Senate District 13 up for Grabs

By the Watchman

  This year State Senator Paddock (D) will be term limited. To date we have seen only one filing for office to replace her. The Republicans are looking to gain one of the seats they left unprotected earlier this year in two special elections. They have a well versed candidate, but the question will be if she is a conservative or not.

  The first article of interest we found was this The Okie » Ada Small Business Owner, Former Teacher Announces For Senate 13 Seat. This indicates that this is her first run for political office and we cannot find any other attempts for office on the records anywhere. She is a businesswoman in Ada and a former Science teacher. She has worked extensively for some of the Native American Tribes and has represented them in talks with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency.

  The next item of interest we found was this Shawn Howard Seeks SD13 Nod | The McCarville Report. Now there was no new information in this press release, but what made it interesting was it was ran word for word in The Tulsa World Newspaper on the same day by the same writer.

  The next item of interest we found was this I - Pauls Valley Chamber of Commerce. This started to raise caution flags with us. With her being a small business owner, we can see the need to network in other communities to increase business. The easiest way to do that would be through the local Chamber of Commerce. At the same time we can’t help but wonder if she hasn’t been reaching out to the larger cities Chamber of Commerce or even to the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. We cannot afford to put another chambercrat into the Senate.

  The next item of interest really made us question her Republican standing. The article can be seen here : SHAWN MARIE HOWARD, BORN 11 March 1967 OF ADA, OKLAHOMA, U.S.A . The portion of this article that makes us doubt her Republican standing is highlighted by her voting record below: was born on 11 March 1967 and registered to vote on 14 January 2008, listing the address 17177 CR 3548 RD in ADA, OKLAHOMA, U.S.A 74820. HOWARD, a Republican, voted “absentee in person” in the election held 4 November 2014, voted in person on 24 June 2014, voted in person on 6 November 2012, voted in person on 3 April 2012, voted in person on 6 March 2012, voted in person on 2 November 2010, voted in person on 27 July 2010, voted in person on 4 November 2008 and voted in person on 5 February 2008.

  Now there may be an explanation for this that we were unable to detect, such as a name change upon marriage, but we could not verify that. Why did it take her 40 years to register to vote as a Republican? An explanation is owed to the party and the constituents of Senate District 13. She must provide proof that she has been a registered Republican long before January of 2008.

  Based on the information available we cannot recommend that she be elected to the position of Senator for District 13. A lack of a voting history prior to 2008 indicates a lack of concern for both the State of Oklahoma and the United States of America. It also indicates a hint of deception as she has possibly laid the ground work to run as a Republican in name only.

Do Our Washington Senators and Congressmen Defend the Constitution?

By the Watchman 

  Not often do we venture into national politics, but as they say all politics are local. We wondered how our elected representatives in Washington D.C. we’re following the oath they took when they were elected to their current office. Just so you’ll know, here is the oath they swore to. 

The current oath was enacted in 1884:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

The first item of interest we found was this How big bankers profit from food stamps. J.P. Morgan Electronic Services is the biggest food stamp services provider in the country. Along with being the biggest food stamp provider, they are also the biggest donor to the politicians responsible for passing the food stamp law. Imagine that, Wall Street helping to finance Frank Lucas’s campaigns. Frank Lucas chaired the Committee that appropriated funds for the Food stamp program.

Corporate Tax Credits And the State Deficit

By the Watchman

  We’ve all known for several months now that Oklahoma was facing at the minimum a nine hundred million dollar shortfall in the state budget. Within the last two weeks that number has been changed to a staggering one point three billion dollar shortfall. A task force has been formed to look at the possibility of the reduction of some of the tax credits that are currently handed out by the state, but they are looking at only one hundred and eighty nine million dollars in tax exemptions.

  We at this point must ask Why Speaker Hickman hasn’t taken the initiative and acted more aggressively in reigning in these tax credits. At last count there were only 485 companies receiving these tax credits. That makes the system blatantly unfair and allows the politicians to choose who is successful and who isn’t in Oklahoma.