail on the government site. Fax. A phone call will more than likely net you the secretary who must relay your message. Do it!

BlueOK Takes Fallin to Task for being Dim Bulb

Ala BlueOklahoma

Last April, in the throes of her gubernatorial campaign, Gov. Mary Fallin made her opposition to the new health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act, a major part of her campaign.
In a press release, Fallin said then:

While Brad Henry sits on the sidelines, Drew Edmondson has now refused to join 19 other states in the bipartisan legal challenge to ObamaCare. His lack of leadership has actually forced the Oklahoma Legislature to hire an outside law firm to represent our state in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the bill.

Once governor, Fallin didn't hesitate to bring legal action against "ObamaCare." As she told a television interviewer in January:

The new federal health care bill is actually in violation of Oklahoma's constitution because Oklahoma's constitution now has an amendment through the health care freedom amendment that says that no law, no rule shall force Oklahomans, whether it's Oklahomans, businesses or health care providers, to join into a health care system, and that's in direct violation of the Oklahoma constitution. So we're going to challenge it on our own merits as Oklahoma.

Well we all know what happened yesterday don't we?  

That's right... good old Mary took a big bailout from the feds to pay for the health care service that she said was unfunded.  So now that it's funded... it isn't clear if she'll be continuing the lawsuit.  Or what's up with that....  

Thing about Mary.... she use to say that she focused like a laser on these issues but it's kinda hard to do that when you're a dim bulb.  Just sayin....

Fallin Takes Health care Grant While Suing Feds for Health Care

So... Fallin is taking money from the federal government - which she pledge to fight as Governor - for health care - which she opposes - while suing the federal government for "unfair federal mandates" put in place by the HCR bill.  

Ala NewsOK:

Oklahoma will accept a $54.6 million federal grant to develop the information technology infrastructure to operate a health exchange even though the state has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s health care law which authorized it, Gov. Mary Fallin said Friday. 

Fallin decided to accept the money after she worked with state agencies to ensure no unworkable federal mandates were included, according to a statement from the governor’s office. 

“After thoroughly reviewing the ‘early innovator’ grant, I am happy to say that the federal assistance we are being offered is consistent with our mission to design and implement an Oklahoma-based health insurance exchange,” Fallin said.

Just a reminder about what Mary said July 2009:

Let me refresh you "Mr. Speaker... I can only see major tax increases on families and businesses..."

Oh what a difference an election makes.  This is Mary today:

“That exchange will empower consumers and help individuals and small businesses to shop for and enroll in affordable, quality health insurance plans. This is a step in the right direction for Oklahoma and its citizens.” 

Oklahoma received notice earlier this month it was awarded the grant. 

Exchanges are state-regulated plans in which small businesses and individuals are to pool money to buy health insurance. 

The exchanges would offer the same kind of purchasing power that employees of big companies already benefit from.

NewsOK says that these "exchanges are a part of the federal health care law proposed by Democratic President Barack Obama and approved last year by a Democratic Congress."

Let me refresh you what Mary says about the new federal health care law proposed by Democratic President Barack Obama and approved last year by a Democratic Congress and against by then Rep. Mary Fallin.  She makes it easy - it's right on her website

"Unfortunately, Washington appears headed in the wrong direction. The Obama administrations's plan, specifically its inclusion of a public health care option, would be ripe with unintended consequences. . . 

Ultimately, the president’s plan is going to give us less for more: reduced quality at a higher price."

And here's what her website says under "issues" and "health care"

"One thing we won’t see, however, is socialized medicine. I’ve worked in Congress to fight “Obamacare” – an expensive, government-run health care plan that will deteriorate the quality of our medical services – and I’ll continue that fight as governor."

She's going to continue to fight that as governor by accepting a massive government grant.

One thing is for certain... she's consistent in her inconsistency.  I was really starting to think I couldn't be surprised anymore...

Mary Fallin Brags about Tax Cuts While Oklahoma is Bankrupt

Stay classy Mary.  Seems this kind of reckless Washington Spending didn't stop with your Congressional days and has now made it all the way back to our great state.  Mmmm that tasty $500 million budget short fall is best served with a little tax cut for the rich on the side.

“Change is hard at times, but hopefully they’ll all be able to come to the table and work something out,” she added.

Mary Fallin ran on a campaign of hope and change in Oklahoma.  We were too fiscally responsible before.  We didn't spend enough the way the TARP bailout did!  We need to be more like Washington not less.  More bailouts for everyone!  We'll just call them "tax cuts" instead... or "business incentives."

