YOUR VIEWS

We can all pray

When the Alfred P. Murrah Building was bombed, Oklahoma City prayed. Pope John Paul II taught us how to respond to those who would kill us. He visited his would-be assassin in prison and prayed with him. There must be law and tough consequences for indiscriminate killing as diversified as murder in a gay nightclub or in a Baptist church. However, if we are to remain free there must be in our righteous anger a tough love that refuses to hate in return. We are a good people, a decent people and we must not let terrorism redefine us as a vengeful people. We have been here before and our better angels within us know how to respond. We mourn with those who mourn. When we run out of tears, we cry some more. When our hearts become hardened to yet another terrorist attack, somehow our hardened hearts break again.

Most of us are not FBI, police, judges or jury. All of us can love. All of us can show compassion. When one of our sister congregations is as devastated as is Sutherland Springs Baptist Church, all of us can pray.

C. Dale German, Bethany

It will only get worse

The Legislature’s continued apathy, partisan politics and inaction will only get worse. Lawmakers refuse to work out a balanced budget, raise teacher salaries and fix our streets, but now will take away our health care for those in need. They do so because nothing will happen to them and they get to keep their jobs and there are no consequences for these actions. As a career officer in the U.S. Army, we were required each year to do our schedule X budget for our entire division. This is done at corps level and below for the entire Army. The consequences of not turning in a balanced and adequate budget were a bad officer efficiency report and no promotion, which eventually leads to dismissal and being retired for poor performance. Until the people of Oklahoma introduce legislation that leads to their demise and removal from office for non-performance and failure to provide a balanced and adequate budget, this crisis will continue to get worse.

Joseph Rankin, Oklahoma City

Breaking the log jam

Let me offer a simple proposal to resolve the seemingly intractable special session log jam.

Most folks agree a $1.50 cigarette tax increase makes economic, social and health care common sense. Annualized, it will raise about $215 million dollars. Pass it and earmark the money for a healthier Oklahoma. Change the fuel tax from pennies per gallon to a percentage per gallon. Set it at a 6 percent floor and as the price of crude rises, the revenue raised will also and should be earmarked for infrastructure with emphasis on roads and bridges. Pass legislation that establishes a minimum 4 percent severance tax on all oil and natural gas wells, now and in

the future.Include a provision that allows the percentage rate to climb as the price does. For example, $50 crude would be 5 percent, $60 a barrel at 6 percent, then cap it at 7 percent. A similar formula for natural gas will also work.

Roll this into one bill authored by Speaker Charles McCall, President Pro Tem Mike Schulz and Minority Leaders Steve Kouplen and John Sparks. Schedule only an up-or-down vote in both chambers, on the same day, and circulate a written commitment from Gov. Mary Fallin that she will sign the legislation.

It would pass and after all, what do we have to lose by trying it? Nothing — but everything to gain.

Cal Hobson, Lexington Hobson is a Democrat who spent 28 years in the Legislature.

A chance for what?

When interviewed on TV, Donald Trump supporters are asked about his thus far deplorable performance. All seem to reply, “We should give him a chance.” Give him a chance to do what? Take the insurance from the poor and much of the middle class? So called “tax reform” that shifts the tax burden from the mega wealthy to the lowest earners? Give him a chance to fan the coals of war in Korea? A chance to put Iran back on track to achieving their nuclear ambitions?

He angers our enemies and our allies as well. He would profane our pristine parks with drilling rigs. Out of his own mouth he attests to atrocious sexual predatory behaviors, yet he’s still the darling of the so called “religious” right. He is threatening our First Amendment freedoms. Indictments and guilty pleas are starting to fall. He’s a fake president. He’s had his chance and he must go.

Rick Ewing, Lexington

Do your job

What is going on at the University of Oklahoma? In late October, students received an email dated in June notifying them that tuition and fees would be raised. Consequently, since the students have a deficit in their account for money owed, they can’t enroll for the spring semester until it is paid. They are now faced with trying to recalculate their school loans or asking family to come up with the money. How do I know this? My grandchild is one of those students. As with many other agencies in our state, no one seems to be held accountable. As long as citizens of Oklahoma ignore what is going on with our state agencies, nothing will change. I just want people to “do their job.”

Charlotte Grayson, Ponca City