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.