Gov Mary Fallin Spends Tax Payer Money to Talk About Her Reckless Fiscal Spending

Gov. Mary Fallin is headed to Washington to chill with the President again and talk to her peers - other GOP Gov’s about her amazing success in spending and spending and spending all of Oklahoma’s money while not providing anything to her people.
Via News OK:

“Gov. Mary Fallin will be telling her peers this weekend about her efforts to reduce a $500 million budget shortfall by agency cuts and consolidations and making the state more efficient by sharing services… . .”

Several lines below that

“She said she will boast that Oklahoma officials this week voted to cut the state’s top personal income tax rate from 5.5 percent to 5.25 percent at a time other states are raising taxes.

She has proposed a number of cuts and cost-saving measures to deal with having $500 million less to spend in the $6.2 billion budget for the 2012 fiscal year, which begins July 1… .”

This reminds me a lot of spreading the wealth around only… she’s robbing from the not so rich to give to her buddies the CEO’s.  Go Mary Go!

No word yet on how much this trip to DC will cost the tax payers to fly her, her security detail, her husband, or Coffee to DC and put them up.  It’s unclear if this “fiscal responsibility” will be paid for by you and me or if it will come out of her recruiting businesses to come to Oklahoma fund.

Mary Fallin's Enemies: Sidewalks and Americans with Disabilities

Posted on OKTalk Board back in 2006 but thought we'd repost it here as a reminder.  Really?  Disable people?  Pfff.. they don't vote anyway...

Both sides always have time to push their fringe's ideas, in spite of more important things, it would seem.

Biggest irony: the fact that our governor apparently wants to keep taking money out of the federal back pocket for roads, but doesn't want to actually have to answer to them about how she should build those roads.

I know when I look at OKC one thing I say to myself is that we have way too damn many sidewalks around here.

OKLAHOMA CITY—Oklahoma could dramatically increase the speed and efficiency of road and bridge projects across the state if not for cumbersome federal regulations like those that require environmental impact statements, Republican Gov. Mary Fallin and her transportation secretary told a panel of federal lawmakers Thursday.

Full Story:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...ulation_needs/

Mary Fallin Opposes Big Government By Asking for Federal Bailout

Classy……
Remember that one time we opposed the federal government because we needed them out of our lives?  Well Governor Mary Fallin was testifying to her flock just the other day that

“The backlog of transportation needs in Oklahoma is large and requires a consistent, long-term federal investment strategy,” Fallin told the committee in a meeting at the Oklahoma City Community College.

Gee maybe you weren’t giving hand outs to rich people we could afford to fix our own damn problems instead of relying on the federal government to come bail us out.

Another FallinFail: Tulsa World - Budget Hole Doesn't Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut

I think this title should be changed to Budget Hoe Doesn’t Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut… but that’s just me.
Told you so…. (emphasis below is mine)

“Gov. Mary Fallin, whose budget calls for agency cuts of up to 5 percent in fiscal 2012, argues that reduction of the tax rate yet again is a logical extension of the message taxpayers sent in the November election. She claims that the mandated reduction will stimulate the economy and make the state more business friendly and more competitive with other states. Will this income tax cut do something that the previous ones haven’t?

Come on.

Are businesses seriously going to look at this state and say, “Oklahoma, what an economic Garden of Eden?” and overlook the fact that the quality of life here is eroding by the day?

Oklahoma’s state services are woefully underfunded. The education system is being starved. Roads and infrastructure are mediocre and in many cases are crumbling. The health and welfare of Oklahoma’s citizens don’t appear to be a high priority for those holding the purse strings.

But, hey, never mind all that, the fatter cats get this great reduced tax rate of 5.25 percent. “

See… It’s what I’ve been saying.  The most important part of this piece is:

“The state has suffered enormous revenue losses and gone through a series of tax cuts over the past several years. It’s also gone through some staggering cutbacks in state services, and faces a yawning budget hole of at least $500 million in the next fiscal year.”

Dr Phil would say “If you always do what you’ve always done… you’ll always be where you always are….”  If the state has consistently cut taxes… and cut services and spending for things like education, roads, and other such things fall asunder our question must then be - at what point do you finally think about changing course?  Honestly, does Governor Fallin intend to run the state into the ground before she finally admits that her republican “Cut and Spend” policy is not only reckless and irresponsible failing to make Oklahoma the bastion of business that everyone claims it will be?

