1. Program June 17: The Conservative Index
2. How Dare We Pray for Our Athletes?
1. Program June 17: The Conservative Index
The
Oklahoma Constitution newspaper, in partnership with OCPAC, is preparing the 37th annual Oklahoma Conservative Index. The index is the standard by which conservative legislators in Oklahoma are measured and is formed in a three-step process.
First, legislators submit bills to be considered for the index. We seek bills for which a conservative vote reflects support for limited government, individual liberty, free markets, constitutional government, and traditional values. For more on the kinds of issues we watch, read our last newsletter on
principles of good government. This year legislators submitted 127 bills for us to consider.
Second, we cuss and discuss which bills ought to be used on the index. The list of bills submitted has been narrowed to twenty-four for our debate this Wednesday 17 June. We will provide a synopsis of each bill, and then those in attendance will have an opportunity to advocate for or against the use of the bill on the index. We especially welcome legislators to participate in this day of debate. Often, these discussions lead to better understandings of the bills and their ramifications.
Lastly, based on the debate meeting of 17 June, the list of bills will be further narrowed. We will engage in one final round of debate on 24 June, after which our dues-paying members will vote to determine the final ten bills to be used on the index.
The Oklahoma Conservative Index is a critical way to hold legislators accountable to their conservative campaign claims. It is an objective standard that grades actual votes against a truly conservative standard.
2. How Dare We Pray for Our Athletes?
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) has continued an existing policy that bans prayer during the organization’s playoffs. What a silly notion that public prayer somehow represents the state trying to convert people or sponsor a state religion. In this age when we have freedom
from religion instead of freedom
of religion, we are subjugated at every turn with prohibitions against the practice of religion. Representative Bobby Cleveland plans to request an interim study of OSSAA rules.
