Last year, Republican Senators realized that you can count to 25 in a variety of ways. I've been hearing that some Republican House members have figured out that 31 is a big part of 51.
Hallway scuttlebutt has T.W. Shannon wanting to become speaker right away, and not waiting almost two years until the next term. I have heard from multiple colleagues that T.W. could build on his support for the next speaker's race, and give the Democrats a minimal amount of tribute, to get to the 51 votes needed to elect a Speaker now.
SB 129, which would allow open-carry, is a key part of the true social conservative agenda that a 70% Republican majority should be passing and sending to the governor to become law. Maybe Mr. Hackett of the Oklahoma Liberty Caucus was right - if the State Chamber doesn't like it, it won't happen.
T.W. considers himself a "true conservative," so he would certainly order his committee chairmen to hear SB 129, and other conservative agenda items, if he were speaker. Or he would replace them - their choice.
Can we expect the current speaker to show that bold leadership, and keep the respect of his caucus?
- Mopsy
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Steve Vaughn's Prayer
How many other members were moved by Steve Vaughn's opening prayer at Caucus Lunch on April 11? I for one was very moved by the story of the tornado that left the camp alone.
- Flopsy
- Flopsy
How Could T.W. Shannon Reshape Oklahoma?
Rural House members should be very careful supporting T.W. Shannon for Speaker of the House of Representatives as it could bring their political lives to a screeching halt.
Representative David Derby, who is one of T.W.'s inner circle, this year introduced HB 1289, which is noted for "requiring school districts to restructure into a consolidated county school district." This year, the bill was referred to the Common Education Committee, where it died when no action was taken.
If David Derby is the Speaker Pro-Tem, or God forbid the floor leader to Speaker T.W. Shannon, next session's bill will be heard in committee and the Majority Whip will make sure it has the votes to pass on the floor.
Voters across Oklahoma have made their love for their local schools very clear. Elected officials who cross voters on this issue will face very cross voters at their next election. Cross voters don't like the incumbents that annoyed them.
(Today, I won't talk about another of T.W.'s inner circle, the member who had sex with his assistant in his office in the Capitol.)
- Mopsy
Representative David Derby, who is one of T.W.'s inner circle, this year introduced HB 1289, which is noted for "requiring school districts to restructure into a consolidated county school district." This year, the bill was referred to the Common Education Committee, where it died when no action was taken.
If David Derby is the Speaker Pro-Tem, or God forbid the floor leader to Speaker T.W. Shannon, next session's bill will be heard in committee and the Majority Whip will make sure it has the votes to pass on the floor.
Voters across Oklahoma have made their love for their local schools very clear. Elected officials who cross voters on this issue will face very cross voters at their next election. Cross voters don't like the incumbents that annoyed them.
(Today, I won't talk about another of T.W.'s inner circle, the member who had sex with his assistant in his office in the Capitol.)
- Mopsy
Can Fount Ride T.W. Shannon Back to Power?
For some reason, my Republican colleagues in the House have decided to select the 2013-2014 Speaker of the House in the next month or two. Current candidates include George Faught, Jeff Hickman, T.W. Shannon and Dan Sullivan - all are good men, and would do a good job for Oklahoma. But what about the company they keep?
T.W. Shannon is known to be close to Fount Holland. More than one of my colleagues and I have been contacted by Fount, asking us to support T.W. Now T.W. Shannon is not the only one who uses Fount and AH Strategies (Faught, 11/08/08, $1,000; Hickman, 10/29/10, $4,867; Sullivan, 10/20/10, $22,203 - www.ok.gov/ethics), but he is oddly the one getting help from outside sources. Today, I won't even mention the Senate involvement - maybe Cottontail will in a few days.
I was elected by the voters of District 222 to represent them in the House, and Flopsy was elected to serve the voters of District 333. What district does Fount Holland represent? Why is an unelected person, not even a bureaucrat, pressuring House members to support his candidate for Speaker?
Oh, that's right. The Speaker controls the House PAC and strongly recommends consultants to candidates new and old. Let's see - 70 Republican members and a $20,000 win bonus for each. That's $1.4 million in potential win bonus for Fount if the new Speaker owes him. No wonder Fount has chosen a horse in this race. A horse he can control. A horse that will promise and do what ever it takes to win.
- Mopsy
T.W. Shannon is known to be close to Fount Holland. More than one of my colleagues and I have been contacted by Fount, asking us to support T.W. Now T.W. Shannon is not the only one who uses Fount and AH Strategies (Faught, 11/08/08, $1,000; Hickman, 10/29/10, $4,867; Sullivan, 10/20/10, $22,203 - www.ok.gov/ethics), but he is oddly the one getting help from outside sources. Today, I won't even mention the Senate involvement - maybe Cottontail will in a few days.
