By Ron McWhirter

We believe the most important product of this publication is our annual Oklahoma Conservative Index which rates members of the Oklahoma Legislature. We published our first score card in the summer of 1979, and with this summer edition we present the 42nd edition of the ratings. However, as I reported in our spring edition, the Covid-19 pandemic might impact its completion this year. ...

By Steve Byas

Among the biggest needs for Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities is more diversity. ...

By Charlie Meadows

The next Step on State Question 802 As soon as the Legislature begins in February, they should pass legislation to offer a state question to the voters to repeal SQ802. For those opposed to State Question 802, the narrow loss was both a heartbreak and an encouraging outcome at the same time. This may not be over yet, let me explain. When the supporters of expanding Medicaid began their petition drive, they explained that it was needed because the Legislature had failed to do their job – ...

By Linda Murphy

Parents, teachers and students across the state are working to decide how to navigate their own individual plans for education this fall as COVID-19 (C19) continues to disrupt our “normal” routines. Starting in August, K-12 public schools around the state will begin implementation of the “new” plans they have created for their local districts. As an advocate for local control, I am happy to see how the independent spirit of Oklahomans has prevailed to stop those who would try to impose a...

By Tim Bakamjian

Mike Gundy went fishing recently and caught hell. The 15-year Oklahoma State football coach was photographed wearing a T-shirt with “OAN” emblazoned across the front. That stands for One America News, a national news network with a refreshing combination of straight news stories and mostly conservative opinion journalists. Of late, they’ve run numerous stories critical of the Black Lives Matter organization. OAN originally received praise from Gundy in an April hour long teleconference in...

By Shane Smith

We are failing our children. It’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but after witnessing the unending sequence of catastrophic policy mistakes over the past four months, and knowing what is in store for our children this fall when they return to school, the truth is painfully obvious. Our children are bearing the brunt of this phony pandemic, one which has been nothing more than a self-inflicted, full-bore tilt toward totalitarianism. The hypochondriacs are making policy now, and they...

By Jason Murphey

I was recently asked, “Can you explain what is going on between the Legislature and Governor Stitt?” For the first time in the modern history of the state, a Legislature has forced through a general appropriations bill – without the approval of the Governor. The specter of a super-majority of the Legislature passing a state budget against the wishes of a governor from their own political party has understandably likely caught the attention of the casual observers who are not normally a...

By David Deming

Here we go again. That was my first thought when I saw the video of George Floyd being restrained by police officers. Another case of apparent police brutality being presented by the media as the norm and used to justify a radical political agenda. Because one police officer may have abused his authority, we are now supposed to “defund” or even abolish the police everywhere. ...

By John Michener

George Orwell’s 1984 describes a dystopian world in which “the Party” maintains its governmental power and control by creating an environment of constant fear through propaganda. The atmosphere of fear and abject reliance on government for a sense of security breaks down the people’s ability to think rationally. They believe and accept anything they are told, even when it is entirely illogical. The Party’s campaign of psychological mind control is so effective that the citizens have...

By Steve Fair

In McGirt vs. Oklahoma, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that as pertaining to the Major Crimes Act, much of the eastern part of Oklahoma remains Native American reservations of the Five Civilized Tribes. They ruled the reservations were never disestablished by Congress as part of the Oklahoma Enabling Act of 1906. The Enabling Act was the law passed by Congress paving the way for Oklahoma to join the union. The Enabling Act gave the tribes ‘suzerainty’ governing rights to handle internal...

By State Rep. Tom Gann

It’s important for us to realize the true source of this call to “defund the police.” By State Representative Tom Gann I was one of 31 Oklahoma legislators to speak out in defense of those who defend us: our Oklahoma law enforcement officers. All of us wanted to send a strong message: In Oklahoma, we will never bend a knee to a mob nor will we ever comply with demands to defund those who protect the rule of law and the citizens of Oklahoma. This statement originated with concerne...

By Theodore King

Things Fall Apart Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. That is the first half of Ireland’s William Butler Yates’ poem titled The Second Coming. It was written 101 years ago. It could as well...

By Ron McWhirter

We believe the most important product of this publication is our annual Oklahoma Conservative Index which rates members of the Oklahoma Legislature. We published our first score card in the summer of 1979, and this summer we will present the 42nd edition of the ratings. However, the coronavirus pandemic may impact the process and/or the timing for its completion this year. ...

By Steve Byas

Perhaps another person could take his place and do an even better job than Jim Inhofe, but I seriously doubt it. I read with interest a story in the Oklahoman newspaper on March 26. As with the rest of the newspaper, practically all of the stories concerned the COVID-19 pandemic. This one was about Senator James Inhofe and a group of Americans who had been stranded in Kenya due to the pandemic. The six were part of a group that traveled to the African nation on a medical mission trip, with ...

By Linda Murphy

Since Spring Break, the public schools have been closed due to COVID 19, bringing children and their education home with their parents. Teachers have provided assistance through the internet, or with printed materials, for those without internet and for those who preferred not to use it. The public school teachers have reached out from their homes to help as much as possible. This unprecedented experience is causing many to question the future of public education. ...

By Charlie Meadows

My article in the Winter edition evaluated Governor Stitt’s performance after a year in office. This column will evaluate his performance along with that of the Legislature during the “panic pandemic” brought on by the Communist Chinese Coronavirus, and the fast-approaching deep recession heading our way. The coming recession is not because of the virus, but because of how we have responded to the virus. In addition, I will have some commentary on the vote to expand Medicaid – the most...

By Tim Bakamjian

In late March, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the $2.3 Trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. It passed the U.S. Senate 96-0 and the House of Representatives by voice vote. Oklahoma’s two senators and five House members expressed their support. “Oklahomans need relief now,” said Rep. Kevin Hern. “It brings confidence,” said Rep. Markwayne Mullin, “that the federal government is taking action to combat the crisis.” Rep. Frank Lucas...

By Shane Smith

You’ve really got to hand it to COVID-19; in a matter of weeks it has accomplished what the War on Terror could never completely achieve in two decades: the complete demolition of liberty in America. Not the virus itself, but the government response to it. Almost overnight, in the face of an overblown virus threat, citizens became prisoners in their homes, while governors and mayors transformed into petty tyrants, reveling in their new-found power to blind side their communities with arbitrary...

By Theodore King

This is a noteworthy column. It is my 81st column. I began writing for The Oklahoma Constitution from Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2000. It has been a quarterly joy for me to sound off on things I believe to be important. I am profoundly grateful to the publisher, Ron McWhirter, and to the editor, Steve Byas, for allowing me to share my views with you these past 20 years. And I thank you, dear readers, for reading my columns. Re-elect Senator Inhofe? Senator James Inhofe is running ag...

By David Deming

Since an infamous 2015 incident involving members of the SAE fraternity chanting racial epithets, the University of Oklahoma (OU) has been plagued by charges of racism. Last year University president James Gallogly was driven out of office after two students posted a video to Instagram of themselves wearing blackface. The latest controversy involves two professors using the forbidden “N-word” in the classroom. ...