OCPAC – OK Seniors to Eat Dog Food?
John Michener
OCPAC – OK Seniors to Eat Dog Food?
1. The Elephant in the Room
2. OK Seniors to Eat Dog Food?
3. Program May 25: Hickman is Gone!
4. Rep. Murphy on Tax Increases
1. The Elephant in the Room
The Elephant in the room is really a RINO, and its name is Gov. Mary Failin’. Just after I left for a three-day men’s retreat, the RINO charged and wreaked havoc, but we will not discuss that now. It deserves a separate, thoughtful commentary.
2. OK Seniors to Eat Dog Food?
Last week I heard a politician threaten
other officials with losing their elections if they would not support a tax
increase. He said they would face tough
questions from constituents such as, “Why did I lose my job at the nursing
home…that closed?” and “Why did my grandmother have to move to a town one
hundred miles away because the nursing home closed?” and “Why can’t I take my
[wife] to the local hospital to have our baby?
Why did they close Labor and Delivery?”
Not satisfied with the falling-sky tall tale, he sprinkled in some
education horror stories for good measure:
“Why did I lose my job at the high school? Why did I, as a math teacher, get laid
off?” He wrapped up with, “Those are questions
these people are going to have to answer…
There’s going to be people lose their election over this issue.”
Over the last twenty years, Demonrats such as Al Gore have been notorious for weaving yarns like these. Remember the senior citizen who was “forced” to eat dog food, thanks to Republican policies? So, guess who made this ridiculous speech? No, it was not Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. It was not even a Democrat. It was a Republican in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
House Speaker Jeff Hickman (R-Fairview), Rep. Doug Cox (R-Grove), and Rep. Leslie Osborn (R-Mustang) took to the airwaves last Wednesday, May 18, to beg Oklahomans to support a new cigarette tax. They were an embarrassment to themselves and to the GOP.
Speaker Hickman said the new tax was necessary to avoid closing nursing homes and hospitals. He called on Democrats to join the RINOs “to avert this disaster in healthcare in our state.”
Rep. Osborne had the audacity to call herself a “Conservative Republican” while calling for the 150% tax increase.
Rep. Cox made the unreasonable remarks above. Really, Rep. Cox? Taxing cigarettes is the only way to keep nursing homes open? We are going to fire math teachers if we do not sell enough smokes?
How dare they threaten grandma and try to guilt us for their sorry fiscal irresponsibility and unwillingness to cut improper functions of government! No wonder no one showed up to the state GOP Convention. No wonder voters are flocking to other parties.
Thank you to all the true conservatives who stopped this needless tax hike. Continue to hold the line, patriots. Cut, cut, cut!
3. Program May 25: Hickman is Gone!
This Wednesday at noon at Mama Roja we will interview Luke Doan who is running for the open seat in House District 58 (Woodward) vacated by Speaker Jeff Hickman.
4. The Immorality of New Taxation, by Rep. Jason Murphey
Over the past few days Oklahomans have been rightly alarmed by the late session, last minute tax increase attempts. This includes a tax increase proposal from House leaders to create a new tax on “services.”
Oklahoma law has historically held services harmless from direct taxation. Those who provide services must already pay income tax on their earnings. The politicians are now suggesting that they must also assess a “services” tax. You will pay this tax when you pay your bill to your service provider. It will be assessed much like a sales tax.
Here’s an example of how this new tax scheme will affect you: when you get a haircut at the barbershop the barber will add the new tax on his services to you. You will undergo two haircuts on that day: the first from the barber—and the second from a cash-hungry state government.
Politicians will likely start with a tax on a few unfortunate industries. In future years they will expand this tax to others using the logic of: "if we are service-taxing one industry, isn't it only fair for us to tax the others?”
At this point, it’s not clear which services would be the unfortunate victims of the first wave of new taxation. Neither is it clear what criteria will be used to decide those services to tax and the ones that will be held harmless—for now!
It’s an extremely short sighted move. Everyone loses when government creates new taxes and increases the tax burden on the public.
It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that the federal, state, and local governments, and their many related entries, are now taking half of your income through ever-increasing direct taxation, overpriced services, fees, regulations, and the many hidden costs which are passed on to you in some form.
This cost is wreaking havoc upon society.
The cost of government has become major facet in the decline of families. It places tremendous financial stressors upon families, forces both parents to work full time jobs and takes their focus away from their children.
Society is paying a terrible price; and, so is the government. The cost of the education system, human services, public safety and corrections will only continue to skyrocket as family values continue to come under pressure and government does even more harm to the ability of Oklahomans to focus on their families.
Though the tax increases might provide more money to government in the short term; the long term cost will haunt society.
When politicians approve new taxation they contribute to this great immorality.
As I have thought through these matters, I have determined to never be a party to this immorality.
Instead of supporting tax increases I have been convicted of the importance of eliminating the practices within government that continue to waste millions of dollars every year.
The enactment of the tax increases will only serve to protect this waste and inefficiency.
Additional Notes
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· We currently meet on Wednesdays at noon at Mama Roja Mexican Kitchen.
· The views expressed in this email are the personal opinion of John Michener and do not necessarily reflect the views of OCPAC, its leadership team, or its members.