BY RUSSELL TURNER
POLITICS OF FEAR
As I watched the debate on the proposed budget deal in the House of Representatives in the Oklahoma legislature, it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that some politicians will use fear or anything to get what they want. There was a constant parade of people working for the government or on the receiving end of government programs protesting for the most massive tax increases in state history. It is a sad fact that too many of our citizens have become completely dependent on government whether it be state, federal or local.
In many of the old western movies I have watched how some cowboys intent on causing chaos would get behind a herd of cows and shoot their six guns to stampede the herd. If the herd is big enough, and enough shots are fired, they will run over each other and anything in their way. After the herd has passed, usually the ground is littered with broken structures and dead bodies. A stampeded herd is always frightened and cannot make a logical decision. Too many of our voters are like a herd of scared cattle; many don’t understand the budget process nor do they want to educate themselves, instead they would rather listen to a bunch of self serving politicians who are more interested in preserving the status quo instead of moving our state forward.
Recently it was disclosed that there was over 30 million dollars mismanaged in the Oklahoma Department of Health. Fortunately this fraud was discovered; my question is how many other state agencies are being run in a similar fashion? I can guarantee that the department heads of the health department were screaming that the sky would fall if they didn’t get more money. If the Governor and her minions had got their way I am sure that much of the mismanagement would not have been found and it would have been papered over with taxpayer dollars.
At one time it was much simpler making major changes to tax laws. Today, thanks to heavily vested interests on all sides, it takes a miracle to make any serious modifications to the tax code. Just look at the sales tax added to anyone who purchases a new auto, our leaders say it is necessary to provide for state services and without them people will suffer. It seems ironic that while speaking out of the other side of their mouth they are attempting to remove that sales tax from the trucking industry because it will cost jobs.
In my opinion most of our elected leaders are so far removed from reality that they cannot comprehend what the small business owners, farmers, ranchers, etc. have to deal with on a daily basis. It is about time that our elected leaders start listening to the people actually paying taxes and doing the work necessary for our country and state to operate. While they keep hollering for pay raises, nothing is said about the decline that people in our private sector has to endure. Increasing taxes only compounds the problem. We Americans are a compassionate people, but we are also a people that refuse to be cheated or taken advantage of. Before any more taxes should even be considered all agencies must be audited and make their books open to everyone.
Fortunately there were 22 true conservatives in the House of Representatives who were able to stop the fear-driven attempt to soak the taxpayers of this state. I appreciate their rock solid conservative principles. We humans are better than a herd of cattle, it is time we let logic determine our actions instead of fear.
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