By Ron McWhirter

Oklahoman’s have voted on over 400 State Questions since statehood. State Questions can be initiated by the Legislature with passage of a resolution in both chambers and does not require approval of the governor. But, proposals can also be placed on the ballot through the initiative petition process by collecting the signatures of a sufficient number of voters. The Oklahoma Legislature has modified the details of the initiative process over the years, and there is currently a significant...

By Steve Byas

Certain words came quickly to mind when I heard of the April 2 passing of former state Representative Bill Graves. He was 87. One was dear friend. Other words were patriot, Christian, and scholar. He is survived by his wife, Connie, their six children, sixteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. ...

By Charlie Meadows

In his State of the State Address on the first day of this year’s session of the Oklahoma Legislature, Governor Stitt challenged the lawmakers to put on his desk a tax cut of one half a percent and then a pathway to get our state income tax reduced to zero over a reasonable amount of time. Since the revenues for this year are a little less than that available last year, some legislators are suggesting there is little chance for a tax cut this year. ...

By Jason Murphey

“I would suggest that if the university wants to truly honor the legacy of Boren – not King David, but the David who became a statewide name for taking on Goliath, in the name of transparency, even as it seemed pointless to do so – it should drop its obstruction and release the report.” ...

By Tim Bakamjian

In recent years a state tax revolution has swept the nation. Many states have lowered their income tax rate to attract investment and create jobs. Red states have led the way. Iowa reduced their rate from 5.7% to 3.8% in the last year. Louisiana dropped theirs from a 4.25% top rate to a 3% flat rate. North Carolina has scheduled a gradual decline to 2.49%, South Carolina’s has gone from 6.2% to 3%, and Indiana cut theirs to 3% this year. In fact, more than half the ...

By Shane Smith

Why, two decades after its passage, is the REAL ID Act finally being enforced? Authored by the same man who wrote the liberty-destroying Patriot Act, passed into law amid the hysteria of the living nightmare that was the War on Terror, why has this relic of that hideous era not been scrapped years ago? We’ve gotten along just fine for twenty years without it, and it’s obvious after those two decades that there is no dire need of it. Yet, law-abiding American citizens are being strong-armed...

By John Michener

Year after year, beginning in 2016, abolitionist legislators have run bills intended to finally and completely abolish abortion in Oklahoma. Thank you, Senators Hamilton, Deevers, and Silk, for courageously speaking up for our preborn neighbors in the Oklahoma Legislature by authoring these bills. ...

By Allan Wall

Is the metropolis of Tulsa on Indian reservation land? It sounds ridiculous, but thanks to the wisdom of our national Supreme Court, since 2020, Tulsa has been regarded as reservation land, part of it on the Muscogee (Creek) reservation and part of it on the Cherokee reservation. It sounds ridiculous and it is. ...

By Timothy K. Minella

President Donald Trump has demolished federal subsidies for radical “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programming. But until state lawmakers in Oklahoma act as well, students will still be forced to take courses intended to indoctrinate them in the poisonous ideology behind DEI. ...

By Ron McWhirter

When I grew up on the farm, we had a neighbor who ran for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives – the same seat that I would run for in the next three elections. In 1972 I helped him on his campaign, and in the course of doing so, I discovered he did not change his clocks for Daylight Saving Time (DST). It fit with his conservative philosophy as he questioned why the government made us go through this exercise twice a year. As he explained to me, the livestock on his farm did not...

By Steve Byas

The Jungle Primary being pushed by Democrats, “moderate” Republicans, and political consultants needs to be defeated. One way to make sure that it never becomes law is that it never gets on the ballot. So, do not sign the petition that would place this bad idea on the ballot. ...

By Charlie Meadows

Over the past few months, the activities of grassroots citizens have really ramped up in an effort to put a halt to continued growth of the green energy sham and all that accompanies it. I would say the war is against the giant wind turbines, solar battery farms (which actually eliminate portions of farms and ranches), the building of new electric transmission lines, and carbon capture pipelines. ...

By Reed Downey, Jr.

I was disappointed by the Charlie Meadows column in the Fall edition (Moving School Board Elections, Wise or a Waste of Energy?). Currently, there is no accountability for the failure of the school boards in their most important duty, which is to have strong academics. It may seem trite, but these kids are the future, and it’s our responsibility to see that they are prepared. Here is my rebuttal to Charlie’s arguments against moving school board elections to the same date as other electio...

By Linda Murphy

How and why is the state expanding government control of childcare starting at birth in our “red” state? As we have all heard, “just follow the money.” The answer to this question involves money. It also involves people, with a lot of money, who seek and acquire unelected power to control public policies. These top-down social engineering plans come from the far left and have gained control over policies governing our childcare system. ...

By Jason Murphey

In 2024, Oklahoma voters appear to have inoculated themselves against the millions in dark money that have dominated the last decade of Oklahoma’s elections. Notwithstanding the dark money, the voters elected a vanguard of new, non-corrupted legislators, several of whom have demonstrated their commitment to the people by completely abstaining from the money of those with vested special interests. ...

By Shane Smith

For a state widely considered to be the “reddest” in the nation, we seem to have a very “green” problem with renewable energy investment here. As of January, Oklahoma is home to 5,527 active wind turbines, marring our horizon and land, and producing inconsistent power, while hideous and sprawling solar farms pop up around the state, removing thousands of open acres from productive use while uglifying it in the process. ...

By John Michener

The Republican Party is symbolized by an elephant. The expression that there is an “elephant in the room” refers to an obvious thing being ignored – the thing no one wants to talk about. Therefore, the elephant in the womb is the truth that Republican pro-life policies are perpetuating the practice of murder by abortion in states that are controlled by Republicans. ...

By Tim Bakamjian

The four-year national nightmare known as the Biden administration has mercifully ended. They exited the White House at high noon on Monday, January 20th just the way they entered: Stage Left. But not before they inflicted almost incalculable damage to America both domestically and overseas. Space limitations won’t allow an adequate recitation of their madness. But any summary would be derelict if it failed to include the following: – In a naked grab for votes, they opened if not dest...

By Allan Wall

Following the biggest comeback in American political history, Donald J. Trump is taking office again. Trump is only the second man in history to win a second non-consecutive term in the White House. The previous man was Grover Cleveland in the 19th century. Ten years ago, in 2015, Trump came down the escalator and he’s been shaking up the political world ever since. Neither his supporters nor his enemies can stop talking about him. Look what Trump has been through. The media/political c...

By David Deming

President Trump won re-election handily last November, sweeping every swing state and achieving an impressive 312 to 226 margin of victory in the Electoral College. Trump also won the popular vote. Republicans retained a narrow majority in the House of Representatives and secured control of the US Senate with a 53-seat majority. ...