Just Die, Okay?

Yeah, it is Sine Die, but this year has been such a weird session that some are wishing the majority of the politicians would just die along with the session. In some ways it was a good session, only about half the number of bills passed this year and the fewer the laws the better we like it.

We got to see the Legislature and the Governor butting heads and a healthy tension is a good thing in a legislature. Stitt whipped out his veto pen for nineteen bills, five of them were Speaker McCall's bills and they received a lot of support from both sides of the aisles. A good number of the vetoed bills were over ridden including the main budget bill.

Sweet Veto, Governor Stitt

Stitt has redeemed himself this week with a veto of SB 1046, an increase in hospital fees designed to raise $134 million bucks to expand Medicaid in the state. This bill was about 80% of the funding needed to implement the expansion of Medicaid in Oklahoma.

Stitt had previously filed a state plan and a wavier with the feds to expand Medicaid, a program that Stitt calls Sooner Care 2.0. What changed? The corona virus pandemic and the oil price crash happened. Prior to that Oklahoma unemployment was just over 3%, now it might hit 14%, increasing the number of enrolled Medicaid and vastly expanding those that are eligible to enroll. And the bill partially funded the expansion for only one year and from one time funds that won't be there next year.

The state still faces SQ 802 on the June 30^th primary ballot, which is the petition to expand Medicaid in the state.

We Have a New Senate Champion Against Illegal Immigration

That's right, shades of Randy Terrill, we have a new champion willing to take on the illegal immigration problem in Oklahoma, albeit not as civilized and effective as former State Rep. Randy Terrill, yet one has to admit her method has a certain style to it and she does make it personal.

On Friday morning one Enrique Lopez, almost certainly an illegal alien from the sound of his name, was standing in a ditch on the Turner Turnpike. The likely scofflaw had hydroplaned off the road and while he was uninjured a member of the syphilitic bastard clan, AKA the Oklahoma Senate, came along and provided punishment for being in the country illegally. Or for not making cars safe to operate while applying make up. Or not making cars safe enough while scarfing down snacks and coffee. Pick one...

Stitt Steps On His ..... Kannady

Stitt Steps on his.....Kannady

Wow, Governor Stitt made a huge blunder last week when he vetoed the budget bills. There was a $1.4 billion dollar budget hole and in the midst of pandemic the idea of raising taxes, adding new taxes, or slashing spending terrified the legislature in an election year. Add to that they had just received a big fat raise. That said, they did trim $75 million off education, though the federal money back filled $200 million to education, so education made out like the bandit they are.

Rep. Gary Mize: Being A McDugle

Rep. Gary Mize Being a McDugle

We were looking over the list of bad bills for this session and were reminded of the committee hearing for HB 1112, a bill that would have forced the State Health Department to run all vaccine associated rules past the legislature for approval. Specifically targeted were the rules that covered vaccinated children attending public schools.

Will We See the Wooly Buggers At the Capitol?

Is This the First End of Session in a Decade without Wooly Buggers?

Wooly buggers, those bills with hidden surprises for special interests ran through at the last moment at the end of the legislative session, are a Capitol staple for both lobbyists and legislators needing campaign donations. Yet the oil price plunge and the pandemic might have a silver lining, the passage of a budget to fill a 1.4 billion dollar hole in the budget without massive tax increases or fee increases on Oklahoma taxpayers.

Last week legislative leaders announced a budget agreement, where most agencies get around 4% of a haircut. Including around 78 million bucks from the education budget but that is negated by a corona virus federal money infusion of around 200 million so the teachers won't be eating beans and rice anytime soon. Of course they will scream “budget cuts!!!” just like they did when the 2008 and 2009 stimulus money disappeared.

Pawhuska's Newest & Most Corrupt Police Chief

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned

Police Chief Lorrie Hennesy will do anything for a pension

 Corruption on the City Council or Manipulation by a Conniving City

Employee After a Pension?

When we heard that Nick Mahoney was taking the Pawhuska police chief job we had to wonder if he know about the drama fest that had been going on for over a year and a half there in Pawhuska. Either way Mahoney was the fourth Pawhuska police chief to leave the position in less than eighteen months. After only 32 days on the job.

The town became notorious for hiring and firing the top cop back in June and July of 2019 after the third police chief in a few months was fired. Nick Silva had been chief until he was fired by interim City Manager Larry Eulert and Assistant City Manager Rex Wikel, who in turn resigned after the community came out in outrage over the firing of a popular chief of police.

Branch Covidians

Branch Covidians, 5 G Conspiracists, Flat Earth'ers, and Bernie Bro's All Come Together

I have heard some compare the protests against the lock downs to the Tea Party movement in 2009 but in fact there is little comparison. The Tea Party movement was about a massive change in the direction of the U.S., bailouts, cratering economy, the election of a socialist president, while the protests over the lock downs seems to be more about missed nail appointments and going out to eat at restaurants.

There were a few nut cases that were attracted to the Tea Party, attention seekers mostly, a few deranged types but most of them had already been absorbed by the John Birch Society. Most Tea Party types tried to manage their public brand and moderated some of the weird ones out seeking attention to whatever whacko agenda they pushed.

The GOP Cult in Logan County

Daniel Navejas is a preacher of some sort, one of God's chosen ones according to his Dominionism beliefs that requires him to band with others in an attempt to take over seven sectors that govern our modern lives. He has banded with a series of diverse groups like the John Birch Society, the Aboltionists, and other far right Dominionism groups in an attempt to take over the GOP and impose a religious litmus test upon candidates for public office in Oklahoma.

Navejas isn't what one would call a model citizen. There is a hot check charge in Blain County, just managed to stop a sheriff's sale of their property in Mcclain County, has had his wages garnished over unpaid debt, and was sued for hiding a pick up truck that he had stopped making payments on.