OCPAC Luncheon Bulletin for February 16th, 2005

Members and friends of OCPAC,

For our meeting this Wednesday, we will be viewing a new video titled
America's Economic Decline. The video features William F. Jasper who
examines the policies responsible for the decline of America's basic
industries and the outsourcing of high-paying jobs. He then discusses what
must be done to protect our economic base and national independence. The
video is a little less than an hour in length. We will therefore try to
have it playing by ten minutes after noon.

Among the things to be gleaned from the presentation is the understanding
that our annual TRADE deficit (meaning we are annually buying from
foreigners almost $600 Billion more than what we are selling them) is what
is driving our annual BUDGET deficits. The MONEY we BORROW (budget deficit)
each year to replace the dollars which leave our economy each year because
of our TRADE deficit. This borrowed money is what is causing our current
strong jump in inflation even though many officials are lying about the
true rate of inflation. Because of the recent tax cuts, we all may have
more money to spend now than before, but the price of almost everything we
buy has also gone up, some things quite rapidly. So the question is: Are we
really better off with more money when almost everything costs more?

Inflation makes the statistics look good, but the stats are improved
because of an influx of new paper dollars, some of it borrowed and some
printed, which is not real economic growth, but paper stimulated growth.
This is a huge threat to the future viability of our economy. These points
are just a smidgen of the information in the video. Don't miss this meeting
as the presentation in the video is so important.

As we approach March 30th we have had an attorney, Richard Harris, agree to
serve as our general council if elected. But please let me make it clear
that the opportunity for anyone wanting to seek the Chairmanship, Vice
Chairmanship, Secretary Treasurer or General Council is open for anyone
wanting to run. If you want to run, or you know a member who wants to run,
contact me by e-mail at charlie/meadows@qns.com or phone 405.282.8711. The
election is March 30th. Anyone wanting to vote must have his or her dues
paid by 4 weeks prior to that date. For information on how to join, please
e-mail Charlie.

A big thumbs up to U.S. Representative John Sullivan from Tulsa. Ron Black
had him on his show (WKY 930 AM 3:00 - 6:00 pm M-F) this past week doing a
program on illegal immigration. While Congressman Sullivan said he agreed
with many of President Bush's programs, he had the intellectual honesty and
courage to say that the President's plan on immigration was an AMNESTY
plan. It is refreshing to hear a Congressman speak plainly rather than
political gobbledygook.

A big thumbs down to U.S. Representative Frank Lucas, representing the huge
third district covering Northwestern and North Central Oklahoma. It was
recently announced that he had helped the Cashion rural fire department
obtain a federal grant in excess of $100,000. Congressman Lucas, where in
the Constitution can you find it to be a proper function of the federal
government to support rural fire departments?

All rural fire departments in Oklahoma have a choice of being a title 18
department (supported by voluntary dues) or a title 19 department
(supported by property taxes). I am not against rural fire departments. In
fact I am a former board member of the department's district in which I
currently live. Rural fire departments, however, are designed to exist if
the people who live in their districts want them to exist. The residents in
the Cashion district should fund their own fire department rather than
using the sword of government through Congressman Lucas to forcibly take
money away from their neighbors so they can have a fire department.

These kind of actions are akin to petty or grand larceny depending on the
amount of money involved. Unfortunately Congressman Lucas is the
facilitator of such behavior. Just ask yourself, if you don't live in that
small district do you want to see your federal taxes raised so they can
have more money for their fire department? Do you want to see the federal
government borrow more money to send to that small fire department?

Thumbs up to State Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, author of SB11, a bill to
make finger scanning on our drivers licenses voluntary. A bill was passed a
couple of years ago, sponsored by Republican Representative John Nance,
requiring the finger scans with the goal of cutting down on identity theft.
Some people are really concerned about government becoming so nosey and
intrusive in our lives that we lose all privacy and perhaps eventually our
liberties. They care more about liberty than the hope that government will
protect or care for them. The vote a couple of years ago was one that made
the conservative index and SB 11 could well do so this year. Let us hope
the Republicans in the House pass this bill as the voluntary aspect is the
way to go.

Thumbs down to Democrat Oklahoma County Commissioner Jim Roth and
Republican Assessor Leonard Sullivan, who earned the distinction while in
the legislature as a RINO (Republican In Name Only) nominee every year we
have issued the awards. It seems they used their influence to pressure the
rest of the County officers on the Budget Board to pledge a contribution to
entice a manufacture of roofing materials to expand their operations in
Roth's district. The bad news is the disappointment in seeing County
government get into the same re-distribution of wealth/direct subsidies
form of economic development that the federal, State and City governments
are involved with.

The good news is the monies that Commissioners Inman and Rinehart have
pledged are to be used for access roads to the property, certainly a proper
function of government. However, unless Roth is willing to reciprocate
sometime in the future I don't believe it was right to spend their road
money in a district other than their own. The really good news is that with
the sheriff pledging almost $25,000 for the give away, all Oklahoma County
residents can now rest assured his department is no longer under a
financial strain, but has excess monies.

Also with Assessor Sullivan pledging $50,000 from his office, County
residents should realize that their property taxes are too high as he
obviously has monies unneeded for the operations of his office. Rather than
raising property taxes each year a certain percentage, Sullivan should
freeze them for a while. If he does not the voters should throw him out of
office at the first opportunity. Of course don't hold your breath for the
tax freeze. Leonard Sullivan used to own the property the company is going
to expand on and admitted at a recent budget board meeting that he was
brokering this economic development deal. I am relieved he told everyone he
wasn't going to directly profit from the deal. Boy, am I ever relieved. Of
course I have one question. Why is a County Assessor involved in property
deals?

Following our meeting this Wednesday the area Coordinator with the John
Birch Society will be doing a presentation about this year's Robert Welch
University youth camp. I would encourage any young person between the ages
of 13 to 19 interested or their parents to attend. Also next Monday
afternoon, March 28th, the CEO of the Birch Society, G. Vance Smith, and
the executive director of the newly forming Robert Welch University, Dr.
Steve Bonta, will be conducting a seminar at the Character First Center in
downtown OKC between 4:00 and 6:30 pm. Due to the need to plan for
refreshments, this is by invitation only with a small fee to attend. For
those who did not receive an invitation to attend, if interested please
contact me at 405.282.8711 for details.

I look forward to seeing everyone Wednesday.

Charlie Meadows
charlie/meadows@qns.com


****OCPAC (the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee) meets
every Wednesday for lunch at the Edmond Golden Corral located one-half mile
North of Memorial Road on the West side of Broadway Extension. The program
usually starts about 10 minutes after 12. Many arrive early for fellowship
while others come late. People are free to come and go as their time
constraints permit. Dress ranges from casual to business attire. The cost
is $7.95 for adults and $6.00 for teens. The price includes meal, drink,
tax and tip. When you enter, identify yourself as being with OCPAC, get a
ticket, and drop it in the bowl inside the door to our room.

For more information about OCPAC, email Charlie at charlie/meadows@qns.com

The Oklahoma Libertarian Party provides this information for the benefit of
the public, and does not necessarily endorse or oppose any ideas presented.