Children coerced into good behavior by threats of a dark, meaningless Christmas in which one of God’s very own saints skips their house because he, like their parents, has had it up to here with their acting out. This season’s hottest toy squirreled away in some out-of-reach and never-seen corner of the house, possibly acquired […]
Commentary
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Okie flavor
In the November election, the GOP extended their majorities in the Oklahoma House and Senate, captured the governor’s office and swept every single statewide office. Coalescing around anti-President Barack Obama and anti-Washington hysteria, Republicans swarmed into office, often with landslide votes. It was a time for Republicans to celebrate. But that was so November. Republican […]
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Counterpoint: A matter of perspective
They say that as if it’s a bad thing. It’s not. As the Nov. 2 shellacking made perfectly clear, people want less government and more freedom. As one wag observed, that wasn’t an election — it was a restraining order. From Nov. 5 to 11, telephone interviewers for SoonerPoll asked likely voters: “Which would you […]
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Point: ‘A new fiscal reality’
Funding to state agencies has been cut by more than $500 million, which is having a corrosive effect on our ability to invest in our future and promote the education, health, safety and economic well-being of Oklahomans. We have laid off teachers and increased class sizes, cut services to low-income seniors, eliminated preventive programs serving […]
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Hindering connectivity
One of the fundamental roles of cities is to connect. Cities connect people to people, places to places, and goods to markets. Look around. The majority of our public infrastructure was built for this singular purpose. Streets and sidewalks, phone lines and antennas, highways and railroads — all of these things aim to connect us. […]
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Counterpoint: An internationalist agenda
When you hear the word “sustainability,” think U.N. Agenda 21. That’s the source of the concept of “sustainability.” Agenda 21 is a 40-chapter document spelling out how all activities on the planet are to be brought under the control of the United Nations to create a “sustainable” future for all, forever. George H. W. Bush […]
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Point: Sustainability is ‘good stewardship’
Edmond called a meeting to discuss a “sustainability plan,” but protesters disrupted the meeting and shouted down citizens. The protesters believe Agenda 21 ” a United Nations plan for sustainable development ” is an effort to impose a global socialist government run by a small ruling elite. They must think the U.N., under a green […]
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Minor league leaders
Nuke LaLoosh, Crash Davis, and the sultry Annie Savoy tore up the minor leagues in the movie “Bull Durham.” The story of baseball players traveling from town to town in a dilapidated bus, trying to make the big leagues ” the ultimate goal for aspiring minor league ball players ” is an apt analogy for […]
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Poverty picture
There are seemingly conflicting federal survey numbers about the depth of poverty in Oklahoma these days, but all the facts taken together show that there’s still too much suffering and more needs to be done in the fight against systemic impoverishment here. A U.S. Census report in September claimed the state’s poverty level actually declined […]
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Maintaining Ward 2’s legacy
Oklahoma City is blessed with one of the best city governments in the nation On Jan. 27, the filing period opens for Oklahoma City’s primary election for City Council positions in Wards 2, 5, 6 and 8. Most of the incumbent council members are expected to seek re-election, but Ward 2 Councilman Sam Bowman has […]