I was elected by the voters of District 222 to represent them in the House, and Flopsy was elected to serve the voters of District 333. What district does Fount Holland represent? Why is an unelected person, not even a bureaucrat, pressuring House members to support his candidate for Speaker?
Oh, that's right. The Speaker controls the House PAC and strongly recommends consultants to candidates new and old. Let's see - 70 Republican members and a $20,000 win bonus for each. That's $1.4 million in potential win bonus for Fount if the new Speaker owes him. No wonder Fount has chosen a horse in this race. A horse he can control. A horse that will promise and do what ever it takes to win.
- Mopsy
Fount Holland, Puppeteer to the Stars?
Normal Oklahomans have never heard of Fount Holland. Flopsy and I are often jealous of these people who do not drive on Lincoln Boulevard everyday.
Those of you reading Oklahoma Bunnies probably know his name. As was well documented by Michael Bates in 2006, Fount went from newspaper reporter to Coburn staffer to political consultant in just a few years. Republicans across the state recognize and appreciate Fount's efforts from a decade ago. But times change...
Fount worked closely with disgraced former House Speaker Lance Cargill. As the Tulsa World reported, "At the same time Cargill was proposing reforms, he was calling lobbyists at 15-minute intervals to the Oklahoma City office of Fount Holland, who conducts numerous Republican political campaigns. Cargill was asking lobbyists how much they would contribute to the House PAC, his own campaign and two other GOP-related entities."
Once Fount got Lance Cargill elected speaker, there weren't as many challenges. That's when he started running candidates in contested Republican primaries. Fount makes lots of money on contested races - he marks up candidates' mail, he marks up their television ad production costs, he marks up the air time for their television ads, and he marks up anything else he can provide for a profit. All of the candidates' mail is produced by Fount and his Majority Designs operation. Even better, according to Mike Christian as quoted on oktruthcouncil.com, Fount gets a win bonus of $20,000 per House seat and $40,000 per Senate seat.
But Fount is not happy. He did not run the House PAC in 2010 like he did previous years, and hasn't controlled the speaker since Cargill was forced out. Fount wants his power back.
Fount used to be in it for the cause, but now seems have his head in a hole or a carrot up his... He is in the game solely for the power and $$$$.
Everyone is worried about lobbyists these days, but the true threat to our liberties, other than "fascist" capitalism, is Fount Holland, Puppeteer to the Stars.
- Mopsy
Those of you reading Oklahoma Bunnies probably know his name. As was well documented by Michael Bates in 2006, Fount went from newspaper reporter to Coburn staffer to political consultant in just a few years. Republicans across the state recognize and appreciate Fount's efforts from a decade ago. But times change...
Fount worked closely with disgraced former House Speaker Lance Cargill. As the Tulsa World reported, "At the same time Cargill was proposing reforms, he was calling lobbyists at 15-minute intervals to the Oklahoma City office of Fount Holland, who conducts numerous Republican political campaigns. Cargill was asking lobbyists how much they would contribute to the House PAC, his own campaign and two other GOP-related entities."
Once Fount got Lance Cargill elected speaker, there weren't as many challenges. That's when he started running candidates in contested Republican primaries. Fount makes lots of money on contested races - he marks up candidates' mail, he marks up their television ad production costs, he marks up the air time for their television ads, and he marks up anything else he can provide for a profit. All of the candidates' mail is produced by Fount and his Majority Designs operation. Even better, according to Mike Christian as quoted on oktruthcouncil.com, Fount gets a win bonus of $20,000 per House seat and $40,000 per Senate seat.
But Fount is not happy. He did not run the House PAC in 2010 like he did previous years, and hasn't controlled the speaker since Cargill was forced out. Fount wants his power back.
Fount used to be in it for the cause, but now seems have his head in a hole or a carrot up his... He is in the game solely for the power and $$$$.
Everyone is worried about lobbyists these days, but the true threat to our liberties, other than "fascist" capitalism, is Fount Holland, Puppeteer to the Stars.
- Mopsy
Welcome to Oklahoma Bunnies
With recent events in Oklahoma's State Capitol, we decided it's time to start shedding some light on what happens in the building.
Flopsy and Mopsy are Republican members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Our friend Cottontail is a Republican member of Oklahoma's State Senate.
Flopsy and Mopsy are Republican members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Our friend Cottontail is a Republican member of Oklahoma's State Senate.
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