Is it "Us Against Them" With Some Republican Lawmakers?

Recently, a friend shared this Facebook post with me. It details an absolutely gorgeous piece of jewelry custom made by a company called Rustic Cuff (a company from Tulsa, so let's give them some props). This was shared on new-Senator-this-year Julie Daniel's Facebook page with the accompanying post,

Custom designed Rustic Cuff bracelets for the women of the Senate. Gift of Senator Bice.

Well goodness! Senator Bice must be quite the kind - and well off - woman. Several of us who saw the post noted how much the bracelet reminded us of the cuffs worn by Wonder Woman's character. Interesting choice.

I'm not faulting Senator Daniels for being grateful enough to acknowledge such a generous gift, and I'm not faulting Senator Bice for providing such, but I am going to use this gift as illustration of an issue many grassroots activists have noticed over the last several years - an Esprit De corps or 'Tribe' mentality becoming inherent inside the hallowed halls of our state capitol among many of our state legislators.

This has been particularly noticeable over the years with respect to 2nd Amendment bills...Common Core...and grassroots-backed conservative state Republican Chairmen, as, what could only be called, 'establishment' Republicans, went toe-to-toe with grassroots activists and much of their own constituency in what can only be considered a circling of the wagons by legislative members.

It's also interesting to note that, as the number of Republican lawmakers under the dome has increased, so have the number of apportionments from the state budget - from 69 in 1998-99 to 145 today.

In fact, we're seeing Governor Mary Fallin propose a simply unheard of number of taxes on the service industries particularly - industries where people MAKE jobs for themselves, becoming employed, taxpaying citizens to cover all of those 145, which include things like - Animal Friendly Revolving Fund, Crossing Christian School, Deer Creek Foundation, Color Oklahoma Revolving Fund - and I could go on.

Sadly, though Lt. Governor Lamb has resigned from his Small Business liaison position on Gov. Fallin's cabinet in protest of these new and damaging taxes, only a fraction of Republican legislators standing with him.

Senator Bice is apparently not only NOT among those who stand with Lamb against these tax increases, but she also recently slammed parents on the Oklahomans for Vaccine and Health Choice PAC (OVHC-PAC) Facebook page.

Because Senator Ervin Yen is attempting - yet again this year - to take away the vaccine exemption for parents - OVHC attempted to remind Senator Yen of his campaign promises of fighting "for a health care system that works for patients, not Big Government Bureaucrats" by posting one of his campaign handouts.

How this is NOT fair game, I have no idea, but Senator Bice took exception.


Senator Bice, posting on the OVHC-PAC directly under the screen shot of the post pasted above says,

"I'm disgusted by your tactics and you should be ashamed."

Ashamed of WHAT Senator Bice? Calling out a Senator on campaign promises made not only to his constituency but to Oklahoma citizens in order to get elected to his current position? I think I'm disgusted by your tactics and you should be ashamed, frankly. 

Incidentally, though you have to hand it to her for not deleting the post, she removed herself from the group following her pronouncement.

Senator Yen has a number of bills that need to be opposed in the Oklahoma legislature this year for taking away parental rights and imposing Big Government BUREAUCRACY.

Most surprising of all in terms of Senator Yen's approach to government is found in this YouTube video of several OVHC-PAC members attempting to visit the Senator in his office. Frankly, this video must be watched and passed around via whatever means necessary to EVERY OKLAHOMA CITIZEN. Please note that not only is there a PUBLICLY PAID Oklahoma State Trooper barring the Senator's door from constituent visits, but TWO Senate Sergeant at Arms - also recipients of taxpayer checks, forcing TAXPAYERS OUT OF HIS OFFICE.

I guess a number of us fed-up taxpayers are going to need to make a trip to the Oklahoma State Capitol soon. Lawmakers who believe as Senators Yen and Bice appear to - that we taxpayers should just sit down, shut up, pay our taxes and let our representatives lord it over us - need to understand the definition of REPRESENTATION. Taxpayers are ENTITLED to just and fair REPRESENTATION as part of our Representative Republic and that includes LISTENING to taxpayers who disagree with YOUR personal thoughts and desires. 

Thank goodness this is an education blog, as this will clearly require considerable education for a large number of legislators this session.