OCPAC – House Shenanigans
John Michener
1. Program April 27: Candidate Interviews
2. House Shenanigans
3. Senate Steps Up
4. Article V: Dangerous and Misguided
1. Program April 27: Candidate Interviews
This Wednesday at noon at Mama Roja we will continue interviewing candidates who have a primary election on June 28, 2016. Next up are SD 21, 29, 31, 37 and HD 5. After the interview process, our dues-paying members will vote on whether or not to endorse candidates.
2. House Shenanigans
Last Thursday the House met in
session for over thirteen hours, finishing at 11:05 PM. With each new measure which reached the
floor, the length of debate became longer.
It was incredible how long the liberals could stretch the debate over
painfully obvious truths.
One of the longest debates was over whether or not anyone needs a license from the state to shoot feral hogs. They finally got it right.
In our opinion these long debates had little to do with discovering the right thing to do about any issue. Instead, it appeared to be the tactic of the Democrats and RINOs to prolong the day to run out the clock on some good legislation, and, perhaps, to punish their political enemies for forcing them to go on record with votes that would look bad for them.
Besides grandstanding, the liberals also piled on silly motions, amendments, and amendments to amendments. It was like watching a bunch of fifth graders call each other names without using vulgar words, although it came close a few times. Below are a few of the most noteworthy votes taken. The first two bills, SB 1552 and SJR 72, would not have received a hearing at all if it had not been for the hard work of Rep. David Brumbaugh who rallied the House Republicans to demand a hearing for them. He was aided by the thousands of calls, emails, and visits of grassroots conservatives. Good work, everyone.
SB 1552, Medical Licensing. Although it is not enforced, abortion is against the law in Oklahoma, punishable by time in the state penitentiary. This measure would revoke a license to practice medicine from doctors who perform elective abortions.
Democrat Rep. Dunning sounded like a broken clock, tolling over and over that the bill was “unconstitutional.” A lie oft repeated is believed, so repeat it he did. Of course licensing is an internal function of the state, abortion is not legal in the state, and the U.S. Constitution spells out in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that no life shall be taken by the state without due process. Therefore, our Legislature’s effort to stop abortion and properly license doctors is perfectly constitutional, and it is the U.S. Supreme Court that has acted unlawfully.
Democrat Rep. Virgin added the silliest amendment of the day on this bill, calling for doctors to lose their medical licensing for performing vasectomies. All five silly amendments to the bill were defeated. After much tedious and illogical grandstanding by Virgin and Dunning, the measure passed 59 to 9. It must receive final approval by the Senate before it can go to the governor.
SJR 72, Repealing the Blaine Amendment. The House voted 65 to 7 to allow voters to decide whether to repeal Article II, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution, known as the “Blaine Amendment.” This section of the Oklahoma Constitution was originally added to discriminate against Catholics. It was most recently used improperly to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the Capitol grounds.
SB 683, REAL ID Opt Out. Last week the Legislature violated their oaths of office by voting to comply with a national data collection and spying program called REAL ID. Thursday night some of the true conservatives were able to pass this opt-out measure by a vote of 86 to 1.
3. Senate Steps Up
Without shenanigans, the Senate ended at a reasonable time during the day, and they passed some good measures.
HB 3016, Vaccine Informed Consent. Passed 39 to 6.
HJR 1009, Strengthening Gun Rights. Passed 39 to 7.
4. Article V: Dangerous and Misguided
The Oklahoma House voted last week to call for a convention of states to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. While this is a legal and constitutional action, it has no immediate benefit, while allowing legislators to claim they did something to fight federal tyranny. Even worse, they have risked giving the federal tyrant even more power through a new or radically altered constitution.
It has already happened before. The most recent constitutional convention in 1787 was convened behind locked doors and covered windows. The delegates ignored their states’ mandates, changed the rules of the convention, and then created a whole new union. What kind of constitution or country would come out of a convention today?
The states have a more effective method of fighting federal tyranny. Thomas Jefferson called it the “rightful remedy.” The Legislature has a legal and moral authority to nullify unconstitutional federal mandates. Legislative acts which push back against the federal government take more courage and are more immediately effective than calling for a convention to tamper with our Constitution.
On April 19, 2016, author and columnist Laurence M. Vance commented, “Anyone who thinks that we need a constitutional convention to propose new amendments to the Constitution—including a balanced budget amendment—has rocks for brains. The government currently violates its own Constitution in 10,000 ways. Why would anyone possibly think that government would follow any new amendments to the Constitution? Why would anyone possibly think that congressional spending would be reined in by a balanced budget amendment?”
“If one simply compares what the Constitution authorizes the government to do with what it currently does, it is obvious that the government hardly follows its own Constitution at all.”
Vance goes on to list 50 programs out of thousands which are unconstitutional, and then he concludes: “What this means is that if the government followed its own Constitution, there would be no subsidies, no redistribution of wealth, no corporate welfare, no income transfers from those who work to those who don’t, no welfare state, and no nanny state. In other words, the United States would be a free society.”
Additional Notes
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· 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.