It's time to fight for rights of the unborn, and win
We need independents
I recently changed my political party affiliation to independent. My primary reason was the 2016 circus put on by both the Democratic and Republican parties. Unless informed political independents become a real force in the political process, this country will be lost to the ideologically fanatical factions of the Democratic and Republican parties.
The Democratic Party leadership has lost its way and seems not to have learned anything from the 2016 defeat. The Republican leadership, with their disdain for former President Obama, has chosen a path of near fascism with a narcissistic and possibly unbalanced leader. Hopefully the existing political system will engage its checks and balances to apply some measure of control over White House leadership.
Informed political independents must become a meaningful voice of reason in America. There are far too many people in both parties willing to listen to the loudest voice in the room. Let’s make America stand for something other than out of control fanaticism.
Tags deserved more thought
I get more opinionated each time I see a new car tag. To add to already mentioned issues — “blurred, blue, blotch” and no state tourist significance — I add concern about legibility. How many law enforcement people were allowed to voice an opinion on the legibility of the new plates? I truly would have been proud to display an Oklahoma plate that signifies the importance of Oklahoma as I travel. I’m disappointed in the new tags. This project wasn’t given the proper thought and consideration it needed.
Park closings
My shiny new car tag tells the world to “Explore Oklahoma.” How can we do this if many of our beloved state parks close? The Department of Tourism and Recreation offered a “worst-case” scenario to the Legislature that would close 16 state parks. This hypothetical 14.5 percent budget cut amounts to a $2.5 million budget cut from a state agency that is already cut to the bone. Why didn’t we see this coming and charge an extra dollar for each car tag? If I’m going to pay to advertise for TravelOK.com, there ought to be something out there to go see.
Business sense
“State government could use more business sense” (Our Views, March 14) was spot on. I have worked for a state agency for 14 years after having worked for 29 years for an aircraft manufacturing company, which closed and moved to Mexico. A private business would go bankrupt if it operated the way state agencies are operated. If state agencies would research some of the manufacturing principles that have made them more efficient and implement those principles, it could go a long way in solving budget problems.
Pay raise concerns
It seems like it has been an eternity since I first heard whywe need to give our teachers a pay raise at the expense of every other state employee.I have tried but I can’t come up with an excuse I feel the other employees would accept as to why teachers are more important than they are.As an example, a teacher gets up in the morning and puts on their shirt to go to work while my son puts on a bulletproof vest.While they are putting on their dressbelt, he is putting on his pistol belt.When they get to work they are in a heated and air-conditioned classroom while my son is out in the weather. While they worry about being verbally abused by some unruly child, my son is dealing with someone who might shoot him every time he walks up to the side of a car.
My son would also like to have a pay raise, but he understood the salary when he took the job, he understands the state is in financial trouble, and the most important thing he understands is he is no more important than any other state employee. If teachers can’t get their minds around that concept, then they aren’t smart enough to be teaching!
Defense spending
The Trump budget includes $57 billion more for defense even though the United States already spends much more than other countries on defense. Get ready for a new war(s) so President Trump’s buddies can collect. Meanwhile, we endure cuts to Meals on Wheels, PBS, EPA, assistance with heating costs for poor seniors, after-school programs and many of the other programs my family cares about most — plus the economic impact when people working for those programs lose their jobs, their homes and their ability to spend money in their communities. arlier this year, Speaker Paul Ryan stated that any Affordable Care Act repeal bill would include defunding language for Planned Parenthood. With President Trump in the White House and Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress, we now have an opportunity to shut down the flow of federal tax dollars to an organization that is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of unborn children each year.
Whenever the topic of defunding Planned Parenthood comes up, the other side quickly points out that federal law prohibits taxpayer funding for abortion. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortion. So while it’s technically true that Planned Parenthood doesn’t receive federal money to pay for abortions, that’s not the whole story. It receives millions of dollars every year in the form of grants and Medicaid reimbursements. While these funds may not directly pay for abortion, they supplement abortion at Planned Parenthood in a variety of ways.
Cecile Richards, the CEO of Planned Parenthood, unintentionally affirmed this in an oversight hearing. When I asked her whether federal funds could be used for rent, salaries or cleaning services in Planned Parenthood clinics where abortions are performed, she was unable to draw clear lines of distinction concerning how federal funds were used in those facilities.
Despite the Hyde Amendment, federal funding does enable Planned Parenthood to perform hundreds of thousands of abortions each year. These funds directly pay for abortions when they are used to pay for resources that are necessary in providing the service. In addition, these funds indirectly pay for abortion when they free up other
Despite the Hyde Amendment, federal funding does enable Planned Parenthood to perform hundreds of thousands of abortions each year.
funds that can be used to provide for abortion services. It's simply a shell game to act as if there are definite lines between federal funding, abortion and Planned Parenthood.
Given the number of abortions Planned Parenthood performs annually, it is reasonable to assume that right now there is a young woman sitting in a Planned Parenthood waiting room. Because of her circumstances, she believes her only option is to terminate the life of the child growing inside her. As a person who recognizes the absolute value of life from conception to natural death, it haunts me to know that even a small portion of my tax dollars may have trickled down into that clinic and they will end up paying for the receptionist who will lead her back to the examination room, or for the lights that the doctor will need in order to perform the procedure.
This not only haunts me but every American who values the life of the unborn. It is for this reason that I call upon my colleagues to stand strong in this fight. In the midst of all the horse trading that will take place in the health care debate, let us hold fast to our commitment to defund Planned Parenthood. Let us not ignore the religious and moral convictions of millions of Americans who cannot stomach the thought of being forced into funding abortion. Above all, let us not turn a deaf ear to the silent cry of countless unborn children whose lives have been cut short. If for no other reason, on their behalf, let us fight for their rights — and win.