FBI Visits; TWO State Questions; NO taxes for Roads!

"This might be the single greatest thing that's happened in the last 10 years in the state of Oklahoma" stated US Sen. Jim Inhofe.
Inhofe joined 4th District Cong. Tom Cole, Walt Havenstein, President and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc. and Elgin Mayor Larry Thoma in Elgin on Wednesday as an artist rendering of the Elgins Operations facility was unveiled to the public. The 150,000 sq ft facility is where components of the Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) Cannon will be brought from different parts of the country for assembly. Initial production of the first 18 cannons is scheduled in Elgin between 2010-2012.

Word that two FBI agents spent 90 minutes with Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan, has, logically, sent political tongues wagging. Recall that McMahan got some straw donor campaign money from those implicated in the southeastern Oklahoma scandal involving former Sen. Gene Stipe, former Rep. Mike Mass, businessman Steve Phipps and others.The donations, however, would be state (not federal) matters, so the question is: What was the FBI doing with McMahan? And, is he a "target" in the investigation, or simply a possible witness to something the FBI wants to know about? No word from McMahan or his spokeswoman, Terri Watkins. Watkins declined to make McMahan available to reporter Tony Thornton of The Oklahoman, who broke the FBI interview story on Friday morning, so from McMahan we have nothing. This story has been developing for more than a year. McMahan and Phipps, despite what McMahan said earlier, had a relationship that involved out-of-state trips and in-state events. Phipps was a partner with Stipe in a string of state abstract companies, regulated by McMahan, and abstractors (as we reported last fall) poured tens of thousands of dollars into McMahan's campaign.
-McCarville; OKlahoman

btw....One Legislator called for removing McMahan until all investigations were concluded. It got no traction and the 'powers that be' will do all they can to keep McMahan on the payroll long enough to draw max benefits on the hefty pension you nice taxpayers provide!

TWO different groups, TWO different questions! Hopefully the people will decide. In addition to seeking term limits for elected offices other than Governor, another group is asking for easier ballot access in Oklahoma. Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform includes representatives for the Libertarian, Constitution, and Green parties as well as some Independent voters. The group plans to circulate a petition state-wide this fall in hopes of being on the November 2008 ballot.Any registered Oklahoma voter may sign either or both of these petitions to put these questions on ballot which will allow all Oklahoma voters to have a say! < http://yesontermlimits.org/> < http://www.okvoterchoice.org/>

"If there was any doubt, it's gone now: Fred Thompson will announce his candidacy after Labor Day, with his coming out party his participation in the September 27 GOP debate in Maryland."
- Evans/Novak Report

According to NewsMax.com, former California governor and three-time presidential candidate [the ultra liberal] Jerry Brown said he’s weighing another run for the governor’s post when the job opens up again in 2010.“The thought has certainly crossed my mind, but I haven't really come to any conclusion,” Brown, 69 – who is now California Attorney General – told the Sacramento Bee. “I've had conversations with people. I've certainly talked about it. But I've thought about it and I've decided I'm not going to think about it in any serious way certainly for the next year.” In a March poll, Brown topped all potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates with 31 percent of the votes, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.Democratic political consultant Bill Carrick told the Bee that Brown has “tremendous advantages” if he seeks to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, including the ability to raise money, great name recognition, and a job that will keep him in the spotlight for the next three years. But Republican strategist Ken Khachigian warned that another Brown governorship would mean another Brown run for president. “If he ran for governor in 2010 and won, he'd start running for president in 2011,” Khachigian said. “The governorship would be too small for him.”

“Why is someone who sells tickets to a Red Sox fan outside Fenway Park for a heavily inflated price called a ‘scalper,’ while someone who charges the same fan $4 for a bottle of water inside the stadium is called a ‘concessionaire’? . . . But what I really don't understand about the scalping brouhaha is why anyone thinks the government should be involved in deciding how much a willing buyer can pay a willing seller for tickets to a lawful entertainment event.”
- Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby

And the scalping season is upon us.....8th ranked OU vs N. Texas on Sat. Sept. 1, Norman, 6:00pm.

“Under the inaptly named Protect America Act of 2007, which President Bush signed into law on Sunday, [August 5] the federal government no longer needs a warrant to eavesdrop on phone calls or read e-mail messages between people in the United States and people in other countries. Unless the courts overturn this law or Congress declines to renew it when it expires in six months, Americans will have no legally enforceable privacy rights that protect the content of their international communications.”
- Jacob Sullum of Reason magazine

“We find no compelling reason for a federal gasoline tax at all and call for its repeal. Fuel taxes are at best matters of local governmental concern and they should only be a fraction of current charges on motorists."
- Jerry Taylor and Peter Van Doren of the Cato Institute

Good time to mention...the Grapevine X-TRA sent earlier this week with poll results on what Oklahomans think about their roads and bridges..... While the poll contained factual information as there are MOST definitely problems with Oklahoma roads and bridges, the group conducting this poll are some of the same (TRUST) who attempted to get a gas TAX HIKE couple/three years ago. Now, could this recent 'poll' be a little posturing for another attempt at a gasoline tax hike? Before Oklahomans consider any TAX hike FOR roads or bridges they should understand that decades of Dimocrat control of the Legislature resulted in major neglect of our state roads plus the diversion of over HALF of the highway dollars for 'other uses'. These are major reasons Oklahoma roads and bridges are in such bad shape.** Only immediate past Legislative session(s) with Republicans in control were additional road monies appropriated. 'The people' should demand that road money be SPENT ON ROADS before being saddled with additional (un-needed tax increases)!!!! Keep an eye open for a sentimental, keep the people - the kids -'safe', tug at your heart-strings, scare tactic effort all rolled into one .....to raise TAXES for roads! Strange, 'they' haven't worried much about our road safety for some 20-30 years now!

**Read on:Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director Gary Ridley met with members of the House Transportation Subcommittee on Thursday to discuss the condition of Oklahoma's roads. Ridley noted that funding for the state road system had flatlined for 20 years and did not see an increase until 2005 when Republicans gained control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. "ODOT officials say the funding increases sought by Republicans is already having an impact, although it will take years to fully repair the decades of neglect," said Rep. Mike Thompson, Oklahoma City Republican who chairs the committee.

The battle is tough and hard-fought among candidates to get endorsements from Congressmen and women. You can check out who supports which Presidential candidate. http://thehill.com/endorsements-2008.htmlMore news, events, archives, and great links at < http://thruthegrapevine-grapevine.blogspot.com/>

In Lawton this week-end - Lions Club annual carnival at the Fairgrounds!

Legendary saddle maker Howard Council one man show: "Howard Council: An Artistin Leather and an Artist in Oils - A living Legend."Opens August 23 at the Swestern Hospital Pride Gallery - 5602 W. Lee

Texas Governor Rick Perry recently conducted a state wide poll. One question was:"Do you think illegal immigration is a problem in Texas?"
Results were posted as follows:
YES, this is a very serious problem - 29%
NO, es una problema~! - 71%
(with thanks to 'D')