FallinFail Tip:  Cut and Spend doesn’t work.

Massive OK Budget Shortfall Triggers Tax Cuts

Nothing says “We have no money” like a good old fashioned tax cut!
Seems the great state of Oklahoma has a trigger for some income tax cuts for FY 2012.

A state board approved cutting the state’s income tax rate Tuesday after approving healthier tax collection estimates for the upcoming fiscal year.

The action reduces the state’s top individual income tax rate from 5.5 percent to 5.25. The lower rate takes effect Jan. 1.

Wow - what a genius idea!!  When we don’t have any money, and we’re cutting jobs and services by 3-5% statewide the best way to combat this $500 million short fall is to…. wait for it….. cut taxes.  This is exactly how we should solve our problems. 
Golly gee - I’m sure glad we elected someone as smart as Mary Fallin.  She sure is brilliant.

First Step in Oklahoma School Consolidation Plan

School Consolidation with Administration is a new bill that has been approved by the House Budget Committee.  Financial incentives will be given to districts that “share” their Supers.  Which means school boards that don’t have the money to pay them or need to allocate the resources elsewhere will be forced to fire them and “share” a Super with a nearby district.  It’s not an incentive - its force with the power of the state dollar.


Forced school consolidation begins with administration.  When a Superintendent is 30 minutes to an hour away from a school district - that district suffers.  These Supers are already strapped with responsibilities and resources that will be allocated to the districts that are larger or closer to where they’re located.  The results become principals, teachers, parents, and kids in districts nearer are in a better position to be more vocal about what they need for their schools.  This puts more rural schools at a disadvantage.

Rural schools that have a disadvantage at the local level then develop a disadvantage at the state level.  Ultimately, the state begins to believe that these rural schools would just be better off if they could be closer to their administration and it’ll save money in the long run anyway … this turns into school consolidation.  When schools leave a town the town dies.  Businesses fail, families have to move closer to the cities where they’re jobs are, local farmers and ranchers have to drive further away to get supplies, hospitals in the area aren’t able to support themselves because people are moving away and it goes on and on.

We’re already going to hurt rural areas with redistricting which will force more rural legislators out and incorporate more suburban legislators, will we now force our children and families out of rural Oklahoma by killing our school systems too?

Watch closely how the next 4 years will be the slow and painful death of Rural Oklahoma.

Ethics? HA! We don't need no stinkin ethics! Part Deux

There’s no ethics in the Oklahoma Republican Government… try searching the public statements at the ethics site… and you get nothing.  A sad day for transparency… a sad sad day.

Fallin to Cut Lt. Gov Position for Budget Reasons

Since Fallin’s election there has been a rumbling among Republicans that Gov. Mary would be a one term Governor.  Not because there’s some magic Democrat that is going to come along and take her out - but the hope is that there could be a …. how should we say…. more intellectually equip leader at the helm.  Some suspect that Republican is Lt. Governor Todd Lamb.

Attractive, ambitious, well connected, not plagued with the the family… er… um.. problems, plus he has number 21 on the list of Top 25 Young Politicos to Watch right there as the number 2 in his office.  I mean - that usually spells careerism, right?

Instead, Jolley and Fallin are working on legislation to change the role of Lieutenant Governor from “if for any reason she cannot fulfill her role as Governor” to more of a ceremonial position.  You would think since Fallin used that office to launch her political career not to mention increase her dating pool that she would have some loyalty to it.  But no.

An “acting” governor would be able to sign legislation, order the National Guard and declare an emergency, Jolley explained.

He said this makes no sense today when the governor has access to cell phones, the Internet and other sophisticated communication.

Realistically, we don’t need a Lt. Governor position because of cell phones.  Fallin could totally do both at once with a job in each hand.  She’s that multifaceted! How much of the budget is allocated for staff and operations for the Lt. Governor’s office?  At least a million bucks right?  Hell… we could lease that space out to a lobbying firm or maybe Bobby Stem and even MAKE money to help ballance the budget.

Not to mention you stop Lamb from being a viable challenger from the conservative Oklahoma republicans.

Mary Fallin Continues to have no plan for Immigration Reform

In Governor Fallin’s State of the State address much was discussed.  Budget, spending, values, education, public safety, and on and on and on.  One thing was missing, however.  No mention of how to stop illegal immigration in the state.  No mention at all of the unbelievable number of illegals costing our state billions in tax-payer funded hand outs.

