Blog search

National Popular Vote junkets surface in televised debate

Junkets to exotic locations promoting the National Popular Vote (NPV) Interstate Compact to state legislators continue to make news, seven years after they first came to public notice in the wake of the Oklahoma Senate's surprising February 2014 vote to approve NPV, a plan that would have committed Oklahoma's presidential...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 15, 2021 12:07 AM

State Rep. Mark McBride accused of obscenely abusing think-tank leader

Mark McBride, a Republican Oklahoma state representative from Moore who touts himself as a "lifelong conservative Republican" and founder and president of a mission organization, has been accused of directing a fusillade of obscene verbal abuse at a think-tank president who was walking through the State Capitol. In a...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 10, 2020 9:44 AM

National Popular Vote continues to fund junkets for Oklahoma legislators

You'd think they'd give up, at long last, but advocates of the National Popular Vote compact continue to lobby Oklahoma legislators to agree to enslave our electoral vote to that of higher-population states on the coasts. Jamison Faught, the Muskogee Politico, recently dug through the legislators' financial disclosure statements for...

Posted by Michael Bates on September 22, 2019 10:50 PM

Public choice theory and the Oklahoma teachers' strike

Here is a textbook example of public choice theory, coming from a Norman school teacher, who was complaining that leaders of the Oklahoma Education Association, the state affiliate of the far-left National Educational Association, haven't been listening to teachers and aren't thinking strategically about accomplishing their tax-hike goals. Norman High...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 11, 2018 10:11 PM

Notes on the Oklahoma teachers' strike

I'll be on 1170 KFAQ with Pat Campbell Wednesday morning, April 11, 2018, just after the 8:00 am news to discuss the teachers' strike, the race for governor and other political topics. Listen at 1170 on the AM dial, online, or on the Tune In app. A collection of notes...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 10, 2018 10:43 PM

Senators, Governor renege on tax pledge; Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite launched; Ritze harassed by pro-tax rep

Wednesday night the Oklahoma State Senate passed the massive package of tax increases that was approved earlier in the week by the State House, and the bills were signed by Governor Mary Fallin. The largest tax bill, HB1010XX, passed by 36-10, including three Taxpayer Protection Pledge-breakers: State Senators Kim David,...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 29, 2018 10:34 PM

Oklahoma legislators betray taxpayers; Coburn launches taxpayer revolt

NOTE: I will be on 1170 KFAQ with Pat Campbell at 7:05 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 to discuss the tax increases passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives last night and the path forward. Listen live on 1170kfaq.com or on the Tune In app. Later the interview will...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 27, 2018 7:07 PM

SQ 640 and raising taxes in Oklahoma

Last week the Oklahoma House approved HJR 1050 by a bare majority of 51 votes, pushed by the Chambercrat House Leadership, voting to erode the constitutional protection against tax increases without approval of the voting public. These 51 representatives, including two, Leslie Osborn and Glen Mulready, who are seeking higher...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 21, 2018 11:07 PM

Fallin budget veto reaction

On Friday, the Oklahoma Legislature approved a budget compromise that funded essential services, cut spending in other areas, and avoided raising taxes entirely. Later the same day, Gov. Mary Fallin used her line-item veto to remove all of the bill except for funding for the three agencies that would have...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 21, 2017 1:55 AM

State Rep. Scott McEachin: Eliminate anxiety by passing House health funding bills

State Rep. Scott McEachin of Tulsa, one of the votes against the HB1054X tax increases, explains in a statement that HB1054X would not have provided needed revenue for another 90 days, but bills already passed by the State House would provide immediate funding from cash on hand -- if the...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 10, 2017 6:31 PM

Rep. George Faught: House measure fills the budget hole

Muskogee State Rep. George Faught has posted a vigorous defense of his "no" vote on the HB 1054 tax increases. Faught states that the House has already passed bills filling the current budget hole without raising taxes; the Senate can choose to take these bills up and pass them. Faught...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 9, 2017 11:26 PM

Rep. Tom Gann: Set a tone of transparency, integrity

Oklahoma State Rep. Tom Gann, one of the votes against the proposed tax increase package, analyzes the state budget crisis from his perspective as an auditor. Oklahoma House of Representatives Communications & Public Affairs Nov. 9, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: State Rep. Tom Gann Office: (405) 557-7364 Tone at...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 9, 2017 5:29 PM

Legislators admit National Popular Vote junkets to Las Vegas, Miami

A tip of the hat to Sean Murphy of the Associated Press for his story about Oklahoma legislators taking junkets to Miami and Las Vegas, sponsored by FairVote, the non-profit that says it "has nurtured and supported the National Popular Vote plan" and "regularly works with advocacy leaders at the...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 20, 2014 12:44 AM

Oklahoma legislators invited to electoral vote "seminars" in exotic locales

Several Republican Oklahoma legislators have confirmed to BatesLine that they or their colleagues have been invited to all-expenses-paid "seminars" sponsored by National Popular Vote advocates and held in exotic, warm-weather locations. The legislators have mentioned locations including Scottsdale, Arizona, south Florida, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, and St. Croix in...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 17, 2014 11:25 PM

Stanislawski recants National Popular Vote support

Oklahoma State Senator Gary Stanislawski (R-Tulsa) has issued a statement recanting his support for SB 906, and expressing regret for his vote for the bill that would add Oklahoma to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The last several years I have always been against the National Popular Vote. This...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 15, 2014 8:49 PM

Arkansas: Costly Medicaid expansion by another name

Yesterday, the Oklahoma Legislature convened for the 2014 session, and Gov. Mary Fallin gave her "State of the State" address. One of the issues that is bound to come up again is whether eligibility Medicaid, the federally-funded health insurance program for low-income and disabled people, should be expanded. They need...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 4, 2014 7:58 AM

Piers Morgan vs. Nathan Dahm and the 2nd Amendment

Oklahoma State Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Tulsa) acquitted himself admirably in an appearance Monday night on CNN's Piers Morgan show. Dahm's invite to appear was the result of his decision to name his bill, authorizing Oklahomans to carry a firearm without first needing to acquire a license, after Morgan, an outspoken...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 28, 2014 11:03 PM

Rick Brinkley: <em>Sine Die</em>, in the legislature and in life

Oklahoma State Sen. Rick Brinkley is also a pastor as well as the head of the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau. His pastor's heart shines forth in frequent thought-provoking posts on his Facebook account. He was kind enough to allow me to share a post from March 14,...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 21, 2013 1:53 AM

State Rep. Jason Murphey praises House leadership transparency and reform proposals

One of my favorite Oklahoma state representatives is Jason Murphey, a Republican from Guthrie. If Rep. Murphey is happy about something at the State Capitol, Oklahoma citizens are likely to be pleased as well. So it was encouraging to see two posts earlier this week on his blog praising the...

Posted by Michael Bates on February 14, 2013 8:57 PM

AfP Oklahoma's Jolly reflects on the 2012 legislative session

Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma director Stuart Jolly speaks out on the legislative session just past: UPDATE: Oklahoma's Income Tax Reduction Battle & Budget Agreement: Disappointing! I've racked my brain looking for another word to describe what occurred this legislative session, and sadly, the only word that keeps coming to mind...

Posted by Michael Bates on June 8, 2012 12:31 AM