Remember that one time Fallin’s own Republican Governors Association ran that ad attacking her opponent on illegal immigration?  What’s worse, I’m just curious.  Creating a sensible immigration policy similar to President Bush’s for the state of Oklahoma or… doing nothing?  How’s that working out for all you republicans?

Gov. Mary Fallin to Propose Cuts; Backdoor Spending

Cuts for us - spending for her.

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin said Friday a proposed state budget she will present to legislators next week will include budget cuts for every state agency.

At the same time a fund will be set up that Fallin or Lt. Governor Todd Lamb could use to woo businesses to Oklahoma.  This same fund was declared unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court to the previous Governor Brad Henry but Governor Mary Fallin doesn’t care she wants her money to play with!  And boy howdy she better get it otherwise Oklahoma will fall apart!  We need to be able to buy businesses stake dinners and hookers so they’ll relocate here.  Maybe if we also passed Right to Work businesses would come here too.  Oh…. wait….. how’d that work out again?

Oklahoma is a Disaster thanks to Gov. Mary Fallin

The Federal Government, that Mary Fallin has pledge to fight, has declared our state to be a disaster area.  We can now accept lots and lots of money from Obama in all 77 counties that voted against him and his ugly liberal policies like disaster relief.  Oklahoma voters will take this money and vote against him again November 2012 because they want this big intrusive government out of their lives.
Thank you Obama for this icky government hand out - we’ll take it just this once because Oklahoman’s don’t believe in government cash unless it comes in the form of farm subsidies, medicare, social security, unemployment, or disaster relief.  So, you better not be pushing your big federal mandates on us ever again.
Ick!

Gov. Mary Fallin Stands up to Obama By Asking for Money

OBAMA SUCKS!  Down with the federal government!  They are too involved in our lives and they need a strong governor who will stand up to them and tell them how it’s going to be.  HA!  Take THAT!  That’s why we elected Mary Fallin because

“I think voters want a governor who sees the world like they do and who will stand up to Washington. I am ready to be that governor.”
….
 ”I am the only candidate in this race who is fundamentally conservative and who is willing and able to stand up to the Obama Administration…”

Oh… wait…. before we do that could we maybe have some money, please?  Thanks!  That’s so nice of you… NOW GO TO HELL!!!

“OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin is asking the White House for an emergency disaster declaration for Oklahoma in the wake of a massive winter storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow, ice and sleet on the state.

Fallin said Wednesday that she is asking for the disaster declaration for all 77 Oklahoma counties.”

Yeah, so maybe that evil federal government isn’t so bad after all, huh?

Fallin to Cut Public Safety with Trooper Layoffs

With personnel costs making up 93 percent of its budget, the Public Safety Department would have no choice but to furlough and possibly lay off troopers if it receives additional budget cuts in the upcoming fiscal year

Personnel makes up 93 percent of the budget because public safety is about having boots on the ground keeping law and order in our streets.  Can’t really do that with a reduction in people. 
No matter though, I’m sure in a state like Oklahoma we don’t have any chance of something bad happening, and even if it did happen I’m sure we wouldn’t need … say a Trooper to catch a criminal for it.  I mean that’s just nonsense.
In ad after ad during the 2010 campaign Fallin said she wanted “our children” to “stay here” to “find jobs” … just don’t apply for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol cause you’ll get laid off.

No word on if the cuts will require personal interviews from the Guv.

Ethics? HA! We don't need no stinkin ethics!

Oklahoma still has on its books laws that ban corporations and labor unions from spending from their treasury funds. The court opinion means a corporation and labor union can independently spend whatever it wants on a campaign as long as it doesn’t coordinate the expenditures with a candidate or the candidate’s campaign.

Ethics Commission members urged legislators to pass a bill that would put the state in compliance with the ruling; a measure passed the House of Representatives but the Senate narrowly defeated it.

Marilyn Hughes, Ethics Commission executive director, said lawsuits have been filed against 19 states that are not in compliance. She said legal costs to defend Oklahoma could run as high as $250,000.

And we gotta be spending that money on our health care law suit!

Mary Fallin's War on Rural Oklahoma

Surprise surprise… The Tulsa World has a poll showing that Oklahomans think we have too many school districts.  In fact - people in Tulsa and Oklahoma City REALLY think that because they don’t see a problem with driving 15 minutes to pick up their kids.

Well guess what - rural Oklahoman’s know better.  When all a town has left is their schools - and the whole city shuts down on a Friday night to watch the kids play football then the impact of a school district being consolidated into one 30-50 miles away is huge.  City folks don’t get it, Fallin doesn’t get it - or she doesn’t care one, and republican power in Oklahoma comes from the suburbanites and the cities.

So guess what’s going to end up on the chopping block along with senior nutrition centers, conservation districts, rural fire departments, public safety, and the rest of the life blood to rural Oklahoma… that’s right… our schools.  Because, really, we don’t need to educate our kids - that’s what McDonnalds is for.

Heads up Rural Oklahoma - the war is coming and it’s not going to be Republicans vs. Democrats … it’s going to be Rural vs. Non-Rural … and you’re going to lose.
Don’t blame me - I voted for rural candidates.

OK Weird Conservatives Driving Away Business

Sure is hard to bring business to Oklahoma when companies look at our state and go - THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS!

During Monday’s inauguration, Governor Mary Fallin said her administration will be focused on creating jobs.

But could the stumbling block to this goal come from fellow Republicans?
….
Chamber President Roy Williams says businesses don’t want to risk angering their customers and employees by going to a hostile environment.

“Companies have told (Arizona business development officials) directly, they’ve canceled expansion plans of existing plans within Arizona,” Williams says. “We’ve also heard them tell us that site location consultants have been told by their clients to take Arizona off the list.”

Keep up the good work there Miss Mary.  We have faith you’ll figure it out some day.

Questionable Constitutionality of Fallin Appointee

She’s already hard at work OFFENDING the Constitution.  You go gurl.

“I think it’s wrong,” said Republican State Representative Mike Reynolds.

Reynolds also has concerns over the appointment of his fellow Republican.

He’s asked the state’s attorney general to look into the case.

“If someone offered me a job, I wouldn’t take it because I took an oath to defend the constitution,” said Reynolds. “In my reading of the constitution, it’s very plain language. You cannot take a job for two years after you leave office.”

The state constitution prohibits lawmakers from working for a state agency if their salary is authorized or appropriated by the state legislature.

Ok… so technically… she didn’t actually take the oath to defend the Constitution… Just sayin…

Mary Fallin to Offend the Constitution

Well if it’s not plagiarizing KOSU in your inaugural address - then it’s accidentally saying you plan to offend the Constitution rather than defend it. 

“Mary Fallin was sworn in Monday as Oklahoma’s first female governor, but in reciting the oath of office she really didn’t promise to “support, obey and defend the Constitution.”

At an outdoors ceremony in bone-chilling and teeth-chattering cold, Fallin told Oklahoma Chief Justice Steven W. Taylor that she would “support, obey and offend” the U.S. and state constitutions.

“She dropped the ‘d’,” Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz said Wednesday. “I was amazed that anyone was able to speak at all or get any of their lines right considering how cold it was outside.” It was 29 degrees and light snow was falling when Fallin recited her oath of office on the steps of the state Capitol.”

What exactly does the TeaParty think of a Governor who won’t defend their own constitution?  I mean come on… Also can I just say Alex’s excuse of “it was too cold to say the letter ‘d” is simply ridiculous.

Calling Dr. Freud… emergency .. come right away!

Mary Fallin Leaves Oklahomans out in the Cold

Happy Inauguration Day.  Stay warm.
… brings a whole new meaning to “snow job”

The Google Knows All

Always turn to The Google for all of your Mary Fallin needs.

Gov’s Across US Forgo Balls to Save Money Not Mary Fallin

We here at FallinFail have been the harshest critics of newly elected Governor Mary Fallin for spending boocoos of bucks on a series of inaugural balls at a time when the state is in an economic crisis.
It seems the cost of balls at such a tough economic time hasn’t gone unnoticed by others.

“In California, faced with a $28 billion deficit, incoming Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown is foregoing festivities for frugality. After Brown takes the oath of office, he’ll host a reception for friends, family and supporters. There will be neither a ball nor a party.”

Guess that’s the difference between people who have taste and those who don’t.  Fear not - Florida’s new Governor-elect is spending $3million all raised in special interest money.
Has there been an independent media report about how much is being spent on Mary Fallin’s balls, where the money is coming from, and if those companies will also have close ties to the new Governor’s office?
Just Curious.